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Hey xda,
Just wanted to share my experience on a warranty repair with unlocked bootloader. Incase any of you are about to go through this.
I've had to recently send in my phone on a warranty repair for a dead pixel and also getting static interference on my phone speaker when the ringtone is sounding on a incoming call.
Upon calling them they offered a exchange but after I told them I had an unlocked bootloader they said they can only do a repair job on it.
So I ship my phone and 2 days later I get a repair quote for $196.00. I call them to find out specifics and they said I need a new motherboard. My phones been in it's sleeve since I first got it a few weeks ago and absolutely has never been dropped. Which means a failing motherboard came with my phone from the beginning. Now they are telling me that an unlocked bootloader voids my warranty. I have pointed out to them that I know of plenty of people with unlocked bootloaders & clear hardware malfunctions who were able to get a warranty repair or even a warranty exchange!
Now my ticket is being escalated and I will hear back from the higher ups in 48-72 business hours.
Any helpful advice guys?
Thanks,
-L
All you can do is wait... I'd bet that the escalation people will approve the repair under warranty. If not, then everyone needs to be on notice and my prediction has come true.
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I told them I had an unlocked bootloader
Wonder if they would have just sent you a new one if you didnt say that.
By "static interference on my phone speaker", do you mean you hear static when the speaker is ringing? Does the speaker-phone play music without static noise?
britoso said:
Code:
I told them I had an unlocked bootloader
Wonder if they would have just sent you a new one if you didnt say that.
By "static interference on my phone speaker", do you mean you hear static when the speaker is ringing? Does the speaker-phone play music without static noise?
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I think they would've sent a new one but I had to put a $529 on a credit card to do so (which I would've done). But I was afraid that they would've kept the $529 if they found out that my original phone bootloader was unlocked. So I figured I'd tell them for the sake of good karma...I'm really not trying to hustle HTC here.
Yes every couple of calls when my phone rings, the ringtone would be accompanied by a lot of static. I've tried playing back music and trying to recreate the problem but I couldn't get any static out of it on my own. Just randomly happens on it's own during incoming calls. Didn't matter what ringtone I was using or what radio I was on.
lazaro17 said:
I think they would've sent a new one but I had to put a $529 on a credit card to do so (which I would've done). But I was afraid that they would've kept the $529 if they found out that my original phone bootloader was unlocked.
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The $529 deposit is so you have an incentive to send back your old phone and not keep both. Once they receive it, the charge is undone.
cekle said:
The $529 deposit is so you have an incentive to send back your old phone and not keep both. Once they receive it, the charge is undone.
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Yea I know its just a temporary hold but I thought they inspect your old phone upon arrival. Guy on phone told me they can't do anything with unlocked bootloader phones on exchanges which is why it was out of the question. I was just afraid that my old phone would get there and they realized it was unlocked...would've been a more complicated situation then since they are holding my $529.
Where you from? need put $529 for deposit? Being charge $196.00 a bit high, so poor you.
Then service center in Singapore is better, no need any deposit, mine one also root and dead completely and they fix for me FOC.
I'm in Miami, Florida. Had to send it in to HTC in Texas I think.
I will wait and see when they get back to me from the ticket escalation. Hopefully there's a kind soul there!
May god bless you, wish you all the best
Get it replace FOC
Mother board replacement to fix dead pixel
HTC charged me £128.00 to repair signal fault on my N1. They told me that it needs a new mother board as i've unlock the bootloader.
I think they riping peoples of who ever unlocked there bootloader and send for warranty.
I don't understand you, a new motherboard for the issue with the faulty signal?, or the motherboard is to lock the bootloader?
Not to be mean... but you did unlock the bootloader and void the warranty. It's clearly stated everywhere that this is the case.
I don't see what the problem is.
Seems HTC will 'change' the motherboard for anything.
When I thought I would be stuck on ERE36B for ever, I anonymously asked them if there was a way to get it regressed to official firmware. As you may have guessed, they told me they would have to replace the motherboard at a cost of £105
When I sent them my phone for a cosmetic issue, it came back with ERE27 and the same IMEI, so my original motherboard.
