GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

I'm at my wits end with my RoyalTek RBT-3000.Here's the deal. I once left it out on the dash in the hot sun for an afternoon. Next thing I know, it was dead. Well at least half-way. The bluetooth connection would still work, but no data, and the battery led is just faintly orange. I tried to re-charge it, I tried taking it apart, nothing worked. I put it on my desk and was planning on tossing it. I didn't, however. 2 days later I turn it on -- and it's working again. The green center led (for GPS) comes on solid. It just starts working again.From then on, of course, I made sure that I'd always disconnect it and put it away so it doesn't get fried, with the plan that I'd hardwire it under the dash so the sun can't get to it.That's just what I did the the same day I got my window tinted -- last Wednesday. The GPS is sitting on top of the hose leading to the far left driver's side air vent. Partially visible if you put your head on the brake pedal and look straight up. After the tint was done I picked up my car at 5pm. GPS worked. I was advised to let the car sit in the sun to dry out the tint. Car sat in the glaring sun most of the next day. Thursday at 3pm I turn the key, start iGuidance on my Pocket PC and get no GPS signal at all. I pretty much knew what had happened, but hadn't expected it. I left it mounted as it was and figured I'd try the next day (Friday). Nothing. still dead. So I took it out. I kept trying to turn it on again. Nothing. Tried Saturday, nothing. Sunday, nope. Tried yesterday, still dead. Turned it on today (Tuesday) -- and the green center led comes right on. It's working again.Read my lips: w.t.f.?I don't exactly understand all the juicy details and inner workings of electronics, so I'm absolutely lost. What in the world dies only to start functioning properly again after several days of downtime. A malfunctioning capacitor? A half-dead resistor?Whatever it is, it has to do with heat. But not only heat, because the GPS cools down within a few minutes or hours, but doesn't work again for several days. The good thing is that, now that it works again, I can make use of that MCX antenna I bought specifically for this thing.I really want to use this GPS unit instead of the Socket one (which I've got in my car right now), but I'm gonna have to figure out how I'm going to do this, so it doesn't overheat anymore.

Did you contact the company yet? I've seen plenty of installs over on mp3car.com that haven't had this problem...Maybe it's a cold soldier joint?

I haven't contacted them yet. Their web site looked rather shabby not too long ago with no real content for customers / consumers. Their business model seems to be to have everything go through resellers. I got my unit off of eBay when I was in Germany. Haven't even seen them in the US yet. They got a US number for Sales on their site now, though. I just may give them a ring and see what's up.I don't think it'd be a solder joint, but I wouldn't know, really.What urks me is that, if the thing overheated and blew up, it should be dead, and remain dead, which it doesn't.Or, if it simply doesn't work when it's overheated, that it just cools off and then works again, which it also doesn't really quite do either.It remains dead for days after, but then all the sudden it's like... "hey, I'm back."Maybe they're using bleeding edge self-repairing nano-technology. I should just find a spot where it doesn't catch on fire so easily. Is there any room behind the plasic cladding below the shifter, that center area that has that little compartment. And if so, how do I remove that plastic cover? On the other hand, if I install the N1 (it arrives tomorrow, whee!) then this whole GPS stuff is mostly moot, since the N1 does nav.