Screen cracked in heat

[Gkrein]

Fitbit charge 2 is a new band. My daughter and I upgraded to charge 2. Bought them in December. We're in Jamaica for a week February, doing nothing but walking the beach. Mine was fine in the morning when I was done walking my 10000 steps my screen was cracked down the center and along the bottom. My daughter woke up the next morning and hers was also cracked the same way. We didn't do anything but walk the beach. 

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[SunsetRunner]

Don't think I'll  be wearing the next one in the sun either ! 

[F1Jon]

Hi WendyJoan and everyone else following this thread.

It is said many times in here that the Fitbit after sales team are both friendly and helpful with Charge 2 owners and their cracked screens. I have also received the same warm treatment from them, three times, and for this I say thank you!

However...............not something they can fix BUT Fitbit plc / INC / Company (call it what you like) should NOT keep replacing a 'design fault' product with another 'design fault' product that will fail in the same way. I read today that someone has a replacement and will not be wearing it in the sunshine anymore, what use is a tracker that is only worn some of the time.

Come on Fitbit Company, design a new Charge 2 and free issue to all of the people with cracked screens OR send a full refund (original purchase price plus shipping), to allow us to replace with a good tracker! I am annoyed about the way this is being handled by the Company, BUT I still have my Blaze and still would recommend it, which is my argument, YOU CAN MAKE A GOOD PRODUCT!

Regards, Jon.

[WendyJoan]

Hi Jon your right we shouldn’t have to worry when it’s suitable weather
wise to wear our Fitbit’s. It’s up to the company to solve this issue, it
would be interesting to know just how many Fitbit’s they replace! So I’ll
wear my Charge 2 but if it happens again I think I’ll be asking for a full
refund .

[NikJCar]

My screen also cracked in the heat this weekend.  I sat reading magazines in the sunshine and the screen had cracked right the Iggy the centre - top to bottom.  I had cleaned it with a soft cloth an hour earlier so I could see it more clearly in the sunlight.  I believe there are definitely heat issues with charge 2 watch screen.   What is the solution from FITBIT?? 

[GPatrice]

Since i have no longer a warranty on my FitBit, they offered me a 25% discount on my next puchase of a Fitbit product. Sadly, the offer is only good for 30 days. I felt like I got a slap in the face for buying a Fitbit. My Fitbit Flex stopped working one month after the warranty was expired. Now I have a crack on my Fitbit Charge 2. It still works so not in a hurry to buy another one.

[GPatrice]

You are lucky. Mine was 18 months old when the screen cracked because of the hot weather. Since I have no longer a warranty on mine, they offered me 25% off on my next Fitbit purchase but it is only good for 30 days. I will wear my Fitbit Charge 2 for as long as it works. Then I will decide what to do. I might stay away from purchasing another Fitbit. Garmin might be an option or i might just download the App "Track my walk or Map my walk" on my smart phone.

[F1Jon]

The Charge 2 in my tales of woe is my wife's, not mine. I have a Fitbit Blaze, it has seen some rugged treatment which it has stood up to incredibly well, +18 months and works as good as the day when new! So i would recommend that device and IMO it is a better featured device than the Charge 2. We are in the UK and here by law all credit card companies must provide purchasing support in accordance with a clause called Section 75, it is in all UK credit card T & C's. I can hopefully use this to get a refund, even after warranty has expired. The CC company will then chase Fitbit for the money. If more people use this mechanism then hopefully Fitbit will be more compliant. Not sure where you are, but if in UK and purchased with a CC, give it a try. Jon.

[WendyJoan]

Contact customer support they will ask you for some details to check out
your warranty if ok from there they will pass you on to technical services
who will ask for photo of damage including Fitbit logo and the reference no
they’ll give you if successful they send you a replacement pebble I also
got a new strap as that had broken, this is my second replacement only took
s couple of days to sort out they are pretty quick at responding. Good luck

[FBee]

Thanks they were very helpful and a replacement is on its way.

Sent from my iPad

[Fosile]

Yes! Same thing happened to me, I was also in Greece the same few days as you. This is my second Charge 2, my first one cracked in the hot sun of Crete last September. That one was replaced but not due to the screen, but to a faulty battery, which went empty while GPS tracking hikes along with my cell phone. However, the people at the store where I bought it told me that Fitbit are very strict about replacing broken or cracked screens and they told me that I might not get a replacement. But I did - and that's why I was very careful with it the second time around in the hot sun of Greece. I kept it out of direct sunlight and I wear it under my wrist, not over it. I kept checking it to make sure it was not in direct sunlight. But all of a sudden there was a long crack in the middle of the screen from top to bottom. I was really disappointed since I was taking precautions. It seems like the screen really is very sensitive to heat. How are you supposed to go jogging outside and check your speed and pulse if you need to cover up the watch? I will go to the store again where I bought it and pretty sure they will tell me Fitibit won't replace it since it could be my fault that the screen cracked...

