XR constantly losing app connection?

[suboba]

Re: Onewheel XR Bluetooth Issues

Sucks. Just got my XR and I'm having trouble keeping a solid connection to the app. When I first start off, it's very difficult to connect. As I'm riding, I'll take out my phone to see what the numbers say and it has the "reconnecting..." screen of death. What this means is as I'm riding, I don't maintain a connection at all and thus I can't get any alerts (footpad sensor, over regen, %50 battery, etc...). It's only when I take out my phone to look at the app does it connect. As soon as I put my phone in my pocket (with the screen locked), I've lost connection!

To rule out it's my phone, I test it with my OW+ and it works fine. The + keeps a constant connection and gives me alerts along the way (w/o me having to proactively look at the app).

@danner did you get this bluetooth issue resolved? Is anyone else having dropping connections btwn the board and the app?

The board rides fine, but I just can't ride without the app. And having to reconnect every time I pull out my phone is really annoying and impractical.

Even while holding the phone in my hand with the app open, it still loses connection and constantly shows "reconnecting..."

argghhhh

[wheelrich]

Which iPhone models are you guys using? Might be good to be specific so people can see if there is a pattern here.

I use a X and it works fine. Also use an Apple watch 2, which works ok, as long as a text, etc. doesn't override the display.

[suboba]

I'm using Android 8.1.0. I've been using it with my + and it works fine. So I have ruled out the phone. I haven't tested it with an iPhone. Shouldn't matter anyways. I'm not going to buy an iPhone just so it's compatible. Android should work regardless.

[Khayman]

@wheelrich said in XR constantly losing app connection?:

I use a X

A X what? A Sony X or Huawei X or iPhone X?

[Khayman]

I use android 8.0 and that works great to!

[wheelrich]

@Khayman as I said..."which iPhone ...I use a X "(ten).

I forgot these also work on Androids. But still a good idea to specify and see if anyone else is having problems with this specific combination. Don't assume because something works on one model, it will be flawless on another. Technology can be very finicky and unpredictable at times, and much of the electronics in the XR is different that the previous models.

[Khayman]

@wheelrich said in XR constantly losing app connection?:

I said..."which iPhone

OH! So you mean I should start to read everything you said before I comment? Well I wouldn't be me if I did 😜
Just kidding! I missed that part👍🏻sorry

[wheelrich]

@Khayman lol. No prob. I do that all the time myself, so I can't throw stones at you!

[jonnyk]

I have an iPhone 6s Plus that worked great with my OW+, and I have initial connection issues with my XR. Usually have to go through a solid 10-15 minutes of closing out the app, restarting bluetooth and restarting the board in no special order to finally get them to talk. Once connected it's solid, but sometimes I just say f' it and ride without the connection. Does anyone know what version of BT the XR uses? I think the 6s Plus is 4.1, so if the XR is a higher version it may be having problems clocking down?

[jonas]

I'm using android (Pixel 2), got no connection problems so far.

[readysetawesome]

@jonnyk All Bluetooth versions since 5+ years ago should be fully backwards-compatible. That said, I just started having problems with my iPhone 7's connection to my XR yesterday. I was in the middle of a ride, and all my stats froze (battery level stopped dropping, mileage stuck). I had to force kill the app multiple times before it would connect.

[jonnyk]

@readysetawesome
Yeah, I really question just how backwards compatible Bluetooth versions are sometimes. For instance, the bluetooth version in my car is pretty old because it's a 2012 model, any phone I've had that was natively 4.x bluetooth has had issues with the connection being buggy, even though it should work, same as BT headsets, and it's typically in the initial discovery, even though it was a previously paired device. Pain in the butt.

[suboba]

weak. it seems this bluetooth thing is a "latent bug" issue. Highly doubt FM can do anything about it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

I can't imagine if this were the case w/ a boosted board where the bluetooth connection to the remote is critical. How would you stop if you suddenly lose connection? (I don't ride a boosted, but I'm guessing the board would just go neutral if it loses connection to the remote).

But still, the connection on my ow+ is perfect and stays connected (as far as I can tell) the whole time. Whenever I look at my phone, I never see the reconnecting prompt (while I'm riding of course). For those of you w/ more than one board, can you confirm this?

It's possible FM has chosen a choppy bluetooth chipset manufacturer or they've gotten sloppy at integrating the chip into their controller.

[suboba]

20+ days and still no response from FM. It's still on my mind and I just found out there is a "Bluetooth connection" settings in the OW app. I didn't notice it at first because it's in the app settings when you're not connected to any board at the moment.

The two settings under the Bluetooth connection section are 1) "Display connection issues" (appropriate for my situation) and 2) "Suppress when unused". Both settings appear to be turned off by default.

Feel a little goofy for discovering something that was there the whole time. I'll have to break out the XR tomorrow and test it against these settings. Hopefully, I'll gain some insight and have PROOF the bluetooth connection is dropping and reconnecting.

Anybody have experience with these settings?

[dag0bert]

As the developer of the OneWheelWear app, I am also experiencing disconnects from the board depending on the device being used. Fact is, that the Bluetooth antenna is sometimes not in the best spot or has a too poor performance in order to receive the board's signal at all times.

The high number of different Android device manufacturers make this really challenging.
I hope, that the antenna performance in newer devices will improve, since Bluetooth 5 has a higher range in the specification. So the antennas have to become better, anyways.

[suboba]

if anybody is curious, I tested my XR and + on a 5 mile track with the same phone. The XR easily drops and reconnects about 6-8 times while the + didn't drop once!

Both rides lasted about 20 min. The phone is no further than my back pocket.

On another note, a little disappointed how I see some people on the forum claim they have contacted FM for support and got serviced right away (typically by calling) while I've been waiting 27+ days on my ticket because I used email.

I don't want to call FM via phone because I don't want to do to others what has happened to me: jump ahead of other customers that are still waiting for service.

[Rado]

I'm having the same problem. Two XRs. The Bluetooth connection on one won't work (the newer one with 20 miles on it) but the older one (pioneer board with 250 miles) works just fine. If I can get it to connect it won't show any data in real time. It just keeps dropping the connection.

[skyman88]

@Rado Out of curiosity, what type of phone are you trying to connect?

[Rado]

@skyman88 iPhone 6S. My V1 also connected fine.

[andematt]

My iPhone 8+ always has to reconnect to my xr while riding. It may connect briefly and update battery but I barely ever get to see speed or other data.

[suboba]

@Rado and @andematt would you guys mind disclosing when you purchased your XRs and what is the current hardware version? (look it up in the app under board settings).

@Rado you mentioned you have two XRs. Could you check if the hardware versions are the same on both? Does the older one work fine because it happens to have a different hardware version than the newer one?

mine: purchased July 2018 w/ hardware version: 4208

[Rado]

@suboba yes, my XRs have different hardware and firmware versions. One is the pioneer version and the other is a new one.

[eckit]

I, too am experiencing connection drops while riding.

If I just turn my board on and let it sit there—it immediately connects to my app and stays connected without a single issue. It will stay connected until I walk about 10-15 feet away.

It does drop though when I turn my back to the board and I’m right next to the board (putting my body between the board and my phone)

It drops constantly while riding. It is disconnected more than it is connected. I think my foot must be over the antenna in the board.

iPhone 7 Plus
iOS: 11.4.1
Onewheel XR
Hardware: 4208
Firmware: Andromeda - 4117

Can someone confirm where the Bluetooth antenna is in the XR? Like specific location, not general location. Pictures would be even better.

I think the Bluetooth chip in the board is super-weak. For comparison—I can walk across my house (100+ feet), with walls, appliances, etc between my phone and my Apple Watch Series 3 or my AirPods and I keep my Bluetooth connection perfectly fine with my phone.

I wonder—does goofy vs regular matter? Those who are having problems; what is your riding style? I’m goofy.
Also, people having problems; do you have float plates? I do. Finally, do you have a handle on your board? If so, which side? (when looking at your board from the back)
Our feet and/or aftermarket parts may be insulating the already weak/underpowered antenna.

Hopefully it is a power issue—that is something a firmware update may be able to fix (allow more power to be fed to the Bluetooth on the board to increase its reliability/range). If it’s a limitation of the hardware—these would all need to be sent in to have the chip/antenna replaced.

[Rado]

@eckit I think it has to to with the actual Bluetooth chip and controller board. I have two XRs. They have different hardware and firmware versions. One works fine and the other won't stay connected.

[eckit]

@Rado ok, those are two variables; hardware and firmware? If so, we can’t rule if it’s one or both deltas.

That said, would you mind sharing?

Ride Style (regular/goofy):

Phone Location While Riding (front of body/back of body):

Float Pads (yes/no):

Hardware Version (of the affected board):

Firmware Version (of the affected board):

I’m interested in seeing if there is a trend with anything from all of us.

[suboba]

I have no idea what's going on here. Today, I ride my board on the same track for 6 miles for about 20 min and surprisingly, not a single disconnect. Then, I stop for a while to look at my phone and sure enough, connection is lost and 'reconnecting' appears on the screen. I wasn't even in motion. I just stopped to look at the app and boom - disconnected while just looking at it! After that point, it started dropping and reconnecting on a regular basis for the next half hour. Easily 5 to 6 times about 5 - 7 minutes apart.

For me, this is really an intermittent bug. I'm afraid that if I send it in to FM, the connection will be solid while they test it and say there's nothing wrong with it. But, when I get it back, sure enough it will drop on me.

My connection sometimes drops right at the beginning and sometimes not until an hour later! However, I still think the connection should never drop unless you go out of range, ow is powered off or phone is off. My OW+ has NEVER dropped.

@eckit for what it's worth:
ride style: goofy
phone location: both! sometimes I wear a jacket with a front breast pocket. Other times, it's in my back pocket.
float pads: no
hardware v: 4208
firmware v: 4117 - andromeda
purchased: July 2018

I really do think it's a bad bluetooth chipset they have. It's possible they changed it and went with a cheaper chipset at a cost of performance. It's possible they haven't changed the chipset, but their hardware change has somehow affected it. Without a doubt, hardware version 4208 disables CnR. Maybe the circuitry they put in has somehow affected the bluetooth? Maybe it's just a bad production batch?

It's really scary to think about firmware updates with this issue. Knowing that the bluetooth connection is choppy and could drop at any time, you could easily brick if you tried updating your board's firmware and the connection dropped!

[eckit]

@suboba thanks for the info. We have the same hardware and firmware and we both ride goofy, so that’s good to know. I’m interested to see if any of these factors continue to be consistent as more people respond.

As far as bricking the board during a firmware update; my board has never dropped if I keep my phone within 2 feet or so. If/when a firmware update is available, I plan on just sitting my phone right on the board while it updates.

I went riding yesterday and slipped my phone in my right (forward) boot leg. Yeah—I wear cowboy boots while I ride. :) The phone and board stayed connected the entire time, I know this because I checked my watch while riding and it never lost connection.

From this; it sounds like the Bluetooth is constantly engaged on the board—it is simply a range issue. As opposed to the Bluetooth on the board actually cutting out/dropping due to loose connections or some other reason.

[Rado]

@eckit

Old XR
Hardware - 4206
Firmware - Andromeda - 4107
Works fine. Stable Bluetooth connection

New XR
Hardware - 4208
Firmware - Andromeda - 4117
Poor Bluetooth connection. Won't stay connected or show realtime info

I ride regular. Phone usually in front pocket.

The connection problems also show themselves in the OWheelBuddy and Float Deck apps which leads me to believe it is not a problem with the official OW app.

[CLBR]

Exactly same situation for me.
Old XR : stable bluetooth
NEW XR with new hardware and firmware : keeps reconnecting
Use iPhone 6s with iOS 10.

