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Is my Fenix 6 slowly dying?

baselpower
over 2 years ago

Hi!

I suddenly have a lot of issues with my Fenix 6.

It all started a week ago. While sitting at my desk and working at the computer, the watch detected an emergency. Before being able to press anything, the watch did shut down. It was not possible to start it again. I had to plugin the watch several times until it started again. On the next day the exact same thing happened.

After these two events, the watch was working again. But I noticed a huge battery drain. The week before it was still lasting 10 days, now almost only one day.

So I did a factory reset to rule out a software/configuration issue, but the battery drain still happens.

A summary of the problems I currently have:

  • Battery lasts max 24h
  • Randomly in some nights it doesn't record any sleep data
  • Randomly on some days I have a ridiculous high amount of steps
  • When doing a manual pulsoximeter test, the watch sometimes keeps saying I need to stop moving, but I'm keeping my hand and body very still
  • The altimeter was not working for 1-2 days, it didn't record any altitude during an activity
  • Since today, the display is flickering or showing horizontal lines on some screens, randomly

I fear there is a hardware problem going on. Maybe with the motion sensors, but the display problem might hint more damage.

Anyone with some experience on this?

Is it worth to open a support request with Garmin? For sure after 3 years there is no warranty and I guess a hardware repair is too expensive. I also don't want to pay money to buy another Fenix 6. Rather I will buy a Fenix 7 if my Fenix 6 is dead now.

Thanks for your help!

  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 2 years ago in reply to baselpower

    Does not look good I'm afraid. Moisture. Battery looks fine. The melted glue is probably just hot glue. I'll have a more detailed look at it and get back to this later.

  • Former Member
    +1 Former Member over 2 years ago in reply to Former Member

    You can try this; now that the watch is disassembled, you can very carefully wipe visible moisture off with a paper towel (edge) and let it dry.

    You can displace the water with isopropyl alcohol (description here: https://www.ifixit.com/Wiki/Electronics_Water_Damage) for quicker drying. The bottom part of the watch with the battery looks dry, and the device still had power, so the battery is probably fine. It is normal to look a bit bubbled, that is just the tape covering it.

    The blue stuff does not look like glue on second look, it's probably corrosion from the button that leaked and the liquid got inside. Cleaning with isopropyl alcohol hopefully works. Be real gentle. And patient. Let it dry in the air for a few days. Re-assemble and hope for the best. With luck, the display is not permanently damaged, and maybe that leaking button still works. But the watch will never be water proof again, it must not ever get wet or even damp again.

    Good luck and let us know what happens.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to Former Member

    Thanks again for the help and the very detailed instructions.

    I will just let the watch dry for a few days. And then check what still works and not.

    But not being water proof again is a killer for me, so I guess I will buy a Fenix 7 then and probably sell the Fenix 6. Either the old one with the hint of not being water proof if everything else works again or maybe I get the recertified from Garmin as replacement and sell this if I can make some gain with it. Have to check the market price for selling.

    Thanks again!

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    My question is how the *** moisture enter in there???