While charging in unusually dim lighting this morning, I noticed hairline cracks on the face of the HR sensor. Panicking, I did some research and found this has happened before to people (like me) who have not damaged the sensor in any way. I have not dropped, smashed, or otherwise done anything to the underside of the watch. It is on my wrist 99% of the time. Sent an email to Garmin support this morning and hope they can address the issue quickly. I love this thing and hate the idea of being without it. ciq.forums.garmin.com/.../1284467.jpg
Mine started as a minor mark maybe 6 months in, thought it was me. Now I'm a year in and it looks like this.
I wonder if the kind people at Garmin will replace it if it's slid over the 12 month mark by a few days, given it's a fault that's been inherent since purchase but not shown itself until now.....email sent.
Those looks more like the ones I got on the 935. There seems to be two kinds of cracks quite obviously.
Any theories about the vibration alert causing this? I have left my watch short periods on hard surfaces while taking a shower or whatever, and there has been a notice from my phone triggering the vibration. The noise it makes through a wooden table for instance is quite loud, and everything goes through the sensor glass if you have put it face up. Just a thought.
i have also those cracks on my Fenix 5x, which i bought April 2017. I have contacted Garmin, as written in the thread. But the German support wants to have nearly 200€, to fix it.
I would point them to this thread. Garmin in other locations are clearly replacing them for this fault. Garmin Germany shouldn't be different in that respect.
Sent my watch to Garmin via courier in Johannesburg yesterday, notified to collect my new replacement today. Lets hope this one lasts. Will be checking the sensor on a regular basis this time.
I just emailed the [email][email protected][/email] address in hopes of a replacement. I purchased my Fenix 5x on December 7, 2017. Love the watch, but the cracks are irritating. Will update on how replacement process goes.ciq.forums.garmin.com/.../1350097.jpg
Cracks are propagating as on the last one. I'm loathed to take this second one back to the store...but the crack has crossed the sensor now, which is when the last one started drastically under-reporting my heart rate. Already seeing signs of that - this morning I saw a sudden 12 point drop in RHR, checked the back and sure enough there's a crack right across the central element of the sensor (right-hand side of attached image).
Knowing full well I'll have another broken watch in three months, I'm taking it back again. Not cool Garmin, please acknowledge your design/material selection error and put it right; this isn't some fun toy or gadget for me, I (and many others) rely on it for monitoring training load between races.
To reiterate conditions of this device's failure:
- Second watch of type I've owned (gold pins), received as exchange in February 2018 to replace September 2017 original (silver pins). - Never placed back-down on any surface, and I mean never! Placed face down on a towel every time, straps splayed so metal buckle doesn't touch the watch body, specifically to try and prevent cracks forming. - Worn 24/7 minus approx 3hrs a week for charging (face down, HRM-up, on a cloth). - Religiously, and thoroughly rinsed after pool and open water swims. - Never in contact with any moisturisers, lotions, sun tan cream etc. because I don't use any. Just sweat and skin. - Temperate climate on the west coast of Canada; never below 8?, never above 22?. - Mood of owner decreasing, in line with reported heart rate. ciq.forums.garmin.com/.../1360840.jpg
