9350 blank screen/stops working

basshead

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I did a search but no luck...

I have a 9350 (which is probably outside of warranty), and I noticed last weekend the GPS wasn't working/intermittent. A jiggle of the connector and it sometimes worked and sometimes didn't. I don't know if this was a pre-cursor to imminent failure...

It's hard-wired to the ignition and permanent power for shock sensor recording.

Today when starting the car, it did the cold startup (coloured flashing LED on right side, Lukas logo screen with Korean text, and welcome voice message) - which it normally does once it switches off due to low car battery voltage. Only this time it didn't quite manage to finish the welcome voice message, and made a horrible buzzing noise (maybe part of the voice sample on fast/short loop/repeat) and then the screen went blank, and the LED on the right stayed illuminated. I switched it off and on again using the switch on the side and the process repeated. Sometimes the LED stays on a different colour, but I don't think that indicates any particular error code and is more by chance. I was going to video what it does on my phone and upload it, but by the time I got home, the Lukas logo doesn't always show up and it wont even do the welcome voice any more. I just get the coloured LED on the right side (now with fewer colours flashing than before).

I've tried all possible scenarios without success; unplugged rear cam and GPS cables, removed each of the SD cards. With SD cards removed, it shows an image of SD card on the display and says to check the SD card. Switching off and putting in the SD cards and restarting has the same blank screen after partially restarting.

I checked the footage and it stopped recording to the SD card(s) not long after starting a 2hr drive (where I'd noticed it behaving unusual). It hadn't saved any footage from the numerous attempts at trying to restart it.

I'm at a loss as to what is wrong with it. Do Lukas dashcams have a capacitor instead of battery? If battery, maybe the battery has failed?

Maybe the firmware relies on the SD card being present, and some key files have somehow become corrupted on the SD card? The SD cards seemed fine when checking footage on the laptop. I have an old backup of the original SD card I could restore and see if that resolves the issue.

I've tried a spare set of SD cards without success (apart from reverting to Korean language as they had no config file) but the display still goes blank after Korean welcome message.

I've since re-formatted the SD cards I previously had (using Lukas Viewer on the laptop), re-saved the config files to both SD cards, but not yet tried them...

I just had a thought... If it is the main (front) camera with the problem, I could replace it with another front-only camera and re-use the existing rear camera (to save replacing the entire front & rear as a package)... but unlike the Blackvue 650-2ch I have in another vehicle, where the front camera can be bought separately, it appears Lukas don't sell just the front camera on its own...
 
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Some further testing was inconclusive...

I removed the "event" micro-SD card (Kingston) and restarted, and it seemed to work for a short (several minutes) drive. I left it switched on when parked but when I returned a few hours later, it had switched off/frozen (no response from touchscreen or starting engine).

Results are never identical; sometimes the display just goes blank, other times I see stipes/bars along a section of the screen (I took a video of this, which I'll work out how to upload).

When there is no SD card inserted it displays the "no SD card" message and seems to work fine without shutting down or the display freezing (except it wont record, obviously).

My next test will be to find the original Lukas SD cards, format them and "save config" to them (with LukasViewer), and see if they work. I suspect the SD card slot(s) or unit itself might be faulty.
 
I've not had luck finding both of the original SD cards... I tried it again recently and it seems to start up OK but then restarts by itself, presumably when it attempts to write to the SD card(s).

I emailed "support" (lukas@qrontech.com - I found it on the QVIA/Lukas website) over a months ago but haven't received a response (and now wonder if this is related to a recent post in this forum about shop-front being closed).

Does anyone know if repairs can be done - I don't want to fork out another $500+ for a replacement (and it likely wont be a Lukas, given the demonstrated product failure and poor after-sales support)...
 
The people that ran Lukas in the states and canada took the money and ran!

I've had nothing but issues with my R935 and never received any help and or a response from them. Typical scammers....
 
Back in the day my LK-7500 worked fine, but i did contact lukas ( in the motherland i assume ) 1 time about something, and the RPLY time was horrific.

Getting the camera should maybe have set off some alarm bells, i ordered on E bay from spytec but then the parcel was turned around with a MSG from e bay saying it was illegal to send such a camera to Denmark.
I contacted E bay ( cuz i am such a nice guy ) and told them that sure Denmark are somewhat fawked up, but at least we are not N - Korea fawked up and importing any video camera are legal here.
And then i went to spytec B&M store / site and ordered there instead.

I have over time developed the feeling that Lukas are only focused on the home market, and everything else are of no interest for them though they seem to have legit sales channels there.
Pretty arrogant (n)

When it come to after sales support and customer care ( as it should be according to me ) then there are only a handfull of companies, and of those only 1 shine.
 
Has anyone pulled one of these apart? I wonder if it might be the battery/capacitor which may have failed and causing sporadic operation...
 
For those trying to disassemble/dismantle the dashcam, I've managed to pry open the bottom and both sides, but the top (where the hinge is for the windscreen mount) has two tiny screws behind the gold Lukas badge/logo.
 
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