Home | Garmin Forerunner 305

Rebooting a frozen Garmin Forerunner 305



I’ve had this problem with my Garmin Forerunner 305 over the last couple of weeks…

It basically won’t turn on and has stopped working, and even if it’s plugged in to the mains there is no display.

I rang the Garmin support line today and they were extremely helpful. The phone was answered very quickly once I’d gone through the IVR, and the guy I spoke to was very friendly and very knowledgeable.

He advised me to press the mode button and then the lap button, and to keep them both depressed for at least 10 seconds. Then they should be released before pressing the on button, and hey-presto it should come back on again. This is kind of like rebooting a frozen I-Pod.

First time I tried it nothing happened, but then I tried again and it worked. I guess the first time I didn’t hold the buttons down for long enough.


What to do next...

(This entry was posted on November 24th, 2008.)

43 comments so far to “Rebooting a frozen Garmin Forerunner 305”

  1. Posted by: Nicole Caverta
    on February 15th, 2009 at 3:57 am

    This is a good reminder for all of us.

  2. Posted by: Richard
    on March 28th, 2009 at 5:58 pm

    Thanks, very useful post. Same problem for me after 3 years of use. Thought that was it, but a quick reset and away we go again. I think the problem came from connecting to Mapmyrun.com. Will see if this causes a freeze again next time I sync…..

  3. Posted by: Vanessa Loggins
    on April 29th, 2009 at 2:07 pm

    http://trail.motionbased.com/ will also read Garmin Forerunner 305 data and provide an elevation profile, heart rate data (if you were wearing your monitor), speed and distance data, and even weather data as well as a google map.

    Here’s a sample from one of my runs:
    http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/7936595

    I’ve found the elevation data to be the most accurate if you choose MB Gravity web service under the elevation options when you’re setting up a free account.

  4. Posted by: Colleen
    on June 8th, 2009 at 1:16 am

    Thanks, my wouldn’t turn on today, and your intructions did the trick. You saved my buying a new one.

  5. Posted by: Erin
    on June 21st, 2009 at 3:25 am

    This was very helpful. Worked like a charm. Too bad it’s not in the manual. I called Garmin and was bummed to find it was after hours. I’m addicted to this thing. I was very glad to find your post. Thanks.

  6. Posted by: Amy
    on August 30th, 2009 at 9:45 pm

    Holy cow it worked!!!!
    Thank you so much – I have had mine for maybe about 3 years now and this had never happened before – I charged it last night and this morning it said the charge was complete. I took it and put it on my wrist as usual and was baffled when I could not get it to turn on. I even tried hooking it back up to the charger but that time it would not even give a reading that it was charging – just blank.
    I did an internet search and came across this and it worked immediately. Thank you so much for posting this – you saved me from having to buy a new one!!!

  7. Posted by: Mads Bondo Dydensborg
    on September 1st, 2009 at 4:57 pm

    Thanks for the fine instructions, saved me a lot of problems with an unhappy wife. The instructions you are giving here are different from the manual, but they work, which is more than one can say about the instructions in the manual!

  8. Posted by: Running Fool
    on September 3rd, 2009 at 8:15 pm

    The issue is that your watch needs to have its software updated. I called garmin’s tech support and they walked my throught how to update the software. I didn’t think it would help because I could not understand how old software would effect wether the unit powered on or off. the tech person said the watched do strange things when not updated. After I updated my watch is worked great. so call garmin tech support.

  9. Posted by: d.hunt
    on September 23rd, 2009 at 10:19 pm

    thanks for the post. I was soooo worried mine was dead. It f’n worked!!! Let’s go run!

  10. Posted by: Dan in San Diego
    on October 3rd, 2009 at 3:45 pm

    Thanks for the post. This is the first time the problem has happened to me. We had a brief power outage early this morning – I wonder if that had anything to do with it as the Forerunner was plugged in and charging the whole time.

  11. Posted by: Tara
    on October 7th, 2009 at 12:11 am

    Thank you for the post. I started panicking because we have a tri this weekend and I use it for everything. It worked holding those two buttons. You just saved me buying another watch!

  12. Posted by: it's on!!
    on October 8th, 2009 at 8:28 pm

    Thank you so much for the tip. I have become addicted to my Garmin and when it wouldn’t turn on today I was afraid I was going to have to buy another one…but it’s on! Thank you thank you

  13. Posted by: SKAAA
    on November 4th, 2009 at 7:10 pm

    This worked! But I still can’t use the power button to power the device any longer. Just the lap and mode button reset will turn on the 305.

    Any ideas?

  14. Posted by: Tom
    on November 10th, 2009 at 12:36 am

    Thanks, very useful. Mine was also wouldnt switch on and blank when connected to mains. What you said worked spot on! thanks again.

  15. Posted by: Ian
    on November 12th, 2009 at 8:40 am

    Thank goodness for the internet. In a different country to where I purchased mine, no manual to refer to as I left mine back home. Your instructions worked first time. Thanks again.

  16. Posted by: Kevin
    on November 14th, 2009 at 9:32 pm

    Worked for me too! It just quit working right after I came back from a run and I put it in its charger…wouldn’t charge or turn on. Back in business, Thanks!

  17. Posted by: Will
    on November 21st, 2009 at 7:39 pm

    Thanks so much! I had only gotten part of my run in and my battery was low so I charged it. When I came back I couldnt get anything to display and the support line was closed.
    Thanks to you I can go finish my 22 miler!

