Options going forward - Airpods under guarantee but guarantee voided by John Lewis.

forgttenit

I have a pair of Apple Airpods pro which were purchased direct from John Lewis online (credit card payment) in July 2020.  They came with a 2 year JL guarantee.

They developed crackly sound so were sent off to JL.  

I've had a call from JL today to say that Apple have inspected them and they deem them to be water damaged and therefore the guarantee is void.  They state the water damage would stop them charging.  They charge perfectly and this wasn't the issue I returned them for.

I dispute the water damage but see little way of going forward with JL on this really. 

However, is it worth me trying with the credit card company or disputing with JL?

1.  The airpods have not been subject to anything other than internal gym work.  I suspect ear wax and sweat (apologies) are likely to have been the reason behind the water damage diagnosis?  The Apple website boasts that they are ok for exercising in the rain (not something I've done) so I would expect indoor gym work to be ok. 

2.  The chap on the phone at JL told me I should be wiping them down after every use with a lint free cloth.  There were no instructions with the Airpods (all Apple stuff comes with very little in the box) and there is nothing on the JL website instructing me to do this.  Of course I have looked after them but I haven't wiped them with a lint free cloth.  I cannot see any term in the guarantee that tells me I need to do this.

3. The guarantee is very scant.  It says it doesn't cover accidental damage - such as being dropped.  But there isn't anything that says it doesn't cover water damage.  

4.  Can airpods be water damaged by sweat/ear wax?

I guess I'm just asking if anyone can see a way forward - as I am not able to disprove the water damage claim but I know factually they have done nothing more than light gym work.  Thanks in advance. 

jon81uk

The wiping down reference comes from here
About the sweat- and water-resistance of AirPods Pro and AirPods (3rd generation) – Apple Support (UK)

"fter workouts, heavy sweating, or water splashes and before putting AirPods Pro or AirPods (3rd generation) into the charging case, wipe down your AirPods Pro or AirPods (3rd generation) with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth"

It is plausible that if you were very sweaty and put them away damp then the sweat did then cause damage.

cx6

Assuming Apple and JL are not trying to pull a fast one (which I don't think they are), then the Airpods are indeed water damaged and almost certainly by the surprisingly high volume of moisture produced during workouts.

Alderbank

Apple phones have a chemical detector inside which changes colour if it gets wet. It looks like Airpods have this as well.

TELLIT01

jon81uk said:

The wiping down reference comes from here
About the sweat- and water-resistance of AirPods Pro and AirPods (3rd generation) – Apple Support (UK)

"fter workouts, heavy sweating, or water splashes and before putting AirPods Pro or AirPods (3rd generation) into the charging case, wipe down your AirPods Pro or AirPods (3rd generation) with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth"

It is plausible that if you were very sweaty and put them away damp then the sweat did then cause damage.

Is there anything provided with the airpods to say that the purchaser must look on the website for information about product care?  If not, and there was no paper documentation with them referring to wiping etc, I would think the OP has a decent case to argue that there was nothing to indicate this needed to be done after exercise.

theonlywayisup

TELLIT01 said:

jon81uk said:

The wiping down reference comes from here
About the sweat- and water-resistance of AirPods Pro and AirPods (3rd generation) – Apple Support (UK)

"fter workouts, heavy sweating, or water splashes and before putting AirPods Pro or AirPods (3rd generation) into the charging case, wipe down your AirPods Pro or AirPods (3rd generation) with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth"

It is plausible that if you were very sweaty and put them away damp then the sweat did then cause damage.

Is there anything provided with the airpods to say that the purchaser must look on the website for information about product care?  If not, and there was no paper documentation with them referring to wiping etc, I would think the OP has a decent case to argue that there was nothing to indicate this needed to be done after exercise.

My sentiments.  I have these and didn't know (until I read this) that there is a requirement for them to be wiped every time they are used and before every charge.  You don't get anything in the Apple box (not even a plug these days) but no paperwork.  Had the OP purchased from Apple online you would expect they would have seen the warning/instruction there.  But there is nothing on the JL site (where I also purchased).  

jon81uk

theonlywayisup said:

TELLIT01 said:

jon81uk said:

The wiping down reference comes from here
About the sweat- and water-resistance of AirPods Pro and AirPods (3rd generation) – Apple Support (UK)

"fter workouts, heavy sweating, or water splashes and before putting AirPods Pro or AirPods (3rd generation) into the charging case, wipe down your AirPods Pro or AirPods (3rd generation) with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth"

It is plausible that if you were very sweaty and put them away damp then the sweat did then cause damage.

Is there anything provided with the airpods to say that the purchaser must look on the website for information about product care?  If not, and there was no paper documentation with them referring to wiping etc, I would think the OP has a decent case to argue that there was nothing to indicate this needed to be done after exercise.

My sentiments.  I have these and didn't know (until I read this) that there is a requirement for them to be wiped every time they are used and before every charge.  You don't get anything in the Apple box (not even a plug these days) but no paperwork.  Had the OP purchased from Apple online you would expect they would have seen the warning/instruction there.  But there is nothing on the JL site (where I also purchased).  

There is no requirement to wipe after every use. Only to wipe if they are damp from heavy sweating or water splashes. 

Feels somewhat common sense not to put something in a sealed box if it has been in a damp environment though.