Versa screen died suddenly

[sygyzy]

Hi, today the screen on my Versa died suddenly. The display has been working fine since I bought it but today, after lunch, I looked down and the screen is dead. Everything seems to be working internally - it syncs to my Fitbit app and I am getting vibrations. If I twist my wrist, the display turns on but nothing is displayed. The reason I know it's on is because the backlight is lit and the top of the screen has a narrow band of flicking lines and colors (imagine a TV without a signal). Has anyone else seen this? This is disappointing to say the least.

[SunsetRunner]

Try a Restart and do it several times if necessary.

[sygyzy]

Thanks for the advice. Restarted 4 times with no change.

[SunsetRunner]

Then you need to do a Factory Reset normally  done from Versa Settings but since you have nothing on your display, do it  the following way using buttons only, do it very, very carefully and if the first time doesn't take, try it again.  This will put the Versa back the way it was when you unboxed it.

On the watch, hold all three buttons for about twelve seconds. This triggers the 2-button hardware reboot after about eight seconds.
- When the Fitbit logo appears, then disappears, release the bottom right button, then continue holding the left and top right buttons until you feel a strong vibration. This indicates the factory reset was initiated.
- This process may take several seconds, and eventually, the Fitbit logo appears and the device boots and displays go to Fitbit.com/setup.
- If you fail to release the bottom right button in time or otherwise don't follow the procedure precisely, the Fitbit logo reappears quickly and boots without factory reset.

[sygyzy]

With all due respect, have you actually seen a factory reset fix a broken display? I ask because 100% of the suggestions I've seen on this board (others can confirm) are the same scripted solutions given over and over, whether it's from community members or from official support. Notifications not working? Restart the watch, reinstall the phone app, turn Bluetooth on and off. Step counts off? Restart the watch, reinstall the phone app, turn Bluetooth on and off. I would prefer not factory resetting my watch unless you think it'll actually fix my display. And even if it does, I don't feel comfortable having to factory reset a device periodically to fix a completely broken display. Displays shouldn't just suddenly die. 

[Hachey]

Mine is doing the same thing. Shows a blank screen but a little brighter than the resting mode .

Tried doing this reset but got nothing. 

Not sure what to do because it's just blank and I can't restart it because I can't see the numbers when trying to connect to it on the initial set up. 

I contacted someone on FitBit Twitter but still waiting for someone to contact me

[SunsetRunner]

---

@sygyzy wrote:

With all due respect, have you actually seen a factory reset fix a broken display? I ask because 100% of the suggestions I've seen on this board (others can confirm) are the same scripted solutions given over and over, whether it's from community members or from official support. Notifications not working? Restart the watch, reinstall the phone app, turn Bluetooth on and off. Step counts off? Restart the watch, reinstall the phone app, turn Bluetooth on and off. I would prefer not factory resetting my watch unless you think it'll actually fix my display. And even if it does, I don't feel comfortable having to factory reset a device periodically to fix a completely broken display. Displays shouldn't just suddenly die. 

---

I simply told  you what I would try under the circumstances. And, yes, I've seen Resets fix problem displays.

[sygyzy]

I did the same - contact someone on Twitter support and they were very polite. They took some information down and now I am waiting for them to email me, as well.

[Jayelo]

That happened to my first versa. I had to get a new one. I first went through Fitbit but it was a total hassle so I went to Best Buy and they helped me replace mine. Second one is working well so far. Good luck. And I also agree that factory reset won’t solve this problem. 

[sygyzy]

I've heard similar things about Fitbit support. Can you explain what made it a hassle for you?

[Jayelo]

Well, for one, one of the person I talked to kept referring my device as the ionic and I had to tell her many times I have a versa and she still referred to it as the Ionic, go figure. Then she sent me instructions on how to do a reset from my charger. And we all know that is impossible since all the buttons are cradled in the charger so they obvious don’t know much about the Versa. Then I had to try many times to send in a video showing that my versa wouldn’t charge. My video and emails were not reaching them. That was annoying. Then I got wrong shipping information from various people I kept asking to varify. Then they said I have to ship my versa back in order to get a replacement. If they cover the charge it would take up to 2 weeks just to get to them. Then who knows how long for them to look at it and then send it back. I thought that was ridiculous. I payed $200 for their device that didn’t last a month. I have to ship it to them and be out a Fitbit for at least a month. Who knows if Fitbit will send me a refurbished one that may give me new or same problems. I want a brand new one. Most customer service sends out a new device and when we receive it, we sent it back, they cover the cost. That’s what I just went through with my daughters phone watch and the replacement came in 2 days...not a few weeks. I couldn’t believe how easy and simple that was with another company. I don’t understand why Fitbit makes it such a hassle to replace or fix their product. Anyway, good thing I got Best Buy warranty. They helped me and I got a new Fitbit in 3 days (they were out of stock in store). Excellent customer service and I will now buy their warranty since it covers everyday use including scratches and cracks which I hear is also a problem with the versa. 

