I Fixed My Garmin Forerunner 305 Heart Rate Monitor

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Well, after several months of being without my heart rate monitor during training and races, I finally (with the help of the Garmin Yahoo! Group) got it to work again. Sometime over the summer (I’m not exactly sure when), my heart rate monitor strap stopped transmitting data to the Garmin Forerunner 305 receiver worn on my wrist.

I tried everything I could think of and every tip I could find online, but still the monitor wouldn’t pick up my beating heart.

  • I changed the battery (twice)
  • I cleaned the contacts on the strap
  • I ensured contact with my chest was a good
  • I rescanned for new accessories
  • I updated firmware and made sure all other software was up to date
  • I tried positioning the strap on my back
  • I even spent 30 minutes online with a Garmin Tech Support guy who suggested a complete reset to factory settings

I actually gave up finding a fix and ordered a new heart rate monitor strap from Amazon.com, but it was not long after this that I stumbled upon an old post on Yahoo Groups from someone with a similar problem with their Garmin Forerunner 305. I posted a quick message asking for help and received a reply stating there could be a problem with how the battery was seated in the chest strap.

Garmin 010-13118-00 HRM-Pro Plus, Premium Chest Strap Heart Rate Monitor, Captures Running Dynamics, Transmits via ANT+ and BLE

$107.90

In the battery compartment there’s a gold contact that touches the top of the battery (+ve) which was in a position that would never make contact with the battery. I bent it out slightly, made sure the battery was seated correctly (i.e. flat), and as if by magic my heart rate appeared on the large Garmin display!

Found this blog post useful? Buy me a beer!

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170 thoughts on “I Fixed My Garmin Forerunner 305 Heart Rate Monitor”

  1. Thanks for writing these GPS-related posts! It’s funny, a runner just recently left comments on my blog, asking about the Garmin 305, & if they should buy it! Well, I told them to check out your blog & our Blog Catalog running discussion group for articles on the subject. Now there’s a feast of reading materials for their eyes! 😉

  3. You’re welcome. I’m glad I got it working again too. I couldn’t understand why it wouldn’t pair with the wrist unit, but didn’t even think to check the battery contacts!

    GPS is a wonderful training tool…

  4. God I love the web. There is nothing you can’t find the answer too. Like do a google search on fixing garmin HR straps. Find this post from someone who struggled so I don’t have to. Tried bending the little gold contact – magic, up comes the heart rate (beating a little fast frankly). Steve thanks, you’ve improved my training and saved me the £39 I was going to spend today on a new HR monitor. Thanks! Andy

  6. Hey Steve, you just saved me hours of frustration too!! My HRM stopped picking up just today. I thought it was a dead battery, but it didn’t do the trick. It turned out the metal contact was my problem as well. I had to do a google search to find you?? Small world.

  7. Small world indeed! Glad it worked for you….

    After my car break-in a couple of months ago, I’m still without a heart rate monitor. Thinking about a possible 405 upgrade though.

  8. Yeah, I like the new ANT wireless download to your computer option and the smaller size. Good for the runners. I’m kind of holding out for one with biking functions though. It would also be nice if it would upload straight to motionbased or the new garmin connect site. We’ll see where it goes.

  9. Thanks Steve.

    My HRM stopped working a week ago and changing the battery didn’t do the trick. What did do the trick was to google “garmin 305 heart rate monitor not working” and getting your tip at the top of the results. Them gold contacts….dagnammit!!

    Thanks again.

  11. Hi
    My HRM is “dead” i.e. wrist unit is not picking it up. I have tried everything – including the gold contact. One thing I have not tried is the reset to factory setting – how do you do it?
    Pl help.
    Many thanks!

  12. Try this:

    “The soft reset is simply performed by pressing the lap + mode buttons at the same time. This will cause your unit to power down if it is on/frozen (and often the unit appears off when frozen). No data will be lost using this reset. Press the power button to start up and most problems will be cleared.”