Sounds like they're just trying to scam people to be honest.
I've read elsewhere that HTC doesn't repair motherboards. Their fix for everything seems to be just to replace the motherboard.
Not to be mean... but you did unlock the bootloader and void the warranty. It's clearly stated everywhere that this is the case.
I don't see what the problem is.
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I agree but I really thought the build quality on a $500 dollar phone was going to outlast 3 weeks before I had to send it in. You have to see both sides of the story here. Sure it protects HTC but what if on the other hand there's a lot of faulty hardware out there and it actually starts working in their favor. As we're all noticing here now their "repair" process seems to just be an automatic new motherboard. Sounds like a rip off.
So after the escalation they still don't want to cover it with warranty. The rep on the phone says that replacing the motherboard could reinstate the factory warranty. Basically it looks like they are trying to do all these MB replacements on rooted phones so that you have a locked bootloader again & warranty...at the cost of $196.
I asked if i can get a quote for just a repair on the dead pixel and was put on hold for 10 minutes. Finally the agent gets back on the phone to tell me he needs to escalate the ticket in order to get a price quote for just the screen. So now I won't hear back from them until Monday (the earliest) in order to find out how much it is to fix a dead pixel issue.
This is the second time my ticket has been escalated and going onto a week without my phone. It seems like the escalating thing is a nicer way of them saying "don't call us back for a few days."
Getting very frustrated at this point.
I have to say, that it doesn't seem right to charge for hardware repairs because of a rooted phone. I'm going to go read their warranty policies and also look to see if I can find an official message on the web from Google saying that only the software warranty is void. If they make no distinction, then its not even a plan B option for me.
Currently I want the Desire. If it doesn't become available with in the next month or so, I was going to get a Nexus One for the Verizon network.
I feel for you on this one. Activating a change in software really should not affect their hardware obligations to you. I can see them charging you if you sent your phone in and software caused an issue with your device some how but thats not likely the case here.
deekjx said:
I have to say, that it doesn't seem right to charge for hardware repairs because of a rooted phone. I'm going to go read their warranty policies and also look to see if I can find an official message on the web from Google saying that only the software warranty is void. If they make no distinction, then its not even a plan B option for me.
Currently I want the Desire. If it doesn't become available with in the next month or so, I was going to get a Nexus One for the Verizon network.
I feel for you on this one. Activating a change in software really should not affect their hardware obligations to you. I can see them charging you if you sent your phone in and software caused an issue with your device some how but thats not likely the case here.
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Thanks, I was trying to look over it myself as well. I don't see much clarification between hardware and software warranty.
I tried calling HTC to file a complaint (mostly over the repair process) but they have no complaint system set up.
I would love to be able to write someone higher up at HTC or even Google explaining my situation. I can't find any contact email on the internet. I know sometimes these things can be resolved just by getting in touch with corporate offices or headquarters directly.
Anyone have any useful (public) emails for either HTC or Google?
lazaro17 said:
Thanks, I was trying to look over it myself as well. I don't see much clarification between hardware and software warranty.
I tried calling HTC to file a complaint (mostly over the repair process) but they have no complaint system set up.
I would love to be able to write someone higher up at HTC or even Google explaining my situation. I can't find any contact email on the internet. I know sometimes these things can be resolved just by getting in touch with corporate offices or headquarters directly.
Anyone have any useful (public) emails for either HTC or Google?
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Keep me updated. I called t-mobile today and set up Insurance which covers lost/stolen/cracked screen/ blown up for 4.79 a month. Its a 130 deductible too. Worst case is I get my phone back, send them the swap and then play some nexus firsbee. If your in the Chicagoland area, please join me.
Hitorii said:
Keep me updated. I called t-mobile today and set up Insurance which covers lost/stolen/cracked screen/ blown up for 4.79 a month. Its a 130 deductible too. Worst case is I get my phone back, send them the swap and then play some nexus firsbee. If your in the Chicagoland area, please join me.
