Tacx Vortex flashing green and read

Hi Keith any update on your case ?

Hi Kamil, hi Keith,

I got an update from Garmin on 04/05/2020. For information my TACX Vortex has been on 2016 and is now out of warranty. I paid £257.41 at the time and Garmin propose a replacement at £221.54 (more than 86% of the original price):

Garmin support:
“Based on the information you have provided we will need to book your Garmin device in for a replacement. As your device is out of warranty (purchased more than 24 months ago), we can offer to replace your device for a fixed replacement cost of £221.54.”

For information, my TACX Vortex was working well until I did the firmware update in 2020.

Cheers,
Greg

Hi guys!
Garmin said something similar to me: the unit needs to be replaced. They told me it’s not possible a firmware rollback, but I’m pretty sure that it is possible, see this for Vortex. Maybe some of you with out of warranty units can try that.

My trainer is a Flow, I’m still trying to find a Flow firmware file.

Hiya everyone
Still talking to the support and I’m not planing to stop any time soon
What they saying now it’s a coincidence we’re all having the same issue and it’s a coincidence it all started after update but any way
If you follow the link Garmin Tacx Indoor Bike Trainers

You will see that there are number of parts available at fraction of the price but looks like clever heads at tacx are just to lazy to figure out what exactly is wrong with the trainers and just went the easiest and most expensive to us way of replacing whole unit

Hi everyone. I am having the same problem with my Tacx Flow Smart.

It arrived this weekend brand new, plugged it in and updated the firmware. The indicator never stopped flashing red/green. I doubt the issue is the voltage supply as well. I will contact support on Monday when they reopen.

Same issue here. The unit blinks red-green, but this is NOT a power issue (tried at multiple outlets). There is also no variable resistance on the Zwift rides. Our Tacx Flow is less than one month old. Anyone have luck with Garmin Warranty?

Where in the world are you? In the UK, if it is less than a month old, you should speak to whichever vendor you bought the turbo from as they have some responsibility where issues arise soon after purchase.

Looks like my continued laziness in checking for firmware updates might pay off again, as I haven’t updated my Flow Smart in two years, and it still works fine.

And don’t hold your breath for a firmware rollback. If it is the update that has caused the problem (which seem likely at this point), the ability to roll the update back will depend on a number of factors, including the way the update is carried out and even the type of ROM chips on which the firmware is stored. Just because two devices are built by the same company, it doesn’t necessarily follow that they will use the same internal HW and/or update methodology.

Good luck!!

I have the same issue - just got a replacement flow from Garmin and it is 3.1.22 and 1.1.3 firmware. It has the ‘Under’ icon lit up in the utility app and the lights flash red and green. They are sending me a replacement power cord and I will keep you posted if it fixes it. If anyone can work this out please let me know how to fix!! Very frustrated

Hello Everyone,

Update on my side from Garmin.
Garmin denies the role of the update in this issue:

“The software update itself wouldn’t have caused this.”

They propose me to buy new Garmin products:

Alternatively, Garmin’s exciting new innovations in product features and design can be found here:
Garmin International | Home

Personnally, I’ll cut my losses and stop wasting time/money/energy with Garmin/Tacx.
Unless there is a class action mechanism or equivalent in the UK.

Lesson learnt: Do not buy Garmin/Tacx.

Kind regards,
Greg

1 Like

The is a long, and not particularly glorious, history of firmware updates bricking devices (and the manufacturers claiming no responsibility for it). Sadly updating ROM based software is still not a foolproof process, even though we see significantly fewer warnings these days about proceeding with caution when carrying these out.

A number of years back, I bricked my first audio interface doing a firmware update and, to their credit, it didn’t take long to convince Yamaha that the only possible culprit was the update. Not only did they replace the device for me, they even made sure it was running the most up to date firmware before sending it out.

Sadly, Garmin’s reputation for customer service is at the other end of the scale, and while I have never used any other company’s cycle computers, I was disappointed when they took over Tacx for exactly this reason.

I have a tacx flow smart trainer which dies after the update… after loads of emails Garmin US said they would replce my trainer for $100… I got moved to garmin UK ( as i’m in England ) and they will now only offer me a new trainer £180!
Anyway the instructions i got given ( which have not worked )

http://download.garmin.com/support/Fitness/Tacx/Flux_S/restore.tacxfirmware

Iphone/iPAD

  1. Download the Tacx Utility app from the app store
  2. From the iPhone or tablet download the FLUX recovery software file here: [FLUX recovery software]
  3. Once the download is complete select the “Down Arrow” icon down arrow (top right) to access the file
  • Select the “Restore” file from the drop-down list
  • Long-press the “Restore” file from the Downloads window
  • Select Share and copy to Tacx Utility
  1. When the Tacx Utility app opens, connect the FLUX trainer
  2. Select the menu ![Menu Icon|24x20]
    from the upper left corner of the app
  3. Select Update
  4. Select Check for Update
  5. Select Install Update

If you continue to have an issue with the trainer, respond to this email with the details of the issue you are having.

Android

Please open this email message on the smartphone or tablet where you have installed the Tacx Utility app.

  1. Download the Tacx Utility app from the play store
  2. From the phone or tablet download the FLUX recovery software file here: [FLUX recovery software]
  3. From the phone open the file once the download is complete.
  4. You will be prompted to open the file, select Open , locate and select the Tacx Utility app
  5. From the Tacx Utility app, connect the FLUX trainer
  6. Select the menu !
  7. Select Update
  8. Select Check for Update
  9. Select Install Update

That’s a a copy and paste message they sending to everyone
UK lads are absolutely terrible
No help at all
They will just keep changing the name they signing the email with and keep sending you the same messages
It’s about time they admit something is wrong with the updates

Hello everyone - disappointed to see this is still an issue. I updated my Vortex firmware on Tuesday, it hasn’t worked since and today I have had an email from Garmin saying they will replace the unit but at a cost of over £200.

TACX Flow

  • warning 6.10 mains voltage to low

Same here - but where can I find help?

And this is why I haven’t even looked at updating the firmware in almost 3 years.

As far as the voltage warning goes, is it plugged directly into a wall outlet or a power strip? A failing power strip might cause this.

Not sure if people are still having an issue with this but my Tacx Flux S has been frustrating to say the least. I initially said the issues to garmin, turned out they’d issue a replacement which went through fine and I had the replacement. Only to plug it in and have the exact same issue. Weren’t happy with this so phoned them went through every step they said which didn’t work and they issued yet another replacement. Surprise surprise still got the same issue. 3 turbos later and still none the wiser, ridiculous.