Voluntary Safety Recall of Fitbit Ionic Smartwatches

[FitbitCommunity]

Fitbit, in conjunction with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), announced a voluntary recall of Fitbit Ionic smartwatches, which the company introduced in 2017 and stopped producing in 2020. The battery in the Ionic smartwatch can overheat, posing a burn hazard.

The health and safety of Fitbit users is our highest priority. We are taking this action out of an abundance of caution for our users. We will offer a refund to Fitbit Ionic customers.

This voluntary recall is specific to Fitbit Ionic devices. It does not impact any other Fitbit smartwatches or trackers.

If you have an impacted Fitbit Ionic device, please stop using it and visit our webpage where you’ll find:

• Answers to common questions
• Information on how to receive a refund 
• Access to a special discount on select Fitbit devices, bands, and services, if available in your region, for a limited time.

[Colinog]

Tammy I am in the exact same predicament as you. My Fitbit was disabled immediately last night by Fitbit and I've been told by e-mail that I will get a refund in 3-6 weeks?! This is hardly any bit helpful. Also I have not received any discount code like most others seem to have. Contacted support and they keep telling me to wait. Still nothing. Really disappointed in the level of customer support

[Jimmy-Neutron]

@MatthewFitbit Are you sure? It seems this person @J-MeM said the access code can only be used once:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Ionic/Voluntary-Safety-Recall-of-Fitbit-Ionic-Smartwatches/m-p/50892...

[Colinog]

Same here! I'm in Ireland and all I got was an email to say I'd be refunded $300 in 3-6 weeks! No discount code. Seems the American customers are getting priority over everyone else. Hardly fair or acceptable. We're all in the same boat

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Haven't received mine either and I'm in Ireland. They were very quick to disable the device though! That was done immediately and without any delay! Waiting over 24 hours now for my discount code. Refund will be 3-6 weeks and will be paid in US dollars which isn't fair either as I paid €300 for it and not $300

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[PaulMe]

Hi all,

When entering the Reference number for varification and discount email I found that cutting and pasting the reference number would not work - even after carefully checking it was correct. I had to enter it manually via the keyboard for it to be accepted.

Hope this helps anyone having issues?

[Jimmy-Neutron]

@TammyLynn_17 It seems the access code can only be used once. See this post:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Ionic/Voluntary-Safety-Recall-of-Fitbit-Ionic-Smartwatches/m-p/50892...

[AlanP1]

Any further forward with this? In Ireland too, went through the process, watch syncing was cut off immediately. Haven't had any email or contact since, granted it's only been maybe an hour since I did the refund request. 

[Bkfarms]

Hello all; I received the email about the ionic recall. After I filled out the form and sent it in. Fitbit advised to do a favor Ty reset to remove my data. On the Fitbit device I went to about, factory reset and said ok. Now I want to check to see if it erased the info and it won’t come back on. Help

[Colinog]

AlanP1 no I'm still waiting for the e-mail to confirm that my account has been verified and still waiting for the discount code. I went and spoke to online chat which did me no good as they couldn't give me any answers.

[Bykerlass]

This is happening to me too. Did you resolve

it?

[Evita1990]

Weird, I'm also from the Netherlands but did receive the discount codes!

Have you already requested the refund?

You will receive a confirmation email with a reference code from that website..
You can use that reference code to request your discount codes on this page https://myhelp.fitbit.com/s/devicediscount?language=en_US 

[annieuk]

@PaulMe 

Thanks but unfortunately this did not work for us.

[randijaa]

I read this somewhere:We're offering a refund of $299 USD 

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I was only offered PayPal - no card. And as I had recently shut down my PayPal it looks like I have to register a new one, if not the card option turns up in the form.

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[Odyssey13]

https://myhelp.fitbit.com/s/support?language=en_US 

[Bkfarms]

I know about the recall I was doing a factory reset as instructed and I want to see if my data was erased but it won’t turn on

[Colinog]

Just spent half an hour on the online chat! Nothing resolved still!!! This is really infuriating!!! They actually can't even answer any of my questions, it's ridiculous 

[randijaa]

I got the same "message" in the form - it doesn't say anywhere that I have to return the ionic - only deactivate it on my Fitbit account.

[PaulMe]

"it doesn't say anywhere that I have to return the ionic - only deactivate it on my Fitbit account."

No you don't have to return it, but it's pretty useless after deactivation. Sure, it will still operate as a step counter, but even the clock will drift and be incorrect in a fairly short timeframe.

Perhaps Fitbit could have allowed it to remain connected until the 90 day timeline for using the discount was up. But I guess we need to take into account that there is a very real safety issue with the device, as deemed by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

I'll keep wearing mine till the clock is useless. Not long I guess.

[hibell]

So...I received email saying that according to their records I had a Fitbit Ionic connected to my account. I went blank and searched my email account for Fitbit Ionic and I did purchase it way back in 2017. Completely forgot I had an Ionic. I stopped using it maybe in late 2018 early 2019 because I had problems with it and trashed it.  Replaced it with the Versa. And currently now using Versa2.

Well, I went and filled out the Fitbit Ionic Recall. Filled out all info and was successfully able to get a Reference # and email to complete and verify account. This is when I ran into problems. When I clicked on the Verify Account link and was able to go through Steps 1 & 2, problem started with Step 3-Disable Device Syncing. Well, I don't have my Ionic anymore so of course I can't connect/sync up. But somewhere down it says "If you can't connect your Fitbit device to your account, contact us. (https://myhelp.fitbit.com/s/support).

Clicked on it and didn't know which option to chose from but went with Chat. Mentioned all problems. Gave support my Reference # and email associated with the account. They also asked where I purchased the Ionic and told them from the official Fitbit Website.

Support said she "Need to escalate and seek assistance to our higher team and they will be assisting you via email."

And that was it. Of course, I know that they're most likely being bombarded. So I don't expect an immediate email. I'm hoping to get some kind of response by the weekend though. If nothing, then I'll go to chat again to follow up. $299 is a lot of money. I already stuck around with the Versa and Versa2 (which I love). I was planning on upgrading to Samsung Watch4 or whatever version available whenever my Versa2 craps out since I own a Samsung phone. But if they're offering up a substantial discount (40%) I'll stick around and upgrade to a Sense.

[Ebojager]

If I choose to keep my ionic, how long can I expect it to keep working, at least in its basic time and tracking abilities. Will my exercises still sync to the app?

[PaulMe]

"But if they're offering up a substantial discount (40%) I'll stick around and upgrade to a Sense."

What I intend to do. The wife has a Sense and is reasonably happy with it.What Fitbit are hoping most will do.

Moderator edit: format.