Versa counting so many steps while driving

[Zoesmom10]

I waited patiently for the Versa. I drive a large golf cart at a zoo. My first day driving I was given 17,000 steps!!! I had a chat with Fitbit team and was given instructions to change the settings when driving!! No thank you!! My old Fitbit Charge did not have this issue. Back to the drawing board please Fitbit. It’s no small investment for a Versa that I need to manage and who wants to remember to change the settings when you are in and out of a “cart” or any other bumpy vehicle? It’s going back.

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity 

[HeydyF · Accepted solution]

Hello @Zoesmom10, let me give you a warm welcome to the Community! I appreciate the time that you have taken to contact our Support team. On the other hand, it is sad to know that you are planning to return your Versa. As our team has already explained you, your watch might count extra steps when you are driving over bumpy roads for long periods of time. I guess that they mentioned the usage of the DriveBit app, right?  And I think that this is the part that you find annoying, am I right? Well in addition, I'd like to suggest you to restart your Versa, to avoid such high amount of steps being counted. 

Let me know how it goes! 

[SallyB605]

Heydy, my Versa is tracking floors when I drive, too. It’s also recording  inflated step counts and not tracking my sleep accurately. 

I have a case open about these problems in which I sent screen shots and videos of me wearing my Charge 2 and Versa right next to each other on the same wrist for an entire day to show the discrepancies. I received the “stiff transmission” and “windy weather” lines from support, which is totally unacceptable. The fact remains that the Versa is not accurately tracking steps, floors and sleep for many people on these forums. 

I hope Fitbit support begins to take our problems seriously soon. 

[SallyB605]

After some experimentation, I have found that the Versa counts steering wheel movements as steps. So it thinks I am active when I am driving and counts increases in elevation as floors. When I take the Versa off my wrist and keep it on my person, it ceases to count driving as steps and floors. 

This may be a workaround for some, but it it is not a solution. The fact remains that my Charge handles driving correctly and the Versa does not. Therefore, there is a problem with the Versa. 

I hope Fitbit can fix these problems soon. 

Edited for typo. 

[SallyB605]

Fitbit support continues to deny that the problem exists. I’ve gone to great lengths to gather data, screen shots and videos to show them the problems. I’m at wits end. This is the second time they’ve responded with the “stiff transmission” line and simply told me that there is no problem. 

——-their response——

Thank you for all the detailed information you're providing us regarding the steps and floors getting while you're driving. 

Regarding the extra steps you're getting while you're driving, we'd like to let you know that your device has been tested against driving, buses, trains, and other public transportation and should not give you extra steps when you’re traveling under normal conditions. On bumpy roads or in a car with a stiff transmission you may get extra steps. Though a few extra steps won't affect your trends, it's possible to log a driving activity and remove the steps from your account totals. For more information see How do I edit or delete Fitbit data and activities?  Also we'd like to recommend you an app called DriveBit, it connects to your Fitbit account and has one button. You press it to when you get in the car and press again when leaving. This time period then synced to Fitbit as driving and removes the false steps.

——-

[Lilly338]

They aren’t understanding that it’s not just normal driving that it’s adding a few steps . There has to be an actual problem because I’m sitting at my desk and it’s adding over 4000 steps when I’m not moving I’m sitting here listening on conference calls . Also I tried taking it off and it’s still adding steps while it’s sitting on my desk .

[SallyB605]

Think about opening a support case. Maybe if enough of us do that, they will eventually acknowledge the problems...

[Zoesmom10]

Returned product. Worthless $200. watch

[dersie]

Interesting, I will try this app. It can be a good solution because we can not do much other things to avoid arm to move when driving.

[ali_baba7]

The fact that we need to use another app to rectify this issue is unfortunate. This is my first day with the Versa, but I can already tell that it's more sensitive than my Charge 2 HR, and this is going to be a problem. My Charge never counted an abnormally high number of steps while driving like my Versa did today. I also got five steps just for scooting three feet in a rolling desk chair. I hope this is something that can be rectified in a firmware update.

[Stephmg92]

I'm so sad. My husband just bought me the watch and I set it up and it counted 4000 steps while I slept. Called support and was told to reset. I did and noticed over a 100 steps added while I drove. I'm going to have to tell him to return it 😞 . Seems like an ongoing issue. I used to have a Fitbit flex & had zero issues with step count. Highly disappointed in Fitbit. Also, seems like the blame is being put on customers when clearly you have a software issue that multiple users are having.

Moderator edit: Removed caps 

[IanHB]

I have an Ionic, very pleased with it. I just bought a Versa for my wife.. the Ionic is too big for her and the Versa sounded great, it does nearly everything the Ionic does except the GPS.  But we have the exact same issue. The Versa is tracking steps when no steps are being taken, the Ionic doesn’t. Looks like we may have to take back the Versa and maybe look at garmin.  Using an app to track driving and delete steps maybe a workaround for some but it is not good enough.

[Eriklb]

Yes using another app to make FitBit work better is not a good solution

[HayRee]

I donot understand why we need to use phone drivebit app. There shud be an app for versa where we can start/stop driving, bus riding, other activities that may result in additional steps and floors counting.

[Jrmartinez]

1st full day wearing the watch.  Woke up, got in my car, drove 2.5 hrs, walked into a building, sat down for 20 min walked out, sat in my car, looked at my phone and I had 7k steps and earned 2 badges for going up floors.  Had a Blaze for about 2 years with no issues.  Lost it so my wife got me this.  Taking it back tomorrow for an Ionic or Garmin.  Still havent decided but its unfortunate how unhelpful it seems they are over this issue.

[HayRee]

One other thing you can do is check setting of dominant wrist in the app. also if the sync and location are on, the issue should be lesser.

[boslon]

I can't believe that this issue is marked as solved. I note from the forums that other Fitbit products do not exhibit the steps while driving problem and I never experienced such a problem with my Apple Watch or Samsung Gear. Advising Versa customers to take off their watch while driving or download some other app is NOT an acceptable solution. I bought my Versa two days ago and will be returning it to the retailer tomorrow. Very disappointing, as it is an otherwise very nice product.

[HayRee]

I would suggest to check your own versa watch, many watches donot show this
problem.

[Atondo8]

I'm with you on this im very disappointed fitbit does not care about this issue. I should have just stayed with my charge 2

[Starblue332]

Same!  I'm so frustrated.  I've had an Alta and a blaze and neither have had this problem.  If it's charging anywhere near my fan at night (even on the floor) I want to to 17000 steps!  I do highest driving only and I get Steps and like 20 floors!  But not with the blaze so it's obviously the versa.