Sense Screen just fell off

[Anadri]

Was watching TV earlier with the wife, went to check a notification on the watch and the screen just.. Popped off. I didn't even touch it. I haven't been rough on it, I haven't dropped it, I haven't knocked it on anything, so I don't know why the screen would just come off like that. Has anyone else had this issue? (Got the watch in September 2020)

[PMKennedy]

I have had this happen twice now.  They replaced the 1st one and the second did it again several months after.  I am currently waiting for my second replacement.  They will take care of it, but they will not get in any hurry to make it right.  It will take a few weeks to get it.  It's very frustrating. I love the format of their program and app, but with this kind of quality, this may be my last fitbit.

[MarineSeabee]

Did you have to send it to them first and/or are they sending one back First?! Cause I had to send mines at my expense just 6 days after getting it! 

[Delhia]

When it happened it was covered by the warranty and they did not ask for the broken watch back. So far my replacement is holding up but I am concerned that if it happens again I will have to pay. I haven’t even had this watch for a year yet! 

[PMKennedy]

No - that's the really annoying part.  I had to ship it them first.  they did send a return label, but they choose the absolute slowest form of parcel transit.  Then you have to wait them to receive it and inspect it and they they send you a new one.  I am in week two now of waiting with no watch and no response.

[MarineSeabee]

I understand that my watch was just 6 days old and I had to pay out my pocket to send it back and now I am waiting for a replacement! I haven't even begun to use it properly! I could have done better things with my Dollars!

Sigh Thanks for your feedback 

PMKennedy, I hope this ain't too long! My patients after spending my hard-earned money are at an all-time low! My Combat PTSD doesn't help either! Sigh 

[Nravishsya]

Ive had to have mine (different ones too) replaced now 5 or 6 times for the same thing happening. It wasnt until this last time that they required me to send it in to them. They told me that they would ship the replacement 5-7 business days after they got mine - I had to FedEx mine and paid for express shipping to get it there ASAP and it still took 2 weeks before they claimed they got it and then another 2 weeks before I got mine...

-------

I didnt have to send most of mine back to them but this most recent issue (same issue mind you) they did require me to send it at my expense

[MarineSeabee]

As a new Fitbit customer, I feel like I got the short end of the stick! No Shipping label!   This is getting scary now!!!!!! Sic

[NilgiriNerd]

I had the same issue about a month ago. I glanced at my wrist and there was the front panel hanging out.. and for a brief second I was even confused what the heck was on my wrist. I just stuck it back with some super glue and carried on with life, not wanting to spend my time with customer support.. but then yesterday the unit completely failed on me. It kept rebooting itself every 5 secs.. and never showing me anything other than the fitbit logo. Spend close to 5 hours trying out every fix on the Internet including a hard reset with no success. Finally chatted with Customer Support, and and within 5 mins they offered to send me a replacement free of charge... which is awesome. I am really really hoping all these doesn't happen again. @Fitbit if you are listening.. love the fitbit.. and your customer service.. but please if there is a quality issue with the product .. fix it. Reputation is everything!

[Concensio]

I had the same problem.  I understand not wanting to cover a cracked screen, but will not effect a repair even after I offered to pay for it. I bought two as gifts, now feel duped.   They offered me a 35% discount on a new one, when the old one was only 7 months old.  Equates to the same price as on the website.  You are right, they are not interested and don't seem to care.  

[Marcnd]

I was sitting on the couch and my screen came off without any force,  i emailed their support and they really don't care since it's almost a year old.

I'd highly recommend looking for a different smart watch,  I've had multiple Fitbit watches throughout the years but won't buy one again after this issue.  It's bad enough there's a defect and the customer service makes it even worse.

[az100]

Same problem - screen cam off - just 2 months past warranty. I was offered a 35% off. But I can not afford to pay $200 every year for a product that fail just outside the warranty period. Guess I have to find different options.

[TommyIzzo]

@Marcnd "Almost" a year old would have been under warranty?