[eckit]

@Rado thanks for the info. I plan on letting this ride for a week. Then compile all the results and send to FM support. Hopefully there’ll be enough of us to get them to address it. I for one wouldn’t mind helping out with any beta testing if their software engineers have any ideas on how to improve range without a change to the physical chipset.

[eckit]

@CLBR thanks for the info!

[Rado]

@CLBR I'm using iPhone 6S and 10.3 as well.

[Rado]

@eckit Ive spoken with FM about the Bluetooth problems a couple times. They are aware and are trying to find a solution. Today while on the phone with them they asked that I place my phone directly on top of the front footpad and see if the app will maintain a connection. Will try when I get home.

[eckit]

@Rado I can confirm that sitting the phone right on the footpad works. I also put the phone in the neck of my boot while riding and it kept connection the entire time. Feel free to share that with them too. That leads me to believe it isn’t that the board is dropping the connection—it’s a range issue. The signal is too weak.
I’ve also ridden with the phone in my hand about 5 inches lower than my pocket and it keeps the connection. I don’t recommend this because the board gets unstable—at least for a newb such as myself.
I am 6’2”, if I was 5’5” or wore my pants around my knees—I’d wager that it would keep the connection, too. :)

[CLBR]

Have you tried with another phone ?
I did with an old android, not perfect but a little bit better than with the iPhone it seems ... I know it doesn't solve the issue though ...

[eckit]

@CLBR I haven’t, but it is definitely not an issue with the phone or app. My tiny AirPods that can stay connected to my iPhone from about 100’ away even with moderate obstructions (like open doorways and halls).
The XR drops connection in less than 3’ (with obstruction, like a body) and at best 10’ with clean line of sight which is CRAZY. It’s more like RFID or NFC range than Bluetooth.

[CLBR]

Yup :/
Right now I am standing next to my OW while it's charging and connexion looks stable.
It's more of a problem when riding ...

[eckit]

Another hour-long, 12 mile ride with my phone in the neck of my boot—never lost connection with the board once. Used my Apple Watch to see the live stats.
I guess this is what I’ll have to resort to until FM comes up with a fix.

[CLBR]

I just tried with my girlfriend's iPhone.
She has an iPhone 6s plus, iOS11.
Good news (or bad IDK) : Super stable connexion. On the SAME ride I tried again with my phone, I loose connexion every 2s.
Tried back and forth between hers and mine and same result.

I am currently updating my iPhone (iOS 12 just released, even tho I promised myself I wouldn't update cuz I'm scared it will slow it down, oh well), I will let you know if it fixes anything.

[CLBR]

Sounds like a reasonable thing to do :) let us know what they tell you !

[eckit]

@CLBR absolutely!

[nateraso]

@suboba I can't stay connected either (IPhone X and OW XR). It's so irritating to connect and then lose connection over and over.

[CLBR]

@nateraso is this only when your OW is moving ? Or also when being idle ?

[nateraso]

@CLBR when it's idle I'm connected with no problem. When I start riding it takes about 10 seconds to lose connection. The previous comments about the Bluetooth range sound right. I'll stop to see my temperatures/range etc because I can't see much while moving.

[Rado]

So after some back and forth with FM support I was told to download an app called “Light Blue” and check the Bluetooth connection by placing my phone directly on the front footpad and take a screenshot and then while holding the phone as if I was riding and take a screenshot. I think the app they are referring to is actually called “LightBlue Explorer” as “Light Blue” doesn’t appear to have anything to do with Bluetooth. I will try this with both my XRs and report back my findings here. Maybe some of you can do the same?

[andyro]

+1

New XR (less than week old)
Hardware - 4208
Firmware - Andromeda - 4117
iOS: 12 on 7+

BT disconnects often, but rides are fragmented almost always unless the app is open/running and screen not locked. In other words, rides are cut short even when I don't get a notice that the board has disconnected from the app. Have tried w. different location settings, with light on/off, still drops ride/gps data.

[eckit]

@Rado thanks for the update! Will do the same.

[CLBR]

I did use the app, dB varies a lot but the best I could get was around -76, at waist height.

[Rado]

@CLBR Yeah, I tried it with both my XRs and they were pretty much the same. Fluctuating between -70 and -85. I’m not sure what this helps with. I was hoping it would show a drastic difference between the two but it didn’t.

[bakemono]

I just upgraded my iPhone X with iOS 12 yesterday and oddly i have not had ANY disconnects and the connection to the board is almost immediate. It's a similar experience with my Samsung S8+ that connects almost immediately. Has anyone else noticed this after updating to iOS 12? In iOS 11.4 I was having all kinds of disconnects and drops...

I will say that I'm still getting a footpad sensor warning while riding and have yet to hear back from FM support on this...

[suboba]

@bakemono with your iPhone update, what was your test case? That is, for how long, how many miles, etc... Like I said in an earlier post, one random day, I rode for about 5 miles in about 30 min without a single disconnect. A short while after that, it started raining disconnects.

Idk. It's a very intermittent bug. Very difficult to reproduce.

[bakemono]

@suboba yeah its fast to connect now but it still doesn't stay connected. I noticed this while riding today. Also LightBlue no longer shows the one wheel as a BT source so I can't get the reading any longer.

Back to the drawing board :/

[CLBR]

@bakemono I updated my iPhone from iOS 10 straight to ios12 and didn’t notice any difference, still had the same reconnection issues ...

[CLBR]

For those who have it working ... what is your typical range ?
Phone needs to be in your front pocket only and disconnects happen when it’s a bit more far away ? Or it works everywhere ?

[suboba]

@CLBR said in XR constantly losing app connection?:

.. what is your typical range ?
Phone needs to be in your front pocket only and disconnects happen when it’s a bit more far away ? Or it works everywhere ?

I don't want to believe that the distance between the phone and the board should be a factor. Do Boosted riders need to hold their remote close to the board in order to maintain a solid connection? I highly doubt it. (in fact, would be kinda of dangerous if they experienced such disconnects for obvious reasons).

Front pocket, back pocket, breast pocket, front shoe, back shoe... it really shouldn't matter. The signal should be omnidirectional for at least 5 feet. My OW+'s connection is solid no matter where I put my phone!

But yes, calling all owners that have an XR w/ hardware v: 4208 and firmware: 4117, Can any of you say you are experiencing a stable connection?

If a subset of XR owners with the mentioned versions are not having any connection issues, that could mean there was a bad production batch which some of us unfortunately received.

[tthieuMa]

Hi,

Same issues here...

New XR
Hardware: 4208
Firmware: andromeda 4117
iOS 12 on iPhone X

I hope FM will be able to fix it by firmware update.

[tomfoolery]

Hey all. Another factor to ask is are you also connected to a smart watch. I don’t know if this will interfere with the connection to the board but I use a Bluetooth speaker at work and for a while I could control the music via watch. Then one day I had problems just connecting my phone to the speaker. I tried forgetting the Bluetooth connection and restarting the phone and re-pairing my devices. It took a couple tries of that before everything worked fine again. Just a thought.

[SurfingPanda]

Same issue here. I have an iPhone 7 and was using iOS 11.4.1 with the phone in a small shoulder bag that rides in front. Board is newish One+ XR, no kick plates. Loses connection constantly while riding but is fine when stationary. Hardward: 4208, Firmware: Andromeda 4117

[Penibel]

Hi there,

same thing with me:
New XR
Hardware: 4208
Firmware: andromeda 4117
iOS 12 on iPhone X

Please help!

[eckit]

@suboba yeah, the thread is hot. And I think is effects more people than they even realize.
I really don’t want to have to send my board in. That would suck to be without it for an extended period of time. Please keep us updated on how it goes with your board and what FM winds up doing.

[CLBR]

Have some of you tried to record some of your rides with the app ?
If yes, didn’t you notice than when playing back a ride, the characters often “teleports” ? I guess it corresponds to disconnects ?

[eckit]

@CLBR I don’t think that’s related. It “teleports” if your phone loses GPS and/or data connection. Happened to me a few times in a spotty cell coverage area a few weeks ago, but I had app connection the entire time. The only reason I am so aware of my app connection is because I am constantly checking my Apple Watch to make sure I’m not going too fast. I am so paranoid of nose doves.

[Rado]

@suboba I’m interested in what they do for you. I’ve had a support ticket open for the disconnect issue as well as another issue with my old board. They had me send in my V1 but are not being responsive to the disconnect issue.

[Atomicmonkeys5]

Yup same here with a brand new xr right out of the box. Did the light blue app as instructed and I sent in a screen shots showing how my TV in the other room 15 feet away kept its connection strength while I lost my onewheel connection when I lifted it off the front board appropriately 2 feet. I tried it with a Samsung Galaxy 9+, old galaxy note 3, and an iPhone 9. All pick up connection pretty easily when turned on and all drop in and out of connection fast unless laying directly on the board. Eagerly waiting for a solution and have been following this thread for several weeks now. Will send my board back when weather in the Midwest prevents me from riding any longer which is soon.

[SurfingPanda]

@SurfingPanda small update: issue persists with iOS 12.0. Still loses connection constantly.

[rfkilowatt]

I have the same problem. My boards just a few days old. My iPhone will maintain connection in my sock while riding, but in my pocket it drops connection.

This is really annoying because I can’t monitor my speed or track my ride.

[Rado]

@rfkilowatt Call them and open a support ticket. So far I haven’t seen them acknowledge this problem.

[Jackalope]

...and exactly the same problem here. New XR, the same hardware (4208) and firmware (Andromeda - 4117), using iPhone 6+

[Wer1Flow]

@suboba I have the exact same issue and cannot seem to log any valuable info from my rides as well. E.g. I have had the pushback several times, but top speed in the app is 24, and on my last ride, I apparently rode 551ft uphill, and top speed of a whooping 1,16mph. Makes no sense. Connection breaks whenever I put my phone down. I have had the board for apx a week.

IPhone X (no BT-issues with it at all elsewhere)
iOS 12 - updated
OneWheel SW: Andromeda 4117
HW: 4208

It also says absolute top speed 23.6 km/h which I am 98% sure is way too little. Should be close to 30...
to

This thing costed an arm and a leg to get to Norway - so how do I resolve this?
(I have paid total: $ 2865 to get this here incl VAT

• and I must admit I expected perfection in return.

What now?

[tdog]

At least most of you are able to connect if close enough. No bluetooth signal at all for the last 5 days. Oh, and this happened on day 2 and after only 20 miles...

[CLBR]

For those having issues, do you have floatplates / side kicks on your board ?

[suboba]

@CLBR said in XR constantly losing app connection?:

For those having issues, do you have floatplates / side kicks on your board ?

Pure. No accessories at all. Not even a fender.

[Wer1Flow]

@CLBR Just the original fender and Surestance pro.

[rfkilowatt]

My board is totally stock. I’m not sure if this problem existed right from the get go. I didn’t check the first day, I just rode till my legs gave out.

Perhaps the Bluetooth module has an external antenna that is disconnected or broken. It would be nice to find a tear down pics of the control module. Although I wouldn’t open mine up because I want to preserve the warranty.

[rfkilowatt]

@Rado I did open a ticket online. A little too busy to call. I just wanted to make sure to log with them a failure. I know it will be a while till anything happens.

[tdog]

@CLBR - Stock board, 2 days old.

[Jackalope]

Can anyone from the FM support team reply with the comment on this "XR constantly losing app connection" problem - please!
It seems many of us are having similar issue.
Did anyone got reply from FM on this?

