Aria battery drain

[Spmhutt]

I put new batteries in my aria. It seemed to never properly cycle off and my battery life was about 2 weeks, dead again! Any ideas on how to get the scale back in proper form?

[Ronnyjoz]

Battery life seems to be recurring issue with Fitbit products.  Some time ago I gave up in the Fitbit Charge since successive charges (from new) lasted 7, 5, 3 and then 2 days, and all Fitbit Support could tell me was to turn off all the features - this, on a product that's supposed to last up to ten days!

I was considering coming back, and getting an Alta HR, since I'm not happy with the software on the rival product I bought, and then my Aria started eating batteries.  Worse than that, now when I put a fresh set in and step on it I get "Step Off" followed by "Err".

Can't be bothered with it any more.  Gone back to mechanical scales and recording my weight manually.  I'll also stick with the Jawbone Up - I don't quite get a week out of the battery but at least it's consistent, and it does report calories to MyFitnessPal, even if their own app is rubbish.

[Kimwood]

I am also experiencing the Aria battery drain issue and got the standard "I'm sorry" email from Fitbit.  When I mentioned that it was clear that many people were having a problem and they had replaced the product outside the warranty period, their response was that they were now strictly enforcing their warranty.  It seems to me that the problems with the products are so common that they will no longer accept responsibility and the consumer is left with the problem.  My scale is about 2 years old.  It has worked great in the same location and has not been dropped or moved.  I will try cleaning or pressing on the feet as you guys suggested.  It will be hard to buy or reccomend another Fitbit product again as they don't seem to be made to perform outside the warranty period.  This product was expensive for a bathroom scale and something that should last for many years and not just until the warranty expires.  I will certainly be warning others in all of my fitness groups instead of reccomending this product. 

[thompsoe85]

Electronic and digital devices should last a long time. These don't. Frustrating. The scale is supposed to auto zero. Some part/sensor wears/ages causing the scale to read that there is something on the scale and to continually ask "step on" draining the batteries quickly.

I ended up removing the plastic bottom of the scale to see what was happening after first removing the screws in the battery compartment. Not for the faint of heart as these scales are not meant to be disassembled. The bottom snaps to the scale and does not want to come off. Lots of prying with the possibility of damage, but by then the scale was useless so I forged on ahead. Finally came off. I used compressed air to blow it out. There are no adjustments that I can see. I tried manipulating the feet and could not find anything. So I put the batteries back in and tried it. Still reading a bit high, but no longer asking me to step on. It has been two months and no dead batteries. I will report back on how long the batteries now last. I never put the bottom back on.

[Narco]

I have the same issue. Batteries last about one or two weeks. It doesn't seem to turn off, and sometimes it insists that I stand on it for a long time.

I'm interested to hear if the above solution has worked in the longer term.

mine is out of warranty, and unfortunately I have just bought one of their watches, expecting them to both work together 

[thompsoe85]

It has worked for a couple of months. Erratically though. I have another digital scale that I cross check it with. When it starts reading 2 or 3 pounds too high, it starts to ask me to step on. I think it has a zero set problem. When I fiddle with the four sensors, the feet, it seems to settle back down. My best guess is that the four sensors deteriorate over time and are not reliable. Everything else in the scale is clean and does not move. I will keep watch over time.

Currently I couldn't recommend this scale. Not reliable.

[Unhappy_Cust]

If your scale is out of warranty, Fitbit will not do anything. This is a defect with the scale draining battery. So Fitbit is not backing there products!

[DocDRD]

My scale is doing the same thing as reported above. Always on and draining batteries. I have tried all the recommendations with no luck. I’m saddened as I have recommended this to many of my patients. Too bad they won’t stand behind they’re products. Now my communication will be a warning to stay away! Doesn’t take long for the word to spread. 

[thompsoe85]

I have given up and trashed the scale. Unreliable and after a year or so, inaccurate. Even when new and working properly, it is overpriced. I think greed and a lack of customer focus is taking Fitbit down.

[Unhappy_Cust]

I trash mine too! Bought a weight gurus and works great for a lot less.

I trash mine too!  It would drain battery too. Talk to Fitbit several time and several email and they wouldn’t do anything with the product they know has a problem!  I bought a Weight Gurus and work great with no problems. It USA lot less and has great reviews!

Moderator edit: merged reply

[GAvengers]

I have exactly the same issue!  This is really messing up my routine as of a week ago when this started occurring. I also replaced the batteries several times and new unopened battery packs.  All drained within 2-3 days!  Need help.  Have sent a message to FitBit Support - lets see what they say.

Melissa - please let me know if I can get my unit replaced.  Thanks,

Moderator edit: merged reply

[Mllegris]

I contacted Fitbit and my scale was 1 month passed 1 year old and I was having the battery issues as well. They told me that I was out of warranty so too bad. 130 bucks for a scale that lasts 14 months is a waste of money. So NOT impressed with Fitbit service. 

[thompsoe85]

I eventually dumped the Aria scale as it's performance gradually degraded. It became less and less accurate on top of the batteries only lasting a couple of weeks. No help and apparently a very common problem. Now I get an email advertisement for the "Aria 2". Really? No mention of accuracy or battery life. The old one was an expensive door stop. Now I am supposed to buy another one? Overpriced and poorly performing. I don't think so.

[Sophie444]

Same problem: just changed them for the third time this month - didn’t used to have this problem 

[thompsoe85]

The first year or so the batteries lasted half a year or more. Then the scale seemed to stay on longer with no one standing on it. I believe that is what drained the batteries. Seemed to lose accuracy at the same time. I believe the sensors that measure weight by pressure, lost their resilience and reacted to weight that wasn't there. So readings crept higher in comparison to other scales. No one seemed to care. I couldn't get it to work right so I trashed it. Now they have a new version out and I won't even look at it. Too expensive for lack of reliability.

[Brick737]

Agreed... too expensive and unreliable


Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device

[Sophie444]

Dont waste your time - I just spent 20 minutes chatting with a customer service rep who asked me questions she already had answers to (she has access to info such as when scale was activated, and battery life information- so after wasting time asking me the various questions, she’d make me wait, and come back with specific dates and numbers... then why ask the questions?) -  I just feel very annoyed because we went back and forth to conclude with « «we can’t do anything because your warranty lasts one year » - could she have started with that question?!!! Clearly this is a known problem so if nothing can be done just say it!

[Sophie444]

Time to find another company.. they have no fix for this (annoyed because I just wasted all this time with their customer service for them to tell me this at the end..)

[Sophie444]

You were lucky - I just wasted all this time with customer service for them to finally say they couldn’t do anything because I got it over a year ago..

[Sophie444]

You must have had a good customer service rep - mine made we waste all this time going back and forth to finally say she couldn’t do anything to help because I purchased it over a year ago..

[Sophie444]

Ronin was lucky - which I had had his service rep! Mine wasted my time asking questions she already had the answers to (and making me wait each time as if she had several chats going on at the same time) to finally say « sorry, we can’t do anything for you because you purchased it over a year ago! Really?! Couldn’t state that from the start?