    Good luck…

    –Steve

  13. Hi Steve,

    I had the same problem as Ramesh, first the HR packed up and then 3 days later I couldn’t even turn the watch on, in the meantime I purchased a new strap. I have followed the soft reset that seems to have worked but still no HR with the either the new or old strap, bent the gold tab etc. If you buy a new strap as I have do you need match the strap with the watch? I need my watch working it’s as though I’ve lost a mate.

    Someone please help me…..

    Many thanks

    Dan-O

  14. Thanks for the pointers. Because of you I got my heart monitor working. I would add making sure the battery cover is on properly. I bent the little connector (like you), made sure the cover was on tight and lined up on the closed area, rewashed the connectors and it worked! Thanks

  15. Hi Steve,
    I have tried all method described above, but without success. I have changed battery twice, bent the gold tab. soft reset, etc. I was recomended by the support people from Garmin to do a hard reset, which is the only thing I havent done, mainly because the described method doesnt work (MODE+Power buttons at the same time= it just comes to the initial screen and stays there, frozen).
    Any idea on what else to do?
    I am in Chile, and the new strap is quite expensive.

    Thansk in advance.
    Regards.

    Claudio

  16. Thanks for the post. Nothing above worked for me worked until I rescanned my heart rate.

    “2. It may be necessary to rescan for the heart rate monitor, especially if the unit has been reset at some point. To do this go into the accessories section of the setup menu and select restart scan.”

    Here is the link to the Garmin page with the info, hopefully it will help others.

    http://iqc.garmin.com/eCustomer/KODSelfService/request.do?session={1e55e6a0-6fb6-11dd-f60b-000000000000}&event=10&view()=c%7B7d0dc6c0-4ffc-11dc-4ec8-000000000000%7D&objectId=&eksObjectId=&objectType=Case&isJumpEnabled=false&isContentJumpEnabled=false&vendorKey=&versionId=105&objectScore=96&from=results

  17. I’m from Brazil and after reading this post I’ve realized I’m not alone. I’ve tried everything to make my HRM work properly. I’m going to try to bend the little connector to see if it works. I was about to order a new strap from the US.

    Thanks for the tip!
    Raissa

  20. Well, I´ve just got back from my run and my HRM didn´t work properly after I´ve bent the gold connector. I had 48 bpm readings when I was running hard! I´m ready to reset the whole thing.

    I´ll let you guys know the result!

    Raissa

  22. Thanks…I have been having problems with my hreat rate moitor..i.e it would say my HR was 195…sitting still…o sometimes not pick it up at all. I did as you suggested (pulled out the 2 gold connetors a bit) and BAM! Everything is back to normal! Thanks

  23. Great tip. You just saved by 305. I didn’t get any help at all from the Garmin site, and in desperation Googled “Garmin 305 heart rate monitor not working”. I got out my trusty swiss army penknife, opened the dull file and bent the gold contact inward. Voila! HRM is back from the dead. You just saved me a bunch of money, and being HRM less for the next 4 weeks while I’m away.

  25. THANKS for creating this post, Steve. This helped me, too!

    BTW, for those who tried everything recommended in this string without results sometimes the “obvious” can be the problem. Some suggestions: 1.) making sure you do the “Restart Scan” correctly. Example: don’t stop after reading page 46 the manual…also read to the end on page 47. 2.) Make sure the “+” side of your battery is turned “upward” toward the cap that screws it into place. Good luck all.

  27. Hey there, great thread, i’ve been having the same problems but not sorted just yet! There is a gold thing on the bottom of the circle where the battery goes, its kind of bent at the middle of it and pointed up, and then there is also a gold thing on the side of the circle that is pushed into the side of the circle, just confused which one i’m bending where! Any help or even a photo of what it should look like would be amazing!

    Thanks,

    Gavin

  28. Thanks for the mail Steve, all sorted now, changed the battery and still dead, moved the side thingy and i had to rescan the sensor but now i’m back online and heading out the door!

