Inside screen cracked Surge

[Drkryn]

Inside screen cracked

 Obviously the screen swipe no longer works. Fitbit is only 16 months old 😞 not sure how to proceed.

Moderator edit: Clarified subject.

[SunsetRunner]

Received a response that they are looking into it. I too sent a photo of
the damage that was the same image as the top of this forum. It looks like
a cracked layer of glass. The other forum contributors who had similar
situations all said that theirs were cracked.

The Fitbit rep says it looks like condensation. Advised me to put into
bowl of rice for 24 hours. I will check to see if this works tomorrow
morning (36 hours). Not sure if Fitbit is going to help me on this
situation. I would like a replacement part but it sounds like they don't
do that. And I'm pretty sure I'm 2 years out of warranty.

Somebody mentioned Garmin provides replacement parts. True?

[SunsetRunner]

Per the directions of Fitbit I put the Surge into the bowl of rice - already believing that my fellow forum contributors were right in that the inside layer was cracked - probably due to condensation and possibly an electronic charge.  But no change after the rice application.

Waiting for a response from Fitbit - hopefully they will support their product.

[H1ghStepper]

I'm now part of the cracked screen crew too.  Woke up Sunday to find my Surge had grown a reptilian screen as well.  While my fitbit is still functioning as far as I can tell via the app/smartphone; I can't scroll across the screen to activate the different watch functions. 

If this is a systematic issue and Fitbit is not willing to replace these defective screens, the least they can do is update the firmware so that us diehards can view steps, bpm and time/date on the analog watchface. 

[RWG32]

The response I got was it cannot be fixed and they would not stand behind the product but only offered a 10% discount on my next purchase. So I bought an Apple Watch and having much better luck. It is a shame though, for I had been a Fitbit supporter for many years, bought 3 generations plus their scale, purchased them for my wife and friends. Guess that is not enough these days.

Robert G.
Sent from my iPhone

Moderator edit: Removed personal information.

[SunsetRunner]

Sounds like many have experienced the 'reptilian' screen problem.  Little moisture gets on the screen, slide mechanism doesn't work right, screen looks cracked, then complete inability to slide screen.  Fitbit got back to me and said they would give me 25% off my next purchase within a month.  I can't afford to buy a new watch so I'm stuck with the current one and using it the best way I can.

Fitbit needs to provide replacement parts or services to repair.  We have to buy 3rd party bands that don't fit perfectly.  I feel like Fitbit is neglecting us Fitbit users and only concerned with new sales.  I've heard Garmin and now Apple providing superior products.

[YojanaFitbit]

Welcome to the Forums @H1ghStepper! Thanks guys for keep adding your comments. 

Thanks for the feedback guys, it's very important to us to have your thoughts in regards our product and your customer support interactions. Fitbit is always trying to provide great products and customer experience. Each scenario is different, but I think that you can use the option available according to your warranty information, as it was mentioned by our support team. 

@H1ghStepper If you're interested in getting information from support, please let me know so I can request a ticket for your case.

I'll be around.

[Dafletch]

Looks like this is an ongoing problem that Fitbit refuses to remedy. So many comments of the same issue, I’m in the same boat with the cracked inner screen, but Fitbit refuses to do more than the bare minimum. You should at least get on here and acknowledge the surge is an inferior product that doesn’t meet the standards you claim. It is supposed to be a tool for fitness but can’t even handle the moisture produced during a workout. My watch lasted 6 months, got a replacement and it lasted 7 more months. Fitbit won’t even acknowledge how many comments on here about their defective product. Very pathetic business character. 

[YojanaFitbit]

Nice to see that you're digging into the Forums, let me give you a warm welcome to our Community @Dafletch! Thanks for your feedback. It's really helpful for us. Your voice is being heard. We're actively reviewing your responses and providing feedback to our product development team. 

If you have any further questions, please let me know!

[Cwbyupnh]

It seems clear that Fitbit will not be offering any sort of solution to this issue, short of a possible discount on a new device.  Interesting business model.  Create an inferior product, then charge a premium price for it.  When it inevitably fails, offer a discount for users to buy what it likely another inferior product that will fail yet again.

I bought my wife an Apple Watch for Christmas, and so she gave me her Surge that she had been using for a couple of years.  A couple of weeks ago, I noticed some vapor in the screen that would come and go.  The screen also became less responsive, often refusing to fully swipe to a new screen.  Well, I checked my heart rate before going to bed a few days ago and then plugged the device in for the night.  When I got up in the morning, there it was, what appears to be a quite common, shattered inner screen!  I would add my own pic, but it would seem that Fitbit does not want the forum saturated with pics of broken devices, so we cannot include our pics in these replies.

I do work at a ski resort, and so I ski with my watch on (which, by the way, TOTALLY skewed the fitness stats!!!).  However, it is under a glove while on my wrist.  I also wash my hands, as I assume most watch users do!  I assume it is the hand washing that introduced the water vapor, but who knows?  Hand washing, skiing, and working at a desk.  Am I wrong to assume a watch should stand up to that?

Mine is clearly out of warranty, and I cannot afford to, nor am I even willing to, spend more money on another inferior product from a company that is not willing to stand behind it.  With so many superior smart watches available, that offer all of the same fitness tracking and more, it seems that Fitbit’s days may very well be numbered.

[Williger]

@Cwbyupnh What do you mean when saying skiing totally screwed up your fitness stats?

Until you're able to afford a new tracker, are you able to still sync the device and enjoy the tracking from your phone, tablet or computer in lieu of seeing it on the broken screen? 

Regarding service on the Fitbit trackers, they'll replace them totally free during the warranty. Many stores and online merchants also offer extended warranties at the time of purchase which will cover additional repairs. It's a gamble either way, in my case, I'd bought the extended warranty for an extra fee, never actually using it. In my opinion, Fitbit is a bargain for all the services included. Prior to Fitbit, I used SportBrain, which charged fees for the dashboard, etc. I love having these included. Currently, my trackers are out of warranty, so I repair them myself. Great news, there's even a guide to replacing the Surge screen! Check this out 🧐 

Good luck and Have a happy day! 😁