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.

[jumpyg]

I have been having this issue for months and had no idea it was a Fitbit problem until now, so thank you OP for starting the thread!

Samsung Galaxy S7

2015 GMC Acadia (seems to affect only GM lambda platform vehicles)

Fitbit Ulta HR

- Always Connect has always been off, so that's not it

- Notifications on for Calls and Texts, but disabled for Calendar

Tonight I'll try to uninstall the Fitbit app and reinstall it, and also turn off notifications and see if that helps. The notifications for calls usually come too late for me to answer the phone anyway.

I did have a brief period of 4-5 days a few weeks ago where my phone would auto-connect with the Acadia, but that didn't last. I'm back to having to manually connect each time. I have to go into the S7's BT settings and choose connect, and also choose to connect in the Acadia's menu. It seems like I should be able to connect using only one of those options??? That would at least make it a little easier. 

Unless this gets resolved, I will be taking advantage of REI's 1-year return policy and getting my money back on the Ulta. Which sucks because I love it otherwise, and also have the scale, so I'm all-in with Fitbit. This is sooooo frustrating!!!

[stephanie1112]

YES!!! That's great! I'm glad it's working for you!

[jumpyg]

Confirmed! The Fitbit app is causing this problem. 

I uninstalled the app, and my Samsung Galaxy S7 immediately connected to BT on my 2015 GMC Acadia without me having to do anything else. 

Before that, I turned off notifications and that didn't help. The Fitbit app's mere existence on my phone prevents me from connecting to my vehicle. 

Please fix this issue Fitbit!!! 

[stephanie1112]

Try doing a factory reset on your Fitbit.

[jumpyg]

I'm going to wait for a fix from Fitbit. 

Doing a factory reset involves hours of work reconfiguring the phone over several weeks. And I don't see why it would help. This is a clear app problem. I uninstalled the app, and my phone instantly connected to the vehicle. I don't see what a factory reset would even do. 

[LanuzaFitbit]

Hello everyone!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the matter!

I'll be sure to pass this information on to the rest of the team. If we have any updates at some point, I'll be sure to share them with everyone in here!

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

[hopijr]

While I was out of the country, my samsung android phone received a software update (from samsung, I think).  I got back just yesterday and discovered that my phone will now automatically connect like it should with my car's bluetooth, even with Fitbit app installed, etc.  Yay!! Before I left, I had updated everything I could on my phone and and on my fitbit and at that time, I was still not connecting automatically to my car's bluetooth.  The only thing that changed while I was gone, as far as I'm aware, was the samsung update.   I'm not savvy enough to know if it was a Fitbit issue or Samsung software issue or both but I'm sure both tech teams from both companies had to work together to figure out the problem. So, thank you, Fitbit!  

[LanuzaFitbit]

Hello @hopijr.

Thank you very much for taking the time to share that with us! 

If you have the time, maybe you could visit one of our Discussion boards. Lots of different topics to talk about with other users.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

[jumpyg]

hopijr - What specific Samsung phone do you have, and what is the software release number than is installed now? 

[hopijr]

Jumpyg - I have a Samsung Galaxy Note 8 (Samsung-SM-N950U)  Android version 8.0.0  Samsung Experience Version 9.0  The software update I mentioned in my post is N950USQS5CRG9.  I got that update on September 5, 2018.     My FitBit app is version 2.77

[nikkirn06]

The steps in this article do not help.  I wish this issue would be resolved!!

[MOONLITERIDER]

Same here, but I purchased my new Versa 10 days ago. I had never had an issue with my Ford Mustang's bluetooth prior to my purchasing the Versa. Every time I started my car, my bluetooth to my phone would be not only lost, but it then would be hit or miss(mostly miss)just because the versa was in my car on my arm,even with notifications off, not always syncing, etc. I went through this every day since purchasing my Versa. I can delete that app, and yet somehow my car senses the  darn Versa's bluetooth  and it won't connect to my phone. I loved the  aesthetics of the versa,but I drive a standard transmission Mustang GT. I literally can not take my  hands off my wheel, or while shifting up and down gears in my transmission! I have to have my phone usable in my car, for safety reasons. Fitbit keeps passing the buck. But its quite obvious that the Versa(and others)is the problem!I had to return mine, for safety purposes. I can't imagine putting this on the market  when its mucking up our vehicles bluetooth connectivity! Boo Fitbit! I expected more from you. I'll be buying a new ,non Fitbit device now,and I've heard it has no problems. I was vested in Fitbit but no more 

[Mustang2015]

I have a 2015 Mustang and a 2010 Murano.  Since purchasing the fitbit last month neither of my cars auto connect.  Very frustrating as it worked perfectly prior to the fit bit.

[jumpyg]

I switched new a Google Pixel 3 phone and now the Fitbit app works fine on my 2015 Acadia. 

Definitely something wrong between the Samsungs and GM vehicles. Odd. 

[MOONLITERIDER]

Yes it didn't work with my 2014 Mustang GT either. I had to return the Versa. I'm getting ready to purchase a 2019 GT, and I'm amazed this problem is still going on!

[surfing19]

Same Problem with the Moto G4 and Moto G5S Plus, I upgrade my moto g4 to the moto g5 thinking it was the phone having issues with android auto,  I ended up just removing the app from the phone.  Not Good. 

[SunsetRunner]

Same problem here, and today I finally decided to just give up on the Fitbit.

[SunsetRunner]

I have the exavr same problem I have a Volvo S60 I installed my Fitbit app last night together my my Iconic, I t connects the phone but when a call or answer a call it diverts the call to the headset, I am on the road all day I can not drive without a handfree, is there any thing else besides unistalling the app? 

[Mustang2015]

Mine wasn't the app but rather an old android gphone with an older version
of bluetooth on it. Once I moved to galaxy 10 problem solved

[VLNMOM]

Same problem here - I just started using a Fitbit Alta and my iphone now won't connect to a 2019 Ford Fusion Energi bluetooth for hands free calling ... was working perfectly before downloading and using  the fitbit app. Help please ....