3 Network: Warranty claim fob-off - liquid damage

hooting_owl

Sony Ericson X10i taken out with a 24-month contract on the 3 network in October 2010.

All was well until a few weeks ago when the charger would not work correctly - the handset would only charge if the plug was in the phone socket in a particular position. Looked a lot like the socket was loose within the handset. Stopped accepting a charge completely so took it in for repair.

Guess what? They are claiming that there is evidence of liquid damage, even though the handset has never been exposed to liquids or been misused in any way.

I have insurance courtesy of LTSB, but am reluctant to make a claim because I strongly suspect that 3 are trying to weasel out of a warranty repair.

Have yet to get the handset back from them. What is my next move?

I am thinking about getting an independent opinion on the fault. What do I need to prove in order to force 3 into providing a warranty repair free of charge?

Techhead_2

Your first step is to obtain a copy of the repair report. This will contain the evidence of any water damage.
Bare in mind that there is no incentive for the repair company or network to invent water damage. They only get paid lf the handset is repaired. So it may be that there has been a mistake or there is water damage.

JJ_Egan

Fairly common usually condensation on many brands of phone .

jje

Tupperware_Queen

loose connection with sony erricson phones are very common, I have had a few problems with various different models.

I have always found 3 very accomodating though to be fair

hooting_owl

update: got the handset back - engineer's report is a template letter stating 'liquid damage' and that is all.
three have charged me twenty quid for the privilege of having them not repair the handset.

i can see that the liquid detection strip on the handset (under the battery lid, at the top where the earpiece jack is) is showing some pink spots. the phone is designed in such a way that the slightest hint of moisture will be channelled directly into the liquid indicator - there is a hole for water to enter the phone at the point where the detector is.
the strip on the battery remains white.
beware, anyone with the X10 - it is an appalling design.

i am going to write to three's customer service team and point out that the warranty does not cover 'damage caused by liquid' and that I intend to have an independent assessment made as to why the phone will not charge.

gjchester

hooting_owl wrote: »

i can see that the liquid detection strip on the handset (under the battery lid, at the top where the earpiece jack is) is showing some pink spots.

the strip on the battery remains white.

i am going to write to three's customer service team and point out that the warranty does not cover 'damage caused by liquid' and that I intend to have an independent assessment made as to why the phone will not charge.

Sorry not following you here.

The phone moisture detection strip you can see has been tripped so moisture has got into the phone some how. There are others inside you have no idea if they have or have not been tripped.

The batterys moisture detector has not changed but the easy answer there is you could have changed the battery.

You then say you will write to Three to say the warranty does not cover moisture damage (which is standard, no manufacturer covers the phone if theres indication of water ingress).

I'm not sure what you are trying to do. Saying thye moisture stripes have changed and the manufacturer excludes water damage is pretty much admitting you have no warranty cover, what do you expect Three to do? Theyll tell you sorry, buy a new phone.

The problem is you have no idea why or if there has been moisure ingress, if that has caused the damage ot if thats even relevent. even a small drop of water on a circuit could have caused a short thats blown a component or shorted something, and to be honest the cost of a replacment part and the time to fit it will be more than the phone would be to replace.

The X10 mini (I 'm not sure if the i is the mini or the keyboard flip out version) is £145 on Pay as you go, considering you are admitting there has bene water ingress this may be your best choice.

hooting_owl wrote: »

beware, anyone with the X10 - it is an appalling design.

Actually I think your wrong there, I think all Xperia phones have an appalling design. I had an X1 and the slider cable that connected the display to the phone went after 16 months(was a 18 months contract). I'd flashed it and got told where to go for waqrranty support due to the flashing even though it was a known hardware fault. It also had the worst radio in a phone I ever had and lost signal and dropped calls so often it was a joke. I sold it as not working rather than even consider getting it repaired.

Cash-Strapped.T32

Sigh/
What happened to the days when I could fall down drunk in a fountain with my phone in my pocket, dry it out on the bus heater on the way home be phoning my mates come tea-time?