[Tesa4u]

I'm weaning myself off fitbit because my $300 fitbit Ionic's screen went black on 6/4/18 after six months. Here's my story: The watch's alarm woke me at 5 am. I got out of bed and tapped the screen to check the time, and the screen was unresponsive. I tapped a few more times, did a reset, and then I went online to check the Fitbit website. Apparently, this is a common problem with the Ionic. I spent an hour and twenty minutes communicating with Fitbit tech support. Tech support required that I record, edit and email videos to show how I troubleshot their product before they would acknowledge that I could not repair their product for them. It took me over an hour to shoot and edit six videos while online with tech support! I was eventually emailed a shipping label to mail back the Ionic, but I had to purchase a $3 packing envelope to mail back the Ionic. Fitbit's warranty policy implies that Fitbit can replace the faulty and working parts of my Ionic with components from another Ionic or send me a refurbished Ionic. Fitbit's warranty is for only one year, so, the refurbished watch has to last for another six months. As I wait for another product, I'm reevaluating my need for a fitness watch. With so many useful apps, do I need to a $300 shoddy quality fitness watch that has difficulty syncing and updating? The last update took me 5 hours over three days to complete! My phone and its apps have everything I need with fewer headaches, lower cost, and fewer problems. I've been Fitbit user since 2011, but sometimes you have to know when to walk away.

[sygyzy]

@Tesa4u Thank you for posting your experience. It echos other stories I've heard of Fitbit support making customers jump through hoops (recording videos, really?) to prove their defective screens were actually broken. It kind of makes you feel like a criminal, like the $300 product you bought is actually not broken and you are trying to exchange it for a refurbished unit? I am not sure what the logic is here. I really hope I can get this resolved quickly because I am out of a useable watch for now.

[KMS300]

My Versa died in a similar fashion yesterday (during the night). Customer service told me to restart, factory reset etc to no avail. They want a video in the charging cradle (yeah, sure OK).  Today the screen will occasionally light up for about 10 seconds (still no response to buttons or touch screen) and then "die" again for 20-25 min.  When the display is lit, it is very dim... Still, there is hope. Meanwhile, I'm back to my old Blaze....

[sygyzy]

@KMS300 Were you able to do the factory reset using the buttons, at all? I tried exactly what they said and it wouldn't reset. Hold all three buttons, wait for the logo to appear then disappear, then release the top button (holding just left and top right button), until you feel a strong vibration. If I do this, the Fitbit logo just appears then disappears repeatedly. There is no vibration or factory reset.

[KMS300]

Yeah, I've tried the factory reset about two dozen times now and it doesn't come up with logo or vibration.

[Tesa4u]

Hi.

I wish I had kept my original fitbit! It was basic but it worked perfectly
for years!

[Tesa4u]

Hi.

Mine just died, and the factory reboot did not work. I tried every reset
discussed in the support section for HOURS, and nothing worked. I even
reviewed youtube videos because I thought I was doing something wrong!
Nada. Someone in the support room wrote that it could take up to a month
to get a replacement fitbit. I paid $300 for the watch, $149 for the
headphones and $49 yearly for the Premium service; that's $500 for a
defective product. Customer service demanded that I email them multiple
videos of me attempting to revive a product that the company knows is
defective. I purchased additional products associated with their defective
watch. Before the screen when blank, the GPS and phone and text
notifications stopped working after two months, and the online Premium
would not let me change my fitness plan. Six months later, the watch did
what it was supposed to do - it died altogether. My watch had a 1-year
warranty or $500 for a fitness watch and an online trainer that last for a
year. As I wait for my refurbished/repaired fitbit product, I realize
that my cell phone's apps can do everything that fitbit does for free.
I've purchased a few apps ($12), and now I have a working GPS hiking
tracker, videos of exercises, fitness games, a journal, and text and cell
phone notification.

I've been using Fitbit and its premium service since 2011. I can't put in
words how disappointed I am with its product.

[SunsetRunner]

I went to the Fitbit app and started a chat. The representative told me to restart the device, it did not work. Fitbit sent me a new one. It takes 3-5 days to receive it. My thought were they would ask me to mail this one back, but they don’t want it, so obviously the Fitbit can’t be repaired for vertical lines and a black screen.

[malvarezPR]

I agree. My Versa did the same thing to me last night 3/3/2020. I was working around 9:40pm and around 10pm nothing. Customer Support tried to get me to factory reset the device but if I can't see what is happening, how do I know it is working. And a screen going out cannot be fixed by a mire factory reset. If it does great but I highly doubt it.