Garmin GFC 500 Disconnect

[Tan]

Today while climbing my GFC 500 gave me a red blinking AP signal on my G5 display and disconnected. This is the first time I have had any issues this great autopilot. I have recently upgraded by G5s to 8.0. Anyone else have this issue before?

 

[Gary Ward]

Today while climbing my GFC 500 gave me a red blinking AP signal on my G5 display and disconnected. This is the first time I have had any issues this great autopilot. I have recently upgraded by G5s to 8.0. Anyone else have this issue before?

I have, several times have it disconnected on it's own. Eventually it stopped working altogether and I needed a new servo.

 

[Tan]

I have, several times have it disconnected on it's own. Eventually it stopped working altogether and I needed a new servo.

We’re you in cruise and it would happen or because of turbulence?

 

[Gary Ward]

We’re you in cruise and it would happen or because of turbulence?

I have had the GFC500 for 800+ hrs so far, had it installed Feb 2019. It has never disconnected in turbulence.

Once it disconnected in a hold and the second time it disconnected during normal flight. Both times it would come back on be normal for weeks/months later. It gives a long line beeps when it does disconnect, about twice as long as normal when you disconnect. Then one day a couple months later it just would not turn on.
Took it over to the avionic shop and Scott looked at something in the diagnostics and it told him which servo had a fault. It took about a week to get another servo and they replaced while I waited. It was in the wing, so I guess that is the roll servo? It was right at 2 years old and was covered under warranty. I think they have a 2 year warranty?

Good luck with yours.

 

[Gary Ward]

Not sure which plane you are flying?
Garmin issued a mandatory service bulletin for 172s and my avionic shop called me to bring my plane back for a cable guard. It took them about 30 minutes they installed that white teflon cable guide that keeps the cable off the servo wire connector when the rudder cables go slack.

FYI

 

[Tan]

I have had the GFC500 for 800+ hrs so far, had it installed Feb 2019. It has never disconnected in turbulence.

Once it disconnected in a hold and the second time it disconnected during normal flight. Both times it would come back on be normal for weeks/months later. It gives a long line beeps when it does disconnect, about twice as long as normal when you disconnect. Then one day a couple months later it just would not turn on.
Took it over to the avionic shop and Scott looked at something in the diagnostics and it told him which servo had a fault. It took about a week to get another servo and they replaced while I waited. It was in the wing, so I guess that is the roll servo? It was right at 2 years old and was covered under warranty. I think they have a 2 year warranty?

Good luck with yours.

I’ve never had it disconnect before. If there is a servo vault the G5s will tell you. I had issues after the first flight when I picked it up but my shop help me clear the issue. Until yesterday it’s been great. I hope it was a one off. I used it after the disconnect without issue. Only recent change was G5 update to 8.0 which also updates the Gfc 500.

 

[Gary Ward]

I’ve never had it disconnect before. If there is a servo vault the G5s will tell you. I had issues after the first flight when I picked it up but my shop help me clear the issue. Until yesterday it’s been great. I hope it was a one off. I used it after the disconnect without issue. Only recent change was G5 update to 8.0 which also updates the Gfc 500.

Scott and Ryan at Cincinnati Avionics is who does my work. Great company to deal with. I can't remember if he was looking at the G5? I think he was. I think he held down a button on the G5 while powering it on to see diagnostics?

I was lucky that mine worked flawless from start until about 500 hrs. It was maybe 6-9 months from the first disconnect until it would not work anymore. I also think that was the time Scott put micro SD card in my G5 so he will have a record of what is happening if I have problems in the future? Been good ever since, fingers crossed.
Good luck, it is a awesome AP.

 

[bid shader]

I’ve never had it disconnect before. If there is a servo vault the G5s will tell you. I had issues after the first flight when I picked it up but my shop help me clear the issue. Until yesterday it’s been great. I hope it was a one off. I used it after the disconnect without issue. Only recent change was G5 update to 8.0 which also updates the Gfc 500.

You saw this?

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/aviationalerts/service-bulletin-22016-rev-a-gsa-28-servo-mod-1/

"Due to a supplier issue, there is a chance of reduced service life of one of the GSA 28 internal components resulting in servo failure. The servo failure can happen in flight with an annunciated “AP DISC” indication, or on the ground during a preflight check. In either case, the autopilot is rendered inoperable until the servo is replaced."

 

[Briar Rabbit]

Today while climbing my GFC 500 gave me a red blinking AP signal on my G5 display and disconnected. This is the first time I have had any issues this great autopilot. I have recently upgraded by G5s to 8.0. Anyone else have this issue before?

I had a pulley in the elevator trim tab system start dragging and cause a shut down. Replaced the little pulley and everything works great again.

 

[422Phil]

Under 100hrs on my GFC 500 and the pitch trim servo failed. Was replaced with new under warranty after Garmin’s tech recommendations didn’t clear the fault. Shop then sent me an invoice for $1k of labor saying Garmin would only pay them for 2hrs of labor. Im an attorney and offered to file suit for breach of warranty. It’s been a year and haven’t heard anything since.

 

[Tan]

Under 100hrs on my GFC 500 and the pitch trim servo failed. Was replaced with new under warranty after Garmin’s tech recommendations didn’t clear the fault. Shop then sent me an invoice for $1k of labor saying Garmin would only pay them for 2hrs of labor. Im an attorney and offered to file suit for breach of warranty. It’s been a year and haven’t heard anything since.

Doesn’t it seem like it could end up going class action?

 

[Joe_B1]

Under 100hrs on my GFC 500 and the pitch trim servo failed. Was replaced with new under warranty after Garmin’s tech recommendations didn’t clear the fault. Shop then sent me an invoice for $1k of labor saying Garmin would only pay them for 2hrs of labor. Im an attorney and offered to file suit for breach of warranty. It’s been a year and haven’t heard anything since.

Nobody ever accused Garmin of being overly generous when it comes to good customer relations.

 

[422Phil]

Doesn’t it seem like it could end up going class action?

. Hope it doesn’t come to that. With class actions, it always seems like the class members get very little, while the attorneys are awarded huge fees. In the end, it may have taken a nudge, but Garmin came through. I’m satisfied.