Distance on GPS map doesn't match with exercise summary

[Andyn1970]

Hi all

Firstly love the Fitbit Versa does everything I need also the app is great.

BUT over the last couple of weeks the distance recorded by the app is way off. 

I use it connected to my Samsung Galaxy S9+ and its always been very accurate to a tenth of a mile or less. 

But on my last few runs of about 3.4 miles it can be a whole mile out, but just the distance the route it records is spot on but the mile points are in the wrong place for example it recorded 2.44 miles in 30.29.

My wife who also has a Versa connected to an IPhone recorded 3.43 miles in 30.30 this is correct and matches our pace of about 9.30/m

Prior to the last weeks it has always been almost exactly the same as my wife as we run together. 

I have Re started the Versa and the phone, I have cleared the data in the Fitbit app and I have also uninstalled the fitbit app. 

Same result its not always out the same, a couple of runs back it got to 2.89m on the same route. Then on Tuesday it was spot on. 

Any ideas it seems like a small thing but not having an accurate record of your work turns out to be extremely frustrating.

Anyone else had this? 

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[Twillis1635]

Great post! That’s great info. Thank you.

Sent from my iPhone

[LostEchoes]

Another interesting report for this matter here:
https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Charge-3/GPS-distance-totally-wrong-on-Charge-3/m-p/3259017#M38876

p.s. so far not only one but TWO of my posts in this topic have been deleted. 

On the last one, I only posted my thoughts :

1) asking how come a 3.9.1 (and not a 3.9.2) version has been released again with the same version number as the previous one, and whether it is the exact same version as the old 3.9.1 that was pulled. I wanted to know if this 3.9.1 has any differences and fixes. 

2) quoting this very helpful post by a Fitbit moderator where she explains how the distance is calculated, a post that could help us understand what's going on with the "Connected GPS inaccurate Distance" issue that has been reported by some many people.

I have genuinely regretted spending my money to buy a Fitbit tracker. A little respect to the customers that keep this company going would be appreciated. 

[Jackos]

Unsurprisingly reinstalling, clearing the cache etc didn't help, neither did dancing round in a circle singing Madonna hits. Distance reported by fitbit is still way off, (9.29 km verses 10.82 km google fit), so the pace is off by a minute I'm running as well, means my fitbit is completely useless. Going to give this until Black Friday and then see if I can pick up a Garmin 245 for a good price if this isn't fixed by then.  

[Lemmin]

I am also having this issue. The last run that was accurately tracked was on the 12th of September. I ran on Wednesday evening (6th of November), and did 5.2km (a known 5k route for me - and measured using google maps). Fitbit logged 4.28km for the same run, although looking at the map trace, the route seems to be the same. I'm guessing there is some issue calculating the distance from the GPS positions, rather than a problem getting the GPS co-ordinates.

Going back a month, to the beginning on October, the problem was the other way round - I would run 6.1km and the app would log 6.7km.

Either way this makes it very hard to pace yourself during training.

I've had a few email exchanges between Fitbit customer services and myself, but very unsatisfactory. They seem unwilling to acknowledge there is an issue, and give me what looks like canned responses (the one about it using stride length until it has a GPS signal - despite me providing a screenshot showing it has accurate GPS positions) or stalling tactics (asking for screenshots showing the problem in the app)

[astiesi]

What is even sadder is they now have metrics that base themselves off of the results of GPS tracked runs (cardio fitness score) which in turn is now a rather useless metric due to this issue. My per mile times and fitness score now both look very good due to the fact in my case, it over calculates the distance run.

I really believe those of us who have bought into the Fitbit brand (having been through 2 flex, 2 charge 2s, and 2 versas, and an aria between my wife and I) deserve at least a description of what the actual problem is and some explanation as to whether or not it will be fixed. Again, I swear I saw a post a month or two ago stating the problem had been identified but would take time for the correct/permanent fix but I have been unable to find that post again. Would be really nice for a moderator here to take these complaints seriously and beat up management until a satisfactory message could be formulated.

[AEM2007]

I'm so glad someone lead me to this thread. I've been going crazy trying to figure out how to fix the distance/pace issue. Sad to find out there's nothing I can do though. I'm guess I'm going to have to start looking into a Garmin. 

[Andyn1970]

Nope, didn't work

My watch recorded 3.18 miles at 10:16 per mile

My wife's recorded 3.47 at 9:18 per mile

I have just sat down with Google earth and used the measuring tool to plot out the route this comes out to 3.5, that is pretty close to my wife's watch on IOS. 

