Is there an issue with garmin watches in salt water or am I just unlucky?

I've had my fenix 6s since May 2020, wore it daily and used it for cycling, hiking and pool swimming.

I signed up for an open water swimming event, did a couple of swims in fresh water, then last Sunday had a swim in the sea. When driving home the watch died which was strange as I had charged it and updated it that morning.

When I got home it wouldn't turn on, tried charging it, connecting it to the computer, holding down power button, resetting it, cleaning it basically everything I could find online but no joy watch wouldn't power up. I contacted garmin support the next day who got me to try things again then confirmed it was unrepairable. As it was out of warranty I could pay £130 and get a refurbished watch if the same model but I'd rather have a new watch as its something I use regularly and liked the idea of a new one.

While I was deciding what to buy, my mum gave me a loan of her fenix 5s that she never used, it was bought second hand and rarely used. I went for a swim in the sea, and halfway thru the swim, I noticed it had turned off. It will turn on while connected to the charger but turns off as soon as I take it off the charger. Haven't contacted garmin about this, I have no box with serial number and no proof of purchase and it will be well out off warranty.

Has anyone else experienced this? Ive swam twice in the sea and got 2 broken watches, got to be seriously unlucky. Put me off getting another garmin as I would be wanting to use it for open water swimming and it seems maybe they aren't suited to that.

Top Replies

All Replies

0 5683838 over 1 year ago in reply to 2643513

Hey! Thanks so much for your response. Gosh, really bad! Then why Garmin advertise 50mt waterproof ? Jeje for a pool of 50mt depth? Well but good thing is that they sent you a new one! Did you have any issues with Garmin to get a replacement?

0 12139809ebc741bfbc62d12b676a6485 over 1 year ago

My girlfriend's Fenix 7 just stopped working this week after we went for a swim in the sea, for a triathlon watch this is pretty disappointing. We were training weekly in open waters, but this last time the start/stop button just stopped working.

0 5804127 over 1 year ago in reply to 12139809ebc741bfbc62d12b676a6485

I am on my fifth Fenix 7. Garmin replaced the previous 4, all of them had buttons that stopped working within 2 weeks of getting in the ocean for a surf. Usually it was the "back" button that stopped working, but also the "start/stop" had problems.

The customer service has always been good though and sent replacement quickly.

I have been using this 5th Fenix 7 regularly in the ocean for more than 2 months and no issues so far.

I agree, disappointing for a triathlon watch but there is hope! Good luck!

0 6145872 over 1 year ago

I've had my Fenix 6s since 2019 and just taught lessons in a salt water pool for the first time. It died in the pool and now the screen flashes weird when it gets plugged in and it wont charge or turn on. Just shows the dead battery symbol for less then 5 sec before flashing and turning off.

0 paul_cj over 1 year ago

I also had a watch that died right after swimming a bit in the sea with it, although it didn't have any issues in regular water. It had no traces of water inside. I think the issue is that salt is a conductor and it creates a short [circuit] between the charging connectors. There are plenty of plastic protection caps for the port on ebay now, but @Garmin, please listen and ship the watches with such caps, it's common sense.

0 Jemesa1 11 months ago

Exactly the same thing has just happened to my wife's watch. Lightly used and short swim - misted up and died. Hopeless customer service as they want me to replace this substandard piece of junk for the same substandard misdescribed piece of junk for £164! FFS. I love my garmin the Fenix 5 - bashed around and never let me down and I free dive - my wife stays only the surface and is in the sea for 3 minutes!

0 ticehurstb 9 months ago

I've been using Garmin watches for years I use them mainly for swim run training, so loads of open water swimming in the sea. I'm also a keen surfer. Open water swimming doesn't seem to be a problem but I've now had 4 watches die following surfs. All followed the same shut down as described above. I think while the watches are waterproof enough for swimming the extra pressure they are exposed to in breaking surf is causing the damage. If I do replace my latest watch I won't be using it for surfing any more.

0 5804127 9 months ago in reply to 5804127

Just an update. My fifth Fenix 7 went through the same issues of the previous 4, just after 6 months of use rather than a couple of weeks. I've already received the 6th.

0 bluefish 9 months ago in reply to 5804127

Manual says you should NOT press any button underwater!

0 5804127 9 months ago in reply to bluefish

I didn't. The problem with the button (only one, the start/stop button) happens out of the water, usually a few days/weeks after using it in salt water.

I don't press the buttons under water and actually I wear the watch under my wetsuit for extra "protection".