  30. HI,

    FIrst thanks for sharing the infor on scraping the chargers. THis did work briefly. However, I have not been able to pick up HR at all not matter what resets I have done. In addition, I ordered a new strap. no difference. And now I attempt to charge it states battery chargeing and then turns machine on.

    I am thinking of purchasing a new monitor but at these prices I wonder if anyone has tried a polar? Or a the new 405. My old Garmin 305 forerunner is not quite 2 years old. PRetty expensive too not last longer.

    I would love any input thanks!

  31. This is a great site. Placing it on my Favorites for sure. My HR unit stopped working after only a week but this site got me back up and running with the ‘rescan’ suggestion.

    Thanks.

  32. Thanks for listing all the things your tried. I had replaced my battery once already, but decided to do it again. Fixed the contacts, and updated my firmware. Don’t know which fixed it but it works again!!
    I really LOVE running with it. Thank you so much!!

  35. Something else to keep in mind… If you’re just sitting at home trying to get the heart rate monitor to work at rest you’ll have to get some sort of liquid between your body and the monitor for it to work. I found this on the Garmin support site. After trying 2 different batteries and resets, firmware, blah blah blah, what solved my problem was 2 drops of aloe vera gel. I had to sit back and have a good laugh after it started working. God, the time wasted and frustration over this 😉

  37. I was about to ask the wife for another HRM for xmas but thought I’d give my Garmin one more try… the battery upside down trick, the soft reset, the hard reset all valid efforts but no success. It was Eric’s “rescanning my heart rate” that made the thing work. However, it could have been a combination of methods, so I’d suggest try them all you might get lucky.
    Thank you

  38. How do you control the volume of the lap alert. I have not been able to locate that and my Forerunner 305 can barely be heard while my colleagues cuts through noice, conversation…etc. If you know, please share.

    Cheers,
    JS

  39. i’m so glad i found those tips. I haven’t had a chance to try them yet since i’m not home right now, but can’t wait.
    I’ve had my 305 for 3 years now and it’s only last Fall that the HRM went on strike. I’ll do the contact adjustments and the soft reset first.

    On a side note,not having a monitor, it made me train by pace and time only and have made me wonder just how important the HR really is.

  40. Has anyone run into the volune issue with the 305 Forerunner?
    I can’t hear mine well but can’t adjust the volume. I know it is not my hearing (:)) because my colleagues sounds just fine.

  41. Was having issues with my HR monitor as well. Solution was per Eric’s suggestion of: “It may be necessary to rescan for the heart rate monitor, especially if the unit has been reset at some point. To do this go into the accessories section of the setup menu and select restart scan.”
    Works like a charm!

  43. I’ve run my last 2 races and training with no HRM, is still a handy tool as a GPS but had enough…

    I fiddled around with the side gold connector and was a bit disappointed that the fix did not work for me, but pleasantly surprised and overjoyed after a simple rescan, I might wear it to work tomorrow!

    Awesome post Steve

  44. I was wondering if anyone had a heartrate monitor strap they are going to discard. I am in need of the cover to the battery. While trying to open the cover on mine I really bent it out of shape and it is very difficult to take off and on.

  46. Thank you so much! My strap has not functioned for nearly 9 months! I have replaced the battery twice, called tech support, and was ready to buy a new strap. Your contact trick worked!

  47. Two years later and this thread is still a saver! Thanks so much for taking the time to post this information. Worked like a charm for me on my Garmin FR60. Obviously good karma will be coming your way! 😉

  48. Thanks for the info! I use the HRM on my horse (with some modifications)during training rides and endurance “races” and it wouldn’t work today. The battery is fairly new so I’m going to try bending the contacts. Thanks for the tip!

