Fitbit Ionic Dead - Won't Power On

[Waj-A]

After having used a surge for less than a year, I switched to the more versatile (and expensive) Ionic. Less than two months later, it won't switch on: the screen is dead. After having gone through multiple forums, this seems to be a common occurrence. I'd have filed for a refund if this was less than 45 days old. Fitbit is losing a faithful customer today.

[YojanaFitbit]

Thank you for your participation in the forums everyone! Welcome to the Forums. My apologies for the delay.

@Negable Sorry about all the steps that you've followed to help your Fitbit. Thanks for following the suggested steps that our team have sent you via email. I really appreciate your feedback since it's really important for us to have your thoughts about Fitbit product and services. I hope you get the option to get back on track with your Ionic, although it's good to know that you have the option to use your old Fitbit Alta HR. Please keep me posted on the resolution. 

@RJPBooth Thanks for reaching out the Fitbit forums to seek for this answer, at this moment we don't have any information regarding an ongoing issue with the design of Fitbit Ionic. Our team checks each case and provides the information depending on each scenario. Please confirm that you have checked your email today, since our team sent you some important information about your case. If you need anything else, please keep me posted.

@Maplehatch Thanks a million for sharing your comments and feedback with us. Sorry to see that your Ionic is not responding after all those steps, although thanks for following the suggested steps. In this case, I'd recommend to keep communication open with our team since they are in charge of checking warranty options. In case that you don't have a response from them, please let me know, I'll give you a hand with that.

I'll be around. 

[RJPBooth]

@YojanaFitbitthanks for getting back to me. Yes I did receive an email, after online chat, and my ionic is being replaced, again. Next time it dies, it will be out of warranty....

However, this issue has been on going for over a year, just look at all the chats. If your support are looking into it, can you or them confirm this is a known design fault?

[Negable]

@YojanaFitbit @Thanks very much.  Fitbit support have been in contact and have kindly replaced my Ionic.  I am looking forward again to receiving it. I was very close to ordering another smartwatch that was not a Fitbit as I was getting frustrated with being asked to complete the same series of steps (I do understand the process as I work in a support team) but am happy that I am now able to stay with Fitbit.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @RJPBooth and @Negable thanks for the heads up. I'm glad to see that you both got the option to receive a replacement, so you can get back on track. Thanks for you feedback and comments. Please feel free to come back at any time, we try to take care of all the members of our family. 

I dont' know if you're familiar with our Discussions board, there is a really good chance for you to like it. In case that you haven't do so, check it out! You might be interested in these topics: Get Moving and Challenge Your Environment.

Keep stepping around in the Forums! 

[Haymesjh]

Is this where I join the fellowship of dead iconic owners?. Mine is Totally dead. Non of the solutions have helped. Black screen. Wristbrick. 16 months old. Open to any resolutions.

[RJPBooth]

@YojanaFitbitthank you for your update. Not sure if you are deliberately ignoring my question or just forgot to answer it...

Is the Ionic dieing a know issue?

An answer would be appreciated.

[YojanaFitbit]

Welcome to the Forums @Haymesjh. Sorry for the misunderstanding @RJPBooth. This is not a know issue, although we are receiving feedback from our users and we're checking each case individually.

@Haymesjh  Thanks for the steps you've already taken to solve this. I'd recommend to check the instructions in this post. And if anything of this helps I can request a case for you, I'm sure our team will be glad to check your options even though yours is 16 months old.

Keep me posted. 

[ronniezz_iot]

My Fitbit ionic is dead from yesterday... I'm charging it through out the day, now trying to reset it by holding the buttons. But nothing helps it is still not up, nothing is coming in display. What is the solution now. I bought it one year back and now it is finished 😨. Fitbit is the worst in the market now. I can't even imagine how will I tell my friends that my fitbit is gone now, they are using some other available smart tracker which is working good for them. Ohhh Fitbit I want service centre which can fix this.

[RJPBooth]

@YojanaFitbit  Thanks again for your feed back....so many dead screens going back so long, but still no solution, other than replace (if still in warranty).

Wondering what you mean by saying "...we are Ki feyyedback from our users and we're checking each case individually."

What checking are you doing, when I phoned, both times my Ionic's died, I described the symptoms, went through recovery which failed. Your colleagues advised I throw the dead Ionics away. I would have thought requesting I send my dead Ionic back so you could disect it to see what went wrong.

[RJPBooth]

would have been the best action to take, unless you already know the problem but cannot admit there is an issue.

sorry to go on but my Ionic will be out of warranty soon and, having 2 die on me already, am afraid the third on will die also, day after the warranty runs out, such is my luck.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @RJPBooth thanks for getting back. @ronniezz_iot welcome to the Community Forums.

