Versa Lite displays incorrect time and cannot sync - Fitbit support was USELESS

[DietBakingSoda]

Hi everyone. Hopefully you can help, since the actual Fitbit support blew smoke up my backside:

My versa lite currently thinks it's 06:37 when it's actually 7:43, and cannot sync. Supposedly it synced sometime around 04:40 but it sure can't now.

To be clear, I don't need a rep telling me to do what I already have (AGAIN):

- I have reset the device repeatedly.

- I have reset my phone repeatedly.

- I have cleared the cache for both the app and android bluetooth.

- I have unpaired/re-paired the device via bluetooth.

- I have tried a factory reset twice, the first time displaying a big fat red X with the message "data was not cleared, sync and try again" and the second time it showed a similar error until:

- I have deleted/re-connected the device as if it were new, and that took SIX HOURS to update firmware and finally get set up.

- I contacted support and was told to to all of the things I already did.

The problem persists.

This icing on the cake is that I was told to do a "USB recovery," which meant I literally just plug the charging cable into my PC and... Do the same things but use the PC as a power source? WTF? Did they think I wasn't charging the watch?!

Any actual help is appreciated. Thanks.

UPDATE: Currently trying once more to set up the watch from scratch, now it can't even pair. Guess I'll chat with support again...

UPDATE 2: After talking to another support agent it was declared dead and I was given a discount code for being out of warranty (even though was a less than 1 y/o replacement watch, the first one had a dead battery)  - conveniently during a sale that can't be combined with the discount. I refuse to count this as "solved" since it wasn't, and several others seem to have the same issue.

[Rich_Laue]

Let's rephrase the title @DietBakingSoda your Versa Lite can not sync, therefore it shows the wring tme. 

You say that you have un-paired the unit from BT, tyengyou paired. This pair attempt should have beenhrejected by the tracker. The Fitbit app is responsible for pairing the tracker. 

When it comesfto charging the tracker, most use the wall brick that they use to chargegtheir phone. 

Let's go to your update. 

You say that you are trying to setup but it won't pair? 

Do you get any error messages? 

At what step of the setup process does the failure occure? 

Please remove the tracker from the phones Bluetooth, then use the fitbit app to setup the tracker. 

How do I set up my Fitbit device?

[DietBakingSoda]

Uh, thanks... I think? The phrasing is irrelevant because within a short 9 hour period, the watch has lost the ability to sync and is 9 minutes slow. The watch is slow and also cannot sync. Whichever is the cart or the horse, I cannot sync it and it is several minutes behind.

I am also well aware that the fitbit app is what you use to pair the watch. I have no idea why you think I wouldn't know this, especially since I am describing the fact it was not able to be set up, you know, with the app.

As for all your specific questions:

You say that you are trying to setup but it won't pair?

Yes, as of the time I updated my post, it failed to even begin the process. After retrying about several times in a row, it worked. No changes to approach.

Do you get any error messages? 

The app just said it could not locate the device, so I hit "try again" until it worked.

At what step of the setup process does the failure occure?[sic]

The initial setup step, immediately after informing the app I am trying to set up a Versa Lite.

You say that you are trying to setup but it won't pair? 

See above.

Do you get any error messages? 

See above.

At what step of the setup process does the failure occure? [sic]

See above.

Please remove the tracker from the phones Bluetooth, then use the fitbit app to setup the tracker. 

I have already done this and I already said this in my original post. I also stated I cleared the caches of both the app and the bluetooth on my phone, restarting both, etc, etc...

How do I set up my Fitbit device?

My dude, I literally set it up from scratch twice yesterday, and once this morning. This is frankly insulting. I know what I'm trying to do, it just doesn't frigging work. Or rather, didn't work, and now that it has been set up, it has since developed the exact same problem it had initially.

I appreciate the attempt at offering help but regurgitating the same steps I have already stated I tried is not the least bit helpful.

[meragrin · Accepted solution]

You're not the only one frustrated.  I'm not sure if you took a look a past threads, but there are several people with the same issue and no resolution.  They just need to escalate it to the necessary people, but it doesn't seem like they feel there is an issue they need to fix.  It is clear they broke something.

[Nilenala]

having the same exact ptoblem out of the blue. Understand your frustration completely.

[dmswarlord.]

dmswarlord I'm having the same problem stated 2 days ago did everything you want through I got it to pair once afterthe 6 hour update thought it was going to be ok then it started losing time .I'm not happy either I wish the updates they make for us were protested before giving them to us to test out . This has got to be one of the worst one I've ever had 6 hour download is redickulas. Come on Google you make enough money annually to make sure we get a good product. Google please correct this problem there's way too many people with this problem and you are going to lose a lot of income if everyone has to go to another brand of phone .

[DietBakingSoda]

Sounds like they might have deliberately left a bug in, since, ya know, the Versa Lite is an older model. Gotta push people to buy the new ones after all...

Support just gave me a 35% discount code, since mine was out of warranty (despite being a replacement that's less than a year old - the original had a bum battery). Convenient, since there's a sale that cancels out the discount code, huh?

[VMick]

I'm having the same issue, got this thing about 2 years ago and love it but disappointed at this point. I reset, delete the app, reset again and still not syncing and yes the time is incorrect. Guess it's trash and I'll have to purchase a different brand. 

[meragrin]

I'm pretty much in the same place.  Definitely not going to purchase from a brand which breaks a perfectly working product and does not fix it.

[Nilenala]

My app had update on my Samsung note and started syncing again. didn't have to do any but log back into the app.

[Nilenala]

my app updated today on my Samsing note and synced after I logged into the app. Good luck to both of us.

[meragrin]

I've had it for over a week.  It did not do a thing.  The phone app is not going to cause the watches time to be highly inaccurate.  The app is not going to prevent the watch from advertising it is available to pair.  The firmware is faulty.  It likely has some timing set incorrectly which causes an issue with the time and bluetooth.

[LouAnn83]

I updated the app through Google play last week because I was having problems with syncing, and ever since then I have been having even more issues with the watch not syncing.  I have to turn my Bluetooth off and then turn back on and then go into the app and manually sync for the time to be right...I have to do this 2 to 3 times a day...it won't auto sync anymore. Today that process would not work, so I deleted my device and after hours of trying to get it added back..(I restarted it again and it finally found the device) I thought that this would help the problem, but it is still not auto syncing. The app update is the only thing I can think of that explains why this is happening. 

[Nilenala]

Yes been having trouble with sync and correct time again. Wish it would be
fixed. don't even bother using as a watch anymore 😞

[meragrin]

I don't think they are going to bother to fix it.  Specifically told by chat that their Versa Lites are "working fine".  They think that all these people experiencing the same issue around the same time is just coincidence and there must be something wrong with our watches not involving their code.  The only hope is some caring engineer occasionally reading the boards and investigating it outside the normal channels.

[Nmclane1227]

I have the same problem with the same watch. I have tried to resync but the time won’t change. Thank you for posting this!! 

[Bigmannn]

It’s happening to me to but I have the Versa 2

[Rich_Laue]

@Nmclane1227 you say that you tried to sync, but was the sync sucesful? 

@Bigmannn are you able to sync? 

Why won't my Fitbit device sync?

[Nmclane1227]

It would not sync

[amoore021582]

Profile Picture > App settings > Time Zone > Turn off the automatically option > Resync device

How do I change the time on my Fitbit device?