Ionic dead after swimming

[SunsetRunner]

Went for a swim in a river today, now my Ionic  screens on the back have all steamed up and the main screen is dead, no response from anything, it was 100% charged this morning. Anyone have any issues of water getting in their device.

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[MarreFitbit]

Welcome to the Fitbit Community @SunsetRunner! Sorry to hear that your tracker is not working after swimming. 

Please try these steps:

1. Put your tracker into a bowl of dry rice for 24 hours. This will extract any moisture that remains inside the device.
2. After your tracker has been in rice for 24 hours, restart it.
3. If your tracker doesn't work after the restart, contact Customer Support.

If by any chance you see condensation inside the screen, dry rice may work temporarily but the problem is likely to reoccur. In most cases water damaged trackers aren't covered under warranty but it depends on the model. If the steps I shared with you do not work, please refer to steps No.3. 

If there's any questions present, please let me know! 

[slorraine]

Happened to my Ionic as well.  Phoned Fitbit and they had us video proof that the watch was dead and wouldn’t turn back on.  Then instructed to return the pebble only to Indiana and it is taking forever to get a refurbished replacement. Extremely unhappy with customer service quality they are offering.  

[MarreFitbit]

Thanks for jumping in here @slorraine! Sorry to hear about your situation, I totally understand where your concern is coming from. 

My best recommendation is to track your package with the tracking number you were provided by the carrier you are sending it to. Once you package has been delivered, please allow up to 5 business days after the delivery date to confirm the receipt of your return (business days excludes weekends and holidays).

If there's any questions present, please reply to email you have received from our support team so they can continue with the follow-up as your case will be open until you receive the new pebble. Otherwise, you can point me out and I'll be more than glad to assist you further.

Have a nice day! 

[Coachcoon13]

Had same issue. I’ve had my device since April of 2018 and it’s failed now. August 2019. Called support they said it’s past it’s 1 yr warranty period. Nothing they can do. My only option is to purchase a new device at 25% off. Whata joke. Spend nearly $300 on a Fitbit and it fails after a year and half doing what’s its intended to be used for. That’s what I’d call poor manufacturing and a company that doesn’t stand behind the reliability & durability of their devices. Spend your money elsewhere.

Same thing happened to me.  Hopefully with Google buying them they'll see some much needed improvements.

Moderator edit: merged reply

[slorraine]

I swim laps with my Ionic in a chlorinated pool and haven’t had any problems, but I have found showering with the watch allows soap to get inside and that ruined my Ionic. I always remove my watch before showering. Sorry about your watch and maybe salt water is detrimental to the Ionic as well. Hope you find a good replacement watch.

L. Sassos

Sent from my iPhone

[NicinSydney]

I love my Fitbit Ionic and have had it for 15 months. I swam in the ocean this morning and now it isn't working. Totally blank screen... nothing!!. I'm on holiday and trying to kick off the new year with a step average over 25k and daily stairs over 120. Now no device.

I'm extremely upset - Ionics are marketed as being waterproof and a dip in the ocean shouldn't damage it. I will be in touch with Customer Service. Ionics are expensive watches and should be fit for purpose as stated.

[LaynieMo]

To the person that is getting a refurbished Fitbit, at least they’re doing that. Mine gave me a 25% off of a new one...  SMH

[PDLT]

Same thing here - 25%. This is the second Ionic to die in water...and I don't go swimming often. Replacing my device would have cost little/ nothing compared to the loss of belief in the quality of the product and in a company that does not stand behind the Ionic. 

[slorraine]

My Ionic has been fine while swimming laps and doing water exercises in our pool.   I do not wear it in the shower, after exercise, because soap will get inside the watch and compromise it.  I'm sorry about your watch; loss of money and inconvenience.  

[PDLT]

Take a shower with the watch everyday and did not have a problem with this watch or prior one. Original watch died soon after day in pool about a year ago. New watch died after day in pool this time. Maybe because it is a saltwater pool… Anyway, once is an aberration; Twice is tough ignore.

Moderator Edit: Formatting

[mshelton_18]

I know this is an old thread, but same here! I went swimming in a lake, and now the touchscreen won’t respond. I called Fitbit support, and they said since it’s out of warranty, they can only offer me a 25% discount. The watch is supposed to be waterproof, and I’ve only had it two years. I mean, come on. 

[billprice13]

I did have an issue after an ocean swim.  The menus on my Iconic would randomly open.  I let it soak in some fresh water for a couple hours ant that seemed to fix it.  No problems with fresh or pool water

[Vandypepper]

I was floating in lake water and mine worked for about 3 days then screen
went to colored lines only. Have left in rice bowl for a day and rebooted
and still nothing. Always showered with and had dunked in lakes before and
never an issue until now. Fitbit will only give 25% off new one. I think
waterproof should be waterproof and this is false claims on a product.

Very sad this happened. I still wear mine in shower as I always have but
will not swim with it again as my 1st one died that way.

Moderator edit: merged reply

[Stepping_Mike]

I have now had 3 Ionics die on me after being exposed to salt water.  First one was scuba diving in the ocean.  I thought it was the depth that made it die even though it was only to 25 feet and they are advertised as able to go to 100 feet.   2nd was just swimming in the ocean.  And yesterday I went swimming in a salt water pool, and now my 3rd Ionic is dead.   I'm tired of basically buying a new Ionic every year.

BTW, I showered with it on all the time, and it had no problem.  I believe it is salt water that it the killer.

Fitbit should just say  the Ionic is shower proof.  Now Fitbit/Google will lose another customer to Apple or Garmin.

[Vandypepper]

Sorry to hear, I lost my first one to lake water. Shower with it on all the
time. Agree I will move on if this one dies. I do not swim with mine
anymore as only did it once and it died.

[Grandmkmk]

My 3+ year old Ionic died this week, after spending the day at a water park with my grandchildren (chlorinated water). Left it in rice for 3 days but no change. The screen seems to illuminate slightly after charging but nothing shows up and then it goes back to a black screen. I know the warranty is up but now I don’t know what to replace it with. 3 years is not what I expected from a watch of the price.

[Sadielyn]

Same thing happened to me this week. I've had the Ionic for over 3.5 years with no issues swimming. And then after a swim in the pool, the watch is dead. Tried rice, tired resetting, nothing. Very disappointed.

[LiliyaFitbit]

Welcome to the Fitbit Community, @Sadielyn.

Thank you for joining the thread and sharing that you experienced the same issue with your watch. I understand how you are feeling and appreciate your troubleshooting efforts. The best way to get help for this problem is to chat with our Support team online or give them a call. They will look deeper into the issue and discuss the options available to you. Click here to get connected. 

See you around.

[Vandypepper]

I was very disappointed also. Fitbit does nothing for you but give discount
on new one. When something is set to be used for swimming and then fails it
should be replaced or fixed. They will not admit it should not be used
swimming.😒