Charge 3 counting steps while driving

[tjhanke]

As first-time Fitbit user, I wanted to like charge 3, I really did but after trying it for a week it has been a major disappointment. My biggest complain is that it is wildly inaccurate. I get 1400 steps while driving my car on a highway, nothing bumpy, just regular rush hour traffic with stop and go. And don’t even think about brushing your teeth while wearing it. Fitbits response has been that this is how charger operates or to modify the count to “driving” to get accurate steps reading. I tried the driving trick but to mess with dashboard twice every day is not very user-friendly. Better solution would be to have a driving button that stops counting when you reach pre-defined speed. Come on Fitbit your engineers are surely capable of that. Charge 3 has some nice features but for me its main role is to count my steps and it fails miserably in this aspect. My $5.99 Walmart pedometer is more accurate. I am returning my Charge 3 and I think I give Apple Watch a shot. First impressions Fitbit ...

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[MarreFitbit]

Hey there @tjhanke, thanks for stopping by!  I'd like to give thanks for the feedback you've provided towards our product. Rest assured that our engineers and product development team use this information to further improve our products and services.

As you were told, remember that the wrist trackers count steps depending on the movement of your arms, when you are driving or for example when your tracker is close to a fan, your tracker counts steps due to the vibrations. You can learn more about how your Fitbit tracks steps by checking the article: How accurate are Fitbit devices?

In order to avoid your Charge 3 to record so many extra steps while driving, I can suggest you a few things: 

1. Manually log Driving activity for certain time period to negate all steps in that time, still leaving heart rate data and calories.

2. Attach anywhere else on torso or in pocket to avoid it tracks steps while driving. You'll always see calories burned. 

Also, another thing I do while I drive with my Charge 3 is to plug it into the USB charger while I'm in the car. It pauses counting while charging and I never get a flat battery. I don't bother for short drives. But don't forget to put it back on after your car ride! 

Most of the users are requesting for an option/way to avoid erroneous steps during activities that don't include steps. To what I recommend up-voting and commenting on Add "Driving Mode" feature to avoid erroneous steps/floors feature suggestion since it is very similar of what you're looking and asking for.

Let me know if there's anything else I can assist you with. 

[tjhanke]

changing logs twice everyday to driving is NOT an acceptable solution. i paid premium price only to receive sub-premium performance.

[MrMarv]

@tjhanke and @MarreFitbit - 

I would have to agree and not just the suggestion that it seems a lot of people are pointing to on the suggestion board that was written for the One.

Put in on the device in the settings section right after the "Heart Rate" on/off control. Call it "Track Steps" on/off.

[MarreFitbit]

I totally understand your point guys @tjhanke and @MrMarv! I'd like to give thanks for the feedback you've provided towards our product. Rest assured that our engineers and product development team use this information to further improve our products.

As mentioned above, I recommend up-voting and commenting on Add "Driving Mode" feature to avoid erroneous steps/floors feature suggestion. This is a space where Community users can post features, ideas, and suggestions that they'd like to see in future Fitbit products, accessories, and software and top-voted suggestions get relayed to our product team for review. 

We're constantly striving to improve Fitbit products and services, and we very much appreciate all of the input we receive from our customers. 

Our product team looks forward to reading and incorporating your suggestions into future versions of Fitbit trackers and apps. 

I'll be around if you need further assistance! 

[Philliphs]

I don't think adding button menu is acceptable as well. We pay premium price for a product that isn't able to detect steps properly while other cheaper and more budget oriented product are able to do the same function better.

They shouldn't include other function to do something in case the main function isn't working, they should make sure the main function works.

[SABINA85]

I just got my fitbit and I am having the same problem. It is counting steps on its own while driving. 

I am a little disappointed with this. 

[Dsews]

I was also looking forward to finally trying the fitbit to count my steps while I am at work. I was disappointed to notice that it logs steps while I am driving. It is wildly impractical for me to have to manually log my driving as I am a package delivery driver. I am in and out of my truck all day, sometimes only driving for a block and sometimes longer stretches. I will still use it for walking, but I guess I'll never know how much I walk at work.

[Steve_1]

There are trackers which doesn't count on moving vehicle...😅 And in mine the speed of the vehicle was 60kmph and steps where counting very fast ....

[MarreFitbit]

Thanks for getting back @Steve_1, @SABINA85, @Philliphs, and @Dsews! I totally understand where your concerns are coming from. Thank you for the thorough feedback for the Fitbit devices. This has not gone unnoticed and be sure that I will pass this along.

Fitbit has been designed to provide motivation and help you to reach your daily goals to success. Please know that we provide feedback to our team based on community posts and we are always working on improving our devices and overall environment based on that feedback.

I'd recommend always taking a look at this post of mine to get more details about this topic. 

If there's any questions present, let me know. 

[Jay2Dub]

My doctor told me I needed to get more exercise so I purchased the Charge 3.

I work as a sanitation worker and do a lot of walking and getting in and out of the truck. I noticed that while driving it was adding steps while I was driving. 

Its a little frustrating that I still don’t have an idea how much I really walk. I reach all these goals and awards everyday but just deduct 2,000 steps 🤷🏾‍:male_sign:

[MarreFitbit]

Welcome on board @Jay2Dub, It's nice to see a new member around! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. I totally understand your point. 

I'd recommend taking a look at this post to get tips and suggestions in order to avoid those extras steps. 

Hope that helps, I'll be around if you need further assistance! 

[djd_oz]

This is pretty disappointing IMHO, is Fitbit working on a fix or should I return the product which is not fit for purpose, please advise.

[PBakes61]

New Fitbit charge 3 for Christmas . What a disappointment. Count 12000 steps driving for 6 hours . WTF useless peice of crap will be returning it . Please sort this out for future people. 

[MarkeyJ]

I’m in the same boat. I do a lot of walking for a living and it said I took 37,458 steps today. There’s not way, is there a way to turn down the sensitivity.

[SunsetRunner]

Yep. I’m returning this after less than a week. I really should have done my homework on this but it is unbelievable how inaccurate this tracker is. And upvoting the post listed seems useless since I came across a post where people were complaining about this since at least 2016.

[MarkeyJ]

The definition of... lesson learned. Makes one wonder how accurate any of it is. (I’m sure they conducted many tests). Taking it back as well. I’ll buy another product after that homework.

[SuJames]

So we should vote for something to be added to the fitbit functionality? Something that was suggested 4 years ago... That, if it does get added, will mean I need to buy a new watch! Every app, step counter, monitor or whatever knows if you're going at a speed faster than walking. I'm so disappointed that the fitbit can't do the same. How utterly pointless. It's tech that has been around for years so I don't know why it's not a basic addition to the watches. 

[AndreaV66]

Very disappointed as I drive the car 2 hours a day and it is counting thousands of non existing steps...

[LuckyLou316]

I don't see a log option on the dashboard to add the driving activity