[Rado]

@Jackalope I have. I opened a ticket 28 days ago now. I gave them all the info they requested and was told they’re engineers are “looking into it”. My guess is that the controller modules will need to be replaced with better Bluetooth chips. This is going to cost them a lot of $$ depending on the amount of affected boards. Shipping them back and forth isn’t cheap. I haven’t seen anyone with hardware 4208 that isn’t affected yet.

[Jackalope]

@Rado thanks a lot! please keep us inform

[JosephpOW]

iPhone X (no blue-tooth issues elsewhere - and works perfect with my sons OW+)
iOS 12
OneWheel SW: Andromeda 4117
OneWheel HW: 4208

Data points:

• When using OneWheel App it's almost never connected. Try to use the watch, even worse.

• Dowloaded Float Deck app as I wear wrist guards and cannot check my watch, Float Deck somehow maintains a connection much better, giving me regular battery, speed, and other notifications in my earpiece. I still get the occasional drop-out.

• If I hold my iPhoneX lower than waist height, towards my front foot, or forward back pocket I get a more reliable connection when on the go.

• When not on the board, , or the board is on charge I can be within 5' to 7' and will get an almost instantaneous connection.

[tthieuMa]

@CLBR

Only fender for me.

[Wer1Flow]

@rfkilowatt I did the same for the same reasons on the 10th. I know they are busy, but when they reply, I do expect a lot from these people with this incredible product.

[Wer1Flow]

@Rado I could totally live with fixing this myself - if they put out a video in detail how it is done. How bad can it be? Sending hundreds back would be really bad.... Some places I also guess they could ally with local repairshops/engineers...? Just thinkin`out loud here.

[SurfingPanda]

Agree - with a video I’d do the repair myself If it’s a matter of swapping the control box.

It’s doable - I’ve had the decks and skid plates off to look at the internals. I disconnected the footpad sensor cable from the control box - ezpz. I suspect that removing the cables that connect the battery and the wheel motor are slightly more involved but look pretty straight forward. That said, if it’s 500 units and the cost to ship and repair is $500, that’s a pretty easy business call to eat the cost and have happy customers.

I suspect they are looking for a cheap firmware fix on this and that’s part of the delay in dealing with the issue.

[suboba]

update: just keeping you guys posted. Just sent my board in! Now we anxiously wait.

Will keep you guys posted and report back as soon as possible. Let's do it FM!

[tomfoolery]

@JosephpOW said in XR constantly losing app connection?:

iPhone X (no blue-tooth issues elsewhere - and works perfect with my sons OW+)
iOS 12
OneWheel SW: Andromeda 4117
OneWheel HW: 4208

Data points:

• When using OneWheel App it's almost never connected. Try to use the watch, even worse.

• Dowloaded Float Deck app as I wear wrist guards and cannot check my watch, Float Deck somehow maintains a connection much better, giving me regular battery, speed, and other notifications in my earpiece. I still get the occasional drop-out.

• If I hold my iPhoneX lower than waist height, towards my front foot, or forward back pocket I get a more reliable connection when on the go.

• When not on the board, , or the board is on charge I can be within 5' to 7' and will get an almost instantaneous connection.

This is interesting. The last bullet mentioned when you weren’t on the board “moving” or when it’s charging you can connect from 5’-7’ no problem. I wonder if there’s a big draw that’s not providing enough power to the Bluetooth connection when operating.

[eckit]

@tomfoolery, from my own testing, I think it is the fact that @JosephpOW ‘s body is between his phone and the board while riding but not while testing the connection while the bord’s plugged in.. If he turned around and put his body between his board and phone within 5-7’ the connection would drop.
When we ride, our feet and legs are absorbing the low-powered Bluetooth signal. That’s why, sometimes, if you hold your phone away from your body while riding (not recommended) and your front foot isn’t covering the Bluetooth chip too much from your stance, your phone will reconnect. If your board and phone have clear line of sight to each other, a connection can be made between 5-10’ from my experience. But it doesn’t take much insulation at all to make it drop.

[JosephpOW]

@eckit and @tomfoolery ... confirmed. When board is on charge and in vertical orientation the signal is strong and can be picked up from 5’ to 7’. When board is on but not charging and ready to go signal becomes sporadic and worse when I put my body between it. So power to BT could be the issue.

Here’s where confusion sets in for me. The Float Deck App somehow maintains a great connection, faster and more reliably. At the end of each long ride I’ll review the line graph showing speeds, power draw and voltage. That data has to be coming through live to the app unless the board is storing that information ... and it rarely shows a drop in data/connection, although I have no way of verifying other than the summary graph.

At this point it’s a mild irritant to pick my digital shape via the app at the start of a ride, then kill the app and open
Float Deck.

[migsv]

Thank god I wasn’t the only one! The constant connection loss issue has driven me crazy. I have an iPhone 6s (iOS 12.0) and OW XR (hw: 4208, fw: 4117 andromeda). I ride with my phone in my rear leg’s front pocket, essentially perfectly blocking the BT line of sight.. I’ll be checking back to see what FM does to resolve this issue. I’m in Europe so sending the board back for investigation is not my desired go-to. Good work so far everyone!

[Jackalope]

I'm curious if anyone out there who's XR board has HW:4208 and SW: Andromeda 4117 and Does Not have this problem!!!!!

[charli323]

Hi !

I had the same problem with my Samsung S8 and iPhone XS.
I found a solution to fix! when I put my phone in the pocket of my rear leg, I did not have any disconnection while in my front leg pocket it did not work.
Try it ;)

sorry for my English, I'm french rider :o

[christian]

@suboba Please do report back. I have the exact same problem and was asked to send it in, but decided not to based on the 'your so-and-so is broken because of something you didn't do and that's going to cost you a buttload of money to fix' stories I've heard too often. Curious how yours turns out!

[OneDan+]

Brand new XR, same versions, same problem. I reported it to support, as I think EVERYBODY who is having this problem should.

[Jackalope]

@OneDan when did you buy your board?
FM is aware of this problem for at least 2 months so my question is:
Why do they still sell these corrupted units????
It is a pain in the butt to keep my iPhone in the sock all the time!!!

[OneDan+]

@Jackalope Bought it last week, tested this out on my first ride and confirmed the issue. I agree, shouldn't be shipping with this problem. In my support ticket I put a link to this thread.

[Jackalope]

@tomfoolery
if you are planing to buy one you should definitely call them directly and insist that you will only buy the board if it is with different Hardware - (not 4208) and Firmware - (not Andromeda - 4117). I don't know what else can we do.

Despite that problem I love the board!

[tomfoolery]

Any known issues with
Hardware 4206 ?
Firmware 4107 ?

It’s from a frontier edition. Ive heard that gets “priority” repairs and an extended warranty. Can anyone confirm?

[Beetle]

New XR
Hardware: 4208
Firmware: andromeda 4117
iOS 12 on iPhone 7plus

XR constantly losing app connection?

[OneDan+]

@suboba @eckit @Rado seems you guys have had the most contact with FM on this issue . . . any more responses from them? I had my new XR meet me in Hawaii, so to send it back is gonna cost someone (hopefully FM and not me) some $$$s. Not only that, I'm only going to be here until the end of the month.

My current solution is that I put my phone (Android Pixel) in the lower front pocket of the cargo shorts I'm wearing so it's just above my left knee. I then use the OneWheel app on my WearOS watch to monitor the speed and battery. This works REALLY well (rarely drops), but is in no way a "solution" to the problem.

My + at home works consistently all of the time with my phone anywhere on my body or with the OneWheelWear watch app directly connected to the board, so there is definitely an issue with these newer XRs.

Let us know if you have or haven't heard back from FM . . . the XR world awaits!

[hilby]

@Jackalope my XR is hw 4208, with fw andromeda 4117, droid galaxy s8 + and I have never had a connection issue. I can pick up the connection 20' away down the hall and out of sight of the wheel. Bummer there are so many people with shifty connections. Good luck!

[tomfoolery]

@hilby you’ve got a great connection Bluetooth-wise but you’ve got bigger problems. Best of luck to you bud.

[Fresh]

I'm using hw 4206 fw 4117. Signal is noticable lower than that of a + but perhaps due to my phone case I don't suffer much interference. I'm using the S-view flip cover for an S7 which is open on all sides. If I had a thicker case, was taller or maybe some other circumstance it may not connect in my pocket. It disconnects unless I'm right over the board, which makes me wonder... Not sure where the bluetooth is on a Onewheel. If it's in the middle of the board somewhere, a fender might cause issues as well. I don't use a fender, they make the OW look like a toy and sound like one too, bleh.

[andyro]

I'm finding that apple watch shows 'NO CONNECTION TO ONEWHEEL' even when the lost connection warning doesn't show on the phone. Apple watch can keep BT connected to phone for over 30' - but XR disconnects when stationary at distance of less than 10', and when moving, less than 3'. FM has been in touch with the ticket I posted by email a month ago - just asking for my SN, HW version, etc. They are aware of the issue and testing it out, apparently. Will post again when I know more. PS - I think this is related to the APP/GPS 'teleporting' rides or not properly recording distance, but am not 100%.

[andyro]

@OneDan When riding like this - can you properly log a ride (ie. make a big figure 8 over a few blocks) without the recorded ride showing just a single line or some other skipped/curtailed path? Does your watch always keep connection that way with phone down low?

[OneDan+]

@andyro I've never logged a ride, but it should. I can tell the phone doesn't disconnect from the board because my watch vibrates when it connects or disconnects. I also check my speed and battery level pretty often, so that also verifies that the board is still connected. The watch has no problem staying connected to the phone, even at long distances over ten feet away. I'm about to go for a ride, I'll see if I can log it!

Edit: I had never logged into the app before, it wouldn't take my OneDan+ ID, so had to create a new OneDan ID, LOL. But being a newb with the ride logging, I didn't hit "New ride", so it didn't log my 6.5 mile ride! It did stay connected the whole time, but I'll try again later today to log one.

[suboba]

@OneDan+ so far they just let me know they've received it, it is being evaluated, and they'll follow up when they learn any new information. They received it about a week ago today. I'll post on any significant updates.

[Hoggwheel]

@Jackalope sent them email on the 15th. received automated email back saying they are very busy and someone will get back to me soon......still no response

[OneDan+]

@andyro OK, so I created a ride this time and it worked perfectly. I did see it disconnect for about 1 second while riding, but that was it. The ride plays back with all of my loop backs. I did notice when I started out that it was disconnecting, so I moved my phone to the left side of my left lower pocket and it was solid after that. I think I'm right on the edge of the "connection zone". It's literally about 18" from the board.

[andyro]

I got a note from FM that acknowledges that at least my board (SN/HW#) is buggy and will repair IF they deem it below spec and of course at my cost to ship from Canada to the US. I’m really not sure it will be worth the cost.... but will get the quote anyways.

[DrakeLuce]

I have an XR with hardware 4208 and firmware 4117. The Bluetooth works maybe 10% of the time. It never stays connected while riding.

[eckit]

@OneDan FM support got back to me. Told me to completely delete the Onewheel app, restart my phone, and try it again. Also, they asked me to remove any aftermarket parts as that could effect the connection. They said if none of that worked, to reply back and they will send me a shipping label for it to be repaired.
The thing is, like y’all I, I don’t want to be out of a board for several weeks. Especially since I haven’t heard anyone say that they sent their board in with this issue and got it back fixed. This is compounded by the fact that I have one of those armbands for my phone. I wear it around my calf, and monitor my XR from my watch and everything works fine.
So I’m stuck with this decision to make; out of principle—do I send my board in for a repair because I shouldn’t have to wear my phone around my calf, but I will be without my board for a few weeks? Or do I continue with my “hack” because it doesn’t bother me more than being without my board?
Still weighing my options.
I use my board as my first and final mile mode of transportation to and from work. So, being without it for an unknown period of time for something that is basically an annoyance isn’t very appealing right now.
I may wait to send it in until the winter when I question its reliability in the northeast snow and may not be able to ride it much anyway.

