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Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, announced today that it is voluntarily recalling approximately 1.25 million nüvi personal navigation devices (of which approximately 796,000 units were sold in the United States) that contain batteries manufactured by a third-party supplier within a defined date code range…..

Garmin Ltd today announced that it was recalling about 1.25 million personal navigation devices (PNDs) because these devices are likely to face some fire-related complications due to overheating batteries. The company however, expressed hope that that recall would not affect its business prospects.

Garmin is the top PND maker in the US and the company said its nuvi range of devices is affected by recall. The batteries for these devices were supplied by a third-party within a defined date code range and a specific printed circuit board design. Garmin added that the third party has agreed to share the cost of replacement packs.

Owners of Garmin GPS devices out there might want to take note that the company has just announced that they’re recalling a good 1.25 million nuvi navigation units due to the possibility of faulty batteries. According to the press release, the problem is related to defective third-party batteries which in rare circumstances could increase the chances of overheating, possibly leading to a fire hazard.

Affected models include the 200W, 250W, 260W, 7xx, and the 7xxT models. Garmin has put up a page in order to help owners determine if their unit has been recalled.

Garmin said that the company was only aware of fewer than 10 units malfunctioning in this way but the problem is related to proximity with the internal battery and given the volatility of overheating lithium ion batteries, the company is wisely taking no chances.

The units are rather more popular in the US than in Europe, with 800m of the affected products having been sold in the Americas. Returned units will be updated by Garmin with the addition of thermal insulation between the PCB and the battery.

Garmin claims that the issue has been identified in less than ten cases, and so far none of the incidents have caused significant property damage or injuries, and hopefully the situation will remain that way.

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