Garmin dezl 780 and Garmin dezlCam 785 Isn't Acquiring Satellites

If your Garmin automotive device is no longer acquiring satellites, this can be the result of a few different factors.

The Following Video Discusses Charging Your Device and Acquiring Satellites:

Verify Location Services are Enabled

Location services need to be enabled on the device in order for it to acquire satellites.

To Verify That Location Services are Enabled:

1. With a clear view of the sky, turn the device on

2. In the upper-right corner of the status bar, verify the  location icon appears

If the location icon does not appear in the status bar, location services will need to be enabled.

To Enable Location Services:

1. Touch the  Settings gear

2. In the Personal section, touch Location

3. Touch the toggle switch to enable location services

Environmental Factors

As GPS devices are used, data is gathered which helps them acquire satellites quickly at the start of each use. If a device is used daily it should be able to acquire satellites within a minute or less. Using a GPS device while it is outdoors with a clear view of the entire sky is the ideal condition for acquiring satellites.

There are Different Environmental Factors That May Cause a GPS Device to Fail to Acquire Satellites:

• If your device is trying to acquire satellites for the first time, it may take longer than normal to establish an initial position. If the device is powered on and outdoors with a clear view of the sky, this should not take more than 3-5 minutes.

• If your device does not have a full view of the sky while placed in the car, it may not acquire satellites properly. For best satellite acquisition, mount the device on the windshield or dashboard. Take your device out of parking garages and away from tall buildings and trees.

• If your device has not been used for an extended period of time (more than a month), it may take 3-5 minutes to acquire satellites.

• If your device is indoors, it may not acquire satellites. Even standing next to a window indoors will block a majority of the sky which is needed for a device to locate and lock onto a satellite signal.

• If your device has traveled over 500 miles while turned off or not tracking your travel, it may take 3-5 minutes to acquire even in ideal conditions.

• If your vehicle has a protective coating on its windshield or electronic devices that interfere with the device receiving a signal, your device may not be able to acquire satellites in this environment.
  • Some vehicles are equipped with special windshields that may contain metal in the glass (metal oxide) that prevents the GPS device from having a clear line of sight to the satellites. Windshields with solar ray glass, solar tint, heated, or heat-reflective windshields and insulated or Insta-Clear glass may also affect satellite acquisition. 
  • If you suspect this to be an issue, try taking the device outside of the vehicle with a clear view of the sky for 3-5 minutes so that the device can acquire satellites. If your device loses satellites once moved back into your vehicle, this is most likely the reason.

Software Update

If your device is still having trouble acquiring satellites, you can update the device software through a Wi-Fi connection.

For instructions on updating your device's software, see the video tutorial here:

Once your device is updated, allow the device to acquire satellites outdoors in a stationary position with a clear view of the sky.

Factory Data Reset

If all other troubleshooting is ineffective, it may be necessary to perform a factory data reset. Performing a factory data reset will reset the device to factory default settings and delete any saved waypoints, downloaded apps, music, photos, videos, and other data.

Before performing a factory data reset, some device data can be backed up to your computer by following the steps in the FAQ  Backing up, Restoring, or Transferring Saved Data on Garmin Automotive Devices. Note that this will only back up saved waypoints, trips, and custom points of interest. Other data, including eLog data, will not be backed up.

To Back Up eLog Data:

1. On the dezl, touch the eLog app icon
2. Touch Settings
3. Touch Back Up Data
4. Insert a USB storage device into the USB port on the Garmin eLog adapter
   • The light ring on the adapter glows green and plays a tone when it is ready to back up data.
5. Touch Back Up Data

To Perform a Factory Data Reset:

1. Open the device's Settings menu
2. Touch Device Reset
3. Touch Factory data reset
4. Touch Reset Device
5. Touch Erase Everything

The device will restart and prompt you to set up the device again. Note that the device can take longer to start up for the first time after it has been reset in this fashion.

Note: If you have just finished updating the software of your device or if you have performed a factory data reset, your device may take 3-5 minutes to acquire a satellite signal while outdoors, as the data that is used to locate satellites may have been erased.