[MoniqueMc]

Thus has happened 2x now they won't replace it.

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When I called the said they'll email me.. Just to say it was out of warranty. . This was the replacement for the 1st. At this point, I'm walking away from Fitbit all  together  even though I love the premium service. It just feels like a really  bad break up.

[Marcnd]

It's so frustrating since we spent a lot of money on that watch. I really want a new smart watch but I'm waiting for something better and more reliable to come out.

[MarineSeabee]

MoniqueMc,
This is the straw that broke the camel's back! I lost out on my New Fitbit
Sense (3mos old) replace with Refurb then fell off my wife's arm and broke
the screen then the first of February the Scale quit working! I wipe my
hands and since they block any real feedback, I digress.

--
Albert

Moderator edit:  removed personal information

[ydc90]

Had the same issue. Screen just popped off while preparing my baby's meal. Unfortunately its 15 month since i bought the product and i dont think this will be covered under warranty. 😞

[Klwaller]

I just recently had the same experience where I just happened to look at my wrist and my screen was hanging off.  I was mortified!  This is my 4th fitbit in 31/2 years.  Unfortunately the life expectancy of these watches is 1yr obviously.. Their watches and this community has so much potential but they have to do a better job with their product.  They are too expensive to produce such a poorly made product.  I have been with Fitbit for the last 5yrs or so and have bought watches for my family as well to become members-unfortunately I can nolonger support this product. 

[Maascow]

Mine just fell off during a 19 degree day in Wisconsin. 

[HyTeK]

Going to say how I permanently fixed mine, but you do this at your own risk.

Note: this will void your warranty if your fitbit is still even under warranty. Caveats and disclaimers at the bottom.

1. Order from your choice of store
   1. Permatex 81158 Black Silicone Adhesive Sealant
   2. 99% Isopropyl Alcohol
   3. qtips
   4. wooden toothpicks
   5. paper towels
2. Power off the fitbit
   
   1. Recommended: let the battery drain to 0%
      1. Reason: as you work on the fitbit you will most likely turn it on inadvertently, and we want to avoid turning it on
3. Recommendation: have a very well-lit room, or someone holding a flashlight so you can see the insides of the fitbit better
4. Take a wooden toothpick, and peel off the original silicon ring
   1. At this point it should be fairly easy to take off, just go slow, and it should come off in one piece
   2. Note: the silicon ring may be stuck to the back of the screen, or inside of the case on the mounting flange where the screen sits on
   3. Note: wooden toothpicks are used when working with electronics as they are non-conductive, and prevent scratching surfaces
5. Take a qtip, dip it in the isopropyl alcohol (NOT dripping wet), and clean off the following areas:
   1. entire bottom edge around of the back of the screen (where it sits in the case)
   2. the entire mounting flange on the inside of the case where the screen sits in
   3. Do this with a few qtips until you get no more dirt or black smudges on the qtips
   4. Note: 99% isopropyl alcohol is non-conductive, is safe on electronics, and is used to clean electronics
6. Allow the isopropyl to fully dry on the fitbit
7. Put a big glob of the black permatex sealant on a papertowl
   1. Take a clean wooden toothpick, put some sealant on it, and start applying it around the mounting flange on the inside of the case (where the screen would sit in)
   2. Apply it liberally around the flange, but evenly, and trying not to get too much on the outside of the case, or on the inside where the electronics are
      1. This can be tricky with the screen flopping around on the cables, just take your time, and have a second set of hands if you need to hold the screen out of the way while you apply the sealant
      2. Note: the permatex listed above is non-conductive, so it won't hurt the inside of the fitbit if you get it on the electronics, but it's also not a good heat conductor, so it's not great either
      3. Note: it is okay if you get some on the outside of the fitbit, as we will clean that in the next few steps
   3. Ensure you cover the entire mounting flange all the way around the inside of the case with sealant, applying it evenly, and 360 degrees where the screen will sit on
      1. Important Note: You have around 1 hour before the sealant starts curing and setting. Take your time, apply the sealant evenly, but don't take forever...
      2. Note: the sealant is very sticky, and it can be tricky to get it to apply evenly. Take your time.
8. Note: you will be using quite a few paper towels in the next step, so have a whole bunch ready, and now would be time to go ahead and rip each piece off the roll and have them ready 
9. Once you have the entire mounting area covered with sealant, carefully and slowly place the screen into place
   
