Zip behaving erratically

[late58]

I've had my Zip for almost a couple of years and it has always behaved perfectly.  In the last week or so it has become erratic. The battery is new so its not that.  I have taken the battery again out, waited a short while and reinstalled it but the Zip behaviour is the same.

Previously I attached it to my clothes each day and it just did what it was supposed to do perfectly and without fault.  Now I have to tap it to wake it up to start recording.  Before I realised what was happening I had three days where it recorded nothing at all.  Even now after I wake it up it doesn't always work properly  The time shows incorrectly unless I sync it.  Also, yesterday for example my total steps were around 11,200 which should equate to about 5.5 miles but were recorded as only 3.3 miles.  What is going on?  Can it be rectified or is my Zip dying?  I notice that Fitbit no longer makes the Zip which is a shame as I bought it precisely because I didn't want something I had to wear on my wrist.  I daresay plenty of other people who own one did so for the same reason.  Discontinuing it is a BIG MISTAKE Fitbit people!!!  You will lose customers!!

[YojanaFitbit]

Welcome to the Fitbit Forums @late58, nice to see you here! 

Thanks for sharing your experience with Fitbit Zip. Sorry about your missing miles, I know how difficult is sometimes to get that amount of steps. Please in case that you haven't do so, check if the back of the battery is clean and if the battery door is not broken or loose; as it might be causing this issues.

Other tips:

• Place the battery back into the tracker with the "+" side facing up, and close the door
• Buy a 3V coin battery, CR2025
• Try to sync your Fitibt before changing the battery since data could be lost if your tracker if is not synced. If the battery is loose, it might be causing that data lost that you've mentioned

• Maybe you've already tried this, but why don't your open the back of your Zip and clean the place where you put the battery using a cotton swab. Make sure that the little metal piece that makes contact with the battery is not bend or rusty too.

If that's not working, we might have to check what is the next options with our support team.

We really appreciate your feedback about Fitbit Zip, I'll escalate your comment; you will see the Fitbit Zip in black available on the Fitbit Store.

[late58]

Thank you for your reply Yohana but it is none of the battery compartment issues you mention.  The battery contacts are firm and clean and, as I mentioned in my post, the battery is new and fully charged.  Fundamentally the Zip is behaving erratically as I described.  The mileage has begun to record too low.  It seems to me that this is a software problem or simply that the Zip is failing.  What do you suggest?

Also, the link you gave to the store is the American store.  I am in the UK and the Fitbit store here says that the Zip is no longer available: https://www.fitbit.com/uk/shop/zip  Why is it available in America and not in the UK?  There is still demand here.  People are selling new and used Zips on eBay at prices higher than the Fitbit store.  What does Fitbit have to say about that?

I look forward to your comments and a solution.

[late58]

By the way, I just checked the American store and clicked to add a Zip as if to buy it.  I got the same message; not available.