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Cold water crash

CyberMonke

My Fenix 8 AMOLED 47mm consistently crashes when the water temperature drops below 8°C.

This is a significant issue where I live, as the water temperature often falls below that.

Interestingly, after a crash due to the temperature drop, the watch can usually reboot and function properly, even if the displayed temperature is below 8°C.

In Europe, dive instruments must be tested down to 0°C to be on the market, so I find it surprising for a watch advertised to operate in negative temperatures to have this problem.

I've noticed other users reporting the same issue on Reddit.

I'm wondering if this is a software safety feature that might be resolved in an update, or if I should consider sending the watch back.

It seems the watch can operate in low temperatures, but the sudden temperature drop when entering the water causes it to crash consistently.

  • 0 in reply to Volker
    Volker said:
    Btw: it is even listed on the diving computer hompage of Garmin...

    Maybe they should put a small character amendment saying „you need an additional dive computer if you want to dive with this dive computer“. ;-)

  • 0

    Fixed with 11.86?

    Change Log

    Fixed potential shutdown due to rapid temperature change

    forums.garmin.com/.../fenix-8-system-software-11-86

  • +1 in reply to Volker

    Update October 7, 2024: 

    Our engineers have released the latest Public Software version 11.86. This does include a fix for potential shut down when the watch is subjected to a rapid temperature change. If you are experiencing this concern, please install this latest update using Garmin Express. 

  • 0 in reply to Garmin-Laurie

    I had read about this problem ages ago and have never experienced it, but I went for a swim in a cold river this afternoon and after about 45 seconds I noticed my watch had turned off. I restarted and dunked it in the water again, and off it went. Tried again 3 more times just to make sure it was the water and it’s consistently doing it every time. The water was probably 50 degrees F. Suggestions since this was supposed to be fixed 6 months ago? I’m on 15.32. 

  • 0 in reply to slim

    Try to disable touchscreen before to swim, and give a try

  • 0 in reply to Lewis

    If I remember well, many of the cases of the watch shutting down in cold water could have been fixed easily by recalibrating the buttons, which in some cases may be too sensitive, which then may lead to shutting down the watch. I'd bet that the procedure for calibrating the buttons is included in this thread. If not, it can be found elsewhere on the F8 forum - for example here: Fenix 8 47mm AMOLED Buttons - fēnix 8 Series - Wearables - Garmin Forums

  • 0

    Disappointing to realise this.  I bought the fenix specifically for the better abiliity to work in open water swimming.  Now that I am turning to cold plunges where the water is consistenty below 5C and more like 2C I find I cannot rely on this watch for accurate timing.  It stalls out and I'm out in the cold water "waiting" for my timer to time me out at 4-5 minutes.  Discovered the timer stalled at 1:15 today and after a few more minutes I finally reaised it was no longer working!  NOT SAFE!  I was probably in for at least 6 min vs my max time of 4 in 2C water.  No wonder it took me a while to get my legs to work and get myself out.
    I usually have buddies with their own timers to help keep track, but that wasn't the case aside from an onshore lifeguard, but with the waves and wind I couldn't hear him yelling at me !  

  • 0 in reply to 6116566
    6116566 said:
    Disappointing to realise this.

    And did you already re-calibrate the buttons as advised here?

  • 0 in reply to trux

    Thanks, Just working through the responses now and will be attempting the suggested technically challenging update process and will then need to test the results of modifications going forward.  

  • 0 in reply to 6116566

    That’s weird. As much as the F8 was a complete piece of *** when Garmin released it (I bought it 2 weeks post release) and Garmin are arseholes using us as beta testers up until 4 months ago… the watch works the way it’s meant to now. Finally. 

    I plunge every morning for 10 mins at 3 degrees Celsius. The watch works flawlessly. I setup a duplicate Pilates profile for plunge. Set it so touch screen is off. Watch hasn’t crashed once, works fine under the water and is my time keeper.