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

[Carmichaelds]

I am having the same issue with my charge 3. It doesn't make any difference if I have it charging or if I take it off and put it on the center console, it continues to coun there needs to be some way to set it to driving mode, or even be able to turn it off during these times. 

[MarkeyJ]

The only fix is to take it back and get your money back. Or throw it in the trash.

Sent from my iPhone

[RBeh1]

You need to quit making excuses for the company on this problem. They have had this problem for a long time and continue to sell this knowing it has a major flaw. People buy it to track steps and it’s not able to do this accurately, while driving.  What a total disappointment.It should be corrected so people can download the fix or it should be taken of the market for sale. I was so looking forward to getting this charge 3 and in driving 5 hrs today it added 8000 miles. 

[JessTipple]

That suggestion you linked to is from 2014!! How has this not yet been addressed 5 years later? The driving thing is the reason I returned both a Charge 2 and a Charge 3. It's ridiculous.

[SunsetRunner]

Dear Marrefitbit, having read all the comments about Charge3 and its inaccuracy, it is a pity that you keep thanking everyone for comments and asking for further information as you are always available to assist. This does not resolve what is being raised and all you are doing is patronising everyone. Fitbit has offered a product that is not performing adequately as advertised at a premium price and users are being used as guinea pigs to help Fitbit improve its offering at the expense of the users. Not good enough so returning my Charge 3 after only one day of wearing it. Incidentally, I owned an Apple Watch Series 3 before this and sold it after a few months as I find the effort in managing trackers with smartphones more effort than is needed, and my iPhone tracks steps, etc. quite adequately in its own. 

[BarbMarie131]

Update: I gave up on the Charge 3 and bought a Versa. Much more accurate.


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[SusieFerguson]

I am waiting for an update that will correctly count my steps. This is a premium item. Plus, I share this info with my husband and doctors as I am recovering from a major illness.  It must be accurate for me to track my strength and endurance, rest etc.

[Gemley3]

I’ve got the same issue with my Fitbit, even if I take it off and don’t wear it when driving it will still count steps, complete waste of money, the whole point I bought it was to count my steps, I drive a lot for work and don’t have a set time that I will be driving - downloaded the app for driving and it doesn’t work. Should of got a Apple Watch. 

[JessTipple]

Same!! The only work around is to actually LOG your driving which is ridiculous. There should be a driving more or it should auto detect it. Nonsense. 

[Jay2Dub]

Who runs as fast as a moving car. 

[JessTipple]

I know right - apparently my Charge 2 AND Charge 3 thought I was the freaking Flash, and I ran 80 miles in 90 minutes. So stupid.  I returned them both and won't buy another Fitbit product until this is fixed.

[MMFitz]

Seriously, this is a serious issue. The device does not work. It does not count steps accurately, particularly bad when driving. This is not a sensible solution. I know you are doing your best and it is extremely unfair of Fitbit to put moderators in this position. The device does not work, it's really not defensible.

[AlejandraFitbit]

Thanks for your participation in the Community guys.

I am sorry for the delay in respond and will be glad to help you out with the issue you are having with your Charge 3 recording steps while driving.

@BarbMarie131, it's sad to hear that you gave up on your Charge 3. Let us know if there is anything else we can help you with.

@SunsetRunner, @SusieFerguson, @Gemley3, @JessTipple, @Jay2Dub and @MMFitz, Fitbit has worked hard to make sure that our devices do not pick up false steps or activity recordings while driving. Unless you're driving in a car with a very stiff transmission or on bumpy roads, your device should not give you any false readings. 

If your device does record false activity, you can learn how to delete the data by following the instructions provided in the help article: How do I edit or delete Fitbit data and activities?.

I will see you around. 

[MMFitz]

I am very disappointed in this response.  ButI am wondering if we are all looking at the issue incorrectly.

We are clearly - there are many many Fitbit users of charge 3 devices with this issue- driving the wrong kind of cars on the wrong kind of roads ! Could you tell us what cars at what speeds on what kinds of roads don't count extra steps ? 

