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Watch Broken Where the Band Connects To The Case

18 months after purchase I basically have a fitness tracker that I have to tape to my wrist or pin to my shirt…Sitting at my desk the other day my VAM3 just fell of my wrist.  Thought the band just came undone.  Nope one of the 4 band contact points is broken off.  After closer inspection there are small cracks on the remaining 3 points of contact.  Sorry but, these devices are way too expensive to be rendered useless after 18 months of wear.  While I wear it nearly 24 hours a day, it hasn’t been abused, I sit at a desk all day long, run with it most mornings/evenings and take it on the occasional swim.  I’ve had cheap plastic Timex watches that have lasted literally a decades!

Very disappointed because this watch did everything I wanted a watch to do, except last.  I reached out to Garmin via messenger as others suggested, no response yet…Apparently this isn’t unique to my watch or even the VAM3, there are many complaints from customers having the same issue on Vivoactives and Forerunner models.  I hope they fix this flaw and make a watch that will actually last, until then I won’t be buying another Garmin.

  • My Vivoactive 3 Music broke exactly the same way. Unfortunately it broke like 2,5 months after warranty expiration Disappointed. Handed the watch to Garmin Greece support and now waiting for their response. A perfectly maintained watch with which I have been extra careful and other than that not the slightest scratch or mark on it. Not to mention that I rarely wore it these years due to COVID-19 lockdowns…. Disappointed

  • I have had to vivoactive 3 music watches including the REFURBISHED one they sent after the first broke for this reason.  The refurbished one has now also broke - just after a year of getting it.  Garmin are refusing to replace the REFURBISHED watch.  First was swimming the second jogging - some sports watch.  Garmin state that it is not an ACKNOWLEDGED design fault - otherwise the watches would all have been recalled - WHAT A JOKE.  They stated that I need to take AMAZON to court under the Sales of Goods Act / Consumer Act and they have no responsibility.

    I am now moving to the Samsung Watch 3 - with it's steal casing.  Together with my PT clients and anyone else who reads this article.

  • That's exactly what I did... last year. At first I was disappointed that I had to switch. But I really love the Galaxy watch! (You will, too!)

    And the added security of knowing it is a solid product that won't break in under a year is a relief!

    I really don't understand why Garmin won't just fix the problem. I guess the $ they're saving using a cheap, plastic casing isn't offset by the number of watches they have to replace. Over & over. 

  • Thanks for posting my Forerunner 645 music did the same thing! it fell off due to the plastic housing where the straps connect breaking off, I called support thanks to your post and they are putting me through the process to get a refurbished replacement! Hope it all goes smoothly! 

  • Shame they won't do the same for me. Garmin are denying it's a design fault! 

  • They replaced my 645 Music as it was only 3 months old and under warranty. I purchased an extended warranty under Amazon when I purchased the watch so I still have a couple of years warranty.  If it breaks after that I am also going with the Samsung watch also. Tired of worrying about the watch lugs breaking.

  • I experienced the same problem with my Garmin Forerunner 645 Music. After 18 months, THREE of the plastic watchband pin supports (strap lugs) broken within weeks of each other.

    I did successfully repair each of them using JB Weld, however. It was fairly easy and resulted in robust repairs. You can hardly tell the watch was ever broken.

    See the following link or search for "Felix Wong how to repair broken Garmin watchband pin supports" for photos and a write-up on how I did the repair.
    felixwong.com/.../

  • That link was super helpful. Thanks Felix. This just happened to me over the weekend, and I seem to have lost that metal collar as well. So just ordered off ebay as you suggested. Thanks for the tip!

  • Glad it helped! It's been a robust, permanent fix for me.

  • I bought a new Vivosmart HR from Amazon for 59 bucks. Garmin did not offer to fix but would send one for 69. They suggested i buy Amazons. terrible PR on their part.