   1. Lightly press on the screen
      1. Clean off any sealant with a clean paper towel as it squeezes out of the crack between the screen and the case
      2. Wipe a few times, each time with a clean area of the paper towel until barely anymore black is seen on the paper towel
      3. Note: wipe around the entire edge of the screen where it fits in the case, but don't press too hard
   2. Lightly press on the screen a little more
      1. Clean off any sealant with a clean paper towel as it squeezes out of the crack between the screen and the case
      2. Wipe a few times, each time with a clean area of the paper towel until barely anymore black is seen on the paper towel
      3. Note: wipe around the entire edge of the screen where it fits in the case, but don't press too hard
   3. Now squeeze the screen in a LITTLE harder, but NOT too hard, and HOLD the screen in place
      1. NOTE: do not let go, and do not release pressure. Yes, this can be tricky as you are trying to also clean off any excess sealant that comes out of the crack, and yes your fingers will start to get tired
      2. Clean off any sealant with a clean paper towel as it squeezes out of the crack between the screen and the case
      3. Wipe a few times, each time with a clean area of the paper towel until barely anymore black is seen on the paper towel
      4. Note: wipe around the entire edge of the screen where it fits in the case, but don't press too hard
   4. Important Note: DO NOT use isopropyl alcohol while the sealant is curing. This will cause the sealant to not cure correctly, and will result in the same exact issue your fitbit already has: a bad seal.
10. At this point you decide how you want to hold the screen until the sealant cures in 24 hours
    1. Note: The sealant will set in 1-2 hours, but NOT FULLY cure for 24 hours total.
    2. Important Note: After the first 1-2 hours, you can relax, but put the fitbit in a safe spot for the next 24 hours until the sealant fully cures
    3. If you are holding it with your fingers, stay holding it tightly for the next one to two hours
       1. Don't let up on the pressure, don't let go, don't squeeze too hard. Yes. If you are going to use your fingers to do this, be prepared to hold it for 1-2 hours. Yes, your fingers are going to get tired and be sore.
    4. If you are going to use a clamp, use a micro clamp that is fully adjustable with a quick release, and has rubber clamps
       
       1. Note: This is the route I took, and I kept it clamped for the full 24 hours. Use caution, do not over tighten. Use at your own risk
       2. Advantage of using a clamp is you can continue to clean off any excess sealant that squeezes through the cracks
    5. The last resort is to flip the fitbit over (Screen down) onto a clean paper towel, and put a weight on the back of it. Roughly 2-3 pounds
       1. I recommend against this as when you flip it over and let go of the pressure off the screen, this will cause the sealant to release, potentially causing air gaps (no longer waterproof), or worse, weakening the seal further. (also uneven pressure from the weight on the back)
11. Notes:
    1. Do not charge or turn on the fitbit until the sealant is fully cured (24+ hours)
       1. You want to prevent any kind of heat differences while the sealant is curing, and charging the battery or using the fitbit creates [some] amount of heat
12. Caveats/Disclaimers:
    1. You do this at your own risk, and I, nor anyone else, are responsible for what you do to your fitbit
    2. This will void your warranty (if your fitbit even is still under warranty)
    3. There is no guarantee that the fitbit will be waterproof after repairing the seal yourself
    4. There is no guarantee that this how-to will repair the seal

[MoniqueMc]

I guess it's just over now. My warranty has expired so I fixed the screen.
But now after a fatal fall rhe screen faded to black and can't be seen. So
I'm done. I'll be sure to always get the extended warranty on my next
device.