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Ah crap. I've missed the 14 day insurance period by a couple of a days. I had no idea they offered it.
i know it's not related to the above issues but...
got dinged for 55 bucks for dust under the screen since i had an unlocked bootloader.
also pissed because the guy on the phone told me the bootloader would also be relocked as per my request. going to give them a call about that monday...
I found out some info from TMO customer care yesterday that is interesting and worth knowing.
TMO cut the cost to replace a rooted vibrant down to $115 on April 1st, but the insurance still costs $130. So if anyone finds themselves in my situation (totally and utterly bricked in every sense of the word and still rooted) or a similar situation, it would actually be cheaper to just send it in without insurance, even if the damage indicator is red.
However, if they don't get the phone back within 7 days, then the price is still $455 to replace the phone.
This info is for T-Mobile USA. I have no idea if international branches of T-Mobile have adopted the same policy, and I have no idea if this applies to other phones as well (I am just restating what the customer care rep told me.)
So I can crack my screen completely and it will only cost 115 still? Or is that just for rooted devices? Because if you hard-brick the device, TMobile has no way of knowing that it was rooting considering they can't even turn it on.
Also just got mail that the insurance is increasing by $2 to $7.99 but you get free Mobile Security from Asurion included in that....Samsung Vibrant is only included in PLAN D of the insurance which is $130 deductible and a claim limit amount of $1000.
Confused. So hypothetically if I destroy my phone to the point it doesn't even power on, I can call them and send it in to get a refurb one for $115?
Does it apply only if its bricked? If it's broken physically...like screen or something internal, can I still do that?
Mine says LOSS THEFT DAMAGE or MALFUNCTION...Drop in water COVERED..Keypad stop working COVERED..etc etc..
Okay, I can see how my 1st post could have been a little confusing. Here's what you should do if you need to send in your vibrant.
First and foremost, if you CAN flash back to stock, DO IT. That is still the only sure-fire way of not having to pay anything and still get a new/refurbished Vibrant out of it.
Second, T-Mobile will charge you the $115 if they find that the phone has hardware damage (red damage indicator, damaged screen, exc.), but can still be repaired. So, if your phone has a cracked screen, for example, it's a better idea to send it in without insurance because insurance costs $130 plus an additional $8 per month. (NOTE: The FFC mod is an irreversible mod. You have cracked open the phone and therefore T-Mobile considers that "physical damage." You cannot swap out the camera for the stock one and re-paint the camera hole and lens.)
Third, T-Mobile will charge you the $115 if they find that the phone has been rooted or modded in any way in terms of software.
However, the chances of T-Mobile finding anything out about software modification is unlikely. At the T-Mobile processing center, they have some magic way of taking out the internal SD card without triggering the damage indicator. After they have done that, what they are SUPPOSED to do is attempt to find any data on the internal SD card that would reveal whether the phone was rooted or not (working superuser app, exc.). However, this process is long, tedious and boring as hell so what a lot of employees do is just skip the part where they examine the internal SD card and just format the thing without looking at it. To prove it, when I sent in that hard-bricked vibrant, it had a GT-I9000 bootloader on it plus CM7 and numerous ROM.zip files on it. I was not charged anything for that Vibrant.
Moral of the story: Don't buy the insurance for the Samsung Vibrant under any circumstances. Unless it goes down in price (which I seriously doubt it will), it is a complete waste of money. You will save money by going uninsured. Also, don't freak out if your Vibrant has software on it that you can't get rid of for some reason. In all likelihood, T-Mobile won't find anything.
Second moral of the story: DO NOT think that you will only get charged $115 if you choose NOT to send the broken Vibrant back to T-Mobile. They will charge you the ridiculous amount of approximately $455.18.
P.S. If anyone finds out the way that T-Mobile is able to open up the phone without tripping the damage indicator, PLEASE TELL US! If that info gets out, then I will do that FFC mod so fast you won't know what hit you!
I just walked in my tmobil store and told them my phone was messing up. And they sent me a new one. No cost at all to me except for that 8.00. So in my opinion insurance is good. For us if we have the old insurance is fantastic.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA Premium App
Do you get a brand new phone as a replacement if you have insurance?
