Charge 5 stopped holding a charge

[BrooklynLamb]

I had my Charge 4 about 2 years before it broke in such a way I could not change the band. That same day I bought a charge 5. This was in April and for a time it worked great. I was very pleased with it until the battery stopped holding a charge in June. I’ve only had it 2 months! I believe this is a known issue by Fitbit and they are forcing me to send it back and be without it for minimum 10 days before they will replace it. You’d think they would just send a new one. I talked to many service reps to try and figure out the problem. None of the troubleshooting worked and they all admitted it might be an issue with a specific set of serial numbers. Sigh. I want my Fitbit- terrible SLOW service to resolve a problem on their end.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[Guy_]

If you bought it at a shop see if they will exchange over the counter.

But first check out How to resolve the Major issues causing short battery life

Snore detection and SpO2 can use upto 4 of the 6 days alone. Over use of features or incorrect settings gives the symptoms of a battery problem but it may not be that.

[LizzyFitbit]

Welcome to the forums, @BrooklynLamb. @Guy_ Thanks for your suggestions.

@BrooklynLamb I've moved your post to the Charge 5 board so you can receive more related responses. Thanks for the details, and your efforts while contacting our Support team. Our team is aware of the battery issues affecting this tracker and they're currently working to get this resolved. I understand where you're coming from and I'm sorry you're having this experience.

Because you already have a case created, my best advice is to follow their instructions and keep an open communication with them in order to receive further assistance. You can always start a new interaction with them via chat or phone by clicking here.

[Ginanam]

The same thing happened to my Charge 5 which I bought on 28th Dec 21. Rang Fitbit and all you get is they are working on it and to bear with them as they are working on a firmware update. In the meantime I have a useless watch that keeps dying on me every time I do a workout and as this also captures my activity for my vitality health insurance, I am not getting any points there at all.

[SOLKargin]

Did your screen start acting up before the charge issue? Mine did the day before. 

[CGVan]

Yes!  Never had a battery charge issue until yesterday. Now I need to re-charge every hour or so. 

[BrooklynLamb]

I bought the Fitbit at Target on the same day my charge 4 broke in such a way that it would not stay on a wrist band. I bought it that day because I don't like to be without it. For about two months, I was very happy with it and enjoyed the upgrades from the previous version.

Of course I did troubleshooting before I sent it in. I also talked to customer support several times. There was and is clearly an issue with the device's battery that appears to be known by the company. It worked great for about two months. 

My biggest issue is that here I am, over a week later, and it still hasn't arrived a the facility using the label they sent me. What a bummer. I don't see why they couldn't just send a replacement if the company knows the issue is there. Absolutely ridiculous. I'm also getting used to life without it. Maybe I won't ever purchase a fitness tracker again. If I do, it probably won't be a fitbit. Terrible customer service.

[BrooklynLamb]

Well, I got a dead battery of death on my screen. After I did the troubleshooting and charged the device, I didn't get that awful screen again, but I could see the Fitbit was not holding a charge. After about 45 minutes it had already decreased by 10 percent. 

[BrooklynLamb]

You should call customer support, get a shipping label, and send it back. I mean, you'll have to wait a long time, but no use keeping a broken device. I have a feeling they know a certain batch of serial numbers have the issue. 

[RogerAuwers]

I am in the same situation.  After sending the return label right away, the Fitbit customer support team has been SLOW and USELESS.  They are always very polite and nice, but they don't do anything.  You just wait and wait and wait.  I'm in my third week now.  The "internal Fitbit team" (whatever that is) was supposed to get back to me within 2-3 hours -- that was over 2 days ago.  Time to go shopping -- for anything but a Fitbit.

