Garmin DriveSmart 50 LMT Touchscreen Is Unresponsive

If the touchscreen has frozen displays or won’t respond to touch commands in your Garmin DriveSmart 50 LMT, follow this guide for potential solutions.

A disconnected or damaged ribbon cable can prevent the touchscreen from powering on. Over time, the screen can become disconnected from the motherboard due to a constant drop in device performance.

Solution:

• Power off the device and disconnect the charger.
• Use a plastic pry tool to carefully open the front housing.
• Locate the ribbon cable connecting the touchscreen to the motherboard.
• Gently remove it to clean the contacts with isopropyl alcohol.
• Reassemble the device and test touchscreen responsiveness.

Sometimes, unresponsiveness is caused by software errors or temporary freezes rather than hardware issues.

Solution:

• Perform a soft reset by holding down the power button for 10–15 seconds until the device restarts.
•  If the screen is still unresponsive, connect your Garmin DriveSmart 50 LMT to a computer.
• Update the software through Garmin Express.
• Reboot the device after the update.

Dirt, moisture, or wear on the touchscreen surface can interfere with input recognition.

Solution:

• Use a microfiber cloth lightly dampened with water or isopropyl alcohol to clean the screen.
• Avoid harsh pressure or cleaning agents.
•  If the problem continues, the touchscreen may require a professional replacement.

If the GPS won’t turn on or dies quickly, the battery might be bad or loose.

Solution: 

• Check that the battery is connected and not swollen.
• Clean the metal contacts gently.
• If it still doesn’t work, replace the battery with a new one made for the Garmin Smartwork 50 LMT.
• Follow this guide for instructions on replacing the battery.

If you're still unable to use the touchscreen, it may have been damaged and will need to be replaced. Follow this guide for instructions on replacing the screen.

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