Refurbished, most likely previous phones that were sent in from people like yourself and fixed up.
yah mine was refurbished, but brand spanking new! in my opinion the insurance is the best deal tmobile has!
I actually prefer the refurbished units since they are actually tested and everything should work on it (including GPS, mine locks 8 birds within 3 seconds).
30000 said:
Okay, I can see how my 1st post could have been a little confusing. Here's what you should do if you need to send in your vibrant.
First and foremost, if you CAN flash back to stock, DO IT. That is still the only sure-fire way of not having to pay anything and still get a new/refurbished Vibrant out of it.
Second, T-Mobile will charge you the $115 if they find that the phone has hardware damage (red damage indicator, damaged screen, exc.), but can still be repaired. So, if your phone has a cracked screen, for example, it's a better idea to send it in without insurance because insurance costs $130 plus an additional $8 per month. (NOTE: The FFC mod is an irreversible mod. You have cracked open the phone and therefore T-Mobile considers that "physical damage." You cannot swap out the camera for the stock one and re-paint the camera hole and lens.)
Third, T-Mobile will charge you the $115 if they find that the phone has been rooted or modded in any way in terms of software.
However, the chances of T-Mobile finding anything out about software modification is unlikely. At the T-Mobile processing center, they have some magic way of taking out the internal SD card without triggering the damage indicator. After they have done that, what they are SUPPOSED to do is attempt to find any data on the internal SD card that would reveal whether the phone was rooted or not (working superuser app, exc.). However, this process is long, tedious and boring as hell so what a lot of employees do is just skip the part where they examine the internal SD card and just format the thing without looking at it. To prove it, when I sent in that hard-bricked vibrant, it had a GT-I9000 bootloader on it plus CM7 and numerous ROM.zip files on it. I was not charged anything for that Vibrant.
Moral of the story: Don't buy the insurance for the Samsung Vibrant under any circumstances. Unless it goes down in price (which I seriously doubt it will), it is a complete waste of money. You will save money by going uninsured. Also, don't freak out if your Vibrant has software on it that you can't get rid of for some reason. In all likelihood, T-Mobile won't find anything.
Second moral of the story: DO NOT think that you will only get charged $115 if you choose NOT to send the broken Vibrant back to T-Mobile. They will charge you the ridiculous amount of approximately $455.18.
P.S. If anyone finds out the way that T-Mobile is able to open up the phone without tripping the damage indicator, PLEASE TELL US! If that info gets out, then I will do that FFC mod so fast you won't know what hit you!
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Well I didn't get insurance to replace my phone in case of damage via rooting. I got insurance to repalce my phone if I lose it, drop it in water, or if it gets stolen.
Also, what damage indicator are you talking about?
anthonys2r said:
Refurbished, most likely previous phones that were sent in from people like yourself and fixed up.
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Thanks, I have the insurance but haven't used yet. If you get a refurbished phone after paying deductible then its not with it for me, might just cancel mine
Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk
SamsungVibrant said:
Also, what damage indicator are you talking about?
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it's the liquid damage indicator. it's the white square underneath the battery right by the battery connection. it turns red if it gets wet.
VICosPhi said:
Thanks, I have the insurance but haven't used yet. If you get a refurbished phone after paying deductible then its not with it for me, might just cancel mine
Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk
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If you pay deductible, you get a new phone not refurb. Only time you might get refurb is when you do a warranty exchange. Warranty exchanges are at no cost. Insurance is 7.99 a month but like any insurance, its there in case you need it. You loose, break, get it wet or it gets stolen then you are covered. Just like car insurance, you could pay insurance for years and never use it, but then again if you are in a wreck or it gets stolen, then you are happy u did. Without insurance, you are screwed. Remember warranty is only for a year w/o extended warranty. Insurance extends your warranty for life of phone
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
+1 on what he said!
funeralthirst said:
it's the liquid damage indicator. it's the white square underneath the battery right by the battery connection. it turns red if it gets wet.
