Defective Ionic - Unresponsive Screen

[Niaa]

I believe that my Fitbit is defective. It seems like there are numerous others with the same issue I am having at just about the same time.  I went for a quick swim yesterday and my Fitbit Ionic started flashing on and off and then the screen went blank. It appears as if the screen is on because you can faintly see the light in the background; however, nothing is displayed on the screen. I'd also like to point out that my Fitbit Ionic had plenty of battery so it did not die. One of the main reasons I chose this particular Fitbit was because it states it's waterproof and even has a swim tracking setting. I've tried troubleshooting the issue with various recommendations from the Fitbit forum, but to no avail, nothing has worked. When I press the buttons to restart the device, sometimes I get a vibration and the screen temporarily flashes (still blank but the faint background light) and other times nothing happens. Initially, the green light under the Ionic wasn't working but now it only sporadically works. I've also recharged it fully now. My Fitbit app continues to sync. It currently indicates it is fully charged and seems to track some activity like my sleep & some steps. Fitbits are rather expensive and should provide a long lasting quality product, not one that fails as soon as its out of warranty. Otherwise, it is not worth the price. Please help! I rely on my Fitbit Ionic to track my activity and need to have my device functioning as soon as possible. Thanks in advance!

[SilviaFitbit]

A warm welcome to the Community @Niaa. Thanks for the details mentioned and the troubleshooting tried. 

I appreciate the research that you did on the Forums and based on that you tried some procedures. Your feedback and comments are appreciated and we're always working to provide you with the best Customer Service. 

I've shared your post with our Support team and they've mentioned that you already have a case with them, please continue the communication through email, they will continue assisting you. Rest assure that our team reviews each case individually and the option provided is based in the Fitbit Warranty. 

I'll be around if you need further assistance. 

[MarkD-uk]

Hi there, 

I believe I have the same issue.

My battery is fully charged and working on my wrist, however, the screen is blank. The issue started this morning after 6 months of owning the watch. I can still sync it but there is no screen on apart from a faint back light. Other times it turns off and as I typer this it is no longer on. I cannot turn the device back on.

Did you get a resolution with fitbit on your issue?

Many thanks

Mark

[Niaa]

Hi, Mark - Yes, it sounds just like my issue. Based on this forum, it seems like there is an exponential rate of Fitbit users who are having the same issue with defective devices although Fitbit refuses to admit that they are selling defective devices made to barely pass the covered limited warranty period. It sounds like in your specific situation, you might still be covered given that you stated you're having this issue after about 6 months. In my situation, I contacted Fitbit customer service after performing all the troubleshooting available for my Ionic and they deemed it as defective and unable to restore it. They told me that although it was defective, they could not replace it because it was outside the warranty period and I was out of luck because their policy did not allow them to replace the defective device. It was extremely disappointing to pay hundreds of dollars to a company that doesn't admit when their products are defective and it's at no fault to the customer. I figured the high cost of the Ionic meant they'd offer a high quality product for at least a couple of years; however that is not the case. Quite frankly, its unprofessional and a true reflection of how they do not value their customers. I was offered 25% off a new device but that wasn't off the sale price that any new customer would get but rather 25% off the full price of the device which is not much which comes out to about the same price you'd get anywhere else. Anyways, I'm sorry you're experiencing this issue and I'd recommend contacting customer service before your warranty is over and hopefully you have better luck to where they are willing to replace your device if troubleshooting doesn't fix it. Good luck!