Vodafone say my iphone has 'water damage' ?!!

Georgie13

I have 2 iPhones and an ipad contract through Vodafone for me and my partner. About two weekends ago, I was using my iphone 4s as normal (I first got it around June 2012) when all of a sudden the wifi turned off and had turned grey, so I physically couldn't turn it back on. From there I noticed the phone also took longer to charge, and wouldn't turn off properly. It also would only hold charge for 3-4 hours before going completely flat at about 25% battery when I hadn't even used it.

I did some searching and spoke to a few people, EVERYONE said this is a common fault with iPhones and Apple couldn't resolve the issue as it meant something was wrong with the motherboard...

I had also been told it may be something to do with the iOS 7 update. This may still be true, but please bare in mind I had downloaded this the same week it was released and the phone had been fine since.

So I went in to vodafone, the guy there said the condition of the phone was really good and vodafone will send me a new one once they run through their routine checks...

So, I sent the phone away only to receive a voicemail today to say they won't cover the cost as there was water damage...

I know phones such as this can get water damage through condensation or humidity, however, I had always looked after mine..

They are now asking for £165 to repair it. I personally think they are doing this as they don't think I have a leg to stand on, and to cancel will also (strangely enough) cost £165. I think they are doing this just so they don't effectively have to send me a new 4s as they can't repair this fault anyway, and therefore I end up with getting an upgrade now instead of in June (or up to the 90 days beforehand)....

Anyone else had a similar problem? Any ideas what I can do from here? I'm now waiting on a callback from a manager there.

Also I was aware of the little indicators that are in the jack and charging ports and there was 100% no indication of any water damage. I know this isn't anything that stands as proof, but it only makes me more sure I looked after my phone and the fault with it wasn't anything done by me! Thanks

grumbler

Georgie13 wrote: »

....therefore I end up with getting an upgrade now instead of in June (or up to the 90 days beforehand)....

Well, a contract/upgrade isn't the only way of getting a new phone.

Anyone else had a similar problem? Any ideas what I can do from here? I'm now waiting on a callback from a manager there.

Also I was aware of the little indicators that are in the jack and charging ports and there was 100% no indication of any water damage. I know this isn't anything that stands as proof,

Why? It's exactly what they exist for.
Water damage is a common excuse for refusing repair/replacement, although this doesn't mean that it's always not the case.

If the indicators are white you can try getting a report from Apple(?) or any independent repairer that the fault wasn't a result of damage.

The options are:

• Get it repaired with a report and then sue Voda for the cost of the repair and the report (plus extra for the inconvenience).
• Get a report and sue Voda for the market value of the phone and the cost of the report (plus extra...).

Suing via an online small claims court is a pretty straightforward DIY procedure.
If the indicators are pristine white, you can possibly sue Voda without a report, but I am not sure.

Viberduo

True, I had a Samsung phone a few months ago that the gps died on it and despite looking brand new in every way they refused to fix saying water damage, I found a guide online that said the gps was bad on them and a common fault and often fixed by removing the back screws and putting it back.

It suddenly worked and I also had a similar issue with charges taking 2-3 times the usual amount though it lasted the same amount of time, I fixed that by a tiny application of WD40 on the charger port since it looked a tiny bit dirty.

Vodafone

Hi Georgie13,

Thanks for making me aware of your concerns.

If you'd like me to take a closer look at things, could you email me with your details via the link in our profile here?

All you need to do is copy and paste the link into your web browser and it'll take you to the Contact us form on our website. To make sure it reaches me could you also quote the code WRT135 - MSE in the subject line?

Once sent you'll receive an automated reply with a reference number. So I can make sure I've got it could you update the thread with this and I'll get back to you as soon as possible?

Kind regards,

Lee

Web Relations

Vodafone UK

Rev

Can you take the phone to an apple store as ask them to confirm vodafones findings?