GPS Explodes After Overheating–Fiction!
Summary of eRumor:
An email shows photos of a sports utility vehicle that allegedly suffered significant fire damage after a Garmin GPS unit attached to the dashboard overheated and exploded.
The Truth:
The photos included in this eRumor do not show damage from a GPS that overheated and exploded.
Photos of the fire-damaged SUV were first used in a previous eRumor that claimed an iPhone charger overheated and exploded in 2009.
The photos were used again in a post featured in the commentary section of the Edwards Air Force Base homepage in June 2012. The post claimed the explosion was “recently” caused by an overheated GPS unit that was left attached to the windshield of a car at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.
Current emailed variations of the eRumor appear to be based on that report.
Upon close inspection, however, the photos themselves disprove the eRumor. The vehicle pictured has a dashboard-mounted GPS system, which would seemingly render a standalone unit unnecessary.
But like many eRumors, this one is based on a kernel of truth.
Garmin voluntarily recalled four models of its nüvi GPS system due to battery issues that the company said could lead to overheating and, in rare instance, fire.
The company said the issue had caused no injuries or significant property damage.
Posted 04/23/14