[BrooklynLamb]

So it's July 28, 2022 and I have not had my Fitbit since I sent it in on July 15th. I have called customer service several times to check in on things. Today i was told that I can call again tomorrow and they can expedite the SLOW process. The warehouse had not yet received my charge 5 and apparently, if there are no updates for 8 business days, they can go ahead and send the replacement. I'm still really bummed about how bad the customer service has been. I feel so bad for everyone who has to answer the phones and tell customers that they are going to do the LEAST. Fitbit needs to go ahead and send these replacements out as soon as a defect is identified and reported. It makes no sense that they would need the device.

As I've mentioned in many of my posts, I can't with good conscious ever purchase a fitbit product again. I am wearing a regular watch at the moment and quite like the aesthetics. As much as I love fitness tracking, this does not seem worth it. I've looked into the  Garmin Fenix because I'm an avid hiker and I love the GPS and map support. I'm also looking intothe Apple Watch. I might pull the trigger on one of those. In the past I have always told my friends and family to get a fitbit because I felt their tracking was superior. However, with this awful customer service, I changed my mind. It's too bad really.

[BrooklynLamb]

I'm thinking of purchasing a Garmin Fenix or an Apple Watch. I sent my fitbit on July 15th and it still has not arrived at the warehouse!!! Apparently, after 8 business days, if there are no fedex updates, they will expedite. LOL expedite! hahahahahhaaa.  SLOW and USELESS is right. I'm so bothered by how this has been handled. This is my fourth Fitbit device and I would have stayed a loyal customer if it had not been for this terrible customer service. The truth is I LOVED my Charge 5 before it crapped out. Best of luck to you!

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone.

Thanks for keeping me posted, as well as sharing your feedback about this situation. This isn't the type of experience that we want you to have, and I apologize you've gone through this with your Charge 5. As you know, our team is working on a firmware update to get this resolved soon. Once this update is available, we'll update our forums and provide you with more information.

I appreciate the time taken in sharing your feedback, and please know it will be passed along to our team so they can be informed of the impact to you and other members.

[chels1440]

I've got a faulty device and an open case.  My husband's works just fine. He just received a firmware update; I did not. It seems strange that the update would be rolled out to working devices before broken ones. 

[chels1440]

I was told they can't issue a replacement because so many are defective, there's no way for them to know a new one would work...yet they are still selling them?!  It's extremely frustrating.  And I wholeheartedly second your sympathy for the customer service staff who have to deal with all this with clearly no ability to actually provide help.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi there, @chels1440.

Thanks for the details provided, and the time taken in contacting our Support team. I understand where you're coming from and I apologize for this experience with your Charge 5. As mentioned before, this issue has been reported to our team and they're working on a firmware update to get this resolved.

While there isn't a time frame, we'll make sure to update our forums as well as the help article. Your feedback is truly appreciated and please know it hasn't gone unnoticed.

[WDMARK]

Spent too much time with support on with identical issue on my Charge 5 (which had already been replaced once in April for batter drain.  Ultimately agent said that firmware update was imminent but no ETA and to keep checking for notices on an update.... device has been useless since even before .... so tonight. I made a call and was told there is a firmware update..... but despite valiant support efforts, now way to force it to install. I was told the firmware update number is 2001.171.5 .... but no joy after valiant support attempts and effectively a month more of a useless device, all while the warranty clock burns.  Can't fault the agent for being confined to a Fitbit policy fault as she explained they will not replace the device and I just have to wait.   Poor customer retention strategy as I've yet to own a FitBit (I started with Charge 2) that hasn't had a warranty hardware fail.   This is even worse and shortening my effective warranty period all while no path to fix and refusal to refund December 2021 purchase price.  Not a good way to run an ongoing business IMHO

Moderator Edit: Personal info removed

[Micodude]

Just to make it clear - are we all still awaiting the update? I have the same issue now for almost a week, frustrating...

[WDMARK]

That's the support agent's story.... wait,  so apparently Fitbit is sticking to it. I had not followed the Community until yesterday... so would be nice if FITBIT would give a response here.... but unlikely.

[osiantis]

I've got a firmware update this morning, now waiting to see how it goes with battery 🤞