Charge 5 blank screen and it won't sync

[GilesN12]

Went for a swim. Stopped the timer successfully. Since then, the watch face has been blank and my phone is unable to find the watch on Bluetooth. Here I am on holiday - trying best to track my activities and it just goes blank.
Tried to reboot no luck and reluctant to remove from Bluetooth as I’m not sure my phone will find it again. 
To make it worse, for some reason I can’t even get through to Fitbit Support on Live Chatt.

my question to forum, in absence of Fitbit support - What else can I try?

this is my 4th or 5th Fitbit - my second Charge 5 and it’ll probably be my last. It seems that they are built to only last a year or two before failing. Absolutely frustrated.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[DavDavDavDav]

I had the same problem in June. Blank screen, or the "X", or the Fitbit log for a split second and blank again.

Contacted support through the chat, they sent me a replacement link given the Charge 5 was still under warranty. They then cancelled the replacement without communication. I contacted them twice since. They say they will contact me via email but it never happens... 

It seems the only conclusion is that they make unreliable products, they have no customer service, and are not willing to honor the warranty... I will personally take my $$ somewhere else if they do not resolve this soon... I suggest you do the same 😉

[Rifax]

Roughly the same story for me. Today I had been biking for hours when I noticed that charge5 was showing the logo and not syncing anymore. At home plugged it in and tried a couple of resets by charger button. Each time it vibrated but the logo came back and that was it. I left it on charge and walked away. I return and find it dead. It doesn't respond to anything anymore 😞

Firmware 188.58

[Missmyfit]

Almost the same here. 

Fitbit worked normal and this morning about 45% battery. I checked data at about 3:30 pm last time and realised at about 5 pm, the fitbit is dead. Documentation in the app stopped at 4 pm. 

Back home tried to start with the charger as described several times ;

It's vibrating, some sensors are blinking but screen stays black.

When I try to wakeup with double tapping, green sensors are blinking and fitbit is vibrating, but screen stays black.... 

Any idea what to do? 

[DaVinciUA]

I had three Charge 5 so far! Number 4 is hopefully on the way as a free replacement.

There is nothing you can do, they will either die slowly or at once.

They last about 1 year max and then you have to get a new one. With the firmware drama, it got even worse and people report problems after only a few weeks on a new Charge 5.

[GilesN12]

An update…. Support worked this morning & after a frustrating 15 minutes of asking me to do all the things I’d been doing all weekend, they agreed to send me a new one as my watch was still in service. Had it not been re-laced, I think I would have looked at a Garmin - more expensive but may be more reliable. Any thoughts on this? Can we mention Garmin on this site?

[Missmyfit]

Not sure if we can discuss about another brand here, but I have chosen the fitbit charge 5 cause of the many positive online feedbacks and the small size. Additionally150€ plus is not really low price for a basic tracker.....?!

Nevertheless, I am happy to learn more about more reliable alternatives....

[Missmyfit]

I got feedback from the support team.

Took some time to explain several times it is not possible to re-start, check battery or reconnect a fitbit with black screen, whilst the app cannot find it, but finally got the chance to talk to a very friendly member of the fitbit support team, asking the right questions and helped me with claiming a replacement.

Hope it will arrive and work longer than 3.5 month.....