Charge 4 Battery Dead and Won’t Charge

[AliceGyer]

About 4 days ago, my 17-month-old Charge 4 suddenly started holding a charge for only about 6 hours, despite my disabling the GPS. As of yesterday, it wouldn’t charge or turn on at all, although it would vibrate when I connected it to the charger and pressed the start button. As of today, it won’t even vibrate when on the charger. The battery seems completely dead.  My Fitbit app says it can’t find the Charge 4. 
I’ve tried EVERYTHING in the link below, and I know the charging cable works. It has been on the charger more than 24 hours —and still nothing. Please help!

I’ve tried everything here:

https://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/1190.htm?Highlight=Charge%20

[AliceGyer · Accepted solution]

got an answer from support via twitter. Apparently they don’t think it’s fixable, and it’s no longer under warranty. They encouraged me to buy a new Fitbit. So I paid $149 to use a product for less than a year and a half, and now they want me to do it again. 😞

[janet26802]

There’s a whole thread with about 40 complaints about this same issue….. my first fitbit lasted me 3+years. 😢

[Marlid]

I have exactly the same issues. Completely dead and when on charge it just overheats and shows no signs of life. Charger and Watch way too hot to touch. 

[Bandicat80]

Oh think this is probably the answer I’m looking for. Mines a year old. Strap broke, sent off for new one and before they arrived fit bit now will not charge. Buzz when connected but button dead, screen dead. Charged 12h nothing. Looks like that was an expensive 12 months. I now have two new straps and no fit bit! Loathed to buy a new one. Put probably will. 😣

[JuanFitbit]

Hi everybody! Thank you for your messages and feedback

@AliceGyer, @Bandicat80 I appreciate that you contacted support and shared your experience here. Your feedback is very important for us to improve our services and products. 

@Marlid , A warm welcome to the Community! Thank you for sharing your situation. 

If you haven't done so, please give our team a call or chat with them. They'll be glad to have a closer look at your Charge 4. 

Here you'll find our contact options

See you around. 

[Dbybee]

I am having the exact same problem , This is my 3rd and last Fitbit I buy .  I like the many features it has but they never seem last me more than 11/2 years so Apple Watch it is .

[Bikini]

Fitbit should be offering a 50 percent discount for a charge 5. This problem appears to be a software/battery issue.

[cloclovilla]

Me too I have the exact same issue. Have you found any solution? 

[cloclovilla]

I'm shocked and honestly very angry mine didn't even last a year and a half. I'm never buying a Fitbit again and I'd recommend people stay clear. It's sad cause I had high hopes...

[Marlid]

Unfortunately there was absolutely no solution. Very annoyed at the lack
of interest from Fitbit on this issue, especially as it has happened to so
many users
Poor service indeed

[JuanFitbit]

Hi everybody!

Thank you for keeping us updated. 

The next step should be contact our team to verify that the Charge 4 and your case. 

Here you'll find our contact options. 

[robie_c]

their watches are typically useless after a year.  disposable fitbits.  i was warned prior to my purchase but i still bought their watch for me and my wife and learned the hard way. 

[Uriel123]

Same here its only 1 year old and the second Fitbit I have had, always a better issue. Last time they said they would give me a 30 euros voucher towards a new one. Not going to bother anymore

[JMoney79]

Mine is than a year and it's the same as you described it!

[ThePaulGuy]

My charge2 lost its screen ( very faded so unreadable) after about 30 months. My original Charge3 was faulty after a week, replaced under warranty. The replacement charge3 lost its screen after about 20 months. Now my latest charge4 seems to be losing battery capacity after 20 months. Until last week it was 6 days, now suddenly it’s only 6 hours! The charge5 has less functionality than the4, so I think my choice is an Inspire2, a different brand tracker (the Fitbit app is great, even though Premium is a joke), a Casio G-Shock or just stop wearing a watch!

[ThePaulGuy]

Yes I constantly had to replace straps on the Ace, Charge2, and Charge3. My Charge4 came with a limited edition fabric strap, which hasn’t broken after 22 months, but started coming away from the tracker body around the same time as the battery life dropped from 6 days to 6 hours. 

[ThePaulGuy]

Charge 5 seems to be a downgrade from Charge4 (no floors, shorter battery life). The pricing model is all wrong.

What they should do, as the App is so good, is sell an annual subscription to the app and send out a free new Inspire every year, with 2 replacement straps! The app is the good part, why is it free rather than the short life hardware? Mobile phone operators used to give free hardware if you sign up for another year, why not Fitbit?

[ThePaulGuy]

Casio G-Shock? Fitbit hardware rarely lasts 24 months

[ThePaulGuy]

The Inspire2 is half the price of an Inspire3, and comes with a years premium member ship. Think of it as €49.99 for premium membership, and a free tracker.