Charge 5 stopped working after getting wet

[kzf24]

The screen turned totally black only after few mins (two laps only). I did turn on the swim mode and searched online beforehand. The 50m water resistance seems to be a FAKE marketing, as I just saw numerous people reported the same issue here: https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Charge-5/Water-damage-first-time-Charge-5/td-p/5256358. The thread was closed to replies, otherwise I could have seen a LOT MORE...

I have been a Fitbit user and switched to charge 5 less than 2 years ago. I have to say this model is way disappointing, compared to charge 3 which I used for 4-5 years before the battery died out. Software, quality of build, comfortable level, and now the fake marketing.. I know mine is out of warranty so I won't waste time further.

End of vent.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[Gr4ndp4 · Accepted solution]

Hi, @kzf24, welcome to the community, I used my Charge 5 for many months swimming daily. Provided your device is damage-free it's good for swimming (as are all the Fitbit devices & Pixel Watch)

You mention your Charge 5 is about 2 years old, depending on the number of charge/discharge cycles it's seen it may be at the end of its useful life. It is worth checking that your device is charged Why isn't my Fitbit device's battery charging? - Fitbit Help Center provides assistance & guidance. Try restarting your Charge 5 as demonstrated in This video @ 1:29 

If your device is less than two years old you may still have the benefit of Fitbit's return and warranty policy depending on when, where & from whom you bought it.

Let us know how you get on by posting here again.

Cheers

[MarreFitbit]

Hi there, @kzf24. Welcome to the Fitbit Community Forums. I'm sorry to hear that your Charge 5 has stopped working after getting wet. We‘re taking your comments and sentiments in regards to our products and services into consideration.

If your device got wet, it’s important to take it off and dry it well before putting it back on. On the other hand, if your device has come into contact with any liquid other than fresh water, you should clean it with fresh water and a soap-free cleanser and dry it with a lint free-cloth.

If you've done the above but to no avail, may I know if your Charge 5 vibrated during the restart process? If it didn't, I'd recommend trying the steps below:

• Clean the charging contacts on the back of your device and the pins on your charging cable using the instructions in How do I clean my Fitbit device?
• If the error "insufficient power source" appears on your device's screen, remove other devices plugged in to your power source, or plug your device in to another source.
• Try a different USB port or a UL-certified wall charger.
• Check the alignment and try reconnecting your device to the charging cable. For more information, see How do I charge my Fitbit device?
• Restart your Fitbit once again.

If nothing seems to work, please follow @Gr4ndp4's advice and chat with us online or give us a call. Click here to get connected.

[kzf24]

Thank you @Gr4ndp4 and @MarreFitbit for reply. A few further clarifications:

1. My Charge 5 has no issue with charging, and battery can still last for around a week which I am happy about.
2. It was bought in Sep 2022 so around 1.5 years' old. Just learnt that it's still within 2 year warranty - I am going to reach out to Fitbit Support.
3. It was obviously related to swimming, since it was working fine before I went into the water, and the issue started right after two laps without rest - definitely less than 5 mins. I did turn on the "swim lock" before getting wet.
4. There is no display at all since then - for 6 days now. There is haptic feedback when I put it on charge, and that's the only feedback I can get.
5. My frustration with this Charge 5 come from multiple places, including skin allergy resulted in a huge blister half size of the device. I never had such issue with Charge 3, which I used for more than 4 years. - not going down this path as not relevant to the topic.

Anyway thanks for replying and very detailed instructions - they are very helpful. Have to say Fitbit still hits some of my sweet spots which means it's a good product. I will reach out to support first.