fobbed off with Vodafone's water damage excuse following a request to repair my fault

boula

Hi there,

I purchased an i phone 6 months ago with Vodafone. I've looked after it very well and it has been protected by a very hardwearing silicone case since I bought it.

Over the last six weeks I have begun to have problems with it. It's been going onto silent and non-silent mode on its own and sporadically vibrates for no reason.

The phone is not insured but covered by the standard manufacture warranty. I was advised by Vodafone to install updates and to try restoring the phone, however this did not solve the problem and on Vodafone's instruction I returned it to them to be repaired.

I have just been informed by Vodafone's logistics team that the phone is faulty as a result of water damage. Under no circumstances has this phone been exposed to water therefore I am very confused by this conclusion. As a result I have been told that the repair is not covered under the warranty and that I have to pay a £120 charge.

Having done some research I can see that a lot of other consumers have experienced the same problem- apparently it can be the water in the atmosphere that causes the so called water damage!! I am a longstanding Vodafone customer and have never had to send a phone back before- they have always been robust, quality phones that have stood the test of my phone contract.

I'm 6 months in to a 24 month contract that is costing me £35 a month and do not feel it is fair to have to pay a large amount of money for this repair.

Has anybody been in this situation before? Can anyone offer any advice on how I may be able to have this repair for free???

Thanks in advance

BrandNewDay

This is a common problem, apparently:

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/iphone-water-damage-indicators-leave-users-seeing-red-49305888/

JJ_Egan

Common reported problem with a lot of phones .
Essentially a condensation problem on Nokia Apple and no doubt other phones .
Same as windows mist up without being near water .

I would consult trading standards .

jje

marbleheadj

its also common because it happens to a lot of phones!

if you disagree with the conclusion send it to the manufacturer for a second opinion but just because you don't want it be true it doesn't mean that its not true, good luck

Hauptmann

I believe that in the US there is a Class Action Lawsuit against Apple on account of their over-sensitive moisture indicators. Using the phone on a damp day - or taking a cold phone into a warmer room (surface condensation) - can lead to the indicators turning red.
My iPhone has a visible moisture indicator that has turned red, even though it has never been 'wet' in the sense of being in liquid water. Still working OK at the moment though....!

boula

Thanks for all your suggestions. It seems there are thousands of people who have had the same problem- Watchdog has even investigated it, but it doesn't seem to have impacted on the i phone policy.

The big question mark around the water damage excuse seems to be the fact that most phones only have a water sensor on the inside but Apple's i phone has two on the outside- one in the headphone dock and the other in the charger area- when it's sent for repair they don't actually open the phone to prove that there's liquid damage to the device!!!

I cant believe they get away with it. I've also now found out that if you take it back to the Apple store you have more chance of getting a repair as all of the indicators have to be red, not just one- unlike Vodafone. Any one had any luck with this approach?

I love my i phone, but sadly this will really make me think again about taking out another contract. If their policies were fair I'd otherwise be an i phone customer for life as they are otherwise fantastic phones.

gjchester

boula wrote: »

I love my i phone, but sadly this will really make me think again about taking out another contract. If their policies were fair I'd otherwise be an i phone customer for life as they are otherwise fantastic phones.

It's not just Apple's policy, it's all makers. Even if you had a different brand phone on a difference network once the indicators change then thats it, warranty gone.

The problem is water is not usually pure, rain has losts of dissolved salts and minerals in it that can cause problems.

If the water gets in when the phone is in use it can conduct the electricity around and short components.

If the water gets in when the phone is off then it won't short anything but as it dries then the salts and minerale dissolve out and can corrode or bridge components.

Eitherway with todays complex and highly minaturised compoents it's not economical to change or repair the parts.

As I've said in another thread your phone is really a sophisticated computer. You'd never dream of taking a laptop out in the rain but many many use the phone regardless of the weather. Then claim on the insurance for a fault thats thier own making. the sheer number of these claims lead to the condition in the warranty that ware damage is not included.

Moisture sensors are just that, they detect moisture, theres no difference to them between condensation from a bathroom and rain from a phone left outside.

That said there are more than one most phones, some that cannot be seen, and if you had one tripped but not others you'll probably get a swap from Apple. Book a slot with an Apple "genius" in an apple store and take it in, they'll proabably swap it there and then.

Hauptmann

Yes, it is the case that all phones have moisture detectors. It is also the case that Apple's appear to be VERY sensitive.
A mobile phone is used differently to, say, a laptop, and the manufacturer needs to take this into account during the design stage and when specifying components. There are many sophisticated eletronic systems that are successfully designed to withstand environmental extremes (e.g. the electronic control units in cars, which withstand high temperatures, humidity, shock, vibration, for many years), cameras and camcorders.
An electronic circuit board can have a 'conformal coating' applied to it very cheaply to protect against moisture and corrosive chemicals. It seems that Apple choose not to do this.
I currently have an iPhone 4 which I used for business purposes, but I'll not be buying Apple again. There are too many issues with this phone and the 'water damage' issue is another reason to go elsewhere.

JJ_Egan

If it was my phone i would be issuing a Small Claims Court summons .


jje

karatedragon

Doesn't Mobile Phone Insurance cover water damage anyway?

I know mine does. I always saw this as dropping the phone down the carzee - but obviously "phantom" water damage can occur too.

Maybe that is why iPhone insurance is dearer?? More water damage claims?

stugib

Hauptmann wrote: »

I believe that in the US there is a Class Action Lawsuit against Apple on account of their over-sensitive moisture indicators.

More info here.

gjchester wrote: »

As I've said in another thread your phone is really a sophisticated computer. You'd never dream of taking a laptop out in the rain but many many use the phone regardless of the weather. Then claim on the insurance for a fault thats thier own making.

I disagree. Devices should be capable of being used for the purpose they're designed for, which for a phone should include having a conversation on it outside (remembering it can be triggered just from changes in temperature). Laptops are not designed for outside use. Either that or manufacturers should be clear that they don't advise use of their phones outside (as if!)