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I know about the liquid indicator, but that's not what 30000 was talking about. 30000 was talking about a different damage indicator.
30000 said:
30000 said:
At the T-Mobile processing center, they have some magic way of taking out the internal SD card without triggering the damage indicator.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What damage indicator?
Marvlet said:
If you pay deductible, you get a new phone not refurb. Only time you might get refurb is when you do a warranty exchange. Warranty exchanges are at no cost. Insurance is 7.99 a month but like any insurance, its there in case you need it. You loose, break, get it wet or it gets stolen then you are covered. Just like car insurance, you could pay insurance for years and never use it, but then again if you are in a wreck or it gets stolen, then you are happy u did. Without insurance, you are screwed. Remember warranty is only for a year w/o extended warranty. Insurance extends your warranty for life of phone
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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This is not true, there is a 95% chance that you will get a refurb. All T-mobile reps will tell you that you will either get a refurbished or new device. They will also tell you right after that, that you will most likely get a refurb. I've talked to them for hours and fought with supervisors and such just trying NOT to get a refurb. I know most people think that the refurbished phones are inspected, this is also a load of bs. They are not inspected, they fix the problem that was there and make sure that and ONLY that is fixed. They do not check any other part of the phone.
mugenfiji0327 said:
This is not true, there is a 95% chance that you will get a refurb. All T-mobile reps will tell you that you will either get a refurbished or new device. They will also tell you right after that, that you will most likely get a refurb. I've talked to them for hours and fought with supervisors and such just trying NOT to get a refurb. I know most people think that the refurbished phones are inspected, this is also a load of bs. They are not inspected, they fix the problem that was there and make sure that and ONLY that is fixed. They do not check any other part of the phone.
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Insurance and warranty exchange are 2 different things. With warranty exchange its new or refurb, cant guarantee one or the other. Most times its refurb. With insurance which is NOT thru T-mobile but thru Assurion, when you file a claim and pay the deductible, you get a new phone.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Marvlet said:
Insurance and warranty exchange are 2 different things. With warranty exchange its new or refurb, cant guarantee one or the other. Most times its refurb. With insurance which is NOT thru T-mobile but thru Assurion, when you file a claim and pay the deductible, you get a new phone.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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Nope failed again. I will call Asurion right now and go through the process of having my phone replaced and record it just to prove it to you if you would like me to. They do not send out new products man, I know this for a fact. Think about it man, if they sent out new devices everytime someone called in for a problem, none of the companies involved would make any money on that phone which is what they want, MONEY. That includes T-mobile, Asurion and Samsung. Every electronics store I have ever bought from uses them as their insurance program. Best Buy,Verizon,T-Mobile etc. Every time I've had something replaced through any of those companys it has and ALWAYS WILL BE a refurb. I work for Verizon and guess what, everytime someone comes in for us to call Asurion for them or even if they call themselves they still get a REFURB. I used to work for Best Buy and on top of that I worked in the Geek Squad for Best Buy and did most of the insurance claims when people came through. Guess what, all of my customers got REFURBS. I'm done arguing with you and I think I have made my point.
I've come to the conclusion after unrooting/changing to stock rom that my WiFi and Bluetooth is defective, cause it shows very little access points compared to other S4s and Bluetooth is intermittent cutting in and out.
It's been over a month since I've received the phone, would I still be able to bring it to a Sprint Store and exchange for a new one, or would I have to ship it in to Samsung. Also, would I have to stock recovery/unroot before I give it back to them?
Anyone who works at Sprint or have done this before, please let me know!
Thanks!
tinkleondabeach said:
I've come to the conclusion after unrooting/changing to stock rom that my WiFi and Bluetooth is defective, cause it shows very little access points compared to other S4s and Bluetooth is intermittent cutting in and out.
It's been over a month since I've received the phone, would I still be able to bring it to a Sprint Store and exchange for a new one, or would I have to ship it in to Samsung. Also, would I have to stock recovery/unroot before I give it back to them?
Anyone who works at Sprint or have done this before, please let me know!
