TomTom Screen Repair - A Guide to Repairing Your GPS Screen

TomTom Screen Repair - A Guide to Repairing Your GPS Screen
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Usually, when the screen dies on a piece of electronics, your best bet is to replace it. A laptop with a broken screen and no warranty will be a few hundred dollars to repair. Luckily, if you do some damage to your TomTom’s screen it can be repaired. Some of your damages may even be repairable at home. Feel free to give it a try. Failing that we will also look at ways you can get your TomTom screen repaired professionally.

Goo On The Screen

Gooey screen?

Maybe one of your kids put a sticker on the screen, or a wayward splash of soda has congealed on it. Either way, you have sticky goo on your screen. If you need to get that goo off then these steps can help you. Just be sure that the machine is off before you begin.

1. Get a micro cloth (like the ones you use for laptop screens) and some screen cleaner. If you do not have screen cleaner then use a glass cleaner.

2. Spray a small amount onto the cloth and then wipe down the screen, lightly, focusing your efforts on the sections with the goo. Repeat as needed if you are dealing with a thick layer of goo.

3. Dry the section with the back of the cloth. If goo still remains try to use the wet side to slide it to the edge of the device, or into a clump that you can pick off of the screen.

4. If you manage to get a clump there is likely to still be residue. Repeat these steps as needed.

Scratches

Sometimes your screen will get scratched. It can happen for any number of reasons, the least of which is dropping. If you need to fix a small scratch try these tips.

1. Get a plastic cleaner and a plastic polish. Any brand will suffice but the odds that you will have a wide selection are slim. The only real difference between models are cream or gel style. The cream style of plastic will be pre-mixed, and the gel’s will need to be mixed. If you are not OK with the idea of mixing it yourself get a cream style. This will come in one tube whereas a gel style will usually come in a box.

2. Clean the screen using the plastic cleaner. Follow the directions that are on your package if you need to mix the different chemicals in the box to create your cleaner. This is only likely if you get a cleaner/polish combination package.

3. Apply and work in the plastic polish.

If you get the cream style polish:

  • Take a pea sized amount of cream, and place it onto the microfiber cloth.

  • Rub the cream over the effected areas of the screen in a downward motion. The idea here is to fill in the crack with the polish.

  • Rub the area with a buffer like motion. Use small circles, and lift the cloth off straight when you need to check the scratch.

  • Keep rubbing until all residue is gone.

If you get the gel style polish:

  • Mix the chemicals as per the package instructions. Take all needed safety measures, such as rubber gloves, which are highly recommended.

  • Place a small amount of the gel directly onto the screen, and spread with your covered finger. Do not put it on the cloth, as gel styles can be very sticky.

  • Use a damp (but not dripping wet) cloth to spread the gel around and buff it into the screen.

*Remember, when in doubt, use as small of an amount of gel as possible. You can always add more, but taking it away is much harder.

Focus on the scratched areas which may require multiple coats. Always give it some time (half an hour) between coats to get give the substance time to work in and set. Also too much direct pressure on a touch screen can cause serious damage. Always use a light touch during all of these steps.

Cracked Screen

So, you dropped it, and the screen has a wide chasm of a crack in it. I am sorry to tell you that there is nothing that you can do. You are going to have to pay to have the screen replaced. This may be painful, but it is still cheaper then replacing the whole device.

In the end, you can do a lot of home repairs to your TomTom GPS screen. As long as you are willing to be patient and work with the right tools, then your screen will be rewarded. Just do not try to rush the process, and you will be fine.