[Jackalope]

Would it be possible to add a buzzer to the hardware that would make a loud noise when you exceed 30 km limit or when you push motor too hard - something in addition to the pushback? Many new boards (including mine) with Hardware - 4208 and Firmware - Andromeda - 4117 constantly losing app connection so I cannot depend on my phone. Just a thought!

[OneDan+]

@eckit I'm in the same situation. I have a solution similar to yours with a watch connected to my phone in my lower front pocket. I'm sure there is an issue since my + works just fine with the same phone and I can carry it anywhere on my body. I can also connect directly from my + to my watch and use the OneWheelWear app, which is way better because it has a speed limit warning.

My XR is also here with my in Hawaii (only here another week), so sending it back to FM is gonna cost me a bundle. I guess I'm going to have to settle for the annoyance on this XR.

I was thinking of getting an XR back home to replace my +, but FM's not gonna get my money for that until I hear they've for sure solved this issue.

[grahamoc]

I got my xr in september and have had issues with connection to the app since day one, the board not shutting off when jumping off and racing away, the front grip tape sliding off the board, and now the front white led lights flicker every bump i hit its like a seizure mobile when i ride at night. This is my 3rd onewheel. two plus's and an xr ($5000+). Unfortunately for the uniformed, future motion does not give even the slightest fu$k about you or me or any of it. They held my first plus hostage for 2months after i sent it in not working at two weeks old. They said it was water damage and charged me $400 to fix and get back. I said the dude in the commercial is on the beach. They laughed. It wasnt a joke.
They have the most amazing product that is solid for the most part and unreplicable, but the customer service is so so bad and shady. So very disappointing to me. They know we will continue to buy onewheels regardless, so why spend the money to improve? I want them to be a good company so badly. its hard for me to suggest anyone get one with all these problems. sucks. fucks up my whole vibe..f you FM arrgggggg

[Rado]

@grahamoc I feel you. The only thing holding this company back is their treatment of loyal “customers”. Until there is a viable competitor we’re stuck with them if we want to ride this type of device. My board has been at their repair facility for two weeks now and they won’t answer any of my messages on my support ticket. I had to call 3 times just to get the shipping label sent in addition to creating the support ticket. They said a “battery component” failed. I asked for more clarification as to what that means, whether it is covered under warranty, and why it failed. They haven’t responded to me since. If it’s a defective part it should be covered under warranty. If not, and the lifespan of this part is a few months or less than 500 miles, it needs to be redesigned.

[grahamoc]

@Rado dude its like youre in my old nightmare. I dont even bother sending them or even telling them anything anymore. Unless it is unrideable of course. They are the absolute worst.

[suboba]

UPDATE: Ok guys, I just got my board back!

Wasn't even expecting it. Just got a knock on the door and it was the fedex guy. I took it in and immediately went to check my email. All it said was they were sending it back to me and to let them know if I had any questions.

No comment on what was done, how the evaluation went, etc... nothing. I have no idea what they did if anything!

I will do a test ride later this week and report back to you guys. So far this isn't looking good =(

[OneDan+]

@suboba Unless it works, then it looks good, except I REALLY don't want to have to send my board in. FM needs to be more transparent about this stuff.

[eckit]

@Rado that is terrible. That is exactly why I don’t want to send my board in. I don’t want it sitting in their warehouse for weeks and weeks without hearing back from them.

[eckit]

@suboba please let us know as soon as you can.

[MotoGPTy]

Just received my brand spanking new XR directly from factory on Wednesday Oct 24, 2018

I’ve put 28miles on it so far and just getting to the point where I can start playing with the phone while riding. Immediately noticed the “reconnecting” message over and over again and it seems to only happen while I’m riding.

Float Deck seems to lose connection as well (from a short test I just performed).

Hardware: 4208
Firmware: andromeda 4117
iOS 12.0.1 on iPhone 8

[Jackalope]

@MotoGPTy welcome to the the "losing app connection" club !!!!!
just wonder why don't they test these boards before they send them....

[MotoGPTy]

@Jackalope Ha. Thank you. Perhaps the radio quality has gotten worse with later production boards? I did see on the Adam Savage video that they do testing of every board but maybe it's a quick test of only motor / safety / on&off functionality? Perhaps as long as the BT radio powers up, it's considered good in the QC check
?

[CLBR]

@suboba any update on your board ? Was the fix effective ?

[eckit]

@suboba any update? Raquel at FM just emailed me assuring me that they could fix my board and send it back within 5 business days. But I’m anxious to hear if what they did for you worked before I agree to send my board in.

[Jackalope]

I got the similar e-mail stating that I can send my board in to fix the problem... It looks FM figured it out what is wrong :-)

[Hoggwheel]

still struggling with this app connection and FM's lack of customer service.it is really starting to bug me and am considering endless comments on their facebook posts about this. I do love riding the board any chance I get but am also unable to switch it to delirium. anybody figure this out?
also, when I am charging the board app connection seems to work fine,even from 10 feet away.....must be some kind of power issue

[tomfoolery]

@Hoggwheel are you unable to switch to delerium because the app won’t connect to the board? There’s YouTube videos that show you how to manually change modes without the app. heres one video

[rfkilowatt]

I updated the app and my board to Gemini. I only had a chance to ride it for 5 mins, but I still had dropped connections, as observered from my Apple Watch. Phone was in my pocket.

[OneDan+]

@AT_onewheeler I highly doubt the firmware can fix this issue considering FM has been having people send their boards in to replace a component in the controller.

[eckit]

@OneDan interested in checking later tonight. Over on Reddit people are claiming that the connection is more reliable with Gemini.
I will report back here either way.

[bikemonster]

I uploaded the firmware. Previously had horrible connection issues. Rode 6 miles with new app with 0 disconnects. In fact, I had to walk the phone away 10 yards to get it to disconnect. Had a repair number and everything but was hesitant to send it in as I saw no one was getting the problem solved. Have the XR and an iPhone Xs The new app worked for me.

[Jackalope]

Updated to the new firmware and tried around the house for 30 min... Yesterday in the same settings it was on and off all the time especially with light on. Today.... not even one disconnection :-) I will do more riding inside the house today and outside tomorrow (no rain in forecast) and will report but for now I'm very happy. I have my fedex shipping labels but hopefully I don't have to use them!!!!

[MotoGPTy]

Updated firmware then went for a very short ride with one of my phones. No change for me. Still “Reconnecting” during much of the ride. Will try with my other phone tomorrow. I have a return authorization but can’t send the board back for a couple of weeks.

[CLBR]

Hey @suboba , any news since your repair ? You reported it was a bit better than before, how is it now ? And also have you tried the new app / firmware to see if it’s better ?

[eckit]

@eckit @OneDan, just had a nice 5 mi ride. But Gemini didn’t do anything to improve my connection issues. As soon as I put my front foot on the board—lost connection. Just like always. Still have to use my calf band for now.

[dohnnyjomino]

First ride on Gemini today and it only cut out after I hadn’t looked for awhile! Prior to this it cut out the moment I started moving and never came back til I stopped

[Whiplash]

I have a Galaxy S9 plus and have been toying with it losing connection and after resetting my BT connection on the phone and downloading Gemini and I keep my phone on my fender in an old case with velcro in front of my BT speaker and have not lost connection yet

[Jackalope]

Here is my update after installing Gemini. First couple days riding and playing inside the house connection was perfect. Yesterday and today the weather was great so I had a 2hrs rides on both days and unfortunately, connection got lost right after I left the house and it was very difficult to connect even when I kept iPhone near the pad. I tried again inside the house and connection is perfect... GO FIGURE!!!!
So the verdict is - Gemini didn't help my board and I will be sending it for repair.

[christian]

Doesn't seem like anyone's reporting a reliable fix from FM.

[christian]

@tlamb2 That seems incredibly impractical. I don't think I'm sending mine in. Unless FM is using new BT chips or antennas I suspect there's only a stop gap solution until the next version of the OW. Would be helpful if they just came forward and stated the problem and solution. Also kinda BS that once you're outside your warranty this issue wouldn't be covered even though it's a manufacturing defect.

[dohnnyjomino]

Following up with my previous comment, it only worked because I was using my watch and the phone was near the board. It still disconnects. Maybe it’s less frequent, I didn’t count, but it’s dangerous to try messing with it while riding so I’ve basically given up on using the app.

It’s a shame, they have this killer advanced product and then let something simple but critical go

[Fresh]

Does anyone have this issue that doesn't a fender kit? Mine is on the verge but stable without one. Also, has anyone tried taking off the fender kit to see if it changes anything.

[MotoGPTy]

@Fresh same for me before and after installing my fender.

[kd6tav]

I got have the same problem with a Brand new board with the iPhone 7 Plus. I updated the iPhone 7 Plus with the new firmware and that did not solve it. I updated the app and the board’s firmware that did not solve it. When it sits there on it stays connected one i mount the board and/or ride it its starts to lose connection and tries to reconnect and sometimes it does but the app doesn’t update. Ie: speed shows what it was when it was disconnected. I have no accessories and power is good on both. Not sure what it’s the issue.

[OneDan+]

@Future-Motion what is going on? You know what the issue is as you are taking boards in for repair, so why are they still going out with this problem? (my feeble attempt to get FM to respond)

[Jackalope]

@kd6tav When did you get your board? I had this problem from the beginning and I got mine in August... and I got the shipping labels in October. The weather turned wintery here so I'm sending mine for repair early next week... but I have the same question: Why do still sell them with this known BT connection issue.

[Rado]

@Jackalope Maybe they don’t even have a fix for it yet. Reading through this thread I don’t see any that have gone in for repair and come back fixed.

[MotoGPTy]

@Rado That’s my concern. Having to strip it and ship it multiple times. I will get mine back to FM soon and will report back the outcome ASAP.

[Rado]

@MotoGPTy That would be great. I’m still debating whether to send it in yet or not. I want to know that they can actually fix it.

[gsparx]

I have reasonably good news for all of you fine people here.

I finally got around to testing my onewheel that came back from FM last week (work has been insane). I'm happy to report it's FIXED!!!!! Mostly.

The issue I was having was that it would lose connection to my phone unless I had my phone down by my shin. It completely disconnected once in my pocket. It connected fine while plugged in, but as soon as it was moving, the connection was awful.

Now that it's been returned, the behavior is this:

• 100% strong connection while holding my phone in my hand (iPhone Xs 12.1) I was able to move it up to face height and maintain a strong connection
• Slightly worse connection while in my front pocket. My apple watch never showed a disconnect, but the current speed would freeze and unfreeze occasionally.

This feels like an acceptable level of functionality for me at this point, and I'm pretty happy that my phone maintains its connection now.

Things of note:

• Odometer has been reset (I only had 12 miles on it, so not really a problem, but people with more miles may get it reset and it will technically be inaccurate going forward)
• Firmware and hardware revision numbers are the same
• I have not updated the firmware or my phone app for the new Gemini update because I wanted to test the changes with no other changing variables. I will probably do that later today.
• I tested with no fender installed. I'm going to add my fender hopefully today as well.

Edit: tested with official fender still maintains solid connection outside riding around my apartment's parking lot. Updating to Gemini now and heading out to another parking lot.

Edit2: Tested with Gemini firmware. Connection still solid. Got a footpad warning notification on my watch, so there's at least some connection while my phone's in my pocket, even if it's not perfect.

[OneDan+]

@gsparx Thanks for the info! This supports the fact that @Future-Motion has a solution, yet still aren't shipping new products with the fix. Keep us posted on the ongoing testing!

