Aria shows a Sensing Thinking ERR message

[Sary89]

My aria is driving me insane. When j stand on it, comes up with sensing step senceing step sensing step and goes between these two for as long as you to stand there. I have changed the batteries. So what do I do?

Moderator edit: format

[coozers99]

The reply I got! I tried what they said and guess what.... it didn’t work!

Hello Tessa,

We'll gladly assist you with your Aria displaying "SENSING...THINKING..ERR" when trying to take a measurement.

We appreciate the time and efforts that you have invested in troubleshooting your scale. Upon checking in our system we see that the last time your Aria tried to sync was on August the 14th.

The error you've described may be caused by your scale attempting to calibrate after being moved. Before troubleshooting the issue encountered, please make sure that all the requirements listed below are met: 

- Your scale is placed on an even, hard surface such as tile or a hardwood floor
- You are standing still on the scale
- You are taking measurements on your Aria with bare, dry feet

After verifying the requirements, please try the following steps: 

- Restart your Aria by removing the four batteries and waiting 10 seconds
- Replace the batteries with a new set
- Re calibrate the scale by taking 5 consecutive measurements

Let us know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Mynor A and the Fitbit Team

[LeanneOC]

Hi, 

Mine have done the same, low battery warning, changed battery and now ERR everytime i try to weigh.  The scale still syncs with the app on a daily basis, i've weighed on a flat surface more than a dozen times to recalibrate, changed the batteries, etc etc etc.  I have been in contact with Customer Support (should be customer non-support) and told its out of warranty and there are no repair agents. So basically tough luck and buy a new scale.  

I am shocked at the amount of customers that have this same issue and FitBit are doing nothing!!!

The worst customer service by a multinational company that i have ever experienced.

[RTimR]

JuanJoFitbit - This is just too much of a coincidence that everyone's scales are all of the sudden stopping to work after receiving a low battery notification!

I got a low battery notification for my aria scale.  After I replaced the batteries, the scale is no longer working.  

I get the following:

 -  HI (-:

 - SENSING

 - STEP OFF

 - THINKING

 - ERR

I first used this scale on 1/2/2013 and have changed the batteries multiple times.  The last date it recorded a weight was 8/19/2019.

Moderator edit: merged reply

[eljae]

This has also been happening to me. I recently changed my batteries after I started getting that sensing warning because I thought maybe that was the problem. This morning I got on for a weigh-in and I was 15lbs lighter than I should be and it attributed it to a guest. Then it kept saying to step off and it was doing the sensing thing and step off even though I wasn't on it. I stepped on again and got all the messages again. Stepped off and again it was cycling through the messages and without me being on the scale, it weighed me in at 3lbs heavier than last week and attributed that weight gain to my profile. I don't think I can trust it. 

Couldn't help but notice, when this thread started, there was a new version of the scale coming out and now we are all experiencing this and a new scale is coming out. But I need a new scale now, so pre-ordering one would do me no good. 

[StefisAlive]

Hi JuanJo,

You got the same as all of us, screwed by Fitbit Inc.

This is a pity to know that we are so many and that we are not able to join our forces and voices in order to oblige Fitbit Inc. to find a solution to this problem that looks like more planned obsolescence than anything else.

[hart016]

@StefisAlive couldn't agree more.  Was facing the same issue with my Aria scale and the only response I got was that it was out of warranty and that they hoped I had enjoyed the scale during the couple years it worked and that I could purchase a new scale on their website. LOL - no thanks, I won't be ordering anymore Fitbit products and just ordered a new wifi smart scale that offers more features and better customer service than what Fitbit's Aria scales offer, at half the cost. 

So long Fitbit and your poor customer support - $130 for a scale that only works for a 2-3 years max and all you can say is you hope I enjoyed it while it worked? Ha, plenty of better products out there, see ya!

[MatthewG]

Any recommendations on good reviews?   I have had my aria for just over three years.  There is no way I’ll buy a new one.  At $125 a scale should last a lot longer.  

[hart016]

@MatthewG    I did a good amount of research and ended up ordering the Greater Goods wifi scale here, the one listed here - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q5CLWZC?tag=thewire06-20&linkCode=xm2&ascsubtag=AwEAAAAAAAAAAXFk

It seemed to consistently come up in other reviews as a great wifi scale that offered a lot more metrics than Aria and others could measure.  I was deciding between that one and the Withings Body+ scale - https://www.amazon.com/Nokia-Body-Composition-Wi-Fi-Scale/dp/B071XW4C5Q?th=1&tag=menshealth-auto-20&...

