What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

G3X Touch froze up

togaflyer

Well Known Member
Had an unusual occurrence with my G3X touch 10.5. During my flight, about 2.5 hours into the flight, both the PDF and MFD froze up. Neither screen would respond to any ?touch? inputs. The flight info was still operational. I could not toggle by touch anything. Any touch command for radios, auto pilot, transponder did not respond. Since the transponder and comm two are remote, what was displayed could not be changed (i.e. could not change comm 2 frequency or switch, could not change transponder code) It happened just as I touched the comm two (remote). Not sure if this was the trigger or not. The knobs and buttons continued to worked. It remained in this state for approximately 1/2 hours. It seemed to unfreeze when I began to activate the VS on the autopilot control head (which still worked), this could have been a coincident, but suddenly the touch function became operational. First time this has occurred since first flight 02/2018. The last software 6.64 is currently running. Have not loaded 6.71. And of course the timing sucked since I was IFR ant the time.
I did email Garmin and passed it on as a FYI. Has anyone else had this happen?
 
6.64 is incredibly old. The current software is 8.71, I would immediatly update to the 8.x version (read the thread on 8.71 before updating to the latest).

Do you have a G5 for backup? $1250 and really easy to install, I think almost a necessity if you are IFR a lot. It even has an option for a 4 hour backup battery that just attaches to the back of the unit.

Also, do you run with your IBBS (backup battery) on? It will supply constant voltage to the G3X if you end up with drops from your primary power.

Not suggesting any specific thing cause the issue, wouldn't have a way to know, but power issues with computers can cause devices to fail and your touch screen is an input device (just like a mouse or keyboard on your computer).
 
Last edited:
My bad on the typo. Software version is 8.64, which is the one prior to the latest 8.71. And yep G5 with backup battery, Plane Power aux alternator. No safety issues. The GTN 650 is my primary nav and my IPAD with Garmin Pilot cover all my enroute and approach info (which I also have located on the panel and running during flight ops.
 
Do you fly with your IBBS battery on?

I'm not sure if a backup alternator taking over for a primary would result in a drastic voltage drop, seems like it could. The IBBS always on would prevent any drops, at least to the G3X.
 
I havent had this occurrence, but I?m having issues with touch as well. My issue is that i tap something and it doesn?t respond. I wind up having to touch above or below the button a few times. Garmin said to clean it by blowing compressed air around the edges of the glass. It hasn?t fixed my issue...
 
I havent had this occurrence, but I’m having issues with touch as well. My issue is that i tap something and it doesn’t respond. I wind up having to touch above or below the button a few times. Garmin said to clean it by blowing compressed air around the edges of the glass. It hasn’t fixed my issue...

Both displays or just one?

@togaflyer's was some kind of issue that affected both at the same time, doesn't sound related.
 
The only backup battery is the one on the G5. Yes both screens, exactly the same everything. Wondering if it was a data issue on the can buss since they acted exactly the same. I will be sending info off the data card to Garmin for their review.
 
I had myMFD freeze up with red X?s and auto pilot flags went off but it stayed engaged! Reset on the ground! Garmin said it was a 232 problem on the can bus connection to the MFD. Found no issues has not repeated its self. Pad worked great!
 
Both displays or just one?

@togaflyer's was some kind of issue that affected both at the same time, doesn't sound related.

It?s mostly my PFD, but has happened on the MFD as well. Like I said, it doesn?t stop responding to touch... you just have to touch it in a number of places until it registers correctly. I guess the sensors are around the perimeter of the panel. I need to get another can of compressed air and really try to blow dust out to see if that will improve things.
 
I had myMFD freeze up with red X?s and auto pilot flags went off but it stayed engaged! Reset on the ground! Garmin said it was a 232 problem on the can bus connection to the MFD. Found no issues has not repeated its self. Pad worked great!
 
Never had any Xs. Both screens just froze. Keep in mind all the attitude and heading info continued to function normally so I did not have a flight safety issue. The GTN 650 did its work and had comm 1 available. I was not able to do anything with my transponder or comm two which are both remotely operated. The transponder continued to work, but if requested I was unable to change the squawk code. Just any touch commands went off line, Weird? I sent the logs to Garmin for their review. Note: this system has functioned flawlessly for 2.5 years. So not concerned unless I get a repeat. But this is the reason for a backup that does not run the same software. The G5 has its own and along with Garmin Pilot on my mini I pad It gives redundancy for situations like this, no matter how rare of an occurrence.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top