[Jackalope]

Thanks @gsparx - Perfect!!! I assume you did your tests outside. My connection is quite good inside the house but outside - very, very bad.

[gsparx]

@Jackalope Yep, riding around in the apartment parking lot

[kd6tav]

@Jackalope i got mine November 1. Mine connection works if i hold my phone at my knee, right over the front of the board.

[christian]

@gsparx Thanks for the update. I'm not going to send mine in. I keep my phone in my backpack and it seems like even with this fix it will disconnect.

[MotoGPTy]

@christian I'm confused, it sounds like his issue is fixed?

[christian]

@MotoGPTy If the connection is spotty in his front pocket (mine is currently like that), I don't think the connection is going to be solid with my phone in my backpack. For me to send my board in, I'd want a solid BT connection regardless of where my phone is on my person. That's just me though - I don't ride around with my phone in my hand.

[kd6tav]

@gsparx i wonder what they did, just change it out for another modular or an upgrade....

[Unsu]

I'm having this same issue.

This was taking with me just standing on the board with the phone in my hand (back foot down, no major pressure on front plate)

While riding, almost no connection at all - I would say it's connected about 5% of the time.

I've sent a request into the onewheel support about a week ago, but no dice with responses yet:(

[MotoGPTy]

@Unsu They’ll send you standard instructions for sending the board back when they do get back with you.

[aymon]

Yea my board doesn't stay connected for more than 5 seconds at a time. iPhone XS, brand new board with 24 miles on it. Can't use Float App either because of bluetooth connectivity issues. Have to be sitting next to my board for it to be reliable

[Sleipnir]

I have a new XR, just received it a week ago. Hardware 4208. I have the same issue everyone here is having. I contacted support and they said I can send it back and they will fix as long as the board falls under the warranty. It should, it only has about 7miles on it. They did recommend keeping it for a few weeks to enjoy during the holidays and then send it back. It was highly encouraged to do this. Which makes me wonder on if they are still looking to correct the issue or they are just extremely busy with issues and the holidays. One thing I am discouraged on is I have to pay shipping both ways. I just bought this and now have to spend another $100+ to have it fixed with only 7 miles on it... I can maybe seeing paying shipping one way but not both. I do love the board but not happy with the service so far. I will wait to send back.. Really want to play with it during the holidays and don’t want to spend the extra cash on it.

IPhone: 12.0.1
Onewheel: XR
Hardware: 4208

[OneDan+]

@sparkspnt There is no way you should pay shipping. I reported the same thing on my XR that I received in Oct. I called them after reporting it (same as you, maybe 15 miles on it) since they didn't reply within a couple of days. After talking to Jon in support, I got an email that he would send me the labels to return it. Unfortunately, I can't send it back until March as it's at my vacation home, but he said no problem to let him know at that time and he'll send the labels then. It's a defect in the board, they have to replace a component in the controller, so covered by warranty.

Good luck!

[Sleipnir]

This was part of the email:

Once the board arrives it will be diagnosed and evaluated. We will of course fix any issue free of charge if they are caused by manufacturing issues. If your board passes our technicians’ evaluation, please note we will ask you to cover the shipping costs. Anything outside the scope of warranty will be quoted for your approval. Our team will do our absolute best to make sure you are informed along the way. You will receive a tracking number once the board is making its way home.

[MotoGPTy]

@sparkspnt said in XR constantly losing app connection?:

If your board passes our technicians’ evaluation, please note we will ask you to cover the shipping costs.

This means if after you return it, if they do not find any issues with the board, you’ll be asked to pay shipping. My concern about this statement is that they are not using a standard cell phone to test, but rather some QC equipment that let the board out the door in the first place.

I have a friend who just received his brand new XR this week (4208/4117) and is having these connectivity issues before he put the first mile on it.

I’m traveling with my board so cannot return it at the moment...but am still waiting for someone to confirm they have sent their board in and FM has totally fixed the issue.

[CaptLucky]

Hey all been dealing with the failing Bluetooth signal sent Onewheel a request for help and they have responded quickly to the request. I have receive a shipping label and have sent them the following images to prove it’s a Bluetooth issue with the board. I will update this with further info once the board is sent in. The images are of signal strength with my IPad on one side of the kitchen and the Onewheel on the other when the phone is on the Onewheel and when the phone is on the IPad. As you can see the signal strength (phone on IPad) is full five bars with the Onewheel strength at Zero bars. The signal strength on the Onewheel (phone on Onewheel) is two bars and the signal strength from the iPad on the other side of the room is the same at two bars. (UPDATE) Sent in my Onewheel to FM on 12/1 (I couldn’t send it in before had company coming and wanted to ride) with their prepaid shipping label. They had the board for maybe a week and it is on its way back to me should receive it tomorrow. The techs notes said he found the same weak Bluetooth signal and changed out the whole circuit board and it tested fine after will update again once I have the board back. So far I am happy with the experience and quickness of FM. (Update 12/12/18) I got my board back today and the problem remains. With the new Circuit Board I am not getting signal strength reading on the app I used before. Also now the sound when the Bluetooth disconnects from the app is gone (hmmmm). I was told the whole board was replaced and because I’m back at 0 miles I have to assume so. I have written a letter to Onewheel and am currently waiting for a reply.

[wheelrich]

@CaptLucky Thanks for checking it out for the rest of us. From day one my newer XR has had sporadic connection problems, while my older XR (4206 version) works fine. Because of reports like this, I have not bothered to contact FM. If they ever have a real fix, maybe I will. They don't seem to even believe that there is a design problem in the newer board. But the empirical evidence (from online reporters) seems to say otherwise. They should be in the best position to investigate what was changed (by them) that causes this to be such a common problem.

[Rado]

I sent mine in yesterday. I will update here if it is actually fixed when I receive it back.

[Sleipnir]

@CaptLucky

Is the new circuit board showing the same hardware version 4208?

[WhiteFreedom]

Hi Onewheel Riders,

So I recently purchased a Onewheel + XR in France from Freemove.fr (Best service)
As it is possibly the best feeling available when waves and snow are not around offering me freedom to ride anywhere at anytime I have been using it a lot :)
Unfortunately I recently started having connectivity issues between the board and the App, so annoying when paying that price for a device.

That said I would like to share that I found randomly a trick in order to connect/reconnect my board every time.

Note:
+iPhone 6s with bluetooth, wifi and data activated.
+App Version: 2.1.20
+App setting: Auto connect ON.

Steps:
1/Turn ON the App.
2/Turn ON the board (so far pretty simple :P).
3/Turn your iPhone Plane mode ON then OFF again.
4/Back to the app the board should connect straight away

So far works every-time for me.
Please note that the connection stay the all ride without any problem :)
Let me know if it works for you ;)
Hope it will help.

Have a Good day Riders

[CletusVanneDamme]

No joy on the airplane mode "trick" . Got my XR last week. They swear they haven't heard of this issue at FM and assure me it will be fixed if i send it in. So far, i haven't read any happy endings so i'm gonna juts wait and not send it in.

[TheGurgeMan]

Airplane "fix" doesn't work either, may just be a fluke. Ive seen multiple people complain about the bluetooth, dont know how FM cant know about it. Ive also heard about people getting it"fixed" and the board is worse off when they get it back, so I'm gonna hold out hope and hope that somehow its software related.

[Atomicmonkeys5]

I posted about two months ago about the Bluetooth dropping problem. It was problematic right out of the box. I called and got the FedEx shipping label. When it got cold here I sent it in. It arrived in California facility on December 8th. And I received it back today December 18th and so far it is fixed. Took a short ride without problems - walked away from it 10-15 feet without problems. Don't know what they did. No explanation letter or email but hey - I am happy.

[WhiteFreedom]

@CletusVanneDamme
Really I am sorry to hear that.
Are you using an iPhone also?
With the same app version?

[Jackalope]

@Atomicmonkeys5 Great news - thanks for posting. Not too many boards have been reported as fixed so this is very encouraging... Do you have "0 miles" on it now?

[Atomicmonkeys5]

@Jackalope actually it didn't zero out. I had to download my saved rides again from the cloud but other than that miles, top speed etc was preserved. I am planning on a much longer ride this Saturday so will further update if things change

[sealavieNSB]

@tlamb2 Thanks for this suggestion. I just made this change on my Samsung Note 9 BT settings. I just did a short test ride only a mile and a half but I had no dropped connections which is pretty much unheard of for my XR. I've had about three hundred miles on it since I've had it for 2 months and it has always had dropped connections every minute or two. I will test some more tomorrow but this seems already to have made a big Improvement.

[WheatenWheel]

@suboba I am having trouble staying connected. I bought mine December 2018 and it is hardware version 4208. I am using an Android phone (Kyocera duraforce pro) running Android 7.1.

[leddzep]

I’ll add my $0.02 here too. I also have connectivity issues. Build 4208 and iPhone XR.

I tried out the app on my Apple Watch series 3 and it was better but still dropped occasionally but far less frequently than my phone. I will probably use the watch until we get confirmation FM has a fix in place.

[wheelrich]

@leddzep hmmm. how are you connecting your apple watch without your iPhone being connected also??? I have the series 4 and iPhone X from last year. If my iPhone disconnects, my watch disconnects. I was not aware of an independent apple watch app for the OW. If there is one, I would love to have it!

[Rado]

Update: I sent my XR 4208 in to FM to have the Bluetooth issue fixed. A much better experience this time, took about two weeks total. It seems like they just replaced the entire controller because my mileage was reset to 0. The Bluetooth signal is better now and usable although it is still not as good as my other XR 4206 hardware and my original V1. Before the only way the app would work is if my phone was no more than 3” away from the front pad. Now it works while standing on the board maybe 3-4 feet away. Any farther than that and it will disconnect. I was able to successfully record a ride with the phone in my front pocket. I did notice if I turn the lights on while standing on the board and holding the phone in my hand it will show the “reconnecting” message and the app becomes unresponsive for a few seconds. I would say it’s not a real fix but more of a good enough fix for now. I hope in the future they can find a real fix for this issue. My V1 from 4 years ago is rock solid and has no problems even from 15-20 feet distance. Same with my older XR. At least I can check my battery level without crouching down or getting off the board.

[leddzep]

@wheelrich not sure if it’s independent from the phone but I launch the app from my watch only and it seems more stable based on my experience.

[wheelrich]

@leddzep hey, I am willing to try anything. I'll give it a go.

[MaximusDebilus]

Hi everyone,
I bought my OW XR in november (hardware 4208) and since then I have this Bluetooth connexion problem (my phone is a SAMSUNG A3). FM proposed to send it back to them, but as I'm in France, I don't want to do it unless I'm sure they have a good fix to this issue.
Yesterday, with one of my friend who own an older XR than me and connect it to his iPhone without any problem, we share our OW for a test. I manage to stay connected to his OW during 5 minutes and in the same time, he was keeping getting disconnected from my board with his iPhone. This is the proof, if necessary, that there is an issue with those 4208 OW XR...
So I'm really hesitating to send it to FM.

[dohnnyjomino]

I’m not a lawyer, but I was doing some unrelated reading about warranties and learned all kinds of fascinating things y’all might care about:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson–Moss_Warranty_Act

Points of interest:

• FM can’t invalidate your warranty just because you (I have) broke the “warranty void if removed” stickers
• FM can’t make you pay the shipping costs (unless the board wasn’t actually defective)
• FM must give you a replacement board or refund if they can’t repair it. Thus, we are all entitled to refunds since they apparently can’t repair them...