I read other site reviews and both the previous two were in the top rankings pretty consistently and decided this review seemed to really do their due diligence - https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-smart-scales/

@MatthewG also to note that the Greater Goods scale, along with just about every other one on the market outside of Fitbit's Aria has a minimum of a 3 year warranty, the Greater Goods has a 5 year warranty on it. Just fyi

Moderator edit: merged reply

[gmatrix]

I also got the Greater Goods scale but not WiFi. It only uses Bluetooth to push to App on phone then from their sync to other Apps. I didn't want to buy another scale like Aria that talks directly to its mothership over the internet via WiFi and then break for no reason other than orders from the higher ups. Also the Bluetooth proved to be much faster as it instantly show in the app and soon syncs with other apps.

Greater Goods Smart Connected Body Fat Bathroo Scale.

This is the one I got, most probably there are newer models but this worked perfectly and was priced right. Greater Goods appear to deeply care about their customers and products.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N9ENKDI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_RQuEDbC73S120

[hart016]

@gmatrix how long have you had your scale?  I looked at that same one, but opted for the WiFi instead of Bluetooth as I didn't want to have to have it connect to my phone via bluetooth - seems like they both are the same in terms of metrics they measure, just how they transfer the data right?  Enjoying yours so far? 

And yes, based off how Fitbit has reacted to this major issue with the Aria scales, I won't be ordering anything from them again and I will be leaving reviews everywhere I can to save others from experiencing the same thing we all have experienced. 

[gmatrix]

I had it for almost 2 years. Working perfectly and consistently.  It syncs instantly to the App on the phone unlike the Aria which took random times. It also multi user. The only thing that could be a drawback is you need to have your phone with you and to open the app first otherwise it doesn't sync except the next time you weight yourself. I find this better than letting companies make changes to the device without my knowledge. With Bluetooth you have to accept pushing new firmware to the scale. So if it breaks after an update you know the culprit without having to be a detective or spends days trying to figure what happened when.

Fitbit is not in my shopping list anymore, just using my existing stuff. Incidentally my fitbit charge 2 Hr tracker broke a few weeks after the new model came out but they must have figured this would be too obvious as it started to work on its own the next day.

Any way for me any new device that doesn't need to be online shouldn't be online. This includes scales regardless of who makes them. At least less surface area for hackers into my intranet. Pst Fitbit will claim that hackers sabotaged their Aria when they finally have no where else to hide what they did. 

[MatthewG]

@hart016 and @gmatrix Thanks for the recommendation!  I have one inbound from the great shopping mall in the ethernet...

[Horizon1]

Bought in 2015?  Change the batteries today, reconnected to wifi which it hasn't been for the last year and got the dreaded ERR message.  I was just about to buy a new charge 3.  Thank goodness this happened first.

[zrxoa1]

I’ve been trying to get my Aria 2 back up and running. Now that I found this thread, I see why I’ve had so much difficulty!!

The scale was working great then one day it just gave me the referred to ERR message. 

I changed batteries and even reset the dang thing. Had to use my laptop to get it back connected to my WiFi and my app as it would not do it using ANY of my phones. 

As with others, if this is the way Fitbit takes care of their customers, I’m don’t with them. Have several Blazes in the family. Time to toss them all in the trash, along with my screwed up Aria 2. 

Bye Bye Fitbit!!!

[richardprz]

same issue "ERR", tried resetting to default... re-calibrating ... stepping on and off 5 times ...new batteries, even set it up on new wifi access point, sounds like a known firmware issue that's gone unresolved. poor form Fitbit

[StefisAlive]

Unfortunately there is nothing to do. They issued a new version and as soon as you change the batteries this new version indicates the message ERR. I had two of them and on the second one I disconnected from the WiFi and thereafter it couldn't download the new firmware and as of today it still works. This happens when Fitbit put a new product on the market, what a coïncidence.

Sent from my phone

[PMDL]

I have this same. Issue. Battery was low, changed then, and now ERR message. Restarted and I get a SET UP ACTIVATED looping message. 

[StefanMartel]

I have exactly the same problem. Does it mean this **ahem** will not work any longer? @doktorstick - did you resolve your issue?

[Chansen97502]

I am looking at buying another scale too. Do you know of a better one that is able to connect to the fitbit?

[StefisAlive]

Forget at all about Fitbit and go on something totally new at the end you will save money.