LMS 332c problems

First off, I am not very mechanically inclined so I don’t really have any idea what to look at. The unit was installed in the dash by the dealer. So I noticed it last fall and then again this spring. I turn off the unit and everything is fine. Then the next day I walk into the garage and see the screen flickering. I turn it off again just to see it turn itself on again. The only way to keep it off is to either undue the power cord or cut the boat’s main breaker. When I get on the water and turn it back on, sometimes it is still flickering and I have to keep turning it on and off to get it to ‘work’. And sometimes it doesn’t recognize the GPS puck, so again I have to turn it off and on until it recognizes it.

Anybody else have this sort of issue? Does it sound like the unit is going bad? Could it be something else? It is 4 years old. Thanks for any help.

Brent

Brent, This is the same problem Im having right now with
my unit. Im sending the factory a email. I will share
the response as soon as I receive it. Im just wondering if anyone knows if there is a factory reset that we can do at home. IDO fishing Crew any ideas.

Thanks John

Brent,

http://www.lowrance.us/en-us/Support/Product-Support/Troubleshooting-Guide/Reset-Procedures/

I recoomend you try a software upgrade. If the unit is 4 years old and you have never upgraded, chances are there is a newer version available. I just upgraded my 334c-igps. The upgrade was fairly simple, although it did introduce a new issue with my Lakemaster chip.

I had this problem with a 332 I had a few years ago. I believe it happened because it got wet, if I remember right. It worked itself out of it over time and continued to be a good unit.
I think I did end up disconnecting the power to it whenever it wasn’t in use via a master switch or something similar. Might be something to look into. It’s a relatively easy fix that may give it new life.

My 102c does the same thing. My 332 also loses satelite signal from time to time.

Thanks for the info. Yeah, I probably could use a software upgrade. I will also try the soft reset to see what that does. I do usually shut off the main breaker at the end of a weekend so it doesn’t drain on the battery all week. I might just need to always do it. I just need to remember to do it at the boat launch so I am not driving home with the 332c flickering.

Thanks again!
Brent

OK, doing the soft reset didn’t work. I think the problem is getting worse. So I am trying to update the software. If that doesn’t work I am going to upgrade to HDS 5. I put the LGC2000 update onto a SD card. I put it in the slot and I get “unrecognized MMC format” error. WTF?? I also tried to download my waypoints onto a SD card and getting the same error. How about a double WTF?? Do I need some sort of special lowrance card?? It says right in the owner’s manual that it can use a MMC or SD card?

Anybody have any ideas? If I wouldn’t lose my waypoints I would have already smashed the unit to pieces.

I leave for Canada in less than two weeks. It sure would be nice to have a working unit by then.

Hope this helps!

Any MMC card will work as long as it has enough free memory.

From another thread:

Quote:

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I’ve never had success loading an update when taking it from the lowrance website and putting it directly on a memory card. Download it to your computer, and then extract the update to your memory card.

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Formerly known as Mendotaeye

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Quote:

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The update should load automatically onto the unit when it is powered up. You won’t find any information in the map data part of the menu. That is to force the unit to read a specific map card you have placed into the unit.

If the unit is not recognizing the update and you have checked on your PC that the update is on the SD card then you more than likely have a bad card reader in the unit. This would be a customer service call.

——————–
Ken Sauret
Lowrance Pro Staff

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Yeah, I saw those posts later. That is what I did. I also can’t just simply transfer waypoints to the SD card either. I bought two separate 2GB SD cards at Best Buy last night and neither one works. Do you need an actual MMC card, even though SD and MMC are basically the same thing? I don’t have a MMC and I don’t know that I will find one in a store. I guess I can order one for $10 online and pay probably $5 for shipping. That will put me at $35 wasted on cards just to transfer waypoints and make software updates!

From additional research it seems like a sandisk 512mb SD card works well. Where do you get those, an antique store?

Geez, who knew memory cards from 10 years ago would come in handy right about now…

I’m pretty sure a regular SD card will work as well. I don’t know if the newer high density SD cards will work though. I believe I’ve used both MMC and SD cards in the past without issues.

I’ve tried 3 standard 2GB SD cards. Each one gives the ‘unrecognized MMC format’ error. I don’t have anything that is smaller than that. Maybe there is something wrong with the card reader, although it reads my lakemaster chip just fine.

I’m about to give up. I don’t really think the software updates will fix the issue anyway. So I guess I could write down the waypoints I really want to keep and then upgrade to the HDS 5, although right now I am not too thrilled with the idea of getting another Lowrance. But what’s a guy suppose to do, go to HB?

Can you find someone with a unit like yours and if they have updated try their card and download?

Not sure if they are compatible but I have updated both my LCX27C’s with good luck, if your unit has the same connections we can try it off my computer and cards?

I live just north of the airport if that’s close enough or maybe someone else lives closer??

Al

If I was closer, you could certainly use my 512 mb card. I have a LCX-15MT that I use 1 GB SD cards on. I used a 2 GB card once (for recording the sonar chart) and it was very, very slow.

I have an older 256MB MMC card at home in my boat. I use it for storing sonar logs and screen shots. I have a bunch of SD cards laying around I can use instead. I can mail the MMC card to you if you think that would solve your problem. Losing all your waypoints doesn’t sound like a good solution to me.

Problem solved! I found an old Navionics chip from 2006. I formatted it and I was able to update the software and make a copy of my waypoints. Now I will just have to see if it fixes the problem, otherwise it is time to get a new unit.

Thanks for the help and offers!

I had the same problem with my 332c so I installed a disconnect switch and that solved the problem .You have to shut down the power to the puck and unit . Mine was coming on going down the road and it showed over 12000 miles on the odometer . Unit finally bombed and Lowrance no longer rebuilds 332c so I upgraded to the HDS5 great unit . For small problems on the 332c you might try a soft boot .( Push the power and page buttons at the same time and hold until the map comes up . This will not delete waypoints . If you do a hard boot it will delete everything . To do that push the in and out buttons and the power button at the same time and hold until the map comes up . You will lose everything with a hard boot . Still learning the HDS5 but so far I like it . Anyone out there have an HDS5 if so will the unit do just icons instead of waypoints ?

No icons on the HDS units, only waypoints. Like others around here, I am not a fan of that change.