Thanks!
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Click to collapse
You must unroot. You must flash stock mdc odin 1 click restore and wipe fully. They will laugh at you if you dont.
Put it completely back to stock. Reset the counter and binary to official. Odin the MDL full stock with data wipe. Wipe/format the internal storage. Remove the SD card. Do full factory reset and format internal memory. Pray. Don't act like you've been mucking around with the phone. They might want to do a factory reset and or flash the rom to official stock again. Take it back the next day and tell them it's still malfunctioning. Hope they put in an order for a refurb. If you can replicate the problem, show them. Sometimes one repair center might be less likely to get you a replacement. Find another repair center. When I went to a different place with a previous phone, they were more inclined to just order me a replacement. I had to go back three times within a month to get a fully working phone, because the replacements were defective. Don't be a jerk towards the employees.
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I believe that it's a hardware defect maybe a loose wifi antenna. Went to sprint store and they're holding my phone right now, they said they'd charge $50 for repair if it's a defect but checkup is free.. I told them about a warranty and they told me that I'd have to go through Samsung to get that. Would it void my warranty if I opened up the phone myself?
If you have the TEP insurance a replacement would be free of charge.
You only have 14 days to return a phone if it is defective if the device was a new act or upgrade. A replacement without insurance is $50.
Your situation is difficult though. If the tech can verify the issue it is fine. Verifying your issue is not easy at all.
Sent from my SPH-L720 using xda app-developers app
supercholo said:
If you have the TEP insurance a replacement would be free of charge.
You only have 14 days to return a phone if it is defective if the device was a new act or upgrade. A replacement without insurance is $50.
Your situation is difficult though. If the tech can verify the issue it is fine. Verifying your issue is not easy at all.
Sent from my SPH-L720 using xda app-developers app
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If the tech can verify the issue I'm still charged the $50 right? I assume the free warranty process through returning to Samsung would take like a month without a phone right?
tinkleondabeach said:
If the tech can verify the issue I'm still charged the $50 right? I assume the free warranty process through returning to Samsung would take like a month without a phone right?
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Click to collapse
I was told around 2 weeks when I asked Samsung about replacing my phone because of a screen defect. Can't go that long without a phone though so I'm just dealing with my screen defect. I'll maybe get it replaced before I sell it or the year is up. Whatever is first.
Yeah I hate Samsung and Sprint, I'm probably going to have to pay $50 for a refurb'd replacement cause the phone they gave me is defective.
Does anyone know if I will void the warranty if I were to open up the casing of the s4?
tinkleondabeach said:
Yeah I hate Samsung and Sprint, I'm probably going to have to pay $50 for a refurb'd replacement cause the phone they gave me is defective.
Does anyone know if I will void the warranty if I were to open up the casing of the s4?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you will void the warranty if you open it up.
I dropped my phone yesterday, the screen did not crack at all but the Amoled cracked little corner and the phone black out. i cannot see anything but i can hear getting call and phone turning on and off. all other function seems to work fine but the screen is backed out.
i need to send my phone back to sprint. my Galaxy S4 is unlocked and rooted.
Is there anyway i can Unroot the phone and re-lock the bootloader using PC since i cannot see anything on the phone.
Please help me.i would really appreciate for any help. please!
sykox2 said:
I dropped my phone yesterday, the screen did not crack at all but the Amoled cracked little corner and the phone black out. i cannot see anything but i can hear getting call and phone turning on and off. all other function seems to work fine but the screen is backed out.
i need to send my phone back to sprint. my Galaxy S4 is unlocked and rooted.
Is there anyway i can Unroot the phone and re-lock the bootloader using PC since i cannot see anything on the phone.
Please help me.i would really appreciate for any help. please!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm a Sprint rep, take my advice on this...
doesn't matter if it's rooted or not in this case, under TEP insurance any sign of physical damage is customer responsibility. So even if you have insurance, you'll have to go through Asurion and pay a deductible to get a replacement GS4. Don't expect to take it back to the store for a replacement, at my store we will NOT exchange a phone if the original one we sold you is damaged in any way.