  49. Yaba daba doo…I’m now in line with the rest of the folks here to say “thanks”. Lately, my heart rate monitor has been acting up from screaming heart rates in the 200’s when I’m just starting out cycling and over the past week has “died” twice during cycling and running events. I have now adjusted the gold contact, did a reset of the accessory and voila…back in business. Of course I purchased a new battery that didn’t help…although I’ve been using the original battery for 4+ years…so perhaps it was time to change it! For a $2.50 battery and your advice…can’t say thanks enough.

    Cheers.

    Steve

  50. Okay, what is this gold contact tweak? My monitor worked for a whole 15 minutes of my first run. I replaced the battery, rescaned and then came across these postings. I see the contact on the bottom which is up to make contact with the – side of the battery. The side contact looks like it’s hitting the side of the battery for + side. Any diagrams or more precise descriptions would be appreciated.
    Jim

  53. Great forum!!!!!!! tried everything twice then finally got to the aloe post and that was was the key. Some thing here worked so I thank you all. Time to try it out it’s only 100 degrees outside. Wish me luck.

  54. My Garmin 305’s heart rate monitor is on the blink. It was working off and on and now is not reading at all. I have tried bending the gold contacts, cleaning contacts, vaseline on contacts, new battery, soft reset, turned strap around backwards and still no go. I have tried to rescan by going to settings, general, accessories, heart rate monitor, yes to Heart Monitor, highlight Restart Scan when I select and press enter for Restart Scan it bumps me back out to highlighting heart monitor in previous screen. 1.) How do you rescan under these circumstances? 2.) if I need to do hard reset how do you do this? 3.) Will Garmin warranty cover heart rate monitor strap or fixing this (less than a year old).

    Thanks for your help, I have been using heart rate monitor to train for Marine Corps Marathon (in training zones) and as you can imagine it is a bit frustrating to have a malfunctioning HRM. Thanks for considering my request for help.

    Tad

  59. Thanks form holland, my new forerunner 110 did not get my heartbeat, after a little bending….
    It works fine i would say.

    Very stupid that garmin will not mentioned this solution in there troubleshooting page, it will save them a lot off money!

  60. Thx for this forum……had my HR monitor go on the fritz and did all the std BS. Gold tangs were not my fix (nor two new batteries). My fix was to “restart scan” from page 47 of the manual………thank God I save manuals….although imagine I could have googled that as well. great forum….happy running folks!

  62. Thank you so much. I was just looking into taking the whole thing back and had tried what I thought was everything too. It worked! So simple. Thanks for posting this. It saved me lots of time and money.

  63. thanks a lot…..after putting a new battery in, and bending the gold contact, it still did not work. Went into the accessories section and restarted the heart rate monitor scan and it works great…Good karma to you for helping us.

  65. Well, my old heart strap (after years of good service without a hitch) battery ran out. (heart rate started showing in the 40’s on long workouts :D.
    Tried cleaning contacts, sanding, bending both contact points, etc. Also reset.
    I had given up, but the damn thing had worked till I changed the battery ! So I tried again but really bent the bottom contact out a little more than I had done before, thanks to this post.
    Damn if it did not work like a charm.
    Seating the thing is essential between the contact on the side and the one on the bottom. As is putting it in at an angle so that it kinda clicks into place with the side contact holding pressure.
    Then went ahead and rescanned (on my 305), my 500 just detected it.
    Thanks much for post. Saved me 30 bucks. Or even more wasting my money on the enhanced strap that has given many problems.

  69. Bro,
    you are a rock star!!!I just started back at the gym this morning to get back on track. I started out with a SPIN class, but my heart rate monitor wasn’t working. I tried your suggestion, and viola!

    Thanks,

    Dave

  70. woohoo. you are the man. your post fixed the heart rate monitor on my forerunner 110. after getting a new battery i was ready to throw in the towel. bending the gold contact a bit did the trick.

  74. I just upgraded to the 405 and tried everything to get my old heart rate monitor to work/pair. I was about to give up then read Steve’s post about extending the battery terminal. I was up and running in seconds. You would think Garmin would mention the issue on their website but thanks for the info.

