Garmin Forerunner 55: problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-10-18

Summary

The Forerunner 55’s recurring complaints are an aging built-in battery that fades after a few years, unreliable battery indication, and single-band GPS that waits for a fix and drifts away from open roads. Running cost is near zero because Garmin Connect and Garmin Coach need no subscription, and there are no user-replaceable parts beyond the band. It is a good buy around a $150–160 street price and poor value above $200, where the Forerunner 255 and 265 add multi-band GPS and a barometric altimeter.

Common problems and fixes

Battery fades after 1.5–3 years — forum owners report capacity dropping, some from 14 days down to 4; the cell is built in, not user-replaceable, and Garmin has no official battery replacement programme. [5][6][7]
Unreliable battery indication — one thread describes the watch showing 100%, dropping to 1% and dying; a factory reset fixed it for that owner. [7]
GPS waits and single-band drift — owners describe long waits with the screen cycling between “Wait for GPS” and the run screen, and the single-band GPS drifts in cities, tree cover and trails next to a multi-band rival. [9][11]
Heart rate inaccurate at workout start — after a year of daily wear, testing called it “sometimes wildly inaccurate” at the beginning of workouts; a chest strap is the usual workaround. [4]
Step and elevation figures disagree — step count and elevation gain disagreed with Strava and an iPhone, and mileage was occasionally off on familiar loops. [4]
Sleep tracking is inconsistent — one owner thread calls it “hopeless”, with stages that seem random. [6]
Step counter counts arm motion — the same owner thread reports the counter logging arm movements such as teeth brushing. [6]
Accidental button presses — the five physical buttons can be pressed during floor exercises such as push-ups. [1]

Parts and consumables

Built-in battery — rechargeable lithium-ion, not user-replaceable, with no official Garmin replacement service reported. [3][5][6]

Yearly running cost

No mandatory subscription: the Garmin Connect app and Garmin Coach plans are free, so a typical owner’s mandatory yearly spend is $0. The only recurring cost is a replacement band, for which the sources quote no price. A replacement battery is not offered, so an aging watch is replaced rather than repaired. [1][2][4][5]

When it is a good buy

The watch launched at $199.99 MSRP on June 2, 2021. At review time it was listed at $199.99 at Best Buy, Performance Bicycle and Fleet Feet, and around a $150–160 street price the value improves. Above $200, weigh the Forerunner 255 or 265, which add multi-band GPS and a barometric altimeter for more money; for running away from open roads the Coros Pace 3’s multi-band GPS is the better pick. [1][2][11]