Charge 5 died!

[Wozza42]

I bought my new Charge 5 in January and it had been working OK until4 days ago when for no reason, it just died. The battery had around 90% as it was charged earlier. No green lights at the back of it, just dead. I contacted customer help and after over a half hour, I decided to disconnect. I don't have a computer and rely on my cp. Some bloke from Fitbit asked me to try this and try that until he gave me a number 44075026 and asked me to video me tapping the screen of the watch while holding it with the power cable connected. Holding my cp and doing a video while holding and tapping I found I needed another hand. I have purchased my first Charge 2  in 2014 and was happy until the humidity or sweat managed to enter thru the side button. It still works, but time only. So I bought another Charge 2 last year and it's working well. A friend told me to get a Charge 5 as it is a sealed watch and it was working well until it died. Now I've been reading purchaser's comments about the new Charge 5 and I'm not happy at all. I bought a Charge 4 online a few years back and it wouldn't function properly and I contacted Fitbit help. I ended up chucking it in the trash because Fitbit mob said that I didn't buy it from a place that was an approved place. Not happy!

[Odyssey13]

Hi @Wozza42  you still need to get with customer support. We're the community forums and are users of the device, not able to provide customer support, so go here. https://myhelp.fitbit.com/s/support?language=en_US 

[Wibby]

Hello @Wozza42 

It sounds like you're having a horrible time.  I'm just throwing out a couple of ideas, so if you've already tried them or they didn't work, I'm sorry.

Firstly, when you connected it to the charger did you press the button at the USB end 3 times?  Some people find leaving a second between each press can help, whilst others do them close together.

Secondly, it's a shame you have to jump through these hoops, but now you have a case number it should be a bit easier.  Have you tried propping your phone up on something nearby while you try to video yourself doing the things they request?  Maybe a mug or a couple of books could work.  Or even take your charger with you when you meet your friend and get them to video you.  

Talking to them on Chat is probably a bit quicker and easier than phoning.

I've been really lucky with mine so far, touching wood, but I keep thinking how upset or angry I'd be in this situation and that's why I try to help.  Sorry if it doesn't help you at all.

[BeatriceFobe]

I discovered this morning that my Fitbit was not synching with my iPhone although it was fully charged. I then decided to delete it and reconnect. I then realised the screen of the watch as not responding when double ticking. The screen will respond when on the wire to say it’s fully charged and says it’s synched, but it looks like I have no sleep data or no steps at all today.

Is it dead? Or is there anything else I can still try?

[billion_steps]

three button press restart procedure

[BeatriceFobe]

Thank you for the tips, but i have tried that as well several times by now, and unfortunately with no success.

i just noticed that there is a message from Fitbit on this community page saying there is a general synching issue for many Charge 5 users. They are trying to solve the issue, and hopefully there is nothing worse going on.

[Jsernat]

Thanks Beatrice.  I’m a love time Fitbit user.  My relatively new Fitbit charge 5 completely stopped working this weekend.  I’ve never had the problem before. Black screen, fully charged.  I tried the plugging into the charger and pressing three times.  It gives a little jolt, but nothing more.  I removed the device and pulled out my old charge 3.  Hoping I can sort it out.  Seems a pity and waste of $160 at this point. 

[BeatriceFobe]

Same here. I have had several since my Charge 2 in 2013.

This one must be my 5th.

For one reason or another they never get older than 2 years, but this last one is only 9 months, so since it seems to be a general issue, i hope to keep this one longer, as it is the prettiest and best model so far.

[MattR262]

In the same boat as the OP, 3 button presses didn't work (had worked in the past). It flashes the Fitbit logo, and says it is at 1% or 99% battery, but won't start. As soon as it is removed from the charger the screen goes black with no response or data recording. It will occasionally say it has recently synced, but again, no data. If you press the sync option in the app, it will say it could not. 

My Charge 5 is less than a year old and always seemed to have problems if I didn't wear it for a while and the batter went to zero. I was always able to coax it back to life via the 3 button press, but this time, it appears to be non-recoverable. 

Extremely frustrating. This is likely the last Google/Fitbit product I'll ever buy (have owned several Fitbits, Nexus', Pixels... the last Pixel phone purchase also met a frustrating an unnecessary death).