My Start55TM took a bath...

[Pattycakes]

Well actually my water bottle opened, but either way it got wet.
I have had it in rice for four days and it turns on but the touch screen does not work.

The image is fine, but it does not recognize that I am attempting to push a button.
A bit more pressure and the image under my finger kind of 'smooshes' and distorts until I remove my finger and it slowly returns to normal.

Should I replace the screen (where would I get one and how would I do it), leave it in rice longer, or just get a new one?

 

[canderson]

Unless you're prepared to open it up to help it dry, you'll have to stick with the rice solution for now (it's a good one, and one that any amateur can employ). If, after a few more days, you aren't getting any action ... well, you're still under warranty, yes?

 

[Pattycakes]

It was a gift, so I am currently attempting to find out if is does indeed have warranty and if that warranty will cover water damage.
I am willing to open it up, as long as doing so has relatively few steps and now way that I can damage it. Is it more complex then taking the back off?

 

[canderson]

The Start 55 hasn't been available in the market as a whole for all that long (sometime around April 2012), so you should be covered if you hustle.

 

[Pattycakes]

Do you think the warranty would cover water damage?

 

[Andy_P]

I wouldn't have thought so!

New screens for several models are available on eBay. Be careful to get the right one.

You COULD buy just the "digitiser", but I believe it's a lot easier for the average person to buy the complete screen+digitiser together as a single unit - it's then just a single multiway ribbon cable connection to swap over.

Do check out some of the on-line tutorials and videos for changing TomTom batteries, as they give good tips for general disassembly, and be very careful with the latches for the ribbon-cable connector, as it is VERY easy to snap them off.