When do I know sensor has gone bad?

Question

I have had for 18 months. Did not know about "putting it to sleep" when not in use. I am walking three/four miles and my reading keeps saying I've gone .15 miles and burned 4 calories...it was working fine last week, but when I reset my weight, nothing has worked right since? I've tried to recalibrate, but that isn't working either....I don't know what to do next!!

Answer 1

I had the same problem - sensor was saying I'd only run .25 mile when I had done more.
I found this on the Nike+ Support Forums and tried it this morning. It seemed to work for my problem.
http://forums.nike.com/thread.jspa?messageID=242470&#242470
Hi Pete_D,
I'm sorry to hear that your new sensor sounds like it's dead or at least dying on arrival. That's definitely not cool!
Before you give up on it, I'd like you to try a couple of things to see whether you can resuscitate the new sensor. If these suggestions don't prove helpful, your best bet is to return the new sensor to the place of purchase. Given the fact that you just bought it, I'm hopeful that a quick and easy exchange can be arranged.
First, though, try this:
1. Put your sensor to sleep and then wake it again. To put your sensor to sleep, remove it from your shoe, flip it over so that you can access the sleep/wake button, and hold the button down for approximately a three count. Then, to wake the sensor, give the button a quick press.
2. Reset your iPod nano. This is a good standard step to take whenever you experience weird Nike + iPod behavior; it won't result in the loss of any data, but it will refresh your settings. Please press and hold down both the Menu button and the center button at the same time, holding them down until the Apple logo appears on your screen.
3. Try to establish an active link by getting aggressive with your new sensor. Navigate to the linking screen on your iPod nano (Nike + iPod > Settings > Sensor > Link) and tap the sensor against your desk or another solid surface to simulate a footstrike. Sometimes, it's easier to set up your initial link this way than by walking around to activate your sensor. Once the sensor has been found, record and upload a test workout; then take a look to see whether the "replace sensor soon" message still appears. I'm hoping that the message is left over from your old sensor, and will disappear once you record a workout successfully using the new sensor.
4. Record and upload a normal workout. Once you've established your link by tapping the sensor, you'll want to make sure your sensor can also pick up your normal footstrike and record your workout accurately.
If these options don't prove helpful, please make sure you return or exchange your sensor as soon as possible. As I noted above, it's best if you can work with the retailer from whom you purchased the sensor. If this isn't a good option for you, remember that Apple offers a one-year warranty on the product; you can visit them in person at an Apple store or give them a call at 1-800-APL-CARE to learn about your options.
I hope this helps, and I hope to see you up and running again soon!
Cheers,
Clover