Cobra Electronics 7700 PRO GPS

Mine was hotter than a $2 pistol sitting in the sun. I turned it off and it worked fine.

Is yours mounted on the windshield?

 

yes it is but the unit is not hot when this happens
most of the time i have just put it on the mount (dont use it all the time )
95% of the lock ups have only happened when the route uses hwy 400 toronto ontario canada

 

So I just bought a new 7700
and need to upgrade?
I will return it now
thank you for your information...

bad comparison about cars
American companies were NOT listening.

 

BRIAN--You and the other truckers should be advised that in California all Roads have a 38' king pin to rear axle restricion except interstate freeways which are exempt by federal legislation. The only exits allowed are marked with A "T" sign and are local roads from the freeway to truck terminal. So if you rig is set up with a 45' or 55' trailer etc and you go off that route the 38' restriction notification will probably pop up. It is just possible that the freeway routing thru sacramento between "J" street exit and the interchange going toward the Bay area does not comply with the standards.

 

Isn't Cali 40ft?

 

Brian,
I think the 7700 actually has great potential. The hardware is generally capable of all the displays, notifications, map tracking, etc. that is required. My continuing gripe is with the crummy out-of-date databases.

Much of the unit's screwy behavoir is the result of the software trying to figure out a route with the inaccurate information it has available to use. For example, many interstate highway bridges I cross at exits are displayed as 5T (5 ton) load limits. So, the unit tries to figure out a way to get you back on the interstate without crossing that bridge and produces a ridiculous result of going to the next exit to make a U turn to get going in the correct direction. The unit did the right thing with the inaccurate information it had available

Ditto for weight limits on the many new roads (in the database) that commercial warehouses are on in new industrial parks. Many are listed at less that 10 tons. So, the unit works to come up with a convoluted way to get you there without using the only road available.

The inaccurate map database is a primary issue in this crazy routing.

A bonus critique: the truck stop, er, travel center location databases are in great need of updating. I frequently search for a Pilot or other truck stop, er, travel center along a route and find few or none. Then I drive by several that weren't listed and would have liked to have known about on the same route. Not knowing where a truck stop is definitely affects my trip and route planning.

Ditto for the Blue Beacon database, Cat scales, and other VITAL locations that truckers routinely need and use for any of several reasons.

The databases are the heart and soul of making this a decent tool instead of a gadget that you can't trust. Get the databases fixed!

 

Here's a perfect database example issue that I encountered today as I was driving west on I-10 in Lake Charles, Louisianna. The 7700 repeatedly tried to route me via the I-210 loop south of the city. However, I wanted to go straight through on I-10. The software repeatedly tried to route me back to the I-210 bypass, prosposing several U-turns. I discovered why when I actaully crossed the main bridge over the river on I-10; the software warned me that interstate bridge is only rated for 12 tons.

Based on my personal observations, 1) there are no weight restrictions posted for that interstate bridge and 2) there were LOTS of 40 ton 18 wheelers crossing that bridge with me.

This is a great, very simple example of how the machine is doing the best it can with the incorrect information it has available. I actually kinda feel sorry for it, because it's obviously doing the best it can and despite its best efforts it's getting a bad rap.

 

I was about to order one of these units but after reading 38 pages of comments and looking at the specs, I will pass. For the cost of the unit, auto dimming via light sensor should be standard, not based on time of day. Have a draw full of Garmin's do that. Standard mounts should have been there also so it can be setup correctly. Most important, actuate databases and proper routing for a specialized unit is a must. Our current GPS's can give us bad routing and stick us in places that will cause us all sorts of problems as no extra cost. I guess I will have to wait and see when these units are properly updated if they are updated.