The number of extra steps I get on a 150 Mile  journey on UK motorway driving a manual transmission car is over 4000 extra steps. I have tried not wearing the Fitbit while driving but it still picks up the extra steps.

I would love Fitbit to acknowledge and fix this issue. I like a lot of the features of this device but it does not function as a step tracker with this issue. It is a real shame these were good products.

I am sorry for the delay in respond and will be glad to help you out with the issue you are having with your Charge 3 recording steps while driving.

@BarbMarie131, it's sad to hear that you gave up on your Charge 3. Let us know if there is anything else we can help you with.

@SunsetRunner, @SusieFerguson, @Gemley3, @JessTipple, @Jay2Dub and @MMFitz, Fitbit has worked hard to make sure that our devices do not pick up false steps or activity recordings while driving. Unless you're driving in a car with a very stiff transmission or on bumpy roads, your device should not give you any false readings. 

If your device does record false activity, you can learn how to delete the data by following the instructions provided in the help article: How do I edit or delete Fitbit data and activities?.

I will see you around. 

I am very disappointed in this response.  But I am wondering if we are all looking at the issue incorrectly.

We are clearly - there are many many Fitbit users of charge 3 devices with this issue- driving the wrong kind of cars on the wrong kind of roads ! Could you tell us what cars at what speeds on what kinds of roads don't count extra steps ? 

The number of extra steps I get on a 150 Mile  journey on UK motorway driving a manual transmission car is over 4000 extra steps. I have tried not wearing the Fitbit while driving but it still picks up the extra steps.

I would love Fitbit to acknowledge and fix this issue. I like a lot of the features of this device but it does not function as a step tracker with this issue. It is a real shame these were good products.

Moderator edit: merged reply

[Gemley3]

They won’t take it back as it’s already been set up, I’ve tried. It’s ridiculous paying money for something that doesn’t work correctly. 

[Coffeechief]

My new Charge 3 goes back to the retailer tomorrow. I bought it a few days ago. Did the update. It has given me bazaar readings. Going along in the car it notches up loads of steps. I went up and down the slope on my ride along lawnmower and it gave me 60 floors for no effort. I read the Fitbit reply to these sorts of complaints. What rubbish! My Fitbit One didn't do that. I have counted my steps and floors from time to time on my One and it was pretty accurate. If this old model can do it, why can't the latest technology do it? I have de listed my Charge 3 off my phone and account and reinstated my Fitbit One. I won't be buying a new Fitbit until I'm satisfied it performs as well as the One.

[Dsews]

Your response is not helpful at all. The solution is to delete exercise activity, which is pretty much the same as the solution to log your driving times.  That is very impractical when your job involves driving and you are in and out of a vehicle 50+ times a day.  I can't be expected to keep track of all the driving times and log them at the end of the day.  If I was going to do that I might as well just count my steps myself and not rely on a device designed for that purpose to do it for me.

[Gemley3]

I completely agree, I have the same issue. 

[Slimstinator]

This has been logged as an issue for months and nothing has been done to improve it?

Just got my Charge 3 and cannot believe the number of extra steps it is logging, while driving, while typing, while brushing teeth, etc etc. 

If this is not going to get improved, then I will just send it back. An activity tracker at over £100 which can't accurately count steps?

[Bokato]

I wish I've read this topic before buying the Fitbit Charge 3.

I have been taken time to consider between Fitbit charge 3 vs Garmin VM4, and finally I bought the F.Charge 3 yesterday, becoz it looks too much attractive 🙂

Then I feel so disappointed with the accuracy of step count as other users complained, I also can not believe in other functions of this device.

P/S: it count 3000 steps when I woke up and drive to office (stopped by for breakfast), which around 10km.

Other than that, the issue has been posted so long ago but never been fixed properly, to make the user happy. Unbelievable!

What can I do now, so sad!