Black lines across screen on Charge 3

[CraigPiattelli]

A couple weeks ago a black line appeared across the center of my screen, I thought it was just a glitch and would fix with the next update. Now some more lines have appeared at the top. Have tried resetting and restarting both my Fitbit and my phone (in case it was a syncing issue for some reason) nothing has gotten rid of this. I had bougth my Fitbit from Amazon.ca, so I am unsure what to do for returns or customer service. Thank you.

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[Emsnan]

Sadly it will never become fully functional again.. I’m sorry to say ..

Kind regards

Pauline Hughes

[Ferstevo]

I also had to send mine back and get a new one

Sent from my iPhone

[WilsonFitbit]

Hello @Emsnan. Nice to see you around. @Ferstevo It's great to see you around and thanks for your input. 

@Emsnan I'm sorry for any inconvenience and thank you so much for taking the time to provide your feedback. Please note that any feedback posted in the forums is always welcome as it helps to improve our products, services and overall environment.

On a side note, I'd recommend visiting the following link for more information about our warranty policy: https://www.fitbit.com/global/us/legal/returns-and-warranty. Here, you will see that sometimes we will require the device to returned to obtain warranty service or any other option.

If you still have questions about the outcome of your case, I recommend replying back to our Support Team and they will be more than glad to continue assisting you. 

See you around. 

[MEB80]

Thanks everyone. I'm wondering if anyone who had the lines appear took their Fitbit swimming? I swam with mine in brackish water (the bay) a couple of times before this started. Charge 3 is advertised to be waterproof. I washed it off in the shower afterwards and allowed it to dry. I'm wondering if it really isn't waterproof.

My Charge 3 also had a problem holding a charge - charge to 100% in the afternoon and before waking up the next morning it was completely out of power. Charged again in the morning and before the afternoon it was down to 10%. Then it started working correctly again. I thought that after 15 months possibly Fitbit would replace it, but was told that the warranty is only for 12 months. Fortunately it was in November, so I was able to get Charge 4 @ $99 on a black Friday deal. I'm not swimming in this one.

[Emsnan]

To be honest that’s why I changed from a charge 2 as I needed it to measure my time and lengths, at the time I was doing a sponsored swim. Personally I’ve a memory of a fish but I definitely don’t swim like one, so do need the distance counter…

Kind regards

Pauline Hughes

[WilsonFitbit]

Hello @MEB80. Welcome to the community forums. @Emsnan Thanks for your reply and input. 

@MEB80 Regarding your question, I'd like to let you know that there are several factors that could cause the inconvenience with the screen, but before swimming with your Fitbit tracker, I'd recommend visiting the following help article that contains information and some tips about it: Can I swim or shower with my Fitbit device?

On a side note, I appreciate the information about that you contacted our Support Team and they were able to provide assistance and information regarding the inconveniences that you experienced. 

Please note that replacement devices are provided for products that are within the warranty period. If your original Charge 3 is no longer under warranty a discount could be an available option but some conditions and requirements should be met.  For more information about our warranty policy, I recommend visiting the following link: https://www.fitbit.com/global/us/legal/returns-and-warranty. 

@Emsnan Your comments are very appreciated and I also recommend reading the information from this help article if you have questions about swimming with your Fitbit device: Can I swim or shower with my Fitbit device? You can also refer to: How do I track my swims with my Fitbit device?

Hope this helps. 

[MEB80]

So in the response to this post and advice about swimming in the Charge 3, I was advised to go to this web page:
Can I swim or shower with my Fitbit device?
This is the information in that article:
Is my Fitbit device waterproof?

Most Fitbit devices are water-resistant to 50 meters. They're designed to be swimproof and stand up to even the sweatiest of workouts. See the table below and our user manuals for specifics as to whether your device is swimproof or splashproof.

Keep in mind that not all of our accessory bands should get wet, like those made of leather, metal, and woven materials. For more information about wearing your Fitbit device, see our Wear and Care page.
Device
Water Resistance

Ace 2

Ace 3
Charge 3
Charge 4
Flex 2
Inspire series
Ionic

Luxe
Sense
Versa series
Water-resistant to 50 meters
Ace
Showerproof (don't swim with Ace - it's designed to survive splashes and spills)

Water resistance may diminish over time and can be negatively impacted by any of the following:
* Dropping the device.
* Exposing the device to soaps, shampoos, conditioners, perfume, insect repellent, lotions, or sunscreen.
* Exposing the device to high-velocity water (for example, during water sports).

But if you look at the advertisements for Charge 3 & 4 they all say:
This is from Fitbit Charge 4 Advertisement (they don't sell 3 anymore)
[cid:image004.png@01D774DD.3867F350]
>From Amazon Ad for Charge 3:
* Swim proof and water resistant to 50 meters, so you can track swims and wear in the shower;
we do not recommend wearing charge 3 in a hot tub or sauna;
also connect to Smartphone GPS for real time pace and distance during outdoor runs and rides

Amazon.com: Fitbit Charge 3 Fitness Activity Tracker, Graphite/Black, One Size (S and L Bands Included): Health & Personal Care

There seems to be a discrepancy. In the advertisements we're led to believe that you can swim in your charge 3 or 4, but in the help section of the Fitbit web page that doesn't seem to be true. Needless to say, I won't be swimming in my Charge 4. Pretty sad because as @Emsnan said the waterproof feature advertised for the Charge 3 is the reason I gave up my Charge 2 and bought a Charge 3. I only had my Charge 3 for 13 months before the first line appeared, but I didn't contact Fitbit until I'd had it for 15 months and started experiencing additional lines and the charging problem.

