help menu

Join us on the Community Forums!

  • Community Guidelines

    The Fitbit Community is a gathering place for real people who wish to exchange ideas, solutions, tips, techniques, and insight about the Fitbit products and services they love. By joining our Community, you agree to uphold these guidelines, so please take a moment to look them over.

  • Learn the Basics

    Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page for information on Community features, and tips to make the most of your time here.

  • Join the Community!

    Join an existing conversation, or start a new thread to ask your question. Creating your account is completely free, and takes about a minute.

Not finding your answer on the Community Forums?

Cancel
Turn on suggestions
Auto-suggest helps you quickly narrow down your search results by suggesting possible matches as you type.
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Charge 5 stop working due to water damage

Replies are disabled for this topic. Start a new one or visit our Help Center.

‎03-20-2023 18:15 - last edited on ‎03-21-2023 17:47 by Fitbit Moderator

‎03-20-2023 18:15 - last edited on ‎03-21-2023 17:47 by Fitbit Moderator

Fitbit Charge 5 does not hold up for water activities such as swimming. The device stops working. As a result listing the device as water resistant is false advertising.

 

 

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

Best Answer
19 REPLIES 19

‎03-21-2023 11:43 - edited ‎03-21-2023 11:51

‎03-21-2023 11:43 - edited ‎03-21-2023 11:51

Depending on which trading regulations apply in your location, then you may find that swimming is not an activity covered by the specification "water resistant". Water resistant means it will survive hand washing or another kind of small amount of splashing. Water immersion is a completely different category, which is why you would see traditional mechanical watches stamped on the back with some measure such as "50m" to indicate just how much depth it is proof to. I haven't see whether the Charge 5 has a depth rating.

Best Answer
0 Votes

‎03-21-2023 16:38

In response to SunsetRunner

‎03-21-2023 16:38

Thank you for your reply.  This watch was designed for swimming . I am clear about false advertising here. 

Best Answer

‎05-25-2023 07:05

In response to dimpled_smileaa

‎05-25-2023 07:05

could very well be:

https://help.fitbit.com/manuals/charge_5/Content/manuals/html/General%20Info%20and%20Specifications....

Says

Water resistanceWater resistant up to 50 meters
Best Answer

‎06-07-2023 20:13 - last edited on ‎06-25-2023 08:35 by Moderator Alum

‎06-07-2023 20:13 - last edited on ‎06-25-2023 08:35 by Moderator Alum

This just happened to me as well. I swam with Charge 5 in past and all was fine. But at 17 months just stopped during swim.  I understand that while they are water resistant leaving factory, that this can change over time or use.  Apparently can

affect all these "water resistant" devices.

---------

It does (50 m), and indeed has swim tracking as one of its advertised features! 

 

Best Answer

‎06-08-2023 05:30

‎06-08-2023 05:30

You are 100% correct. The device comes with a swim tracker installed so it is clearly being sold as a device that can be used in the pool. I must add though that if your pool is more than 164 feet deep, that is not covered by the warranty that promises water resistance only to that depth. 

I have seen a number of Fitbit adds on television recently and have never seen one that shows it being used in the pool. It appears that Fitbit is aware that the device may have some issues with water resistance. 

If you are still within your 1 year warranty period, (2 years in Europe), contact customer support and request a new charge 5. 

Best Answer

‎06-24-2023 13:31

‎06-24-2023 13:31

This is so true.  I bought a Charge 5 in November, stopped working in May.  They sent out a new one.  I got it May 30 and it stopped working today, June 24.  Both times, immediately after an aqua fit class.  So it's in and out of about a foot of water.  

Best Answer

‎06-24-2023 13:51 - last edited on ‎06-25-2023 08:36 by Moderator Alum

‎06-24-2023 13:51 - last edited on ‎06-25-2023 08:36 by Moderator Alum

That was exactly what happened to me today… I am really sad. It was the first time I used my Fitbit charge 5 in the beach and after came back from the water the screen simply turned black…

The first thing I did when came home was trying to charge it but the watch stays dead. Tried to reset it by clicking 3 times in the charger as it is mentioned to reset it and nothing happens…

I have just emailed support and waiting for a response. 

I used Fitbit charge 4 for swimming and that never happened. I am really disappointed with Fitbit charge 5, but hoping that support fixes this problem.