  75. I would love to check the gold contact on mine. But, I’m out in the middle of nowhere in Iraq and can’t find a small enough screwdriver to take the top off of my heart rate monitor. Thanks for making it user friendly not Garmin.

  78. Excellent!!! now it’s working. Thanks dude!!Thanks for sharing this with the world!. it’ll be helpfull for my performance at maraton de santiago 2011, Chile

  79. It worked!!! yayay! so glad to join the rest of you in celebration, what a great feeling when those heart rate numbers finally come on the screen! Thanks for the tip!

  82. the problem is when i put the 305 close to the HRM it works as soon as i start running it cuts out…ive tried the gold terminals in the HRM.changed the BTY . Done a scan .Done a soft reset. HELP PLEASE ,Many thanks Gerry

  83. Unbelievable!!!
    I had some problems with the hr-monitor sometimes giving too high readings and finally thought I would change the battery. So I did. It stopped working. Damn, a week to my first marathon and now this. Tried rescanning, old battery, bending the gold connevtors but nothing worked. Googled the problem and ended up here. Read all the comments and tried everything. Nothing, dead. Promised myself a beer if it would start working. I usually never give up easily and this problem was no exception. Twiddling with the gold connectors and resets/rescans for 20 minutes and I’m now enjoying my beer with a heartbeat of 59:) Yes, and thank you.

  84. @Tom, Did changing the battery result in consistently proper HR numbers? I am also getting readings up to 282 bpm, but I only get them once in a while, usually later into a run or bike ride. I’d love to get it accurate again as I too have my first half-marathon in just 2 weeks.

  85. @ Kevin, I still get abnormal readings in the start of my runs but it’s downhill and making a slight adjustment to the hr-belt brings it back to normal. So either it’s the bumpy running downhill that does something or my heart is doing some crazy stuff. My guess is the former (some lose connector maybe).

  86. Thanks Steve,
    We live in Sao Paulo, Brazil – my wife bougth a Forerunner 210 last month, in new york.
    Back to Brasil used the watch for 3 weeks and the heart rate monitor stopped working.
    I did quite all the procedures above, including changed the battery, and only solve the problem after read your post.
    She is very happy and thankfull..

  89. Glad I found this site. I have the Forerunner 210 with the included HRM. After 3 runs, it quit working. Tried everything. Replacing battery (2x), re-installing the firmware, soft reset (holding light button down) Even tried a 2nd chest strap. Nothing worked and it had worked so flawlessly before.

    Then I saw this site and tried lifting up the gold contacts. I did get a bit too aggressive and broke them off (having one of those days) so be careful. Luckily, I tinker with hardware and have a full electronics lab and was able to solder in a new (and better) set of contacts. It fired up like a charm and detected my HRM immediately.

    Shame on Garmin. They don’t fix a long running design flaw on what seems to otherwise be a great product.

    Steve++ for having this awesome site!! Peace.

  95. Thanks once again, Steve. My HR strap stopped working 3 days ago, and your trick solved it again. This has been useful for more than 3 years now !!!! Thanks !!!

  96. Thanks!! For the tip.
    My HR strap stopped working i week ago, and that trick of yours solved it. I just thought it was my battery that was bad. I changed the battery and did what you have done!
    Just to be sure that the battery is pressed all the way into the holder, I put there a piece of plastic between the lid and battery.

    Thanks again 🙂

  98. I have the newer premium strap and after 180+hrs of very reliable recorded data it was starting to falter, so I decided it was time to replace the battery. Unfortunately when I fired it back up, nothing 🙁 on either my 310xt or my Edge800 and after trying all of the tips above no luck double 🙁 🙁 then I found another thread that suggested reversing the polarity of the battery ie put it in backwards ;)for 5-10 secs then refitting it correctly voila! didn’t even have to rescan, both head units picked it up straight away booyah!