Aside: credit card protections like AMEX will issue a full refund in order to honor their warranty extensions. I don’t believe this penalizes FM in anyway although it probably should (for the sake of motivating them to care and fix the problem)

Advice: if FM gives you a hard time about repairing the board I would drop a reference to this Act and suggest they reconsider. I’d probably seek a refund over replacement considering no one has been receiving new boards without the defect :/

Lastly: I’m really bummed I had to write any of this. I love the OW but the BT problem is infuriating given how much we depend on it to use the board. It’s really not a small flaw, it’s a health risk when you consider what happens if the battery unexpectedly dies

[rm3327375]

@dag0bert thanks for the explanation. Have you guys attempted a BT sticker somewhere on the board that can amplify the signal? Cost affective and simple.

[Jackalope]

@rm3327375 it seems like a great idea but is there something like that on the market?

[JosephpOW]

Hope this helps someone else out there having bluetooth connection issues - I've now put 900 miles on my XR. At around 300 miles I gave up on the OneWheel App because of the Bluetooth connection issues. At around 600 miles after an unfortunate nose-dive incident I started researching avoidance techniques, and after adapting to a new foot position technique, I now get constant connection to the App.

The most popular riding position (avoiding incidents) seems to be riding with your feet really close to the wheel as if you would with Air Fins. I ride regular, and tried that, but didn't like it. I've adapted to my front foot resting almost parallel with the wheel, my front heel touching the fender and my front toes angled away from the fender about 1.5" towards the front of the board. My rear foot is exactly the same orientation, but placed middle of back foot plate. I believe because my front feet aren't covering the bluetooth I now get reliable signal. Hope this helps someone else out without having to return the board!

[quickroll]

@suboba Glad that you started this thread. I've had my OW XR for less than a week (new condition), put fewer than 10 miles on it (no damage) and have NEVER completed even a short ride while connected to BT. As such, none of the OW app features such as "time to turn around" or "wheel slip" have ever worked. Neither does it map my ride. I'm disappointed in it.

[OneDan+]

All this chatter and many boards returned for service, yet @Future-Motion keeps shipping these out with this defect? You'd think if they know about it (and how could they not), this would be a high priority test for their QA before shipping. I plan to send in my XR in March (it's at my vacation home) and am hoping they actually know what to fix by then.

@quickroll agree, so much of the added functionality of the board depends on the phone app . . . this is no minor issue!

[wheelrich]

@OneDan I agree. A nice CES announcement would have been that they actually fixed this once and for all. These continuing posts give the impression that they just don't care. Very poor p.r. for a business.

[skywalk3r]

I got a second XR for XMAS and it has the BT issues still... wtf FM.

I had one of the first XR's (Hardware 4206) and it never had any bluetooth issues. But now this new 4208 board can hardly connect or stay connected, looks like it's going back to FM. You'd really think they'd do some better testing on these things before they are sent out.

[flix123]

Same issue here like everyone: Brand new XR, hardware 4208, cannot keep BT connection. Only works when the phone is right next to the board. The effect : Cannot track rides, cannot get battery warning, cannot easily change ride modes... its pretty annoying for such a expensive machine!

Must be hardware related cos it works for when I hold the phone very close, so the radio signal is not transmitted effectively. Could be poor antenna, or a bad Bluetooth chip. In any case: Doesn't look like its easy/economical to fix (in the production line), since new boards still have this problem. Maybe the main controller boards all have this issue and they got thousands of them produced already.

[GreenFrog]

Hi all,
Same here, new board from November 2018 hardware 4208. I really enjoyed the board willingly forgetting about the BT problem but back from holidays I decided to do something about it.
Thank you all for the thorough investigation on bluetooth connectivity, that saved me the trouble from doing it myself. I have the exact same situation (constat disconnection while riding or if I step away of the board more than 2 m ).
I bought my board from Ride On in France and I have linked this thread as well as my personal comments asking how FM was planning on fixing this issue.
As I understand it from now boards are coming back from FM not being fixed all the time...

[OneDan+]

Might help if everytime we mention FM, we type @Future-Motion instead . . . SOMEONE must be getting these notifications!

[nellyMcB]

Hi @Future-Motion have contacted me to say they are willing to repair my XR to resolve the Bluetooth issues. I live in the UK, so this will mean me being without my board for weeks getting it shipping back to the US and then returned. Has anyone here had the repair and can reassure me it does indeed resolve the issue?

Cheers!

[GreenFrog]

@OneDan Good thinking, if it can help acknowledging the problem...

[leo8877]

I just got a new board this weekend and I am also seeing this issue. I have the latest firmware and the hardware version 4208. Using iPhone XS with latest version of iOS. Oddly if I walk into a room where it's charging it connects no problem, but if I am riding it, it loses connection. The Apple Watch app is worthless also because it needs a signal from the phone and the phone won't stay connected to the board.

[eckit]

@leo8877 I got one of those workout “cases” for my iPhone. The type that is supposed to go around your bicep.
I strap it around my calf. My phone keeps connection to the board 100%, and my watch keeps connection to my phone.
Been riding my XR for months like that.
I’m not saying that this shouldn’t be fixed by FM; but it is a hack that works for now.

[wheelrich]

@eckit that might be worth a try, but which hardware version do you ride...4206 or 4208??

[eckit]

@wheelrich 4208

[rm3327375]

@Jackalope they exist for cell phones. I just don't know where to place it. I figured the R&D gurus could test it. I don't want to break my warranty.I have connection issues while just standing next to my XR.

[Jackalope]

@rm3327375 - you could easily attached such a BT amplifier to the fender - I think.

[JH]

My brand new Onewheel loses connection with the app a lot. Sometimes while driving 'reconnecting' appears several times in a row. Sometimes when I put my phone in my pocket while driving, when I take my phone out, it says the maximum speed during the drive is 8km/h, while I know it was faster than that (so probably the app lost connection). Or when I stop, and take my phone out of my pocket to change the driving mode, the speedometer in the app still gives a (fixed) speed. It gives me a warning I cannot change drive mode unless I slow down to 1km/h. (despite the fact that the wheel is standing still) In this case it never reconnects to the app, only until I hold the phone in my hand, close to the board, stand on the board and engage the motor. Then (after reconnecting; sometimes it takes a while) the meter falls to zero and I can change the driving mode. Please help me to fix this problem; because it really is annoying; certainly for a purchase this expensive, everting should work just perfect.

[MotoGPTy]

@JH You'll need to contact and send it back to @Future-Motion

[kanguru007]

Hi all, I found out what the Bluetooth problem is, anyone has a XR controller board on their hands?

[tomfoolery]

@kanguru007 said in XR constantly losing app connection?:

Hi all, I found out what the Bluetooth problem is, anyone has a XR controller board on their hands?

So what’s the problem? How do we fix it? I’m pretty sure we all have an XR controller board in our Onewheel’s but what do we do to fix the problem?

[kanguru007]

@tomfoolery the bluetooth module soldered on the controller board is almost touching the metal plate that closes the box, that blocks the RF (it is surprising that it still works).

An external antenna is possible and I guess it will increase range and reliability enormously. (can be a 1/4 wavelength sized small piece of wire)

[kanguru007]

I would like a better quality picture of the board to have an idea on the easiest way to connect the antenna

Modern iPhone or hi-end Android with good lighting is good, focused on the bluetooth module (where it says ILT245s)

[leo8877]

I started putting my phone in a jacket chest pocket or a jacket side pocket, instead of my jeans pocket, and my signal works all the time when I’m riding. As phone stays connected, my Apple Watch app also stays connected. If I put phone back in my jeans it loses connection as soon as I start riding.

[dohnnyjomino]

Googling for that BT chip yields some interesting results. Other products using it have issues, too. Also found a pin out schematic — apparently the first pin is the antenna if someone with a soldering iron wants to play around?

• http://dreamscreen.boards.net/thread/305/working-again
• https://goo.gl/images/FVvyU8

[JH]

Ok, FM replied on my ticket. I can send the board back for the Bluetooth repair. If its under warranty it is on their expenses. If not, I have to pay. If they can't find anything, shipment costs are on me.
Since this appears to be a common error and I have it since the day I got the board, I cant's see why it would not be covered by warranty. But, shipping it from Europe to USA and back, is a big cost if they would claim there was nothing wrong or it was not under warranty. Anyone experience with this?
And any problems with taxes or duties when zending back to Europe? (I have an invoice that can prove I bought the wheel in Belgium)

[JH]

@gsparx they did not charge anything? You live in the USA? I want to ship mine from Europe, but if they would claim there is no problem with BT or it's not under warranty, (shipping) cost are on me... How long did it take to send in and return your board?

[Diceman]

I also am having same connectivity problem. Brand new XR with updated firmware. Disconnects as soon as I put my phone in my pocket!

[JH]

@Diceman Yes, exactly the same issue as i have. My board is at FM right now and is currently in the repair queue. Soon i will know if they wil fix it under warranty. (I can't imagine they won't)

[MotoGPTy]

@JH Looking forward to hearing from you once the board is returned. I still haven't heard any success stories and have been following this thread for months. (...admittedly, I could have missed one) Thanks!

[Rado]

@MotoGPTy I sent in my XR to have the Bluetooth issue fixed under warranty. I didn’t pay anything. It is improved but not as good as my V1 or Plus.

[flix123]

I'm about to send mine back. Will be under warranty they said. I heard of quite a few people who had their board back and it works very good after.

[rfkilowatt]

@kanguru007 Here is the user manual for that Bluetooth module. It’s probably worth a look at. ILT254S: https://fccid.io/2AAXH-ILT254/User-Manual/User-manual-2126527

It does have an external antenna pin on pin one of the PCB module. Not sure if it needs to be turned on to use it. I just sent my board in to “fix” it. I’ll see if it gets any better before trying this myself. I work with RF electronics so doing a little micro soldering is not a big deal for me, but I would doubt anybody can do this with out the right tools.

[Whiplash]

I just sent mine in yesterday. They say turn around is 2 weeks I hope so and hope they fix it. I figured with all the rain we are getting here in SoCal it is the perfect time to send in I will post the results when it is returned

[JH]

Just got my Xr back from FM to fix the Bluetooth issue. Tested it for few minutes; looks like it works fine now.

[rfkilowatt]

I just got mine back. The signal strength seems to have a marginally improved. It held connection for about a minute into the ride then dropped. Still not usable.

[TerminalVelocity]

@CLBR No, I'm riding bareback with no changes from the stock configuration.

[Whiplash]

I just got my board back from @future-motion and it seems like the BT issue is fixed. It connects super fast and I just went for a nice session and it stayed connected the whole ride with phone in my back pocket. The board came back with my miles still showing so I guess the main controller was not switched out. All I know is it works now like it is suppose to Thanks @future-motion for the quick turn around 11 days total from shipping to return Thanks, Thomas

[gasppol]

@rfkilowatt @kanguru007 I'm in Argentina so sending to USA is no-way (customs cost as hi as U$S 1000 here).
I'm electronic engineer and I have the right tools, maybe I will try to solder an external antenna (1/4 lambda). What do you think?

[gasppol]

@tlamb2 THIS!
It really works better! I was thinking in opening the board and soldering an external antenna, but this works! I've to test it more time, but great so far!

You've to enter "Developer Mode" in Android.
Go to Settings > System Info (the last on the list), then tap 7 times on the Build Number field (also the last field).
Then go search in settings, and look for AVRCP, then switch to 1.6 as @tlamb2 says.

That's it!

[Whiplash]

@gasppol Plus it also helps to clear your bluetooth settings in an android phone it seems to get rid of all the old Bluetooth connections making current connections better. In my work van now I am able to see text messages delivered via bluetooth to the vans audio unit which it use to do but suddenly stopped but after resetting my bluetooth that works now also. So it does something.