  18. Posted by: Stephanie
    on November 25th, 2009 at 7:13 pm

    Thank you thank you thank you! I haven’t even had mine a year and suddenly it wouldn’t turn on. I read your post and followed your directions and it worked! Thank you so much!

  19. Posted by: Ian
    on November 30th, 2009 at 11:07 am

    Thanks for this post – mine “died” this morning – your tip worked just fine – any tips on resetting my brain so that it doesnt like beer so much? :-)

  20. Posted by: Scott
    on December 1st, 2009 at 11:18 pm

    Thank you thank you! I came home for a taper run after letting it charge overnight. It wouldn’t turn on and my marathon is this wweekend… Tried your solution out and it turned on instantly…

  21. Posted by: Sergio
    on December 27th, 2009 at 7:48 pm

    Gracias me salvó el día.. Mi garmin dejo de funcionar y tsmpoco cargaba el ordenador tampoco lo encontraba y con esta sencilla información, se solucionó el problema.. GRACIAS!!!!!

  22. Posted by: jill
    on January 3rd, 2010 at 2:25 am

    I was flipping out cause my garmin would not turn on…thank you for this post!!! totally worked!

  23. Posted by: Karen
    on January 4th, 2010 at 4:44 pm

    Totally awesome! It worked like a charm. I was dreading having to try to fix this problem! Thankyou for sharing your solution!

  24. Posted by: Chris G
    on January 17th, 2010 at 4:47 am

    I have a NEW Garmin 1390. under 1 month old. It went’dead’ found this post. Held the ‘on’ button for 10 or more seconds. That did the trick. Thanks for posting.

  25. Posted by: Jorge
    on February 2nd, 2010 at 12:48 pm

    Thank you for the post! After almost 4 years with my 305, I thought that was it… but this fixed it!

    Thanks again,

  26. Posted by: Andy I
    on February 19th, 2010 at 6:32 am

    Ditto comments from above. Your tip worked like a charm. thanks for posting it.

  27. Posted by: Catherine
    on February 24th, 2010 at 9:28 am

    AAAAh, thank you thank you thank you! I used my watch last night fine, no problems. Had it charging to use this morning and went to switch on – and nothing!! Thought I was going to have to buy a new one but your tip just saved me a couple hundred pounds :) happy days are here again, thank you! er… don’t suppose you konw how to figure out the loss of ‘beep’ from my 305 too please? :)

  28. Posted by: Ian F
    on February 27th, 2010 at 5:34 pm

    Just had the same problem and your fix worked. Thanks!

  29. Posted by: Jason
    on March 18th, 2010 at 2:31 pm

    You saved my life. I have a track meet today and I would have died with out Doctor Garmin.

  30. Posted by: codmental
    on March 20th, 2010 at 1:09 pm

    Thanks a million. This worked for me too on my Edge 305. I think it was trying to tell me something! it started to rain almost as soon as I got on the road and then I had two punctures and my pump busted! Got back home eventually, found this site, pressed the reset sequence and we are now both happy again :-)

  31. Posted by: jane
    on March 28th, 2010 at 3:47 pm

    I’ve just had this problem this morning (just before a race). Very upsetting! Did the above once and it worked – thank you so much :-)

  32. Posted by: Lance
    on March 28th, 2010 at 6:11 pm

    Thanks, my wife wanted to buy a new one. You saved me couple hundred bucks!

  33. Posted by: Simon Singleton
    on April 19th, 2010 at 7:03 am

    I woke and went to were i had put all my gear this morning… I picked up the charged Garmin ready to turn it on and place on the window sill to get me satelite link , how we take for granted the technology and how it works … then i pressed on and nowt zilch , so i have spent 15 minutes pacing round the house , it was harrowing , at 6:45 i decided to leave without the watch , ran in ok but full of missing the brick on my left arm (I have a tag crono.. i half heartedly used the timer … not the same as a garmin though … I am now at me desk and have checked out comments , i hope the watch reboots when i get home … tbc

  34. Posted by: Clare
    on April 20th, 2010 at 6:58 pm

    Thank you, it worked. I thought I’d have to buy a new one.
    :O)

  35. Posted by: foxyjanisz
    on April 21st, 2010 at 5:27 pm

    Phew!

    Was so close to buying a new one after three years.

    Thanks and well done!

  36. Posted by: Paul
    on April 27th, 2010 at 5:48 pm

    A life saver, thanks a mill!

  37. Posted by: Pavel
    on April 28th, 2010 at 6:37 am

    Mine would not turn on and after your instructions sprang back to life. Thanks a lot.

  38. Posted by: Edwardtt
    on May 3rd, 2010 at 2:14 am

    Thank you very much for this post.
    Was very helpful.

  39. Posted by: Jeremy
    on May 9th, 2010 at 6:11 pm

    Thanks so much, it worked for me to

  40. Posted by: James
    on May 10th, 2010 at 5:22 pm

    YAY!!! Thought I had to buy a new one. I wonder how many 305s are thrown in the bin which are fine?!!!

  41. Posted by: Tim
    on May 13th, 2010 at 6:20 pm

    Thank you, and thank Google. I can run again!

  42. Posted by: Troy Shellhamer
    on May 29th, 2010 at 4:06 pm

    Wow! Great! It worked. I let my battery die yesterday, and then it drizzled on my ride home. Then after all night in the charger I got nothing. But this fixed it!

  43. Posted by: Claire
    on September 17th, 2010 at 8:49 am

    OMG thought my world had ended this morning when my watch wouldn’t turn on…. thankfully with your advise its alive again.

Leave a comment