  99. Thanks for the wonderful tip!
    After many try of all the various tip, I practially
    have to pull out the side gold contact before the
    monitor starting to pick up my heart beat. I’m no longer
    flat line. Thanks a bunch!
    Anh

  101. Thanks for clearing this up for me. Someone from Garmin should know about this trick, have you told them?

    It worked on my 405CX heart rate strap. I guess it was time for a new battery anyway but at first that did not fix it.

    Time to run… Bye!

  105. Hi Guys….
    I must have read this comment list about 5 times before i stumbled on a solution. My forerunner 100 was not giving any HR readings..i tried bending the contacts, re – pairing the HRM to the watch etc…but what worked for me was polishing the battery hard with a towel. As soon as i put the battery back in the HRM was giving a reading on the forerunner 100 display.

    Ronan

  108. Hi all,

    Bending the gold pin slightly worked for me too, but please be careful as bending to much can prevent the battery unit lid from closing properly and it’s difficult to reverse a bent pin!
    H

  109. excellent site, congratulations to all!
    Lately, after changing the battery on my 305 belt, I have problems with high heart rate readings,on the level of 180-240. Checked with other devices,it was sure that these are erratic. I will try the trick with the connections fitting
    thanks

  110. i had a problem with my HRM. i tried all the listed above and finally i saw the little pin which couldnt contact with battery. thnx steve (even 3 years after your post!)…..

  111. Haven’t used 305 for a while so decided to fit a new battery but the HR monitor failed to work. Having read all posts here gave new battery a good rub with a paper towel, as Ronan recommends above, fitted battery in the monitor + side up, fitted monitor to chest, started 305 and BINGO all started working again! Thanks to all for their tips.

  112. Thanks heaps! Worked like a charm, bend the gold thing and reset the unit. Easy! I’ve been without for so long…. Can’t believe it was such an easy fix. Thanks for the post!

  113. Got the 305 two days ago. Worked brilliantly – except for the HRM. This was rather upsetting as I need to monitor my heart rate. Thankfully, I came across this site. I am not absolutely certain what I did, but slight fiddling with the pin seems to work!

    Will be able to check it thoroughly two days hence when I go for my run.

    But thanks a ton!!

  114. Another in a long line of thank you’s. Mine stopped working about 2 months ago and I finally sat down to see if I could fix it. Did a quick search, found your write-up, and my HRM is back up and running. Thanks!

  115. Amazing! I got the 305 for Christmas and the HR was flashing an X over the icon. I tried so many trouble shooting things and decided to see if there was something on the web. I read your post, adjusted the medal prong out just a bit and immediately the monitor starting working. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

  116. Another poorly heart rate strap here!! I’ve tried all the above and still no luck. I have borrowed another strap which works with the watch so it is defo the strap that is poorly.

    It was working fine until this morning and then after 400m it gave up. If I take out and replace the battery it has occassionally looked like it is going to work and always shows 72 for a few seconds before giving up again.

    Any Ideas?

  117. YEAH!!
    thanks for this thread. I am here in South Africa, from Holland and my 305 HR died on me. Watch was fine. Took a new battery, no luck. Bending the gold helped! Very excited to go out for my pm workout later!

  118. Steve, thank you for your solution. I have was almost ready to give up and purchase another heart rate monitor until I found your posting. I tried everything. I did your little trick and it worked!!! Thank you for providing this great solution.!

  119. Steve – not sure if the 305 is considered old technology now but I still like it a lot. My HRM quit working – changed battery – didn’t work. Then checked google before I tried anything else. The bending of gold tab did the trick for me. Thanks!

  120. Wow – so impressed – i was ready to buy a new HRM strap – but did the gold tab ea few times – eventually with the restart scan it WORKED !!! – Thanks guys – saved me a few bucks.

