Instinct 2 Solar not staying connected to my Pixel 6 (video inside)

Some users with Pixel reported a conflict with WiFi - claiming that when WiFi is off, BT works fine. However, I think they also reported it was fixed on Pixel with the upgrade to Android 13. There are a few other threads with connectivity problems on Pixels, listed in troubleshooting guide at  the https://forums.garmin.com/apps-software/mobile-apps-web/f/garmin-connect-mobile-andriod/220202/sync-connection-troubleshooting-guide - see the hints #25 and #26.

Thanks for your reply, I've tried everything I could and at this point nothing fixes it and it doesn't appear to be the phone since the Instinct 2 is the only device that behaves this way.

My Tissot T-Touch Connect stays on all day long without any problems, I don't know what to do, it's very frustrating.

sebsx said:

Here's a screen recording from this morning, it just keeps disconnecting over and over again:

It looks like it unsuccessfully attempts to sync the data over and over, crashing in the middle. In your place I'd check the Device Sync Audit (in the app Settings, at the very bottom) for errors - there might be a clue. It can be a corrupted file that cannot be uploaded, a subdomain on Garmin's server being blocked by firewall, unstable network connection, storage problem, or a number of other problems.

Thanks for the suggestion. Not sure if it's a crash, the audit log error messages will bounce between these 2 errors, without mentioning any corrupt files at all. Eventually it will work after many tries.

---Timestamp---
Thu, Sep 22 2022 @ 7:15 AM

---Garmin Device Info---
[device information] unit id: 3403658878, product number: 3888, software version: 927, device name: Instinct 2 Solar

---Android Device Info---
OS: Android
Ver. Release: 13
Ver. SDK: 33
Ver. Codename: REL
Locale: en_AU
Manufacturer: Google
Brand: google
Model: Pixel 6
Device: oriole
Display: TP1A.220905.004
Hardware: oriole
Host: abfarm-release-rbe-64-00030
ID: TP1A.220905.004
Product: oriole
Radio: g5123b-102852-220720-B-8851166
Serial: unknown
Tags: release-keys
Type: user
User: android-build
Board: oriole
Bootloader: slider-1.2-8739948
Supported<br/>ABIs: arm64-v8a<br/>armeabi-v7a<br/>armeabi<br/>

---Sync Info---
******************** SYNC RESULT ********************
Upload Status=FAILED (Failed to read file from device)
Download Status=FAILED (download:ERROR PRIOR TO EXECUTE)
Time Sync Status=SUCCESSFUL
Overall Sync Status=FAILED

And then the next one

---Timestamp---
Thu, Sep 22 2022 @ 7:16 AM

... snip ...

---Sync Info---
******************** SYNC RESULT ********************
Upload Status=FAILED (Remote device disconnected)
Download Status=FAILED (download:ERROR PRIOR TO EXECUTE)
Time Sync Status=SUCCESSFUL
Overall Sync Status=FAILED

And so on 

---Timestamp---
Thu, Sep 22 2022 @ 7:16 AM

... snip ...

---Sync Info---
******************** SYNC RESULT ********************
Upload Status=FAILED (Remote device disconnected)
Download Status=FAILED (download:ERROR PRIOR TO EXECUTE)
Time Sync Status=SUCCESSFUL
Overall Sync Status=FAILED

And then eventually it succeeds after a number of tries

---Sync Info---
******************** SYNC RESULT ********************
Upload Status=SUCCESSFUL
Download Status=SUCCESSFUL (No item to process)
Time Sync Status=SUCCESSFUL
Overall Sync Status=SUCCESSFUL

The first audit shows "Upload Status=FAILED (Failed to read file from device)", it means there is a problem with one of the files that it tries to upload. Not sure whether you snipped some part there too, but I do not see any closer information about the specific file. Guessing from audits on my phone, upload (illogically) means the upload from the watch to the app, despite that the audit originates on the phone, and not on the watch. It could be an activity file, a monitoring file with daily metrics, or another file that is being synced. There could be perhaps some clues elsewhere in the audits.

The best may be sending the data to the Support and have them investigate it closer. There is even a Diagnostic Report function in Menu » Help, that they can use to get some more details to them, but you need to enter a code from them first. Though, I did not hear yet about anyone yet, who was asked to send them the diagnostic report, so am not sure whether the support staff is trained to use it at all, or whether you'd have to get in touch with a higher ranking support person or a developer.

Some hints might be also in the folder //GARMIN/Debug on the watch - minimally there could a record of the last system crash in the file ERR_LOG.BAK, and you could see whether it corresponds to the time of the failed sync attempt.

Or, it could fail to read the file because the device disconnected during the file read operation. That particular message is ambiguous because the sync eventually succeeds, it shouldn't if there is corrupted data that causes a crash. It should never succeed, at least in my view.

This watch is by far the worst experience I've had with a Garmin product, and I have a few others. 

Also, this is a Dontkillmyapp report over 4 hours. The Pixel software doesn't kill apps like Samsung and other does. so I do not think it's the sync service getting killed.

sebsx said:

This watch is by far the worst experience I've had with a Garmin product, and I have a few others. 

You should definitely speak to the Support - the behavior is not normal. I have absolutely no connectivity problems with my Instinct 2 (and did not have any with Instinct 1 either). I am using it both with a noname Android phone (had a Samsung before, with no problems either), and with iPhone, and never experienced any similar disconnections on either of them.

Don't you, by hazard, have the watch paired with multiple phones (or other devices - like a tablet or a pc), that are both in the BT reach? Although it would be a good idea to test the connectivity with another phone model, only one of them at the time should have BT on. If you experienced the same connectivity problems with another phone, it would mean the watch is probably defective, and needs a replacement. If the syncing works with another brand, then it looks like a compatibility problem with the Pixel, that needs a deeper analysis. I suggest testing it with an iPhone. if any of your friends are willing to help you - there are barely ever any connectivity problems with iPhones reported here on the forum (and if, then just due to insufficient permissions).

I'll definitely give support a call. And, no I do not have it paired to more than one device, only to my Pixel 6 and I do not have Apple users in my circle so no way to test.

sebsx said:

I do not have Apple users in my circle so no way to test.

Try it at least with another brand of Android phone