[wheelrich]

@gasppol Sounds great. Wish there was an iOS version of that fix.

[namespaced]

For those who are in the market for used boards, what do we need to watch out for? HW version 4208 purchased between August 2018 and December 2018? Were all new boards affected, or only a subset? I can't really tell from skimming through all these posts.

[Rado]

@namespaced Pretty much all 4208 boards. 4206 (very first XRs produced) are not affected but did have the bricking issue.

[namespaced]

@Rado do you know if new boards being shipped today still have this problem?

[Kbnikto51]

I’ve had a new XR for about a month and have recorded a dozen or more rides with no problems at all. I can walk 60’ away, line of sight, and still communicate with the board. iPhone 6. This issue was the most worrisome for me in before buying the board but doesn’t exist for me. Go figure???

[rfkilowatt]

@gasppol I’m an EE too. I’m going to try it with a 50Ohm low gain patch antenna and coax I bought from digikey. I’m going to mount it away from the aluminum cover plate. I’ll let you know if it improves things. That great a software change works with android.

[rfkilowatt]

@Kbnikto51 What hardware and firmware are you running? Maybe they fixed it? I’m running Hardware 4208, firmware 4134.

To be clear, I can connect to the board when I’m dismounted. I once I get on the board, the phone and my Apple Watch lose connection. I can’t check my speed. I have to stop to check battery strengh. I also can’t track a ride.

[rfkilowatt]

Anyway, I’ve got news. I fixed it adding an external antenna. Works great now. It took it for a ride and I get realtime speed on my watch. Never worked before.

I’m trying to find a way to post details on what it looks like. Maybe reddit or imgur.

The antenna is a tiny little patch antenna that I stuck to the inner plastic part of the controller housing. You do have to unsolder and remount a 0402 cap on the Bluetooth module to remove the internal antenna and use an external one. Not easy, need a really good soldering iron like a Metcal with fine tips.

Now I’m pretty sure its a signal strenght issue. Maybe it only affect some boards. Getting it reworked by onewheel customer service did not fix it. Maybe they replaced the module, but that was not enough.

[rfkilowatt]

Here is the backside of the controller board. That’s the Bluetooth module, ILogic ILT254S. Pin 1 is for the external antenna. Pin 2 is ground. That cap needs to be rotated 90 degrees counter clockwise to switch the output to the external pin. This cap is an 0402, which means 0.04” long by 0.02” wide. Really fucking small! To move it (unsolder and resolder) you need really fine tips and a high quality soldering iron like a Metcal.

[rfkilowatt]

Sorry this is blurry. Here you can see the cap is moved 90, connecting it to the external ant pin 1. I connected an insulated 24 awg wire to pin1 and I put the wire through the ground via to reach the other side. This was my attempt to keep the impedance of the wire closer to my 50 Ohm antenna (lower its inductance).

[rfkilowatt]

This is the topside of the controller board. That’s the wire popping through from the backside. I soldered in an H.FL connector. I was able to capture two ground points at 12 and 3 o’clock. This important so you can properly ground the coax. After soldering, I added RTV along the edges for stability (not shown).

The antenna I bought, [Taoglas FXP74.07.0100A] https://www.digikey.com/products/en?keywords=931-1224, has a U.FL connector. I mistook that for being the same as H.FL which I have lying around my lab. It does not mate well to U.FL. When I get a chance I will swap it for the correct U.FL smt connector. I wanted a connector here so you can disconnect the antenna from the board when you assemble/disassemble because the antenna will be attached to the plastic back shell while the board is bolted to the aluminum pan.

[rfkilowatt]

This is the antenna I bought. I was just looking for something low gain, that was small and 50 Ohms with a connector. There are hundreds of different ones on digikey that I would think would work.

[rfkilowatt]

Here’s were I put the antenna. The adhesive seems really strong. I don’t think it’s coming off. Coax going to the left.

After that, I put the shell back on to the aluminum plate. You have to reconnect all the connectors while its barely open, because the wires are not that long. Everything then goes back together like it came apart.

[rfkilowatt]

@gasppol It might be possible that you could use just a short wire as an antenna. I just want to do it as “right” as possible first to get the highest signal strength. If it didn’t work, I would always be wondering if I just fucked it up or the antenna was a bad match.

[Whiplash]

Just an update I have had my board back for a week. I sent it in for Bluetooth connection issues it came back with my original miles so I don't know if the control board was swapped or not, But it works perfectly now I have not lost connection once and I have put 15 miles on it so for me it is fixed.

[Kbnikto51]

@rfkilowatt 4082/4134. SN 19031027##. I have no, nada, nil, zero connection issues.

[rfkilowatt]

@Kbnikto51 I definitely think it’s limited to certain ones based on the reply’s. Problem was they didn’t fix it when I sent mine in.

[gasppol]

@rfkilowatt you're awesome!
Such a detailed post! I twist my ankle windsurfing on Saturday, so the only ones riding my OW XR are my friends. Lots of scratches and lot of envy. The BT connection gets really better with the new Android settings, but is far from perfect.
I will use my rest time to follow your instructions step by step. I don't have a METCAL at home, but I will try to look at the board and find a way of repairing it.
I will update accordingly.
Cheers!

[gasppol]

Update: Mantas Kačinskas (a Facebook OW Group user) suggest to change the Stand-By configuration of the OW App.
Yo have to set your Android phone to 'Developer Mode' (check here).
Then you have to go to Developer Settings, System, Advanced Options, Developer Options, scroll a lot until 'StandBy Apps', look for OW App, and ser a higher priority setting: Frequent o Working State.
I've tried and now while the phone is locked, the OW App seems to keep connected.
Anyway. Theses are work arounds, not REAL solutions to the connectivity problems of some BT modules. Since it is a RF problem, is a little bit of hit and miss. Some users have better lucky than others.

[Whiplash]

So I emailed Future Motion asking them what they did to fix my board to stay connected to Bluetooth. I have had it back for about a month now and have not lost connection yet, So I am super stoked and this was their reply,

Great to hear the board is working great for you. Looks like the techs went ahead and replaced the controller circuit board within your board that resolved the Bluetooth issue you were experiencing. Hope this helps and please let me know if you have any other questions.

[Whiplash]

@gasppol For me I think it was a combination for tweaking the Bluetooth settings and FM putting in a new controller circuit board. Because mine works flawlessly now.

[Jackalope]

@Whiplash My board just got back from repair and I can say that my BT connection problem has been solved!!! and it took only 2 weeks, and I live in BC.
FM sent me a note: "The technicians found that your Bluetooth was not working up to specification so they replaced the entire circuit board and conducted rigorous testing."
Happy Day!

[TerminalVelocity]

@flix123 I'm excited to get mine back from FutureMotion tomorrow. They write
**"Our technicians replaced your controller circuit board on your board after discovering the Bluetooth was not working up to specification. After testing it appears to be back in action!
Have a good day,
Team Onewheel"
It's a shame to have had to go through this much work to get a functional product, but I'll be glad to use it again.

[wheelrich]

I know this isn't going to make sense, but Sunday when I rode after a long absence, I found that the app stayed connected most of the time on my newer XR, which has been having problems disconnecting all the time. In fact, the only times I noticed it disconnect, was when I was stopped and a few feet from the board.

So what was different this time, you ask? Well, I have NOT downloaded the latest app update. Seems some are having probs with it, so I decided to wait awhile. BUT I did activate a new Apple Watch complication, which puts a OW icon on the face of my watch. Now, I don't see how that should make a difference, because I was already using my Apple Watch before, when I had all the disconnects. But there it is. Go figure.

[eckit]

@wheelrich you gave me so much hope that I dropped everything, installed the complication and just gave it a quick go. Still no improvement for me :/

[wheelrich]

@eckit Sorry to get your hopes up. I know it doesn't make sense, but it was the only thing I changed and the improvement was clear. Must be a fluke. Will see if it holds true on my next ride.

[rc3ng]

Mine came back from service after only 4 business days. I was without the board for about 10 days (FedEx ground).
The controller was upgraded to 4209. Now the Bluetooth connection is perfect! No drops! Connects to all my devices...
Totally worth the wait! Customer service representative was also great!

[someoneingermany]

So I received my board about 2 weeks ago now and I definitely received one of the faulty controllers. I'm on hardware version 4208 like everyone else in the thread and the bluetooth connection is very inconsistent and unreliable. Drops all the time, if I'm able to connect at all.

I was worried about having to send it away for a long time because I live in Germany, so naturally the whole shipping process is much slower. But after talking with the support they said they will send me instructions of how to open the board up and remove the controller. I'll send them the controller module, which should be significantly easier and faster to ship, and they'll evaluate it and send me a new controller back. I haven't heard of anyone else doing that in the thread so I thought I'd make a post in case there are other non-americans out there debating whether or not to have it repaired. Hopefully the process is a lot more painless like this.

In my opinion I think they should recall all of the possibly affected devices that have not yet left a warehouse, and they should make the repair process much easier for people who are affected. The least they could do is come out with a public apology. So many people are affected by this. A product of this price should not have any compromises. The app is a vital part of the Onewheel experience and it's a shame a lot of people don't get to experience it fully because of this issue. /rant

[tartax]

@someoneingermany said in XR constantly losing app connection?:

So I received my board about 2 weeks ago now and I definitely received one of the faulty controllers. I'm on hardware version 4208 like everyone else in the thread and the bluetooth connection is very inconsistent and unreliable. Drops all the time, if I'm able to connect at all.

I was worried about having to send it away for a long time because I live in Germany, so naturally the whole shipping process is much slower. But after talking with the support they said they will send me instructions of how to open the board up and remove the controller. I'll send them the controller module, which should be significantly easier and faster to ship, and they'll evaluate it and send me a new controller back. I haven't heard of anyone else doing that in the thread so I thought I'd make a post in case there are other non-americans out there debating whether or not to have it repaired. Hopefully the process is a lot more painless like this.

In my opinion I think they should recall all of the possibly affected devices that have not yet left a warehouse, and they should make the repair process much easier for people who are affected. The least they could do is come out with a public apology. So many people are affected by this. A product of this price should not have any compromises. The app is a vital part of the Onewheel experience and it's a shame a lot of people don't get to experience it fully because of this issue. /rant

I Think this could be the perfect solution also for me.
I have the same issue with a weak but connection and I'm from Italy so sending just a small part instead of all the board could be perfect.
Waiting for a response from FM

[someoneingermany]

@tartax Yes! Hope it works out for you! Please keep us updated with the repair process. I will post again as well as soon as I get mine back. I think it's important for as many as possible to document their repair experience with this issue.

[skyman88]

@someoneingermany This is great news and hopefully helps short cycle your repair. I'm curious to see what the instructions they provide look like. Please share.

[someoneingermany]

@skyman88 I hope so! I'm not sure they'd appreciate if I shared that on a public forum. It's nothing special, just a step by step guide with pictures, but if it's not already publicly available I don't want to be the one who puts it out there. Don't want to piss them off when I'm sending my precious baby in for repair.

[skyman88]

@someoneingermany Understood.

I've never seen something like that from FM before so I'm a little surprised but also really happy to hear it.

I've badgered a couple of boards and done tire swaps, so I know how easy it is to take the board apart, was more just curious if their instructions were like a true how to manual with cartoon images. Don't forget about the two screws under the white stickers!

[JMAC]

I received my XR yesterday and it has hardware version 4209. My bluetooth connection hasn't dropped out when I'm within 10 feet of my board. I read that 4209 fixed the bluetooth connectivity issues.

