Problems with Versa after swimming

[Nigel1903]

I have had a Versa for just over 2 weeks and it has been working well until today when I went pool swimming fir the first time with it. After the swim (c.20 mins) I dried the watch and immediately saw that it was working erratically. It restarted itself numerous times, the touch screen stopped working (to taps and swipes), the buttons only worked intermittently and within 30 mins the battery was dead. This cannot be normal after a swim. I am assuming the water seals are faulty but wanted to check with Support before requesting an exchange. 

[Nigel1903 · Accepted solution]

Update on yesterday’s post. Overnight my Versa died completely. Nothing now, just a blank screen. Has Fitbit support got anything to say to me about this issue? Anything at all? For me, this is about brand integrity and trust. I can no longer believe  Fitbit that the Versa is water resistant. Can I, therefore, believe anything about the product. Anything I see about my exercise and sleep? Can I trust the build quality of any of their products? Talk to me, Fitbit.

[Kristi613]

Hi Nigel. I just bought my Versa Thursday (06/28) and everything was fine until after swimming with it yesterday (06/29). I had the same experience you did ... my Versa died about a half an hour into my swim. I then charged it aftward and the screen began to flicker quite badly and then would go black. When I was looking at it trying to solve the issue (multiple restarts) I noticed condensation in all of the sensors on the underside. 

Have you found a solution or heard from Customer Support at all? My next step is to contact them. I chose this fitness tracker for the water resistant feature and brand. I’m quite disappointed, especially at this price range. 

[Nigel1903]

Hi Kristi

I did find a solution - I sent the Versa back for a refund (I'd bought it from Amazon) and bought a Garmin Vivoactive 3 instead. That really is waterproof.

Given the above, it's apparent that I gave up on the Versa and Fitbit. I never heard back from them and assumed they they didn't care about their product or their customers.

All very negative, I know but after that experience it's no surprise. I hope you have better luck with them.

Regards

Nigel

[DramaQueenDiva]

Hey @Nigel1903, welcome to the Communuty!

The best way to talk to a Fitbit employee is through the "Help" page, not the forums. 

Second, have you tried drying the Versa out with rice? My sister tried it when she accidentally dropped her phone in the lake. Hours later, we found it at the bottom of the lake (surprisingly it was still able to ring!) and dried the phone out with white rice. The next day, you would never know it was dropped in the lake. It worked perfectly!

Since rice is a starch, the rice was able to dry out the water. It may be worth trying with the Versa.

[Nigel1903]

Hi, and thanks for the tip. I do appreciate it and I'm pleased it's worked in the past.

I do wonder, however, why owners of the, supposedly waterproof, Versa should have to go through the trauma of their watch causing so many problems then having try to revive it in rice. If Fitbit actually made the thing waterproof, as advertised, in the first place all this fuss wouldn't be necessary.

Kind regards

[Jennj0830]

This evidently is an issue with the Versa. I contacted customer support twice. They made me reset the watch both times. I made it very clear that I’m unhappy that every time I swim this is what I’ll have to go through. They know this is an issue and instead of making it convenient to replace the watch they requested a video of what the watch is doing. I’m beyond mad!  Totally unhelpful. 

[GreginJaxFL]

My 2nd Versa did not last 10 minutes in the pool and it died. 

[Danno123]

Just read your post after swimming with my Versa for the first time.  Watch was dead before I got out of the water.  If you haven't yet  get in touch with customer service.  Fair warning the process is not exactly user friendly. You have to make a video of you charging and resetting your watch, wait for a response, send purchase info, wait for a response, you likely get a shipping label and have to take it to your local Fedex depot, wait 5-10 days for further instructions (whatever that means)?

Good luck.

[Bahappy1]

The versa should be waterproof, even when your rice brings it back to live, it will go defect as soon as you swim with it again.The question is "is the versa water proof or not" .

[Neerigen]

Love the versa. Was going ticketyboo then noticed after a swim the battery had gone flat after 5 hours. It used to last days. Then the touch screen wouldn’t work. Swiping wouldn’t work. Factory reset didn’t work. Vibration suddenly came on whilst charging. Etc etc Some real weird stuff. Took it to retailer as was only 6 months old. Replaced under warranty without hesitation so happy about that. Only disappointment is that it looks like I can’t  swim with it even though it says you can. It was cool to see how many laps I’d done and the distance etc. ah well. It’s a nice step counter and the email and txt notifications are handy while driving. 

[jjohnso]

Have had the fitbit Versa for less than two months and same thing.  I'm wondering if it is the kind of water you swim in that impacts it?  For a week same in the ocean with it. Also swam in a regular chlorinated pool that same week.  Today for the first time swam in on of those pool that uses some kind of salt water simulator and the thing just died.  After about 5 laps it started to malfunction, couldn't swip from screen to screen, then by the end of the 1 mile swim it died.  

Called Fitbit and they had me do some things to get it going again and it did not respond - dead as a doornail.  So they sent me an option to either buy another fitbit product for 50% off or get another of the same Versa.  I chose to replace with the same Versa.  Yet, after reading these posts, I'll never put this one in the water, which is a shame because it is not waterproof.

[Neerigen]

Hi jjohnso

I managed to get a replacement versa under warranty. This one doesn’t go
anywhere near water. No problems so far. Still a great little watch/fitness
and health monitor. Just a shame I can’t record any water based activities.

Good luck with yours whatever you decide to do.

JL

[jjohnso]

Thank you. Not sure what to do. One of the reasons I bought it is because it track swimming. I may call them and ask more information Sent from my Samsung Galaxy , an AT&T LTE smartphone

[Meadojd]

Complete BS when they flat out lie about their product then won’t even honor warranties. It is in no way waterproof and they continue to screw people and steal their money! Customer service is a joke. They want a video of what the watch is doing then argue when it doesn’t turn on. It’s not doing a **ahem** thing! It won’t turn on it’s dead you idiots! How do you not see that in the video?!?!

[jjohnso]

When I called they walked me through performing a test over the phone and when it stayed dead they sent me a new one and it arrived in a few days. They can also look on the system and see that the watch is no longer tracking. Perhaps you got a really bad representative. Try calling back, getting someone different and/Or insisting on speaking with a supervisor. I agree with your comments about the quality of the watch though. Once this one dies I'll look at other brands. Have heard her garmins are good.  Sent from my Samsung Galaxy , an AT&T LTE smartphone

[Belinda71]

I swam with my Versa for the first time yesterday, and it froze up. I went into the app under the help section and called customer service.  The rep was most helpful. After 30 minutes of working to resolve the issue she had a new tracker on its way. 

Completely satisfied with Fitbit's customer service, and have been since 2015.

[jjohnso]

Yes, the customer service was good to get me a new watch.  My issue is the watch has a swimming tracker and can't handle being in the water.

[Smurphy84]

I was in the ocean all week with mine and it was fine.  Swam in a salt water pool today and now mine is acting all erratic. Any hope for mine or am I going to need to get a new one?

[Belinda71]

Call customer service. They will walk you through the procedure to try and
reboot. If not they will send you a new one.