------------

My first Fitbit charge 5’s trip to the beach was today and the watch also stopped working after going to the water…I have just emailed the support.

Best Answer

‎06-24-2023 14:02 - last edited on ‎06-25-2023 08:36 by Moderator Alum

In response to UniversalBeth

‎06-24-2023 14:02 - last edited on ‎06-25-2023 08:36 by Moderator Alum

they need to stop saying it's safe in water. It clearly is not.  

They will replace it but I am never putting it in water again.  And it takes them ages to send a replacement and I am leaving the country next week for 5 weeks.  So, no fitness tracker on holiday for me.  😡

Best Answer

‎06-24-2023 14:11

In response to UniversalBeth

‎06-24-2023 14:11

I understand what you are feeling. Support had already replaced another Fitbit charge 5 due to another problem. The replacement politic is wonderful, but I will never take the watch to the water again. I have just read that today this problem happened to another person here in the community.

And I am also leaving soon for holidays so no Fitbit tracker to me too for a while 😔

Best Answer

‎06-24-2023 18:24

‎06-24-2023 18:24

This just happened to me, as well. It was working fine until I wore it into a pool at 4' depth, which I completely thought it could handle, based on the product claims that it's resistant to 50m. I have had it in rice, I have tried every troubleshooting option I can find. Clearly it is not water resistant, as the company claims.

Best Answer

‎06-24-2023 18:51

In response to Jbecka

‎06-24-2023 18:51

I also had a very frustrating chat with customer support, after which they sent me an email saying my Fitbit is out of warranty! It's LESS THAN 30 DAYS since I received it in the mail!  They said it's out of warranty and offered me a 35% discount on a new one.  I am in shock.  I threw money away on the first one that stopped working in 7 months and now the replacement stopped in less than a month and I'm supposed to buy a new one!? They have lost their minds.  

Best Answer

‎06-25-2023 00:19 - last edited on ‎06-25-2023 08:38 by Moderator Alum

In response to SunsetRunner

‎06-25-2023 00:19 - last edited on ‎06-25-2023 08:38 by Moderator Alum

the device is advertised as great for swimmers. Mine was tracking my swimming just fine for the first three months then stopped dead. Now unresponsive:(

Best Answer

‎06-25-2023 03:22

In response to dimpled_smileaa

‎06-25-2023 03:22

Used it yesterday for swimming since it says water resistant up to 50 meters. 

As soon I went in the water Charge 5 stopped for good

Very disappointed 😞 

Best Answer

‎06-25-2023 08:03

‎06-25-2023 08:03

Okay so I reported the device had stopped working in less than 30 days.  They offered me a 35 percent discount on a new one since it was no longer under warranty.  I came back and told them the product is less than 30 days old, how can it not be under warranty?  They told me that you DON'T GET A WARRANTY ON THE REPLACEMENT PRODUCT.  The warranty is still for the one that broke and they replaced.  So basically, your warranty is on something that no longer exists.  Honestly.  I am so about done with Fitbit.  This is nonsense.  The product is not safe for swimming. Both my recent purchases stopped working after using in the pool.  I want to email them but apparently you can only chat or call.  What a ripoff.

Best Answer

‎06-25-2023 09:37

In response to UniversalBeth

‎06-25-2023 09:37

I’m sorry to hear that but not surprised. Fitbit used to be really good at getting back to me if I emailed with a problem. Then I had a message saying that they no longer offer email support.
As you say, the help button on the website takes you to a bot chat that doesn’t respond and, if you call, it just goes dead.
Shocking service. Going to look for some other form of tracker now having bought two new Charge 5s in 8 months with no redress:(

Sent from my iPhone
Best Answer

‎06-25-2023 09:52

In response to jeroglu

‎06-25-2023 09:52

In the car right now going to look at a Garmin.

Best Answer

‎06-25-2023 11:08

In response to UniversalBeth

‎06-25-2023 11:08

Bought a Garmin and I'm done here.

Best Answer

‎06-25-2023 14:05

In response to collaed

‎06-25-2023 14:05

I used mine while swimming now it is black screen also. False advertising. Ilk be changing brands

Best Answer

‎06-25-2023 22:22

In response to SunsetRunner

‎06-25-2023 22:22

So why they have the display about swimming on it 

Very misleading 

Best Answer
0 Votes