Steps recorded inaccurately by Versa.

[Douglas1962]

I am the proud owner of a new fitbit Versa. After some hospital time for a heart problem I was "forced" into some new exersise programs. So to track my walking I cashed in my quarters and purchased a Fitbit Versa. Looks good and so far everything between the watch/phone/wifi/bluetooth all seem to be working fine unlike others in this forum. I even have my Bitmoji working fine.

My problem is the steps seem to be way way way and one more way off. Today I left the house for a short drive to a quick medical check. Back home and very little movement on my part. (Still not 100%) I parked maybe 60 feet from my Docs office (60 Feet x 2) 30 feet to my car at home (30 feet x 2) and then moving around the the house a bit. My fitbit recorded a dreaming number of steps 3,707. All the while my iPhone and a different step counting app that is clipped to my hip regestered a total of 643. I understand that neither is a perfect counter of steps and if a butterfly flaps it's wings in Indonesia it will affect each differently. But a difference of over 3000 steps (The majority I know I did not take) WTF.

Do I need to follow the example of many here and return my Fitbit or is there a fix to what seems to be a very large accounting problem.

Moderator Edit: Clarified Subject.

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello @Douglas1962 have a warm welcome to the Fitbit Community. 🙂

I appreciate your participation in the Forums and for sharing your experience. Note that Fitbit devices have a finely tuned algorithm for step counting. The algorithm is designed to look for motion patterns that are most indicative of people walking. The algorithm determines whether a motion's size is large enough by setting a threshold. If the motion and its subsequent acceleration measurement meet the threshold, the motion will be counted as a step. If the threshold is not met, the motion won’t be counted as a step.

Other factors can create enough acceleration to meet our threshold and cause some over counting of steps, such as riding on a bumpy road. Our engineers have worked diligently on your tracker's algorithms to make sure that it does not pick up false steps or activity recordings while in a car. Unless you are driving in a car with a stiff transmission or on back country roads, your tracker should not give you credit for any work that you don't do. If you do pick up some steps while driving, see How do I edit or delete Fitbit data and activities? for instructions on removing steps.

Now, with that said, I would like to suggest you to restart your Versa by pressing and holding the Back and Select buttons (left and bottom right) until you see the Fitbit logo on the screen, then monitor your Versa for the next few days to check if the step count normalizes. 

Thanks for your patience and understanding, if there's anything else we can do for you, please feel free to reply. 

[deeds1961]

my issue was mileage 12000 steps and 9 miles, yea, that is not a thing.  I called and they walked me thru a factory reset and it did not work so now are sending a whole new one.  call them!!!!!!  

[Douglas1962]

I thank you for your response. However I have decided like many others to
return the Fitbit. It looked nice on my wrist and 99.9% of the watch worked
perfectly. But that tiny .01% lied more that a toddler with a crayon in
it’s hand. To bad it can not be calibrated like its high dollar
competition.

[Rich_Laue]

So which unit it's closer to correct @Douglas1962?

Have you done any step tests?

Is the car ride bouncy?

Where you sing anything that required your Fitbit arm to do a lot of movement?

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello @Douglas1962 thanks for taking the time to reply. It's nice to see you @deeds1961 thanks for joining the conversation. 🙂

@deeds1961 I appreciate you have let us know that after troubleshooting this issue with our Support Team, they will be sending you a replacement, I'm very glad. 

@Douglas1962 I'm sorry to hear you decided to return your Versa, I understand your reasons and would like to wish you good luck on your journey, we're sad to see you go though. However, your feedback is very important to us and our team to improve the Fitbit experience 

Thanks again for all your patience and understanding, have a great day! 

[Douglas1962]

After a long chats with Fitbit support (A++ to them, they were very helpful) I thought all the kinks were worked out of my Versa. Numerous 100 step tests all passed with the +/- 5% they said it should have. So I thought I would give it (the Versa) one more try.

However after today it does go back tomorrow. Over 12,000 steps and only 6.7 miles all the while I was in a vehicle.  Someone below stated that "Fitbit devices have a finely tuned algorithm for step counting. The algorithm is designed to look for motion patterns that are most indicative of people walking."

Finely tuned=6.7 miles with 12k of steps. That one hell of a stride.

Finely tuned=Counts steps when the wearer is traveling 20+miles per hour. No human can step for long at 20+mph.

So I am guessing that the technician that designed the Versa is lets just say not that good.

I can understand a high step count after play cards. You deal, your arm flops around doing whatever. I know because I played cards last night.

What I can't understand is why I have to shut off the Fitbit every time I want to take a ride in the car. What kind of algorithm continues to add up steps when the human body can not make the step. The algorithm lacks common sense.

I understand the Fitbit is designed to encourage the wearer, but to me having a device that lies about your activity is not encouraging but the polar opposite. For some reason my iPhone app that also passes the 100 step test does not count steps when I am traveling 20+mph on a bumpy Michigan road.

Sorry Fitbit back to the store you go!

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello @Douglas1962 I hope you're having a great day, thanks for coming back to us. 🙂

I appreciate you have taken the time to let us know you got in contact with our Support Team. I sincerely apologize for the inconveniences you've encountered with your Fitbit device and clearly understand why you would like to return it. Some people have found useful wearing the device on the other wrist while driving. 

Thanks again for your feedback, as mentioned before, this is very useful to our team. If there's anything else we can do for you, please feel free to reply. 

[Hippiegranola]

Mine is not recording the floors i climb. Went up and down 4 flights of stairs and shows 0 floors climbed. 

[Rich_Laue]

Did your Versa count any steps while going up the stairs @Hippiegranola?

Fitbit will only look for changes in elevation while or is setting steps. Down flights are not counted. 

[Hippiegranola]

no it did not count any flights at all as i went up the stairs three times and down three as well. still showed zero.

[Rich_Laue]

Sorry @Hippiegranola  but your response does not answer the question of how many steps did the Versa count while walking up the stairs. If the Versa is not able to count steps then it will not try to count floors..

Please look at the step count before and after walking up the stairs.

Also be aware that if the hand with the Fitbit is sliding up the railing, steps may not be counted, the result of no steps are also no floors.

[Hippiegranola]

i will try not touching the railing as i usually hold on with my right hand. it does not even count the steps i do while going up the stairs i did make a not of the steps before i went up the stairs and then when i got to the top and they did not increase. but will try the no hand thing and let you know

[Rich_Laue]

The problem I see is that not holding on is not advisable and can be dangerous for some people.