@ronniezz_iot thanks for sharing with us the steps that you tried to help your Ionic. Since that didn't solve the issues with it, I've requested a case for you, our team will be contacting you via email shortly. Thanks for confirming, anything that you need let me know. Fitbit has been designed to provide motivation and help you to reach your daily goals to success.

@RJPBooth I'll be glad to help you with your doubts, our team manages specific information for each case, they have requested some units being returned but not to every customer. It will depend on the information that they have on the system or depending on the warranty options. Thank you for your feedback. Please know that we provide feedback to our team based on community posts and we are always working on improving our devices and overall environment based on what you share here. 

Thank you for your understanding.

[SunsetRunner]

Sorry but this is not the solution for me. Went for a swim and now it’s dead. It will not charge and will not reset. Very disappointed on this as it was not cheap and just over a year old. I will not be buying another one.

[YojanaFitbit]

Nice to see that you're digging into the Forums @SunsetRunner, let me give you a warm welcome to our Community. Sorry for the delay.

Thanks for reporting the issues that you're having with your Ionic. I really appreciate the time you took to charge and reset it. I'd suggest to clean the contacts of your Ionic. These contacts can become obstructed by microscopic dirt or debris that prevents them from making a good connection to the charger. Use a toothpick or toothbrush to clean the charging contacts; do not scrape them with anything metal because this may damage the plating and result in corrosion. 

How are you changing your Fitbit? We recommend plugging your charging cable into a USB port on your computer or other low-energy device. If necessary, you can use a UL-certified USB wall charger. Don't use a USB hub or battery pack to charge, and only use the charging cable that came with your tracker. Did you have issues before with the charging cable?

Please take a look of these other recommendations to charge your Fitbit and this article might help too: Why isn't my battery charging on my Fitbit device?

Let's give it a try and please keep me posted. 

[MEbrogdon]

I was told my the CS person, use alcohol and a q-tip swab

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @MEbrogdon nice to see you here. It's great to see you participating in our Community. 

Thanks for sharing your input. We recommend that you occasionally:

• Clean the charging contacts on the back of your device to ensure they stay bronze or gold in color:
• Use a toothbrush with rubbing alcohol. Dry with a cloth or tissue before charging.
• Make sure not to scrape the contacts with anything metal, since metal can damage the plating and cause corrosion.
• Clean the pins on your charging cable:
• Clean the pins carefully with a cotton swab or q-tip swab and rubbing alcohol.
• Make sure that no pieces of the swab are left behind.
• You might consider ovoid using skin creams or other type of skin products on the specific area that you use your Fitbit (if this applies). Always check with your dermatologist this type of situation since taking good care of your skin is always a priority.

For additional cleaning instructions, see our Wear and Care page. Let me know if you have questions. 

See you around.

[DarthBabooshka]

Hi @YojanaFitbit, unfortunately, I also joining the disappointed team with dead Ionic, are any information what is the reason that Ionic die silently after +-1year (mine after year and a few weeks after activation). Of course all versions of bringing to life I've been trying without success. It looks like a systematic error in design. I'm also curious maybe vibration of the Relax app could damage internals... Last week I've done a few sessions with Relax app.    

[MEbrogdon]

I used all the apps, all the time including the swimming one... I don't
think that causes it, although the apps DO use more battery life.THis is my
3rd one I am on,hoping it won't go belly up too.

[SunsetRunner]

Dead after 16 months.  Nothing suggested works.  It's not a battery issue it was just charged, it just died.   It's a defective product which is unacceptable at this price point.  I dealt with defective bands on the charge because the product worked.  

I can't in good conscience spend another cent on this companies products or stock.

[SBond]

Just want to add that I had the an same experience with my Fitbit Ionic. I purchased my watch from Best Buy in July of 2018.  I have had no problems with the watch until today when the screen went black.  I talked with someone from support.  After going through the various solutions and also checking to confirm that my watch had recently synced and that the battery was at 70%, I was told that I could get a new watch sent to me.  the process for requesting the new watch was painless....However, I am concerned that this seems to be a common problem and only hope that I do not have the same problem with the new watch as my warranty expires next month.  It is an expensive watch to have for such a short time.

[YojanaFitbit]

Nice to see you here guys, thanks for sharing your input.  Sorry for the delay.

@DarthBabooshka @MEbrogdon and @SunsetRunner  thanks for sharing your finding about what you've done with your Ionic before having issues with it. For each case it's best to check with our team since they have special tools to confirm what happened with your Fitbit devices. 

Sorry about the issues that you're having @SunsetRunner. Have you contacted our support team? They can check your warranty option, if you wish I can give  you a  hand with that. 

I'll be around.