My experience with Charge 5 and Customer Service

[Badger96]

My Charge 5 worked properly for the first 2 months only.  I called FitBit and they talked me through the procedure to "reboot" the watch.  The first time this worked for three days, but the "fix" was wiped out when I put the watch on the charger.  During the next call I was given different instructions to completely reboot the watch.  This worked for less than one week.  Then I had to "reboot" the watch almost every day and sometimes I had to reboot two or three times before it would display all the measurements.  Shortly afterwards the watch would work correctly for a few hours only.  I had to reboot multiple times a day if I wanted to get my oxygen levels.  FitBit would not replace this defective watch, so I put the Charge5 in a drawer, bought a pulse oximeter to get reliable oxygen readings, and went back to wearing my Versa3.  Needless to say, my next watch will NOT be a FitBit!!!

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[Carol888]

So how old was it? If still under warranty now I wish I had not bought this Charger 5, I had hell today getting it to setup.

[msbhome88]

Seems to me a LOT of users are having issues right now; me included.  I’ve had mine since 11.20.22 and it won’t track anything as of this morning.  It froze this morning after dying last night.  I figured it needed a charge so I charged it overnight and it didn’t charge at all. Froze this morning, had to press the cord 3 times to restart, but then it quit reading heartbeat, steps takes, miles walked, ect.  I still get notifications on it though.  I did the whole process of forgetting device, blah blah blah….resetting it on settings, clear user data; everything customer service told me to try.  It’s too late to return and honestly, I don’t think I want another one.  I think I’ll move on to an Apple Watch.  Very disappointed. 

[Donstx]

I had the battery drain problem before the 12 month warranty was up. I received a replacement Charge 5 and Band. I am selling these on eBay for $65 plus shipping. Check it out. Item # 266215554120

[Badger96]

Happily for you, FitBit lived up to their warranty. I found them unwilling to do so. I hope you get it sold! Good Luck to you.

[Badger96]

I'm on my 3rd FitBit, but I don't think I will get another one. They are not reliable and their warranty is meaningless.

[Badger96]

The trouble started within 2 months of purchase. After 6 months I stopped wearing it and switched to the Versa3 FitBit I got as a present. This month it will be one year since I purchased that Charge5.

[Badger96]

The trouble started when the watch was 2 months old.  That was last spring.  This month I will have had the watch for one year...and most of that time it has been in a drawer!  FitBit would not replace a watch that was clearly defective...never dropped, never wet, etc.