Back button issue? 2 new watches broken watches in 24 hours

My movents have been very similar and I wonder if there is something in it...

Receive watch after work. Unbox, software updates, charge, set up. Use for 24 hours including multiple activities, walking, running, etc. I have surfed both evenings around the 24 hour mark (5:30-6:30pm) giving it salt water exposure, but throughly washed it after (along with all my stuff that goes in the salt water, as I have done with my Venu for the last 3 years). The watch works as normal and no jammed buttons after surfing. Then i chill in the evenings and around 10pm the button stops working. 

Happened the exact same thing after 1 month of use.

Damn, sorry it happened to you too. Did you get a replacement and if so, has that worked without issues? 

Yes i get a replacement from shop, for now it works...

UPDATE:
I spoke to Garmin on the phone today (brilliant customer service) and the gentleman i spoke to helped me problem solve and get my current watch working again. 

I didn’t turn off or reset my watch after the back button stopped working, and kept using it as normal through the weekend until I could talk to customer support on Monday. I had other buttons stop and start working, and long presses stop working too, which was very frustrating! 

When i spoke to customer support, the gentleman recommended to remove any apps downloaded from the Connect IQ store, which I had done. Then we turned off the watch and turned it back on as the long press was working on the light button again. Once reset the watch was working exactly as expected. It’s likely an issue with the third party app I had downloaded. 

I had downloaded 3 apps: Hydration tracking, Spotify and Surfline. Spotify and hydration tracking are both from Garmin so it is most likely the issue would have come from Surfline (pure speculation). 

The gentleman told me to use the watch as I would normally and download any apps I would like to use, and then if that caused the issue we could narrow it down further to the root of the issue.

Fingers crossed that’s all it was and my watch works as normal now. I am not going to download Surfline again, as for me, it was a novelty app and not worth risking another issue. 

If I do continue to have issues I’ll update this post. It’s an interesting position but 10/10 support from Garmin who took the time to hear my issue and help me work through to get my watch working as expected. 

I am on my *third* Epix gen2 in three months and am about to return this one because of this issue.  Quality control seems non-existent.  The first two failed in days, this one lasted about two months.  I use it mostly for lap swimming - and the back button is required to mark each lap.  Sometimes the button press doesn't register at all.  Sometimes it takes the display to the watch face, but the lap is still being counted (weird).  It stops working, it starts working.  It's also started occasionally vibrating (just one "bip") then switching the face to full brightness when I'm sitting motionless (watch #2 started doing this almost constantly).  I'm at 0/3 on the Epix now.  I really love the display, but I'm giving up and going back to my Fenix 6.  I've been with Garmin for years, had Forerunners, a Fenix 5, a Fenix 6 and now this.  But I couldn't recommend Garmin to anyone at this point.  Feels like I'm paying $1k to beta test their product for them.  Of note: REI has been fantastic in accepting returns.  

I have the same issue. I’m on my third Epix 2 in 3 months. After a few days buttons stop working. I swim in the sea but that should not cause this after a few days. I had my fenix 5 since 2018 and no issues. I have rinsed it and followed all instructions. 

Like others here the experience with customer support has been good and they have replaced immediately no questions asked. Thing is it takes three weeks to get the new watch so :I get to use the watch one week a month. 

This is interesting and may be indicative of a broader FW issue.  I had a F6X blow up in the middle of a race a few weeks ago.  It started vibration, issuing storm alerts and making a random beep.  It eventually dropped into the unrecoverable bootloop after a few attempts to reset it/wipe it.  Note this watch has had the same 3 apps on it for over the last 2+ years. 

I didn't have button problems but things like the power menu had the power icon for everything and of the 898 (guess on my part based on the size of the caret on the scroll bar) it had 898 Tactix watchfaces.   Once it got to the bootloop there's no coming back from that apparently after talking to garmin and it was replaced.  At cost being well out of warranty.  

I had the same problem too. First day of use everything was perfect and after 4 hours ( after received my watch) on first update the back button stopped working. Also when i tried to restart it, it went to a restore default settings loop and couldnt start the watch. Whatever i answer yes or no same thing happen. Watch didnt move on. I am so mad right now. I will contact support on Monday.

Same here, my second Epix went back to GA last week, waiting for third replacement. Reading the posts here, it seems the issue could be linked to watersports. I use it (also) for swimming twice a week.

Very disappointing, I wonder if with the third watch the problem will be finally fixed or will keep on replacing devices till end of warranty :/