Crashes during exercise

[BMCG]

10/3 morning run, tracking with GPS, looked at watch at mile 2,

checked a couple minutes later and it was the workout screen where you scroll to choose exercise. So I restarted “run” and went home. Synced to phone, 2+mile run is not there, was never recorded, didn’t sync. This is a MAJOR  reason for buying a gps tracker, it must work every time.  

Other problems-

finally got pandora stations to show up when I forced sync for 15th time on work WiFi, got Home put watch on charger, Home WiFi, pandora station and disappeared!!!! Fitbit Please fix software! Will Ben returning off not fixed in next couple weeks for refund. 

I was excited aboit Ionic becuase I like fitbit, battery life vs Apple Watch, and combined the function of my old gps running watch and all day tracker. But it was released with too many problems.  Please post update on firmware fixes that may be in the future. 

Moderator edit: edited title for clarity & format

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @md85, it's always great to have new members around. Thanks for sharing your feedback about your Fitbit experience. Sorry you feel that way, we're always thankful to receive comments about our service and product. I'd suggest to keep adding your comments in a polite and respectful way. Your opinions are always welcome, you can check the Community Guidelines or let me know if you have questions about it.

@SunsetRunner Thanks for sharing your feedback. As mentioned before, a soon as we have more details about this, we'll let you know. Thanks for your patience!

I'll be around.

[Wizegeezer]

I thought I'd check in and let you know that I'm still experiencing the crash issue.  The exercise app died on me during a short 5K run this morning.  I restarted tracking and it worked through the rest of the run.  On the good side, I used my Ionic to track my marathon last Sunday and all went well. I really don't like running with my phone so it would be great to get this fixed. 

Is there a target date on when we will have a solution?  

[MattFitbit]

@Wizegeezer  Thanks for getting back to us. Sorry to hear that you are still experiencing these intermittent crashes. Though I am glad you were able to record your marathon in its entirety. 

We are hoping to have a fix implemented in a future release. However, I do not have an estimated timeline for resolution yet but I will be sure to let you know as soon as I have additional information. 

In the meantime, I recommend performing a quick restart to refresh your Ionic's system before beginning a long distance exercise. 

I appreciate your patience on this! Please let me know if you have additional questions. 

[VandyCWG]

Hi Fitbit....

Any updates on this?  I am expericing a "crash" pretty much every other run now.  

Completely random though.  Last saturday, it crashed in the starting coral for a race, hadn't even started running.

I use my Ionic with GPS on and Pandora playing. 

Please help, I am about to throw this thing out!

[Dylanger]

I too continue to experience crashes.  I gave up listening to music from my device because it seems to make the issue worse.  However, now I just use the Fitbit to track my runs but it continues to crash.  I will get a vibration notification as if it recorded a lap but when I look at the watch, it just shows the clock face as if it hadn't been tracking anything.  I quickly scroll through exercises and record a run again and I am able to finish, but I don't know at that point how far I have run, which is quite frustrating.

[runnerboi418]

Many of us on this thread have experienced this exact same phenomenon.  Here is a hack that works for at least some of us:

When you start your workout, before you hit your first auto lap point (wherever you have it set), "interact" with the screen twice.  For example, swipe right twice to change the display.

Whenever I have done this, it has not crashed at the auto lap point (knock on wood).  When I don't do this, it crashes (exactly as you describe) at the first auto lap point about half the time.

Don't know why it works, but it does.  

I didn't come up with this ... @sfringer suggested it many months ago when I complained about the same thing so thanks go to him.

Good luck!

BEK

[Wizegeezer]

My Exercise App crashed again today during a run.  It's now been over a year since I first started seeing this issue.  I'm very disappointed that Fitbit seems to have given up on fixing this issue.  I suspect there is no longer any engineering support for the Ionic since the device is getting pretty old vis a vis other companies' offerings.  I used to recommend the Ionic to fellow runners in my area but now I'm kind of embarrassed to admit I still own one.

[5miles]

The customer support has been diabolical! 

[Dylanger]

The most frustrating thing for me is that this same thing happened to my last Fitbit.  It was discontinued and I was offered a discount for my Ionic...only for the Ionic to be discontinued as well and now I'm having issues with it.

[5miles]

They discontinued it? They should refund everyone who has one.

[sfringer]

I do not believe it has been discontinued. You can still find it prominently listed in the Products section:

Fitbit Ionic Watch

As well as in their online Store:

Fitbit Ionic Warch (Store link)

[runnerkelli]

Are we sure that they discontinued the Ionic? You can still find it sold everywhere for its full price. 

[Dylanger]

interesting.  It wasn't in their online store last time I checked.  Maybe they changed their mind lol

[GySgt_Seidell]

Hello Everyone and thanks for using the Fitbit forums!  First, I can appreciate your frustrations, however, be assured, the Ionic has "NOT" been discontinued and remains fully supported by Fitbit!  Please continue posting your issues and I will do all I can to make sure your voices are heard.

Thanks and Keep on Stepping folks!!!

[runnerboi418]

“Fully supported”?!?

Did you type that with a straight face?!?

I would laugh at this if I weren’t so bitter about the complete LACK of support that I and others have experienced with the Ionic.

BEK

[Davrine]

Hello, I also experience crashes, almost during every run at around 5K. I use GPS tracking and music. The watch just reboots and I need to start music and exercise tracking again. It is frustrating...

[Wizegeezer]

I think we need to face the reality that Fitbit engineering has likely moved on from the Ionic and we'll never see a fix for the crashing Exercise app.  I suspect Fitbit will never recover credibility with athletes and will be relegated to the step-counting casual exercise market.  Unfortunately, I can't think of a single runner or cyclist that I know who would consider Fitbit as their smartwatch going forward.  I'm on the board of my local running club and when the Ionic first came out in 2017 it generated a lot of excitement as a high function watch at a reasonable price point.  Two years later, it's no longer on anyone's consideration list.  It's a shame since there was good potential there that was squandered.

[5miles]

I think you’re right. I really liked the look of it and actually have had a voucher towards one as a good will gesture for the surge failure, I think I’ve had 4 of those. Rather than use the voucher to buy an ionic at a discount, I’m going to pay full price for a Garmin. Fitbit are laughing at their loyal customers. These problems have been around for ages, not a single real attempt to resolve it or help anyone.

[SunsetRunner]

Now on my secong Ionic and they have both stopped tracking exercise at about the the ten month mark. Screen just goes blank and I don't know there is a problem until I look at the watch. Can only be reset by connecting to the charger. Loved the watch and the app but it's so unreliable that I've gone back to my Garmin. Pretty obvious that after two years Fitbit either can't or won't fix the issue.

[ionic-jo]

---

@SunsetRunner wrote:

Now on my secong Ionic

Loved the watch and the app but it's so unreliable

I've gone back to my Garmin.

Pretty obvious that after two years Fitbit either can't or won't fix the issue.

---

Same here, waiting for replacement, and I love the watch as well, use most days for my cycle trips

Few issues would creep up, syncing, and then the black screen

Like your self, considering getting a Garmin Vivioactive-3, as dont see this problem going away

I work as a retail customer service assistant, and if we were selling a watch like this, and we began to notice there were issues with the watch, we would initiate a recall on the watch, and refund everyone there money