Charge 5 is crashing when using Fitbit Pay

[nikstaaa]

Hi,

when paying contactless my Charge 5 goes black / crashes. I can't turn it on until I connect it to the charger. The payment process does not complete. It used to work fine until like 3 months ago.

Current FW 57.20001.188.58

Any idea how to fix this issue?

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[Gr4ndp4]

Hi, @nikstaaa, welcome, is this the only issue you are having with your Charge 5? If this is the case please advise where you are and the name of the bank which you are trying to pay with.

Please post here again with more information. You may find this article of interest What should I know about using my Fitbit device to make contactless payments? 

Cheers

[MarreFitbit]

Hi there, @nikstaaa. Thanks for the details provided in your post about the issue with your Charge 5 and trying to troubleshoot the issue before reaching out. 

In addition to the information shared by @Gr4ndp4, I suggest restarting your Charge 5 and try using Fitbit Pay again. If the issue persists, please try to remove the card you're using and try adding it again. 

[nikstaaa]

@Gr4ndp4 - it worked fine before. Bank has not changed. It works sometimes.. maybe 1 out of 10 times. However, the device should not lock up!

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@MarreFitbit  - thanks, I've done that already. No improvement.

[Gr4ndp4]

Hi, @nikstaaa, I agree, your Charge 5 should not be behaving in this way. Are you having any other issues with it, other than when you use contactless payments? 

Let us know.

Cheers

[nikstaaa]

@Gr4ndp4 , no other issues.

[Gr4ndp4]

Hi, @nikstaaa thanks for the feedback, a search of community posts does not reveal any other reports similar to your problem so I think it may relate to your card/bank. Fitbit Pay works in collaboration with the bank which seems to have been good until 3 months ago. While your bank has not changed their collaboration might have. You should ask them and check if they are still on this list Fitbit Pay Bank & Transit Support List I would not have expected it to cause your Charge 5 to glitch but I'm not an expert.

I hope this helps, let us know how you get on.

Cheers

[nikstaaa]

@Gr4ndp4 - okay, I wrote earlier that it works intermittently. Your reasoning makes very little sense. Bank has not changed. If it has changed there is no reason the bank should be blamed that the Charge 5 just crashes.

It is the second time you are responding to one of my requests with giving almost not valuable feedback. Of you don't know and you are not an expert - why do you post? I assume you mean it with a good intention, but you're not doing any good. Neither for Fitbit, nor for the community, and not at all for some one seeking help. Because it is frustrating reading your "advice" when you're not having any proper clue.

Sorry, I had to be that clear! 

[Gr4ndp4]

Hi, @nikstaaa, As I wrote earlier I would not expect your Charge 5 to Glitch if this is a bank problem. Bearing in mind your problem is not widespread I think your best way forward will be to talk to "Customer Support" using the chat facility or phone for a prompt response.

Cheers

[nikstaaa]

@Gr4ndp4, this is what you wrote as well

"search of community posts does not reveal any other reports similar to your problem so I think it may relate to your card/bank"

So you're actually contradicting yourself.

Anyway, before I contact support I want to wait and see whether others have that issue as well. 

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Another two users reporting similar issues:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Charge-5/Contactless-Payment-Crashes-charge-5/td-p/5346364

[seanclarke]

I've been having this problem for a couple of months. Makes the Fitbit unusable, support and firmware release notes suck.

Hoping it gets fixed in an update, but not holding my breath.

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Could be coincidence, but it seems more prevalent when the battery is <70%

[nikstaaa]

@seanclarke I was successful paying today with a battery of 82%.

Let's gather some data.

Date of successful payment, Amount, Battery Level:

04.07.2023 / 47,19€ / 82%

[seanclarke]

Used half a dozen or so times over the last couple of days - keeping charge above 80%-90% (PITA charging daily)....could still be a coincidence though....

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Crashed this morning on first use, battery at 84%

It wouldn't be so bad if a watchdog kicked in and restarted it, but it needs to be plugged into the charger to restart making it dead for the day if you are out.

[nikstaaa]

Last two payments were successful at 65% and 68%.

[Uoli]

Same issue exactly. Started about 2 months ago. Trying to pay for groceries and Fitbit goes dark. Can't get it back on until I get home and put it on the charger. Had a 68% charge already. Clearly there's something wrong and it's not my bank card.

[nikstaaa]

Happened again. 19 percent battery charge. Charge 5 went off. 

Before that I was able to pay 8 times within a few days without any issues. 

[FranHem9]

Hi. I started to get the same problem 3 weeks ago (I purchase my fitbit 1 year and a half ago and the contactless payment has been working fine up until 3 weeks ago). I'm experiencing exactly the same as your guys : sometimes its works, sometimes it doesn't. And when it doesn't the fibit is completely crashed and the only way to restart it is to connect it to power. What I noticed though is the following : the first 3 times it happened, it was at the same shop : So I thought it was maybe the terminal of the shop that was faulty. But then last week, it crashed in another shop. So I'm as clueless as you. Any input from Fitbit Customer service would be appreciated. 

BTW : I have the same level of FW than @nikstaaa 

[EL216]

I've had the same problem. Initially I thought it was only happening when my battery was very low so I assumed it wax related to that. However, today it happened at 42%. 

My bank only recently started partnering for contactless payment so I didn't realize that it was a new problem.

[seanclarke]

yep, the thing is next to useless - it fails more often than not now.

[SunsetRunner]

Having the same problem. Crashes every time I try to use Fitbit pay. Have tried removing card, signing out, resetting Fitbit, nothing works…

Fitbit we need a solution please!