But mine is heading for half a mile out on a 3.5 mile run. That would be several miles out if you did a marathon. 

I have turned off auto detection on the watch run app and also on the phone. So none of that was interfering with it. It just does not work. 

[RunHolmanRun]

Went out for a 5k tonight, I'm sure you can all guess how well my Versa tracked the run.

FitbitCorrected StravaFitbit TCX file

[Davie1888]

Well good luck folks I got in touch with Amazon and they've agreed to refund me and I've returned the Versa. Once the cash hits my bank I'm getting a Garmin. 

In this day and age to sell something with an issue and to launch a new model with said issue is not on.

[Andyn1970]

I got mine from Argos possibly just under 12 months ago so I may give them a try. 

I really want it to work but it doesn't and I don't think it ever will. 

Just mean that I will be on a different app system to the rest of the family. 

That sucks. 

[Jackos]

Reading the last few posts is depressing, my 6 month old fitbit is ready for the scrap heap and there is nothing I can to about it.   I will ensure I write up reviews for every comparison site in Sweden explaining these issues, I can't get my monet back but perhaps I can ensure a few others do not make the same mistake I did.

[Davie1888]

Yeah I know where you're coming from my family all use Fitbits and will probably stay with them but since I've gone from walking to taking up running and starting to take my training a bit more seriously I cant rely on the Fitbit to do what I need it to do anymore so its game over from me.

[astiesi]

I am still holding out hope that Fitbit can fix this issue (although going on 2 months is pretty concerning). I was actually very pleased with the Versa and its connected GPS performance through the first 9 months of owning it. It did a very good job throughout 40+ runs and only started this behavior in mid-September. I know folks have been fighting with spotty performance for much longer but mine just showed up recently so perhaps not all issues are related. 

Now the customer support has been pretty much trash, but being past the point of a refund I'll give it till December before moving on from Fitbit products.

[SunriseRun427]

It's likely a software problem - distance / GPS tracking works perfectly on an iPhone 5 running iOS 10. If anyone's got one of those lying around, give it a go.

[astiesi]

Same run tonight (Fitbit vs. Strava). And the Strava calculation was done via the GPS integration with the Versa. Thank you Fitbit for the shocking accuracy, I appreciate looking like a much better athlete than I am but I'd prefer accuracy over the ego boost.

Strava

Fitbit

[SunsetRunner]

What I would prefer most is that Fitbit would acknowledge that there is even a problem.

This was a test: a boat tour. But since GPS doesn't care of you move or not, it should still calculate a distance.

 

Since Strava is able to calculate an accurate distance, that proves the GPS data itself is fine. It's just the Fitbit app that doesn't do what it's supposed to. But Fitbit won't acknowledge that.

[Andyn1970]

OK this is not a fix and does not help with your data on Fitbit  that is still useless.

BUT

If you have your Fitbit set to upload to Strava ( i highly recommend it if you have not it is free) Log on to your Strava dashboard on a PC or possibly a tablet.

Go to one of your runs that the data is incorrect and open the run. On the left side of the page under "OVERVIEW" there is a button with 3 dots, click this and chose to "export GPX".

this will save the file to your pc. Now click on the three dots again and chose "DELETE" this will, no surprises delete your workout.

Then up to the right next to your profile picture there is an orange plus sign.

Click this and pick upload activity then select FILE and click CHOOSE FILES. Brows to the saved GPX file and open it.

This will load the same workout back in to Strava but for me the distance has been correct to the GPS so my pace and split times are all correct.

I have now done this with all my runs that had the distance and pace wrong, they all show correct now, sure there is a 1/0th of a mile here and there but that can just be GPS inaccuracy.

This was the run as it was uploaded by Fitbit.

This is the same Run as above just exported from Strava, the run deleted, and then the GPX file re loaded back in to Strava

As I say its not a fix and it takes a while but if you want your pace and splits recorded correctly at least in Strava this seems to work.

Please do one at a time, it has worked for me but I dont want blaming if someone manages to delete all their runs.

[RunHolmanRun]

@Andyn1970 it would easy to just log in to strava (desktop), click the runs name (evening run), then click 'distance?' and correct distance.

[SunsetRunner]

There is an even quicker way!

In the first of your screenshots you see that the word "distance" (below the 2.69 mi) is a link. If you click or tap on that, you get the option to "correct distance'" and if you choose that, Strava corrects the distance. 

Same result but a few less clicks 😊

[Andyn1970]

Does this have to be the paid version? 

My mouse pointer turns into a hand but the text is grey and does not do anything when I click it.