Technically you're trying to commit insurance fraud by making it seem like your phone just up and died when it was you who broke it lol. I'm not one to judge, but let me just say the phone will be thoroughly inspected before anyone replaces it.
EDIT: I should rephrase... We do exchange phones under TEP for free if there's physical damage. However, it depends on the type of damage and scenario. You're saying the screen just went black. So the tech you bring it to is going to look for screen damage, and you said the LED part under the glass is "cracked." This scenario = customer fault, which means you're buying a new phone.
---------- Post added at 01:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:45 PM ----------
Sorry, it kind of seemed like I was attacking you in my last post. I know your prob pissed cuz you broke your phone. Let me tell your best option in this scenario to try and get a replacement.
First of all, if there is damage to the phone then any hope of getting a flat out exchange from the store you bought it from is slim to none. I wouldn't even try if I were you.
Your best hope is to get a replacement under your insurance, but like I said most techs won't authorize it if they can determine that you were the one who broke it, in which case you'd have to pay a deductible and get a replacement through Asurion.
If you want to TRY and get a free TEP replacement by saying the phone is defective, I recommend this:
1) First, put a damn case on it. Make it look like the phone has always been protected, even if it means buying an Otterbox defender to cover it up completely.
2) Go to a preferred retailer that is an ASC. You can find these on sprint.com. Try to avoid corporate stores if you can as they'd be more strict.
3) Walk in and tell the guy you were charging your phone overnight and when you woke up your screen was black. DO NOT ever say you dropped it. Play dumb as much as possible and act like you have no idea what happened.
4) Make sure you stress that you can make calls and that the phone works, you just can't see the screen. In this case, if you're lucky the tech will assume the screen itself went bad, the board/GPU was defective, or something else and HOPEFULLY he won't see the LED damage. He might check for water damage or something, but as long as you know there is none then you should be good.
5) Most important rule here... BE NICE! I can't stress this one enough. Play dumb and kiss that guys ass the best you can. As a tech myself, nothing pisses me off more than a customer who gets pissed at me for just following the damn policy of the company. And I don't care how smart you think you are, no one wants to be told how to do their job and belittled for just following policy. The second you give any type of attitude, especially if you think he's swaying more towards telling you to file an Asurion claim, then you can just kiss any chance of an AE goodbye.
Lastly, if you do manage to convince some tech into replacing it for you for free, do the guy a favor and take the survey call and give him the best possible score
sykox2 said:
I dropped my phone yesterday, the screen did not crack at all but the Amoled cracked little corner and the phone black out. i cannot see anything but i can hear getting call and phone turning on and off. all other function seems to work fine but the screen is backed out.
i need to send my phone back to sprint. my Galaxy S4 is unlocked and rooted.
Is there anyway i can Unroot the phone and re-lock the bootloader using PC since i cannot see anything on the phone.
Please help me.i would really appreciate for any help. please!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hook up a mhl cable to a monitor so you can see what you are doing and use triangle away and then unroot.
Sent from my Sprint Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Cytality said:
I'm a Sprint rep, take my advice on this...
doesn't matter if it's rooted or not in this case, under TEP insurance any sign of physical damage is customer responsibility. So even if you have insurance, you'll have to go through Asurion and pay a deductible to get a replacement GS4. Don't expect to take it back to the store for a replacement, at my store we will NOT exchange a phone if the original one we sold you is damaged in any way.
Technically you're trying to commit insurance fraud by making it seem like your phone just up and died when it was you who broke it lol. I'm not one to judge, but let me just say the phone will be thoroughly inspected before anyone replaces it.
EDIT: I should rephrase... We do exchange phones under TEP for free if there's physical damage. However, it depends on the type of damage and scenario. You're saying the screen just went black. So the tech you bring it to is going to look for screen damage, and you said the LED part under the glass is "cracked." This scenario = customer fault, which means you're buying a new phone.
---------- Post added at 01:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:45 PM ----------
Sorry, it kind of seemed like I was attacking you in my last post. I know your prob pissed cuz you broke your phone. Let me tell your best option in this scenario to try and get a replacement.
