Charge 3 worthless after firmware update

[Harleygm]

a couple of months ago Fitbit did a firmware update.  After that my screen was black.  Did all of the restarts and resets recommended several times in the blog.  Managed to get a barely visible clock.  Still cannot see anything else, just the clock.  Now it has started randomly vibrating like crazy.  It will do a long fast vibrate three times in a row before it stops.  What are the solutions?  I have a $200+ tracker I can only view on my phone or online.  Certainly can't see anything on my wrist!!

[Harleygm]

I think there should be a recall on all of the Charge 3's, or refund toward something that works

[NicSF]

Me too.  Did the update and now screen blank.  Yes still works collecting the data, but can't see clock, steps, messages or anything on the wrist.  I have tried the restart (plug in and press button for 15 secs until smiling face appears) but still blank screen

[AlvaroFitbit]

@Harleygm @NicSF Thanks for stopping by!

Sorry to hear that your Charge 3's not working as it should and thank you for troubleshooting this issue. @Harleygm since the issue persists I have created a ticket so our Support team can further assist you via email. @NicSF since your tracker is still syncing I suggest you try to change the clock face by following these instructions.

Let me know how it goes.

[Tinaj5143]

I’m also having issues with my Charge 3. Posted a forum topic last night but I cannot find it anywhere.

mine started a few months back duplicating my step count. Then when I synced it my step count would half. It would vibrate that I had done 10,000 steps multiple times a day even though I hadn’t. That went on for about a month then stopped. Then last week the screen became unresponsive. It still counts my steps and shows the clock but it doesn’t respond to touch at all. I did a soft reboot and it worked for a few minutes. but since then nothing at all. 

I tried to do a long reboot after browsing the forums but it doesn’t seem to work. When I plug in the charger I don’t see the battery icon (although it does charge up) If I hold down the side button I get the smiley face after 8 seconds then it reverts to clock face, keeping hold for longer makes no difference at all. 

I have tried changing the clock face within the app to ‘wake it up’, the news clock face displays on my device but it is still unresponsive to taps or touches. 

I bought it just under a year ago on November 25th. I’m not sure how to open a support ticket and no idea where to go from here now. 

Any advice greatly welcomed 🙂 

[Vivelisabet]

have same problem, exactly as you described, screen is now black, see the smile after restarting and nothing else, keeps buzzing 

[Vivelisabet]

I did change screen, didn’t work 

[AlvaroFitbit]

@Tinaj5143 @Vivelisabet I hope you're doing well.

Let me help you with your unresponsive Charge 3's and think you for troubleshooting this issue. I have also created tickets for you. You will get emails from our Support team.

Keep me posted.

[Tinaj5143]

@AlvaroFitbit Thank you so much for your assistance. Fingers crossed. 

weirdly, I’ve noticed that if I swipe left (for instance) on the clock face, nothing happens, then if I let the face go off and then raise my wrist straight away to wake it up, it will have then moved to the ‘exercise’ screen. Then I tap exercise to go into the sub menu... again nothing happens, let the screen display go off then raise my wrist and it will show the sun menu. Sometimes it takes a couple of attempts. Obviously I can’t use it like this but I just thought it might help with troubleshooting to add this extra information. 

Thanks again

Tina 

[PixelJ]

I too am having this issue. Started with just the top of my screen being dark now I basically can't see anything of use on my screen. Really not happy as this was an expensive birthday present and i can now only see my steps etc when I go on the app on my phone! Are there any solutions??

[Rusty1953]

I had the same problem. device was only 8 months old when update done, and has never worked properly since. Got to the point where nothing could be seen on the screen. Talked to customer service and because it is now passed the one year , they will do nothing about it except give me a discount on a new more expensive device. Worked fine before the update and I feel the company should do something more to correct the problem and not just tell us to do a restart. Don't they read the comments. EVERYONE that has a charge 3 has the same problem. Company screwed up somewhere and needs to be accountable for their mistake. Time to make it right!!!

[LolaEKay]

I totally agree! Just did the update this evening and I only have a single white line and the rest of tge display seems fine, but from what I'm reading it will only get worse.