  122. Thanks for this! I thought i was going to have to buy a new monitor. For me it was the gold piece on the side that I had to take a small screw driver and bend inward. You just saved me some dough. It should also be noted that the battery should have the + facing out when replacing.

    THANKS!!

  123. Hi – Just stumbled across this list whilst waiting for my new chest strap to arrive, had already tried bending the contacts and a fresh battery, but have just read about the rescan in the accessories menue – tried it… and IT WORKS! Only consolation is that the laggy on this strap is past it and so at least I’ll have a new one but dont think the replacement strap for a 305 is compatable with later models? so its a bit of a expensive (£35) mistake.

  124. Your advice is still working in 2012. Tried for days to solve the problem, just like you. I then read your blog and noticed the wire inside my chest strap was bent and not likely to touch the battery. Tweaked it and Lo and Behold…a working heart rate monitor. Thank You.. :-)))

  127. I have a little different problem. I know my strap is working properly because all of my heart rate data is there when I upload to Garmin Connect. (I have a 305 Forerunner). What I can’t understand is how to get the heart rate to display on my wrist unit when I am running. It used to be there in the upper right corner, very tiny but at least it was there. Now it is gone. Any ideas?

  130. THANK YOU! I just came across your tip about the contacts after not having a working heart rate monitor for the last year. It works now so I guess I won’t be buying the one I was looking at online this morning! Thank you:)

  134. Thanks Steve,
    I echo all that was said above. Mine never had worked since I bought it three years ago – didn’t need that function. After replacing the battery was unsuccessful, I found your post, bent the tab, and now it works just fine.

  136. I had a similiar problem, new battery, everything fine, then 1 day no heart rate anymore, I tried various things then read somewhere about being able to resetthe HRM itself. two options were suggested. 1)leave the battery out for 10 minutes (this didnt work for me) 2)take the battery out, flip it upside down and refit it, its a bit tight but it does just pop in there, press it down for about 30seconds, then take it out and refit the battery as normal. I did this then a rescan for the HRM, and its now working a treat. Not sure if its a good thing about reversing the polarity, but looks like it saved me £50 on a new HRM!!

    • I’m not sure if this flipping battery trick is the one that did the trick for me (I also bent both terminals a little bit more) but it works, thanks! You do need a sharp blade / small screwdriver to get the batter out again, fyi.

  137. I’m not even sure how it’s supposed to work. The 110 tells me it saw the HRM. When I put the HRM on and see the heart, sometimes I see 72 but usually I see two underline characters and nothing else. Is the little heart character supposed to pulsate? I wait several minutes, hoping to see something, but nothing happens. How long does it normally take to show the heart rate?

    Thanks.

  140. My heart rate monitor was totally spazzing out on my Forefunner 305. Did a search and found this but it didn’t help mine. It would come on but say my heart rate was 55 while running and wouldn’t display at all when I sat down! Weird!!! So I borrowed a friend’s paired it with mine and it worked just fine so I knew it was an issue my heart rate monitor not my Forerunner thank goodness! So I ordered a new one off Amazon but when I paired it it didn’t work! I replaced the battery for kicks, did all the things you said you tried, but nothing worked. Then I remembered this article but couldn’t remember what you did so I searched again found it, bent out the wire and VOILA! It works!!! Thank you so much! : )

  142. I tried the bending thing and it didn’t work. Finally flipped the battery upside down, and noticed when mine was upside down it clicked in. Once I closed and reopened and put it in the correct way again it didn’t click down.. I thought it would when I closed the cover. I think I was wrong. I had to mess with it a bit so that the side clip would not be under the battery. Once i had the battery sitting in there and not on top of the side clip… Bing… HR Monitor found!!!!!! Thanks for the tip.. Mine had worked fine for two years before I had problems. Needed it for a run this weekend though. I do like mine becuase I run with WPW heart problems. I use it to montior when my heart goest to 240 BMP and when it goes back to normal so I can finish my run. Thanks again!!!

