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.

[Deoge]

Check your trash and junk folders I heard some people found it there.

[HackneyCat]

@b-mike that's where I got to a couple of days back, but today it seems to finally be working. Hallelujah! Haven't actually ordered anything yet, mind. Hope it's working for you, thanks for advice.

[Shook-52]

Is anyone else having trouble trying to claim refund 

[Gophermofur]

In Canada here. Registered and got a reference number, went over to verify my account using the reference number. Went through all 3 steps and it said it could take up to 7 days to disable the device and I'll receive a confirmation email.

Been 10 days so far: device has been disabled and removed from account but haven't received any confirmation email yet. The company that handles registration/confirmation said they are waiting for Fitbit to confirm the Ionic has been disabled, but nothing yet. Fitbit support has put in an escalation, but otherwise doesn't seem to have any information on the status of the account verification or why it got stuck.

Stuck here with no device, no discount code and no confirmation of a pending refund. 

[funkysax]

@Kop786 At which step are you stuck? Initial registration (step1) or Account verification (step2) ? 

Sounds like your registration maybe got lost/is stuck.

If stuck after step 1 Maybe give it a 2nd try registering again, that helped for me.

[Kop786]

Hi @funkysax. It’s at the stage where the watch  should have been disabled, and an email is sent to me to confirm that step has been completed.  I’ve checked both the spam and junk folders to no avail. 

[Deoge]

I had the same problems with mine over the last 3 years I took a wooden toothpick and on the watch we’re the contacts are cleaned the gunk so it makes better contact 

[AnninNM]

Per the email l received you can get up to 5 fit bits and 5 bands (for free).  you have to access the store via the email with the 40% discount and put in the code.  Unfortunately, the site doesn't work correctly.  I was able to add one item to my cart with the 40% discount.  When I tried to add more I got a message asking if I wanted to leave the "discount site".  I spoke with customer service and they said someone would send me an email within 24 hours to fix this.  I'm not holding my breath given all the other comments I've read here. 

[SunsetRunner]

Just a note to say that at the start of the whole process , i had to wait a few days before the verification code was accepted ,as they must had a backlog of the codes getting put on the database.(kept saying code not found)

 just ordered my Fitbit from the store via the code .( the code email instructions were in my junk mail ) i added the watch and couldn't find a way to go back to shopping , so i pressed the back button ,waited a few seconds and the watch was in my basket and i then ordered the free strap and repeated for the free subscription , for which you press the dot next to the 7.99 one . plain sailing after that . I had a bit of confidence cos i had a backup code (my husband also had the iconic) im uk based, by the way

[SunsetRunner]

Want to buy a new fitbit watch in the Fitbit online store for the refund money for my Fitbit Ionic which has been recalled.
What is the amount that will be paid out?
Have received access code and skipping code, do I have to wait until the money has arrived in my paypal account before I can shop, or is the money ready in the online store when I enter access code and skipping code?

[SunsetRunner]

No ,the money is sent within 3-6 weeks to paypal account (i hope) and will be £225 . the code is valid for 90 days.

Update: one last thought, if your worried about making a mistake ordering with the code as its one time only, practice on the fitbit shop website first without the code  its the same way of ordering.

[Andy_Australia]

Same here in Australia  , Watch is disabled  but no email or communication received on how the refund will be processed . Checked with the customer support team , they have no clue . Called the 1800 number but you are put in hold forever until you disconnect . 

Fitbit needs to improve on this front . I believe company like this can do better .

If anyone is aware of the refund process in Australia please share your feedback 

[Blobby]

As far as I can tell, you get sent a card to use if you opted for that, or the money is deposited in your PayPal account. Whatever is the case, you get USD299.

[Andy_Australia]

Thanks Blobby ..

[Beeenz]

Hi there. I completed the process of the recall on my ionic watch 8 days ago and I’m a little confused. I opted for the voucher with JB HiFi bit the final email I got from Fitbit gave me a discount code. Can I use the discount code at JB HiFi?  Or is that only if I purchase my replacement online through you?  Thank you

[Blobby]

There are two separate processes. You register first and eventually get a discount code. There should be a link to the Fitbit store - that’s how you shop for a Fitbit watch. 

[funkysax]

@Kop786Next thing would be to log on to your fitbit account to see if your watch is already disconnected from the account (and it's only the confirmation mail which is missing) or if your watch is still connected.

In the first case - you're only missing the confirmation mail telling you about the refund value coming in 3-6 weeks and can basically go ahead with applying for the discount via https://myhelp.fitbit.com/s/devicediscount?language=en_US

In the second case - it seems that your account verification step has not been (fully) processed. I'd try to go through the process of account verification again to see if it works this time or if it is giving you an error that the device has already been registered and you cannot apply a 2nd time.

Of course contacting fitbit support is always an option as well, but from my experience the response times take up to a week after having opened a case with them these days. So I figured out for myself it was faster to try what I could do on my own...

Good luck !

[SunsetRunner]

Yet again I post, I did the registration on the 3rd of march successfully according to my screengrab and told watch will be disconnected within 7 days and refund between 3-6 weeks.

Now onto day 11, Watch STILL connected and no e-mail. I called Fitbit on Friday 11th and was told ‘it’s in the system’ and after the call I’d receive the transcript of the call, guess what … no transcript. I think this has been overwhelming for them and they’ve no idea how to work it hence we’re all having different results and unfortunately they’ve left it up to their ‘staff’ to take the flak. I suspect this will drag on for several months as some of us (through no fault on our part) will be haggling with them to verify we had/have an ionic on our account and it’s the system at fault. I’ll wait the 3-6 weeks from my date I registered (3rd march) then I’ll take it from there!

[SunsetRunner]

Had a email confirming ionic has been disconnected with a link for the discount, click on link, I signed in and get this…. Your account doesn’t have an impacted device associated with it.

do I have to wait until I get my refund before the discount works?

[AdCom]

@SunsetRunner, I had a chat with them again today (like you, no email received after I verified, watch still syncs 11 days later, can't get to "Step 3 - Disable Device Syncing"). First time (last week) I was told "it's in the system", this time I was given a case number and a promise they'd email me when the higher-ups responded. It might (probably won't!) do something? 

I did get the transcripts though...