[Emsnan]

I know, lots of different reviews both four and against. But sadly I’m done with these devices and if they say I swim too much or too deep, that’s a giggle. I jumped out of an aeroplane before I could swim on my own I may add and I’m still a very weak swimmer so only swim if I can stand up, I’m 5ft 1in ..

Kind regards

Pauline Hughes

[WilsonFitbit]

@MEB80, @Emsnan Thank you for your replies. 

I also appreciate the time you have taken to provide your comments and feedback. I'd like to let you know that in order to get additional information and details about our Fitbit devices, I recommend visiting our help site or click here to compare them. 

Thank you very much for your feedback. Please note that our team is always working to enhance your experience and your feedback is a big part of that process.

See you around. 

[kaarne]

i have the same problem. Can I grt a replace unit please?

[WilsonFitbit]

Hello @kaarne. Welcome to the community forums. 

Thank you for the information. Regarding your question, I've noticed that you contacted our Support Team, but your chat got disconnected while they were providing information and assistance. If you still require further assistance, you can contact them over the phone, but phone wait times have been longer than normal. Click here to get connected. 

See you around. 

[kaarne]

Hi would like futher assistance by chat please.

the reset of 15 seconds did not work

kind regard

Karen

[WilsonFitbit]

@kaarne Thank you for your reply. 

I appreciate your help in performing a long restart. As mentioned on the post above, I was able to see that you were able to chat with our Support Team before, but your chat got disconnected. In this case, I recommend contacting them one more time by clicking here. Note that you can contact them through chat or over the phone, but phone wait times have been longer than normal. 

On a side note, please make sure to provide a brief explanation of the inconvenience and mention the troubleshooting steps you've followed, this way they can assist you from there. 

See you around. 

[Sabotta]

I have the same problem with my Charge 3, which I purchased September 2019. Is it possible for me to receive a replacement device or to have this problem fixed (horizontal black lines appearing across the screen).

[DPB0589]

You should be able to get a replacement if your Charge 3 is still under warranty.

Sent from my iPhone

[Meme88]

My Fitbit Charge 3 is yet again doing the same thing. I have several black lines along the screen. I've tried to reset my Charge 3 to no avail. This is the 2nd one to have this issue. I got a replacement from Fitbit last year for the same issue now their replacement is doing the same thing. What do I do now? Get another replacement or can I get a new one that actually works?

[MEB80]

Meme88,
I'm curious, did you ever take your Charge 3 into the water? Swimming or showering?

Sabotta,
If you purchased and connected to your Fitbit app in 2019, it is no longer under warranty. Their warranty is only for 12 months. Mine was 15 months old and I was told it wasn't under warranty. The offered me a discount, but mine was only 15 months old.

Moderator edit: personal info removed

+++ Faith promises a safe landing, but not a calm voyage. +++
*** Faith is not believing that God can do it, it's knowing that He will. ***

[WilsonFitbit]

Hello @Sabotta. Nice to see you around. @Meme88 Welcome to the community forums. @DPB0589, @MEB80 Thanks for your input. 

@Sabotta Thank you for the information and for any step you tried. At this time, I was able to see that you contacted our Support Team and they were able to provide information and assistance. If you still have additional questions or inquiries, I recommend replying back to your case. 

@Meme88 I also appreciate your help in trying to resolve this inconvenience. I was able to see that you tried to contact our Support Team, but it seems that your chat got disconnected. In this case, I'd recommend trying to contact them one more time through chat or over the phone, but phone wait times have been longer than normal. Click here to get connected. 

Lastly, please note that replacement devices are provided for products that are within the warranty period. If your original Charge 3 is no longer under warranty a discount could be an available option but some conditions and requirements should be met. For more information about our warranty policy, I recommend visiting the following link: https://www.fitbit.com/global/us/legal/returns-and-warranty.

See you around. 

[Emsnan]

Hi
Yes this was the main reason I purchased the charge 3, I needed to log how far I swam. I’m disabled and not the greatest of swimmers so counting lengths etc was too much for me. Due to government advice letters I was shielding most of last year I couldn’t do any swimming and the UK was in lockdown also. My device failed even more and the warranty ran out.
Fitbit customer service told me to return my device to them and I would get a % off a new one, which I didn’t do. I can’t think why I needed to send mine back in order to get a discount on another one I’m paying for, I’ve already payed for mine that was defective.
To be honest I don’t think I’d pay for another Fitbit device after the way people like myself have been treated, let’s face it there is quite a few of us. If there was a problem and they knew it was a big problem, do the right thing own up and say it. Give the customer a reason to say Good on them for owning it, instead of basically tough your out of warranty.
I’m probably going to get blocked off here but it’s the truth sadly…


Kind regards

Pauline Hughes

[Meme88]

I did maybe once or twice.