Charge 3 died and won't start

[Azurite]

Having used my new charge 3 for less than a week, I started having issues today. When I took it off my hand, the green light at the back didn't stop flashing. I couldn't turn it on with touchscreen. I thought maybe battery has gone flat and I plugged in the charger, it vibrated, restarted it and got smiley face. It was ok for few hours and then it started vibrating non stop until it died and turned off. I was unable to switch it on since then. It doesn't charge, doesn't vibrate when trying to connect to the charger - but it gets very hot after leaving it for few minutes on the charger. I followed instructions to try to restart it but no luck. Has it just died permanently or is there anything I can do?

[CAlderman]

Same issue with mine, barely had it three days. Hope they fix this issue soon!

[MarreFitbit]

Welcome on board @Azurite, it's nice to see you around the forums! Thanks for already troubleshooting this inconvenience with the Charge 3 not turning on, nice way to go! 

Since you've exhausted all the steps in order to fix this, I have reached out to our support team and created a case regarding your inquiry. Someone will be reaching out to you within the next 24-72 hours with next steps. 

Thanks for jumping in here @CAlderman! I was about to create a support case on your behalf too, but I've seen that you chatted with our team already. Please keep an eye on your inbox for updates. 

If there's anything else I may assist you with, let me know. 

[BirdseyeUT]

Hi MarreFitbit:

Please add me to the opening of a case file. I have the same problem. Half way through the second day, I no longer could get anything to pull up on my screen. I am a high school teacher and was tracking my steps while still at school before heading home. The Charge3 stopped recording and/or syncing with my iPhone app towards the end of the school day. 

Since I am new to using a FitBit and thought I was just not swiping it correctly, I had my daughter, that is an experienced FitBit User of the Alta HR check it out. She did all of the usual troubleshooting tips. It stays black, doesn't appear to be charging even utilizing two different ports that work for her FitBit, and the only indications of any "life" to the Charge3 is the flickering green bar on the back side.

[abg929]

I have the same issue this morning.  It died for no reason, fully charged, after a week or less of use.  And the green light on the back is flashing continuously.

[BirdseyeUT]

Hi!

Looks llike several of us are having the same problem. I am doing a Steps
Challenge with my work, so I have had to use my daughter's FitBit, because
my Charge 3 doesn't come on. 😞

I haven't been contacted yet by the Troubleshooting Team to open a Case #
for me. If you hear from them, please let me know. I plan on calling FitBit
later this morning and request to talk to Technical Support. If I receive
info, I will update my post.

Good luck. I hope we get help soon!

[Mvanceokuno]

Just had this problem with mine also. I’ve had it for 2 weeks.  What are the steps to fix it?

[abg929]

In my case I had to restart it by plugging it into the charger and pressing
the button until the smiley face came on. That was the fix.

[BirdseyeUT]

I went the route of being transferred from regular Fitbit Website chat to a
troubleshooting chat. It started to light up when I was talking to the rep.
My luck since I don’t think the problem was solved, rather a random chance
it came back on. Turns out I was right. See next paragraph. While the Tech
rep continued the chat, he emphasized restarting the USB port each time I
go to charge the Charge 3. I thought this was strange since restarting the
computer is the only way we know of restarting the USB port. Also, my
daughter has another model of Fitbit and hasn’t had charging issues.

We recharged the Fitbit that evening and into the next day. It was showing
a 90% charge. I wore it a day or two later. It stopped showing on Tues,
10/23/18: we attempted to charge it again and showed no signs of charging
ie battery fill icon. Later in evening it randomly came on again showing
battery at 90% charge. Wore it to work and had break opportunities to wall
in the high school halls. Without warning, it died again at approx 10,970
steps, since I knew this before getting in car to go to a meeting. Grrr.

We managed to get it to charge last night. I wore it today yet only had
time to put in about 3,000 steps so unknown yet if what I am guessing is
another issue of Charge3 ...draining the battery unusually fast.

I recommend a new rebranding name for the Charge3 to Charge Now!!!

If I have one more issue with this Fitbit, I will request that a new free
charger for the Charge3 be sent to me. I am a unhappy camper right now with
particular Fitbit model, because so far I can’t count on it to work.

I hope this long post helps you in some way.

[Azurite]

Update to the issue: customer services contacted me and asked to return the fitbit and they will replace it as I have exhausted all the steps to fix it and none of them work. Just to be more precise, I had 2 fitbits charge 3 - one is mine, the other one was a present (and that's the one not working). Hopefully new tracker will arrive soon!

[SunsetRunner]

I am having the exact  same issue and did all the troubleshooting steps. Completely dead and won’t charge after only having it for 2 weeks. 

[KellyES]

I too am having the same problem. This is very frustrating since my Charge 3 is basically new. Please help!

[abg929]

The fix for me was just to restart it -- which I never had to do with the
charge 2 so I didn't know it was even possible.

[BirdseyeUT]

We discovered only recently what is meant by restarting it. Troubleshooting
several days ago said restart USB port of computer. We had been restarting
the computer the Fitbit was connected to. Duh on our part. After my
daughter read up on it, you need to hold in the button on the side of the
Charge3 for 8 secs while it is in the charger. The light will then come on
after a completely dead battery. (Hopefully.)

Turn off all notifications except for tracking purposes if you are
experiencing rapid drain of battery.

[KellyES]

I have attempted to restart using the method you just suggested multiple times and the screen is still black. Sadly it was working one Minute And black and unresponsive the next.

Sent from my iPhone

[Maha_kha]

I have the same exact problem can you please help me with that as well? 

[Ilanaw10]

I got my Charge 3 last week.  Wore it successfully until today when it went dark out of the blue, charged at 70%, and won't turn on again.  So frustrating. We live out of the US and had to have a friend bring it over.  Now what?

[BirdseyeUT]

Mine died again yesterday by 8:30 am after supposedly a full charge
overnight. I’m done.

I am requesting from Tech Support the procedure for returning Charge3 for a
refund this morning. I am going with the same model of Fitbit that my
daughter has, which is the Alta HR. The Alta hasn’t given her a moment of
issues. Her Fitbit is easy to read even though smaller and the look is more
dainty for a woman. So much for my theory of getting “the latest and
greatest”. Obviously, the Charge3 should be back in the testing phase with
the company.

I hope you have better luck with your Charge3!

[Mvanceokuno]

Put the Fitbit in the charger and hold down the button on the side for 8 seconds. A smiley face should show up and it should reboot

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[Hassansarwar]

Just bought the charge 3, restarted by holding the button for 8 seconds. A happy smiley appears after which screen turns black. After a while, the sad smiley re appears. Please let me know if there is a fix for this one.