Charge 4 GPS connectivity issues

[philguk]

Updated our Charge 4s yesterday. Mine still holds a GPS connection when we walk, but my wife’s continues to lose GPS after about 15 minutes

This has NEVER worked

Time to get UK consumer protection involved I think. You cannot sell people devices that do t work, and then string out the fault finding so that their warranties run out. That’s bordering on criminal behaviour 

Having said that, I suspect that guarantees I’ll get zero response from FitBit

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[MarreFitbit]

Hi there, @philguk. Thanks for stopping by in the Community Forums. We‘re taking your comments and sentiments in regards to our products and services into consideration.

GPS dropouts can be caused by several things (tall buildings, trees, overcast, etc.). Please take into consideration the following information when using GPS:

• Confirm that the exercise type uses built-in GPS. For more information, see How do I start a workout with GPS on my Fitbit device?

• Make sure that you have a clear view of the sky when you start the exercise. Environmental factors, including tall buildings, dense forest, steep hills, and thick cloud cover, can interfere with your device’s ability to connect to GPS satellites. If the signal is blocked—either because you're indoors, underground, or due to another reason—GPS won't work.

• Check that GPS is turned on for the exercise. For more information, see How do I turn on GPS for an exercise on my Fitbit device?
• Make sure that your device is charged to at least 80%.
• Confirm that your device is syncing with the Fitbit app. The more you sync your device, the faster your device can connect to GPS.
• Avoid trying to start an exercise with GPS several times in a row, which can prevent your device from connecting to GPS.
• Note that Charge 4 vibrates and a notification appears if the tracker can’t connect to GPS after 10 minutes. You can choose to end the exercise, change the GPS mode, and start the exercise again. To change the GPS mode, see How do I manage the GPS settings on Charge 4?

For more information about GPS, see How do I use GPS on my Fitbit device? 

Hope that helps. 

[philguk]

Thanks, but it’s no help at all

This FitBit has NEVER kept its GPS tracking under ANY circumstances I’ve complained multiple times (as have others). Been waiting over 12 months for a “software fix”

Unimpressed by FitBit and it’s tech support

Phil G

Sent from my iPad

[Chaoshacker]

I fully understand what philguk wrote, because I'm having the same issues. And all the good tips what has to be done to get a GPS connection don't help. The signal always gets lost sooner or later. It wouldn't even be so bad if at least the tracker would try to get the signal again when lost! But when it's lost, then it's lost for this session completely. I would have to start a new session while I'm still running...

[pskn]

After update latest firmware. My charge 4 cannot connect to its built-in gps AT ALL. And if it set to phone gps, it only tracked only some portion of my exercise route 😞

before update it worked perfectly. 

[MTyH]

GPS on the Charge 4 is junk. It could be a clear day in the suburbs and GPS won’t connect. If it does connect then it’ll drop after 10 minutes. Fitbit’s response is ridiculous, who lives where there are no trees and it’s never cloudy. 

[UncleWillie]

I'm actually wondering if it even connects for the 10 minutes or did it not get a signal at all and it times out after 10 minutes of trying?  I did a test this weekend.  Went for a run, after 10 minutes it buzzed and said it had lost GPS connection.  So I stopped running, ended the activity, and started a new run.  I gave it about 30 seconds standing in one spot and I was on a road with no trees, obstructions, clouds etc and then started running again.  10 minutes into the activity (30 seconds standing still and 9min 30 seconds running), it buzzed at me again and said it had lost GPS connection.  Did the same thing again, stopped running, ended the activity and started a new run.  I gave it over a minute again with nothing anywhere around me and then started running.  Guess what happened after 10 minutes again??.....Brutal!   Please fix or replace with a product that works!  

[BradMCK]

Something has gone wrong and is worse after the latest update , I am running the same route since I have this charge 4 for almost 2 years, same building around and same trees etc. it always worked even running for 21km , now within 2km it stops everyday. This is frustrating and a waste of time as your pace is messed up . This defeats the purpose  of a tracker with built in GPS. 
really also frustrating to see Fitbit support just copying and pasting the standard help article as a fix.

Houston we have real problem —/ Help us  

[RobIgoUK]

I'm having the same trouble.  Had my charge 4 for 18 months, always connects just before my daily run within a minute. Since last update won't connect.. stood waiting and waiting so end up running with it not connected.  Tried hard reset (holding down the button) whilst on the charger - been for a walk again today - GPS dropped out.

something has changed.

[BradMCK]

Exactly! I did all the resets from the device and the 8s hold  the button while charging. No change.
Last year I had an issue GPS not calculating accurately after firmware update. After much complaining and little help they eventually released some patch.

let’s see? Don’t hold your breath though 🙂 

[UncleWillie]

Is the patch recent? 

[BradMCK]

No it’s old , been superseded by this firmware update and another I think

[BradMCK]

@@Fitbit support , do you actually read these concerns and are you looking into our issue here , which is a major one??

or are we just talking to each other and hoping for the best ?

 Thanks 

brad 

[UncleWillie]

Hi everyone!  

I'm not sure if something changed, but in the last 8 days or so I have had 4 runs that have all tracked with the GPS fine!

Here is how I got it to work:

1. Selected Excercise

2. Chose run

3. Hit Start

4. Waited about 30 seconds to 1 minutes while it says "connecting" until I felt it buzz and saw it say "connected".  

5. Hit the play button and started my run

What I used to do was skip the wait on step 4 and just hit the play button.  When I first got my fitbit, that worked fine and it seemed to pick up GPS while I was moving.

Not sure if this helps anyone, but worth a shot as I've had my first tracked runs in a long time actually work!  

[Chaoshacker]

I just read what Uncle Willie wrote, but I can confirm this experience.  When I "prepare" my watch before the run, I let it already connect to the satellites. This is while I prepare myself for the run. So it has some minutes and probably connects to more satellites than necessary. My last three runs with 10 to 13 km worked perfectly now!

[BradMCK]

Yip it’s now working , tested 5 times in a row , however , I did not do anything different from before  as I always let my device connect to GPS about 5 mins before I head out. Like the previous GPS issue , it starts after a firmware update on the device. You complain to Fitbit support , they are not helpful at all, we make a noise here , then miraculously it fixes itself, strange and frustrating. At least it’s fixed.

Fitbit help now needs to apply a patch to the standard of their support :)…

Brad