Fitbit app interfering with bluetooth car connection

[suey00]

HI.

I have a chevy traverse and a charge 2 fitbit.  My autoconnection to my traverse bluetooth has always worked fine while my fitbit app has been on my phone (since october).  After the last update, my traverse will no longer autoconnect to my phone through bluetooth.  I can manually connect, but not auto connect.

I was told to try starting my phone in safe mode and rule out 3rd party apps.  AS soon as i did this, it worked fine.  I uninstalled the fitbit app and started in regular mode again and my phone autoconnected to my car with no problem.

Now, I reinstall the fitbit app......and NO autoconnection again.   So it's got to be something with the communication of the bluetooth with these two things or the fitbit app itself.  It only begun after the last update.  Please help!!!

Moderator Edit: Updated Subject For Clarity.

[gckeller77]

Hi There - I have tried this repeatedly, and turning off "always connected" does not solve the issue. According to Samsung and Buick, it is an issue with the Fitbit App itself. If the phone boots in safe mode, with no Fitbit app, phone connects fine. Basically, either my phone needs to be re-paired with my car manually every time I start my car, or I have to uninstall Fitbit app from my phone every time I start my car. Please find a solution.



Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

[tamilantis]

Agreed. I have tried everything too. Including all the items in the
article. The only way to get your car to connect bluetooth to the car is
the totally uninstall the fitbit app. So I am using my fitbit watch for 1%
of the things that it can do since I cannot have it sync to the app or be
on bluetooth. Totally worthless. Fitbit you better fix this issue soon, or
I will be wanting a refund on my new Versa!

Moderator edit: Removed personal info

[SunsetRunner]

This DOES NOT help with the cars. I have tried it several times since it was originally posted. 

[hopijr]

Moderator LanuzaFitbit advised users whose car will no longer connect to their phones if the Fitbit app is installed on the phone to follow the steps in the article at https://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/1264/?q=interfere&l=en_US&fs=Search&pn=1.  This article has been recommended by Fitbit moderators several times.  It does not work with this issue.  Again, the issue is with the Fitbit app installed on the  phone, the phone will pair with the car's bluetooth, but the car will not automatically connect with the phone and thus I can't make phone calls, listen to music, or anything requiring accessing my phone through my car's bluetooth.  Sometimes, the connection can be made manually, but this is not acceptable because I usually forget to make the connection manually before driving off.  The problem doesn't seem to be isolated to make/model of car (I have a 2016 GMC Acadia), make of phone (I have a Samsung Galaxy note 8), etc.  So far, like many other users, the only "fix" I've found is to delete the Fitbit app. I have been a Fitbit user for at least 5 years.  I have had a Flex and two Blazes.  I currently have a Blaze tracker and wanted to upgrade to the Versa, but I will not be doing so. I will be changing brands, regrettably.  I think this issue started in March of 2018 for me - I know I was having the trouble in April - so it's been long enough.  

[gckeller77]

From everyone that has replied to my initial post, it sounds like there is a common denominator that all issues are in GM Cars (Acadia / Traverse / Enclave), and with Samsung phones - @LanuzaFitbit does that help to narrow down the issue?  it;s something in the functionality of the Fitbit app itself in these GM "clone" cars, all of which have similar but slightly different info-tainment systems, and although all the phones appear to be Samsung, there is some variation of models (Note, S8/S9).  sounds like the issue might be able to be isolated with this info.  thanks for any other insight - 

[smtracker]

Mine is now working! Verizon pushed a Samsung update yesterday (not Android OS update), and Fitbit has an updated app. I'm not sure which one fixed the issue, but my phone now auto-connects with the Fitbit and my Buick!!! Woohoo!!!

[hopijr]

Happy for you, SMtracker.  Mine still isn't working.  I checked for an update for my samsung note 8 - didn't appear to be one.  I went ahead and reinstalled FitBit app from the Google playstore and tried to auto connect to my 2016 GMC Acadia.  No joy here.  What phone do you have?  What version of the version fitbit app do you have installed?

[smtracker]

Galaxy S9 (Verizon)

Fitbit v 2.77

2016 Buick Enclave

[LanuzaFitbit]

Hello everyone!

Thanks for sharing your setups and trying to narrow down what is going on. I'll be sure to bring this up to the team. If I receive any updates on the matter I'll be sure to post about it in here and let everyone know.

I do have a questions I'd like to ask. Do you all have notifications setup on your Fitbits?

Thanks for your understanding. Feel free to let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.

[gckeller77]

Hi Lanuza,

I do have notifications set up on my Versa device, yes. Have downgraded Bluetooth connection to be manual to the device only when I open the app, it is no longer set to "always connected".

I got the Fitbit app upgrade this week, but still no luck.

Thanks,
Gretchen



Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

[JANDAR]

I do have notifications on.

[hopijr]

Yes, I also have notifications set up on my fitbit app.

[gckeller77]

@LanuzaFitbit - I  received the update to the Fitbit app late yesterday.  I reset my phone and cleared bluetooth cache after updating, and car seems to be working - lets see if it stays on today, fingers crossed! 

[hopijr]

gckeller77, did you also receive any samsung updates or just the fitbit update?

[LanuzaFitbit]

Hello everyone! 

Thanks for letting me know that it is now working for some of you.

The ones that do have notifications turned on. Could you try turning notifications off and checking if it then connects to your car?

Let me know if you have any further questions.

[lorisgar]

Hi! I am having the same issue and it is extremely frustrating. I have gone to dealer, trouble shot with Samsung, etc. The only thing that works is disconnecting the fitbit app. I spent too much money on the fitbit to not use it. Have you found a solution? I've called Fitbit and they were of no help. They suggested connecting to wi-fi and adding versa (classic) to my bluetooth and it didn't work. So frustrated. Any help is appreciated.

[stephanie1112]

No I didn't. After the update and factory reset it started working the way
it should.

[lorisgar]

Thank you. I just did the update and I am hopeful.

Get Outlook for Android

[stephanie1112]

I hope it works for you too!

[tamilantis]

Yeah my FITBIT Versa is working!  I have a Samsung S9 and GMC Acadia 2014. I uninstalled the app and re installed the app and re installed the bluetooth on my phone to my car. It is working perfectly!!!! Thank you so much!  I just purchased another one for my mother in law since it is now fixed.  Woo Hoo!