  143. Tried everything and it did not work. Just kept on trying and eventually after a lot of fiddling around whola, it worked. If at first you don’t succeed, try again! Thanks for the post!

  144. This worked for me. I put a new battery in the HR monitor 6 weeks ago and it was working fine but today it stopped working. I removed and reinserted the battery 3x and nothing. I swapped the battery for another one and nothing. For some reason it was not making good contact even though the battery firmly fit into the unit. Bending the center contact out did the trick. Thanks.

  145. Thanks – I did just what you did – scanned and scanned for the transmitter, changed batteries, tested batteries, cleaned the strap … and bending out the internal battery contacts did the trick!

  147. My heart rate montior was not working (blinking X and heart symbol instead of a constant heart symbol) so I did the following:
    1. i put water on both sides of the connectors on the back(body side- ribbed part of the monitor). that did not work.

    2. Replaced the battery and made sure the gold connector was making contact with the battery. that did not work

    3. this worked- THANK YOU ERIC-
    FROM THE GARMIN PRESS MODE-SCROLL TO SETTINGS-PRESS ENTER-GENERAL-ENTER-SCROLL TO ACCESSORIES-ENTER-HEART RATE MONTIOR-ENTER-SCROLL TO RESCAN-ENTER.
    SUCCESS!

  148. I really appreciate all the intelligent and considered suggestions and insights. Unfortunately, I have been unable to get my HRM to function at all. It’s extraordinarily frustrating. Garmin should really universally address this issue, even if it means call backs.

    I didn’t realize that there are hundreds of discussion group dedicated to simply trying to get the Garmin HRM to function correctly, indeed at all. That suggests a serious design flaw.

  149. I appreciate the time you took to write up this article. I was just searching on Google for my model of garmin and close to calling them about a warranty (that I’m sure has expired). I saw your post, adjusted the battery tab and now I’m good to go. Thanks!

  150. thank s very much this , it exactly what happen to mine today , you have save me a lots of trouble and time , and is not somthing I will have checked , so big thank s to how wrote this pages ***

  152. Steve, you’ve just saved my day! It was ‘the tiny golden piece’ not connecting! Regarding the former comments this is becoming a ‘tiny’ golden post!!! Thank you Steve!

  153. Thank you so much for that simple solution to a problem that had me pulling my hair out. I had been placing the new battery down on top of both contacts , but when I slipped the gold/side contact on top and rescanned, it worked like a charm.

  154. Thank you so much as it is not that trivial since it was working fine just before the battery died.
    For further users, i do had to try four times before it comes up again.
    Also do not forget to clean well the battery and do not touch it with the skin as it is very low electric comsumption.
    The power of the community ! 😉

  156. Thanks!

    I had done exactly everything you had, except that I had’t had the time to order a ner heart rate monitor yet. I even borrowed a friend’s 305 to ensure it was the monitor and not the watch itself who was malfunctioning. I had bent the contact touching the top side of the battery, but not the one touching the side. After applying some violence to that aswell, the watch suddenly received contact! (After rescanning).
    So glad right now – I love my 305 with its large display.

  157. Hi Steve.

    I have a doubt about the golden connectors. There are two connectors: A side one (small) and a center one (longer). Which of them must touch the top (+) of the battery?

  162. Thank you for the tip. I was ‘this close’ (holding thumb and forefinger very close together) to buying a new ($50). Luckily I decided to search for a solution online and happened upon this blog. The seat for the 2032 battery in the garmin hrm has two contacts. On mine, the side contact had bent down. I simply took an eyeglass screwdriver and pried that contact up and out, then replaced the battery. Bingo! Works like a charm.

  165. 2017 and your post is still relevant! I had a 305 for 7 yrs and then it got smashed in epic. fashion. Just bought a replacement online and wabam!! my dang HR strp wouldnt connect. your fix did the trick. had to bend the side contact up a little bit. You rock. Thanks

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