Fitbit One turns off: an ongoing problem for many users

[FelJones]

Fitbit people, please visit this thread. It started in April, and people continue to report similar problems. A moderator replied in the beginning, but we haven't heard from him since April 9. His advice, to reset the device, isn't working -- or only works for a few hours or days.

Offering a 25% discount on a new device isn't a good enough response.

Do you really want a group of previously loyal and now very unhappy users to share with friends and family that Fitbit makes unreliable products and offers substandard customer service?

[RobertoME]

Hi there @FelJones, thank you fro bring this matter to my attention. I will look the original thread, although if the issue still persist note its hardware issues, that many times can be corrected with a restart as was advised by that moderator. However as you refer here is an issue and if the One keep turning off there is no other option to approach to customer support team. They are well prepare and will know the next step to follow after you tell them the steps you have taken. 

As you bring the subject of the 25% discount, I can believe the One was out of warranty and I can completely understand too the help with this discount is little, but is as an alternative in this occasions when there are no more options. I think Warranty policies can narrow many possibilities sometimes. however I also understand as well why warranty policies are needed. Is at this moment when such gestures of good will like discounts come in to play.

Let me know if you have more questions and see you around.

[cabfit]

turning off and on worked for awhile but, yesterday mine turned off and will not come back on.  On software says needs charging but nothing shows when I hook up to the pc.  Now what?

[PureEvil]

Hello @FelJones,

Since you are able to able to repro this consistently, I'm curious for you to try something:

1. Charge your Fitbit One until it is fully charged.
2. Take a small strip of scotch tape (or any thin invisible tape) and cover the two charging electrodes in the back.  In theory, you won't need to charge again for another 7-10 days, so the tape can remain for that long.

Then see if this continues to occur.

The rationale?  I believe shorting the two charging electrodes does the equivalent of pressing the button when it's charging, so if they are shorted for long enough (over 12 seconds), this does the same thing as the first step to restarting the Fitbit...  In other words, it simply turns it off.  I seem to remember one account of this occuring for a user that was putting the Fitbit One in the case upside down (and shorted through the aluminum clip).

I'm wondering if putting tape over the electrodes will prevent them from shorting and thus prevent it from turning off.  It may be something as your clip being worn (and has metal exposed) or you may be carrying something in your pocket that would cause a short (keys for instance).

Oh, and just for the record, I'm not suggesting that this is a solution.  I'm just wondering if this will help you narrow down why this is occuring.

May I trouble you to try it and let us know if it has any effect?  Thanks.

[FelJones]

Thank you @PureEvil

I will try this today and let you know if it helps. I'm not optimistic because this would only address when the One is in its clip. But on the previous thread, people have reported it stopping at night while sleeping -- when it would not be in the clip but in the wristband, where it's exposed only to fabric, not metal.

For others seeking more info on this problem, please visit the previous thread about it. 

[FelJones]

@PureEvil Following up on your suggestion. I followed your directions but within just a few days I had experienced multiple failures, including...

1. Not recording sleep even though it was set as usual.

2. In mid-day, just completely turning off and no longer recording no steps, stairs, etc. At the end of the day, when I finally got the display turned on it showed the time as if it had been frozen in the morning, and steps as if I had only been awake for 1/2 hour.

Thanks for the thought. Wish it had worked.

Meanwhile complaints are piling up on the original thread. We're now on our 4th page of angry and frustrated customers. The link is above, if you're interested.