Surge strap coming away from frame

[poogatch]

I received a replacement Surge just under a year ago due to the band bubbling and coming away from the frame. Unfortunately it is happening again, it's not as bad as last time as yet but I know what the future holds for it. I have also done some reading and have seen it is a known issue with the Surge. Last time I spoke to someone online but can only see an email option for support (other than using twitter).

Is that my only option? I swear there was an online chat function back then?

[WendyB · Accepted solution]

It changes depending on the time of day etc

Email is an option right now. Chat is not right now

http://help.fitbit.com/?l=en_US&cu=1&fs=ContactUs

[kaznart]

Hi

I have had exactly the same problem (first and replacement watch both having strap problems) and am just looking into getting a refund.  The second time this happened the whole strap has dislodged from the watch face on one side.  Whilst I have slotted it back on, it easily comes off again.  Really disappointed in the product...

[Pierre27]

Hi,

I experience the same issue: strap broken on both sides of the Surge (guarantee expired since december 2017).

I contacted the help desk (in French). Answer was really quick to offer me a 25% discount to buy a new watch, but no solution to replace the strap! Just like buying a new car when the tires are damaged.

Can someone help me to find the best tutorial to replace the strap by myself (some seem complex with an kind of antenna not to damage - probably for the GPS) ? Straps can be found on the web (at a much lower price than 75% of a new watch) but explanations are not explicit.

Thanks for your help.

Pierre

[kaznart]

Hi PierrePersonally I won't have a surge again. I hope they will give me a refund given it's less than 12 months old but I won't have another surge I'm afraid. Why take on a product you know will fail?! Good luck with the strap - I will probably go for a Garmin instead!


Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hope you are doing great and enjoying some healthy activities @poogatch, @kaznart and @Pierre27. Welcome! 

We're glad to see you around, thank you for the thorough feedback for the Fitbit environment, customer service and devices. This has not gone unnoticed and be sure that I will pass this along.

Please know that we provide feedback to our team based on community posts and we are always working on improving our devices and overall environment based on what you share here.

One more thing to mention is that you can always read the Returns and Warranty policies from Fitbit so you can have a better understanding of the response they provided you. And as @WendyB mentioned, if you have additional questions in regards of your options, please feel free to contact them back to get more information about it. Fitbit as any other company have policies to follow through.  And while customer satisfaction remains our number one goal, the demands of running a global business require that we enforce our warranty consistently.   

I'll be around in case that you have additional questions and thanks again for your participation in the community!

[Runnins]

totally agree,same problem x 2 and fitbit will not change for a different model.

[kaznart]

They have said to me the warranty only refers to the original purchase not the replacement one which is also broken. Both are within the warranty time though, so based on original one being less than two years from purchase they will change it again for a like for like swap. Given that this (3rd) surge is also likely to end up with same fault as it's the same product with a known fault, I am declining a swap. I have been offered 50% off on an upgrade, which will therefore mean that I will be paying out more money due to a repeat fault on my original purchase. Quite frankly I find this very poor customer service and I will not be purchasing a fitbit again, discounted or otherwise. Why should I have to pay out more for a fault. No thank you.


Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hey there, @Runnins! Welcome to the Family! Thanks for sharing this information @kaznart.

If you need more details about your warranty options, you can reply back via email; they will be ready explain this if you have questions.

Thanks for your understanding. 

[GoodByeFB]

Everyone needs to write/call FitBit and demand a $250 refund for the Surge.  It had a design defect.  It was their flagship product and they have refused to stand behind it.  When it failed, as it usually did for most of us after 7 months, they simply issued another defective Surge, which then again failed in the exact same wrist band spot.

Fitbit is telling us what everyone needs to know, about Fitbit quality and how they back up their products.  Everyone needs to share this experience in every manner available.

Flagship product fail!

[kaznart]

Unfortunately I have been very disappointed with the warranted options, as quite frankly there aren't any!Needless to say I won't be buying any other product from Fitbit and I have been very happy to share why with all friends and family. Since doing so I have been advised by several friends that they have had similar problems with the fitbit products. Likewise, they will not be using fitbit again either. Shame you don't listen to your customers feedback. We are after all there for mutual benefit.


Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

[MRBarnes]

The Surge has been a piece of junk. First one I had started peeling around the 8 month mark. Ok, reach out to support get a replacement. Thought, hey I will keep that one in the package and see if I can get a couple more months out of the old one. Fast forward a bit, open the new one finally and within a month its bubbling and peeling.

Tried to open a case a year ago and they couldn't even see the new watch so no replacement would be sent. I stopped using it earlier this year and only put it back on.. its so ugly with the bubbles and peeling.

Seriously, they knew it was flawed and quickly dropped the product and brought out the blaze but all of us with the Surge are stuck with a crappy product.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @GoodByeFB, @kaznart, and @MRBarnes thanks for posting your comments on the Forums. I'll pass it along to our team. As mentioned before, if you need more details about your warranty information you can reply to our support team, they will give you more details about it.

@GoodByeFB and @MRBarnes Please take in count that the Forums are designed to provide a place for customers to seek and receive help from other community members, so please keep your comments constructive and relevant to the topic on the forum or thread.  

Thank you for your understanding.

[kaznart]

The comments are truthful. Which is constructive for other customers


Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

[Rich1967]

The strap on my replacement surge was starting to peel in late 2017. My original purchase was 2015 and I was outside of warranty, plus Fitbit will only send you a replacement surge and the replacement is not covered once it breaks.

The answer is to look on EBay or Amazon. Search for Fitbit Surge Straps. You can purchase a replacement strap for the surge with toolkit to unscrew/screw the new strap. Cost is $10.00 for USA customers, £6.99 for UK customers. The straps are identical and I’ve had mine 7 months and no problems so far. 

[YojanaFitbit]

Thanks for keep adding your comments and feedback regarding our product @Rich1967 and @kaznart!

Please keep posting all comments and information that you think it might be useful to others in a constructive way, for more information you can check our guidelines here.

See you around.

[ripahl]

2 surges with band issues.  Going the Ebay route to see if I can do it myself replacement.  Notice that FITBIT has FRAME replacements for some models.  Could see a solution where the watch is placed into a frame that has detachable wristbands.  For us investors in the Surge... close to 3 bills then, please... don't make us pay another 2--.

Discount was offered today for 40% of Iconic... have that in my pocket and if the replacement bands fail, then I will beg family for XMAS.... using the discount.  

**Perhaps a walk-a-thon to help raise funds for my new watch is another option 🙂

[kaznart]

HiI have had a Garmin for 12-18 months now. No problem at all. My advice would be to give up on Fitbit - afterall they seem to have given up on looking after their customers...Sent from Samsung tablet.

[ingvar]

I think most user of Surge have this problem with the bracelet after a while.... and  Fitbit  refuses to provide any separate selling of bracelet. Amazon have about 30 seller of it. I tried one, the first half was good, but the other was not so good fitting. I will give it a new try, they are not expensive, this time I will not choice the cheapest .

[ripahl]

Thanks... I ordered a strap replacement from EBAY and got it like two days.  I easily attached one side.  The second side did not fit snugly up to the watch and had trouble setting the screws.  Eventually I got the screws in and will live with the micro separation.  Hardly can notice it.  Beats the 200 + to but a new watch for really just a strap issue.