Display and battery issues with Charge 5

[kathleenjames]

Suddenly many people are dealing with sudden loss of battery and black screen with no possible way to fix it. Could this have anything to do with the update? It seems not so coincidental it's all happening at the same time.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[DaVinciUA]

You have to contact customer service and ask for a replacement under warranty.

I am on my 3rd Charge 5 and it will be replaced again.

It seems the Charge 5 will last a maximum of 1 year until they just will not work anymore. Some die slowly over a few days and some get the instant death.

[jezusjannemieke]

Wow.. 3 of them already! Thanks for sharing and advice.  I hope they can fix whatever causes the Charge 5 to die so quickly...! Otherwise this is not good for Fitbit in general. Or Google, nowadays... (maybe they also bought a cat in the sack?) 

[Sekuxad]

Another Charge 5 bricked here, 16 months since purchase, customer support offers a discount and not much else.

While connected to the charge, it can reach 99% charge, sync, and even vibrate alarms. As soon as I disconnect, it goes down to 1% and dies. 

Haven't yet received firmware update version 194.61, and still on 188.58

Tried all kinds of hocus pocus resets, three quick ones, long 15 seconds, praying, and sage burning. No results. 

[theokada]

Mine is broken as well. Stuck on the old firmware, dies within a few minutes of being off the charger.

[AnGard]

Lucky you. I only get a 35% discount.  To say the least I am not buying another fitbit just to be crashed by the next update.

[Cat1085]

I have a similar issue since recently (1-2 weeks). The battery was always reliable but suddenly it drains in 24/48 hours, when it goes too low the screen just goes black.

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I have a similar issue since recently (1-2 weeks). The battery was always reliable but suddenly it drains in 24/48 hours, when it goes too low the screen just goes black. Additionally, my workouts just randomly stop tracking. I have performed the reset and it DOES NOT fix the issue!

[JeffYau]

I guess I am a little lucky as mine started behaving like others a few days ago. It started draining the battery first and showed the black screen two days ago. Recharged it and started to behave erratically (ie. heartrate showing 150+ while I am sitting then couldn't detect heartrate for a few hours then it seems to goes back to normal). This lasted a day or so then I get the restart then stuck in logo issue since then.

Tried everything mentioned here and I'm still stuck in this infinite restart loop (3 pushes force restart then stuck in logo). I am able to sync the watch to the phone WHEN the watch is attached to the charger after the force restart. However, as soon as I take the watch off the charger, it will restart and stuck at the logo screen. 

[Sourdo]

The black screen issue is a well known issue with these devices, I purchased one and a little less than a year in it went dark. I received a replacement and just over a year later I now have the same issue. Fitbit is now offering 30% off a new one! Might as well just have told me to go to Apple.  

Moderator edit: format

[jerald65]

I have a fitbit 5 bought on 12.17.21. Battery needed charging every day. Yesterday it died called fitbit & tried a few things. Out of warranty but would give me a discount on a new one.  In stock. Paid $19.95 for next day. Today found it is on back order to 10.23.23. Called to cancel. Agent says system will not let her. A supervisor will email me in 24 hours. Called Amex to cancel. Will not but again

[SunsetRunner]

The EXACT same thing happened to me on 8/18/23. Fitbit has not provided a firmware fix for this even though it has been bricking Charge 5's for over 2 months. My personal fix was to replace the Charge 5 with a Garmin Venu SQ 2.

[Veedubzz]

I've had 2 fitbit charge 5's break in less than two years. The first one was in warranty and the replacement didn't even last 6mo. And now I'm being told it's out of warranty and they won't replace it. Not sure if anyone else has had such a poor experience with the quality. It's ridiculous. And I've done all thw troubleshooting steps too.

[Loleo]

Wow, this was all new to me. A couple of weeks ago mine went black too. But I could tell that it was still working… it was just two years ago that my last FitBit went dead. I was mad but it was a very busy week and didn’t sit down to search for support. (I never heard anything about an update!) Next, I found something that said to push the button on my charger. I did this and left the house when I picked up my watch next the screen was on, like magic!! But this week (and ever since I picked up my watch that day) the charge does not last 48 hours. I have tried everything. Now I come on here to do a chat… find out I was not the only one! Could my watch have updated and I didn’t know it? Now it’s having the same issues? Bah ha … I hope they figure this out! Next week when I get back from vacay I will try to contact them again!! 

[Kate8080]

Used the customer help chat option from the fitbit app on my phone. They have given me a complimentary replacement even though out of warranty by about a month. Watch was absolutely fine until update. 

[areopagatica]

Mine quit holding a charge after I did a reset a few days ago.  I'm wondering if it was a device software update as it is the first time I have reset.  I've owned it for a year without issue.

[Loleo]

I too am hoping that they will find a quick  fix and stop updating the Charge 5 until they do. I wonder if back about two years ago the FitBit that I had then also died and at that time I just ended up getting a new one… good money maker for them?? Hmm Hoping for the best, not going to get another I don’t think I can afford to buy a new one every two years! 

I agree, I just want to know that they are going to make good on this issue. Right now I feel like we have been left behind! 🥲

[o0o.WoW.o0o]

There's always a highly insistent 'read the instructions person, that hasn't read peoples comments that the instructions are not working 😉 

Why are Fitbit not honest about this? I had awful customer service around this, totally useless at 12hr process that absolutely sucked, they're defensive, and not just honest. It really, really sucks.  Still have problems. The 3 pulse restart procedure using the charging cable doesn't work, they're not clear if it's 3 pulses then wait 10 sec, or 3 pulses then another and wait 10 sec so it's badly written, and it doesn't work either way, I was told last time Fitbit screwed this up that it can take longer, but that's not working this time. 