[Mymanhood]

Hi there,

Sorry to hear about your problem. I have looked in great detail into this issue as I did not think that the issue was UV related, it’s the temperature itself so it will unfortunately not make much difference how you try to protect it from direct sun light alone.

I think the issue is a direct cause of the different materials coefficient of Thermal expansion. In different temperatures, different materials expand and contract and different rates and by a different mass. So
Probable Athat Thermal inertia is also playing its part!

This is a simple mathematical calculation that Fitbit engineering should be able to do, to check what can be expected of the 2 materials involved, in this case I think plastic or acrylic and aluminium if I am not mistaken. They would have to remember to factor in that the plastic is somehow bonded to the aluminium so it would most probably be “restrained”

To try to put into prospective, a 1m sheet of acrylic will grow by 1.5mm in a 20deg c temperature increase. In aluminium, the same sheet can grow by 3mm, double the growth!!!

This could explain why the cracking appears to be from the inside out! Not like it has been pushed from the outside in, which would be the case in an accidental damage.




Sent from my iPhone

[NikJCar]

Thank you so much for your reply and information
And yes it is push from the inside out! Such an important point.

Best wishes,

Moderator edit: Removed personal info

[Fosile]

Hi and thanks,

I went to the store where I bought the tracker, and they instantly replaced
it, no problem at all. Fortunately I live way up north where heat is a rare
thing, so I guess I should just leave the tracker at home the next time I
go on vacation...!

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[WendyJoan]

I would contact Fitbit customer services direct I sent them a message via
Twitter they just asked to verify my contact details to check on warranty
and send photo of damaged charge 2 they gave me a ref no then passed me
onto technical dept who asked me to send another photo showing damage,
Fitbit logo and the reference no which I wrote on paper within a few hours
I had confirmation to say a new pebble was on its way along with a new
strap which I also complained about as it had broken at the hinge.

[HeydyF]

Hey guys! How are you today?

I appreciate your participation here in the Fitbit Community! On the other side, I'm sorry to hear about the inconveniences you have with the screen of your Charge 2. Also, I want to thank all of you who has taken the time to contact our Fitbit Support team, however, remember that the demands of running a global business require that we enforce our warranty consistently, but as usual, customer satisfaction remains our number one goal. 

In regards of the quality of our products, please keep in mind that Fitbit is always working to improve it and turn this into one of the best fitness experiences for all of our users. We are always innovating our products and services, as the different programs that Fitbit offers as the app usage. You can also rely on the materials that we use, that they will definitely last daily usage and hard workouts. Without mentioning weather conditions, or at least acceptable environmental conditions. 

Please note that our team is always working to improve Fitbit trackers and watches, so all of your comments and feedback are more than welcome, since they let us know what are the areas that need more attention. 

If you have further questions or comments, keep us posted! 

[Meesh0424]

How can we rely on your products when you do not stand behind them? So
we’re expected to only count on having a decent working fitness tracker for
1 year? If you stand behind your product like you say, then you need to
issue a recall for the charge 2, and replace any that are defected. Every
person in my family has a charge 2, and every single one of them has a
crack down the middle. Yet, we can’t get them replaced because it’s barely
been over a year. You offer a ridiculous % off a replacement, but who in
their right mind would go buy another piece of garbage and support a
company who doesn’t stand by their products???

[SDavitt]

100% agree.

This is Fitbit saying we made a bad product and we know it but  we are going to walk away from it and wash our hands. TOUGH LUCK if you bought one. Thats it.

Well NO THANKS Fitbit.

I for one will never buy another of your products and use every opportunity to advise anyone considering such a product to avoid Fitbit and look for an alternative.

[SDavitt]

This is a disgrace. 

Shame on you Fitbit. 

If this is your idea of 'customer satisfaction' then you have no future.

[Meesh0424]

Same!!! I’ve already deterred my neighbors, and boss from buying one and I’ll continue doing so. 

[GPatrice]

I got my Fitbit Charge 2 at 40% off on a black Friday sale. Fitbit offers me 25% off and only good for the next 30 days??? What a joke!!!

Even though there is a crack in the middle, it still works so why would i rush to buy another one? Once it no longer works, i will have to make a decision if i would want to purchase another Fitbit or not. The App “Map my walk” is always an option or try Garmin products for a change.

Warranty or not, i didn’t do anything wrong for the screen to cracked.

You should at least but a warning label to let people know that the screen might crack if used during hot weather.

Sent from my iPhone