[Telomere]

@Whiplash Your suggestion to change AVRCP from 1.4. to 1.6 also worked with my combination of OW+ and Android 9.0 phone. Quickened the initial connection and greatly reduced GPS tracking dropouts and disconnections. Also seemed to reduce audio dropouts on my PowerBeats earphones when streaming Pandora. Thanks for the tip.

[OneDan+]

Finally got my XR in for the bluetooth issue (sending from Hawaii to San Jose was quite the challenge, but after a month FM and FedEx finally got their acts together) and got it back yesterday. Like others, they replaced the controller with 4209 and it's working like it should have been when I bought it back in October last year. Still not sure why they're not shipping with this fix as new folks still seem to be getting 4208. Unless a certain percentage of the 4208 boards work ok, but still, can't they test them before shipping them out?

Anyway, count me in on the "problem fixed" list!

[Panglossian]

Does anyones automatically connect when you turn on your OW? I mean, do you have to unlock your phone then start the app for it to connect? Seems like it could be more like turning on bluetooth headphones - they just connect when you turn them on or activate them. This thread made me question if mine is bad or if this is just how it's designed. Once it's connected mine seems to stay connected when the phone is locked and I do get alerts. But if I don't unlock the phone and open the app - it doesn't connect even though there's a setting to "auto-connect". So most of the time I don't use the app - only when I want to check the battery level. Mine is 4208.

[OneDan+]

@Panglossian When the app starts, it will autoconnect to a board that has that setting turned on. I have 2 boards right now, my + and my XR, so I turned it off so I can select which board to connect to when I start the app.

If you haven't noticed, you can connect to a board even when it's charging as it is "on" at that point, though not ready to ride.

[GreenFrog]

@OneDan said in XR constantly losing app connection?:

Finally got my XR in for the bluetooth issue (sending from Hawaii to San Jose was quite the challenge, but after a month FM and FedEx finally got their acts together) and got it back yesterday. Like others, they replaced the controller with 4209 and it's working like it should have been when I bought it back in October last year. Still not sure why they're not shipping with this fix as new folks still seem to be getting 4208. Unless a certain percentage of the 4208 boards work ok, but still, can't they test them before shipping them out?

Anyway, count me in on the "problem fixed" list!

Good to hear !! I also got my board in October last year and sent it back 2 weeks ago as FM sent me a warranty return ticket.
I am really happy they acknowledged this faulty BT issue, can't wait to get my board back and join the "repaired bluetooth club"=)

I wish I knew about sending only the controller module though...

[OneDan+]

@GreenFrog As long as they pay for the shipping, I'm ok with sending it in. Of course, that might depend on where you're located. In the future, for an "out of warranty" repair, I wouldn't mind doing things myself if they will send the part. Way cheaper than shipping a 30 lb HUGE box!

[gasppol]

@someoneingermany any update on this? Change my phone to a new one (Android 8.1) and the connection is nightmare again. From Argentina it will be great to being able to send just the BT module. Beside that, I suspect you still could ride while waiting.

[jlk250]

My XR has the original 4206 hardware and the Bluetooth connection has been marginal since day one. It disconnects if in my shirt pocket and sometimes disconnects if in my pants pocket. Now that FM has the Bluetooth issue fixed with 4209 hardware, I figured I would send it in before the warranty expires. They said I would have to pay shipping if nothing was found.

So now they have it and say that Bluetooth is fine so the problem must be my phone. Which I guess is possible, but it connects fine with great range to other devices. Disappointing. So, beware of sending yours in if it's not really, really bad.

[someoneingermany]

@gasppol yeah, here's an update.

I've had a total nightmare with the support. It started off really well. They acknowledged the issue and was happy to have it sent in for repair. It started going downhill when we began discussing shipment options. I live in Germany at the moment and FedEx (which is the ONLY carrier they ship with) is not very prominent around here. Luckily there is a shop just over an hour away. They offered to have the FedEx shop pick up the package at my house, but then it turned out that I live too far away from the shop. Now, they are saying it's my job to drive to the FedEx shop (about 3h driving on a weekday when I work) or I can ship it myself with a local carrier (about 60 EUR).

We've gone back and forth for weeks now, and the COO was involved as well. They are refusing to arrange shipping for me. I am now in contact with the shop I bought it from to see if they can assist in any way.

I literally just spent 2000 EUR, received a defect product and now the company behind it (FM) is telling me I have to spend more money and time to repair it!? What kind of service is this? I just bought the product. It's brand new. This is completely unacceptable.

So, to anyone who lives outside of America:

Future Motion will NOT pay for your shipping if you live too far away from a FedEx shop. Regardless if it's 1h or 10h, they will not pay. Does not matter if it's within warranty or not.

This is incredibly upsetting because I love my onewheel very much, and to see the company behind it providing service this bad is very aggravating. It's not a company I can stand behind anymore and I will not be recommending the onewheel to anyone, regardless of how my repair goes.

And @gasppol, you will send the whole controller module of the board. Not just the Bluetooth ship. So you won't be able to ride without it.

[ooww]

@someoneingermany hopefully they can repair under warranty. otherwise you'll pay for the FedEx to US and back as well ($500)

[someoneingermany]

@ooww should not be a matter of "if" they can repair it. The Bluetooth is definitely not working as it should. 500$ sounds a bit excessive though. I'm only sending the controller module and not the whole wheel.

[wheelrich]

FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH....Possible alternate fix. My 08 hardware XR, like many others, has been very bad connecting to to my iPhone since I first got it. It disconnects continually while I am riding, making it almost useless. As I have said many times, my first XR, an 06 model, has worked flawlessly from day one.

So, recently I change my tire to a treaded Burris. Now, here is where it gets very unclear about what fixed my problem. I was very careful with removal of the Vega tire, and the wires that needed disconnecting, etc. I had heard some horror stories from a few whose boards did not work right after changing their tires. I cleaned everything as I went along. While I had the board all apart, I decided to install my brand new aluminum flight guard plates, as I was putting everything back together (previously had float plates on). The board works fine....plus... as long as I am right by the board or riding it, now my iPhone AND Apple Watch stay connected!!!! I have ridden it at least 4 times since the tire change, and it seems to be consistently working.

I have 2 theories: 1) in disconnecting and reconnecting the cables, (which were a bit difficult to remove, but snap locked into place when reattached), I corrected a poor connection to the control board, which allowed a stronger bluetooth signal. 2) the new flight guards, from flight fins, being metal (heavy gauge aluminum) are reflecting the bluetooth signal and acting like an analog amplifier.

I am not sure which is the case, but my guess is that number 2 is the most likely reason.

[tartax]

@someoneingermany
i bought my xr from germany too.i am from Rome,Italy.i had the bluetooth issue from the beginning,weak connection.
after one month i contacted FM and they aknowledged the issue and proposed the ship of all the board.
they even created a ticket for the expedition (the cost of such expedition is about 250 eu)
but i preferred to send only the control board.easy to disassemble.
all the operation in about 2 weeks.now i have the new hardware control board.
the connection now is finally stable and i can also use my smartwatch onewheel app ,very nice indeed.
so for my experience i must give a big up to Future Motion.
is not easy to manage a service in europe from the u.s.a.
a compromise is necessary, i think.
anyway i hope they will open an official service here in europe.
this will be the perfect solution

[someoneingermany]

@tartax Did you pay for the shipping or did they? Was it through FedEx or another carrier? Good to hear you had a good experience.

[tartax]

@someoneingermany
i didn't pay nothing and yes,it was with fedex.

[someoneingermany]

@tartax how far away from a FedEx store do you live? I'm guessing there is one in Rome as it's the capital?

[tartax]

@someoneingermany of course ,i live in the capital city and the courier came directly to my house.after fm created the ticket i contacted the fedex office and they arranged everything .

[someoneingermany]

@tartax yeah, that's how it should be. Unfortunately, if you live far away from a FedEx office they are reluctant to help with shipping at all.

[ooww]

@someoneingermany "under warranty" was the operative phrase: they often find water damage and the like which precludes repair under warranty and thus transport at owner's cost. just sending the module will help a lot with shipping

[someoneingermany]

@ooww water damage and "the like"? What else could they find that would void the warranty?

[ooww]

@someoneingermany I read about FM denying warranty because of "mechanical damage"

[someoneingermany]

@ooww huh, interesting. I'd be surprised if they found that on the controller module.

[sparklehunt]

I just got my XR back from FM. Bluetooth seems to be working now. They said "Hope you are well. I wanted to report that your board has completed repairs and it will be tracking towards you. The techs identified the root of the issue and replaced your board's controller circuit board under warranty and free of cost."

Only thing is it still says version 4208! The bluetooth still says reconnecting a couple of times per ride, but it's better than before. Perhaps only a certain percentage of version 4208s are defective?

I'm really curious if someone with a 4209 can open it up and we can see what design change they made to the printed circuit board.

Small detail - my board's name and ID number in the app didn't change. The odometer did reset to 0 though. I'm wondering if they actually swapped it.

[sparklehunt]

@Jackalope what hardware version did they replace yours with?

[wheelrich]

@wheelrich STILL WORKING! Did 10 miles this morning at Cal State. The app, both thru my iPhone and the Apple Watch is still staying connected, as long as I am within a few feet of the activated board. When I walk away it disconnects, but comes back as soon as I return.

As I said a few weeks ago...the things I have done different, since it started working consistently, are 1) installed a Burris treaded tire, and 2) added the heavy duty aluminum float plates.

I thot this was going to be another fluke (like when I added an OW Apple Watch complication....that didn't last), but this seems to be consistent for 3 different rides at 2 different locations. And the first location had terrible wifi.

Again, my guess is the aluminum plates have acted as a reflector for the blue tooth signal. Just a guess. So I will not be sending in my board for the mad scientists at FM labs to tear apart, at least not yet.

[someoneingermany]

So here's an update on my repair process. 84 days after I opened the ticket, my wheel is finally working again. This has been a total catastrophe and I hope never to have to deal with them again.

The communication during the entire process has been horrible. It was slow and disorganised. They didn't properly read my messages and I had to repeat myself multiple times. Due to my "special case" (them refusing to ship because of distance from FedEx shop) there were three people involved (one of which the Chief Operational Officer), and at some points I felt like they were not talking to each other.

Once the wheel arrived at their HQ it took them about two weeks to repair and then ship it off again. I was told they would simply "inspect it and send a new one out" but that wasn't the case. When It was returned, the casing for the controller module was dented in some places, especially on one of the edges. I am worried it will let in more dust now. Also the threads in three of the screw holes are already bad after opening it once. Three screws aren't properly fastened anymore. This is something I've heard others complain about as well.

For those interested, the milage data was not wiped. Everything is as it was when I sent it out. And Bluetooth works amazingly well. I can walk away a couple meters without losing signal and it never seems to disconnect while riding.

I'm happy to be back on my wheel and I hope it doesn't fall apart or stop working anytime soon.

[OneDan+]

@someoneingermany I had the bluetooth issue repaired on my XR, and while I didn't have the long wait like you did, I did get mine back with a totally separated bolt in the front bumper. I called them up and told them I've never taken it apart, so they had me take a picture. A new front bumper was sent my way and I replaced it within days.

If you have broken, stripped, or missing screws or parts, give them a call, nothing to lose.

[someoneingermany]

@OneDan They suggested I glue it together. 🤷‍♂️

[flgliderpilot]

I realize this is an old topic but does has anyone with a 4208 revision board happened to look at the bluetooth module? is it still the ILT254S? My board is out of warranty by 1 month and I was curious to know if the new board has a different module, or if it's been relocated to another location. Thanks.

[andrewd]

@flgliderpilot I'm interested in resurrecting this topic as well as I just purchased a used 4208 that's out of warranty and exploring my options. Not opposed to opening it up and do some soldering if that's the only way.