Fitbit customer service are literally telling me this is normal, even though I know my battery just experienced a huge drop off all of a sudden, it can barely handle 24hrs now, they say that's normal, it's not normal, it's gaslighting customer service. Grrrrr...  Not an honest company. They did exactly the same last time, same customer service gaslighting, and haven't fixed it, wasting hours and hours of their customers time.

Why are they willing to upset thousands of customers in this way? It's total gaslighting. Really, really bad customer service and upgrade process.

[SunsetRunner]

Count me as another victim. Software update 2 days ago. Black screen, battery drains in literally 4 or 5 hours. It normally lasts 6 days. I have tried literally everything suggested in this thread and no success. I even tried deleting the Charge 5 and remarrying it to my phone. I activated the Charge 5 on 8/22/2022 so it's just over a year old; totally unacceptable. If I can't get this resolved, mark me down as a Samsung convert. The seeming lack of concern on the part of Fitbit is disturbing. These devices aren't cheap. Guess I do the only thing I can, which is spend my consumer dollars with another company.

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I haven't moved my account yet and my Charge 5 did the brick bit after an update 2 days ago. The apparent complete lack of concern on the part of Fitbit (Google) and allowing the update to continue rolling out for over 2 months is appalling. No more Fitbit or Google products for me unless they get this sorted out quickly, which doesn't appear likely. 

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I was able to remarry mine after allowing it to charge, restarting the Charge 5 while on the charger, then adding it back to my phone. That was the last step I tried, and it's still bricked.

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Adding some additional info to my first post. Uodate 194.61 was supposedly successfully installed, which is when the black screen and 2-4 hour battery draining started. After attempting all of the "fixes" I then deleted the Charge 5 from my phone. When remarried it shows I am on version 188.58 but the same issues continue - black screen, rapid vattery draining literally out of the blue, won't count steps, no sleep data, no O2 data, pulse rate reading way too high then slowly dropping to the correct rate. 

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Latest update after last night. The screen was black shen I got up this morning. Hooked the Charge 5 up to the charger and it "turned on" and the battery was still at a normal charge rate. It will sync once I restarted it, but the ONLY item that appears to be currently working properly and recording is steps. Heart rate displays on the tracker but is still exhibiting the very high rate display, slowly dropping to the correct rate over several minutes.

[John_Westra]

This Is Yet Another Google (Fitbit) EpicFail

Disclosure

I built my first HealthKit computer in 1977.  I have earned dozens of technical certifications and degrees in business, am a founder and currently work as an Innovation Manager & VIO.  I've owned multiple Fitbit products, the latest being the Charge 5, which I've had for just over a year.

Current Situation

It's obvious from reading the existing 377 replies in this thread, along with the myriad other threads and replies related to the Fitbit Charge 5 Battery EpicFail, there are serious underlying hardware/firmware issues with the Charge 5, that have NOTHING to do with how owners are using the product.

I too have experienced a sudden change in my Charge 5's ability to hold a charge, going from days to hours of operation.  I have encountered the same related symptoms of a failed power sub-system, including a black, unresponsive screen, rapid discharge (<4 hrs) and lack of charging feedback when placed on the charger.

Troubleshooting / 'Support Steps'

Over the past week I have executed all of the troubleshooting steps suggested by forum comments and Fitbit's (Google's) Customer 'Support' staff.  None of these suggested steps has resolved the problem of my Charge 5 rapidly discharging (< 4 hrs).

"Remedy"

Based on multiple phone/text/email interactions with Fitbit (Google) Customer 'Support,' I was sent a 50% off coupon code for the purchase of a new Fitbit device.  This is less than the 30% discount I've seen others have been offered.  Note:  The Charge 5 is currently backordered on Fitbit's store, with an expected ship date of November 27, 2023.

Conclusions

• The Fitbit Charge 5 Battery EpicFail has likely been caused by one or more Faulty Firmware Updates.
• Fitbit Customer Support has been 'charged' to deflect responsibility and if pressed, attempt to pacify customers with the option of a discounted new product (Fitbit Only), with a discount % that varies based on ???
• Charge 5 units are currently NOT Available for shipment before the end of November

I have no idea why Fitbit (Google) has not taken responsibility for this situation and done the right thing by their customers.  Some say it's designed to push people towards Google Watch products.  Others claim it's simply a matter of incompetence or benign negligence.  I don't know what the truth is.  What I do know is, my long-term Fitbit user experience has confirmed for me the pursuit of regular exercise, getting enough sleep and drinking enough water have a positive impact on my health.

This most recent experience with Fitbit/Google has confirmed large Corporations like Google truly don't care about my 'Well Being' and the time/energy/stress involved in dealing with them is a net negative for my health.  As of tomorrow, I'll be back to wearing one of my 8-10 men's analog watches and not looking back.  :END

[John_Westra]

'Congratulations' on awarding yourself 'Best Answer' status...

I believe my answer is better:  https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Charge-5/Display-and-battery-issues-with-Charge-5/m-p/5456276/highli... 

Let's see what the Community thinks!

[JessieMol]

This is my second charge 5 which has failed within 6 months - unable to charge. I do swim in mine as I believed it was fit for this purpose. Today I used water lock and after that the Fitbit failed. I assume the issues widely reported about the battery life are still not rectified?!