First of all, if there is damage to the phone then any hope of getting a flat out exchange from the store you bought it from is slim to none. I wouldn't even try if I were you.
Your best hope is to get a replacement under your insurance, but like I said most techs won't authorize it if they can determine that you were the one who broke it, in which case you'd have to pay a deductible and get a replacement through Asurion.
If you want to TRY and get a free TEP replacement by saying the phone is defective, I recommend this:
1) First, put a damn case on it. Make it look like the phone has always been protected, even if it means buying an Otterbox defender to cover it up completely.
2) Go to a preferred retailer that is an ASC. You can find these on sprint.com. Try to avoid corporate stores if you can as they'd be more strict.
3) Walk in and tell the guy you were charging your phone overnight and when you woke up your screen was black. DO NOT ever say you dropped it. Play dumb as much as possible and act like you have no idea what happened.
4) Make sure you stress that you can make calls and that the phone works, you just can't see the screen. In this case, if you're lucky the tech will assume the screen itself went bad, the board/GPU was defective, or something else and HOPEFULLY he won't see the LED damage. He might check for water damage or something, but as long as you know there is none then you should be good.
5) Most important rule here... BE NICE! I can't stress this one enough. Play dumb and kiss that guys ass the best you can. As a tech myself, nothing pisses me off more than a customer who gets pissed at me for just following the damn policy of the company. And I don't care how smart you think you are, no one wants to be told how to do their job and belittled for just following policy. The second you give any type of attitude, especially if you think he's swaying more towards telling you to file an Asurion claim, then you can just kiss any chance of an AE goodbye.
Lastly, if you do manage to convince some tech into replacing it for you for free, do the guy a favor and take the survey call and give him the best possible score
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Click to collapse
thanks for the great advice. its worth giving shot.
Visa Credit Card - Warrenty for Phones
I know this is late, but many times you can go through your credit card insurance program. As they have an insurance program that is hidden but supports fixing your phone through their reimbursement program. Just call the bank or firm that issued you the card and ask them for the credit card insurance number.
For my instance, I cracked my phone while installing a TV. (Basically as I lifted the TV it put pressure on the phone and entire screen cracked, no image, only sounds and calls came through.)
1. I checked with my home owners insurance, they would cover it with a $250 deductible.
2. I checked with Sprint, they wouldn't cover it cause I got rid of their insurance policy and would only allow me to pay for a new phone at retail price ($600)
3. Finally I called up Samsung and they would repair it for $200, but I would have to send it away and wait 10 days for it to be repaired.
4. Next I checked with a local repair shop and they would repair it for $270, and it would be fixed within an hour.
I sent options 1-4 to Visa's repair service, I told them I wanted to do option #4. And since the policy is they will fix your phone twice for cracks, spills or other non software related problems up to $600 they approved the repair minus a $25 deductible and the $18 in taxes for the service work and parts.
I thought this was fair and a really good deal to get my phone working again. Just thought I would share.
Note: In order to be eligible for this hidden insurance you must pay for your phone bill with your visa credit card in the and submit proof you used it in the month before the accident.
Good luck!
My 1 year old son got ahold of my Axon and dropped it in the toilet. Phone was completely dead with water draining out of the ports. I contacted ZTE, paid the deductable along with a $399 hold on my credit card for them to send a replacement.
I have received the replacement and tried to boot the damaged phone. While plugged in the red notification light blinks. Unplugged while holding the power button the red light blinks.
Will ZTE be able to tell the damaged phone was rooted with bootloader unlocked? Will ZTE still honor my warranty and refund my card $399 after they receive the damaged phone?
Cionflipp. If they can't boot your device then i don't think they can see that your divice is rooted and unlocked.
JKSurf said:
My 1 year old son got ahold of my Axon and dropped it in the toilet. Phone was completely dead with water draining out of the ports. I contacted ZTE, paid the deductable along with a $399 hold on my credit card for them to send a replacement.
I have received the replacement and tried to boot the damaged phone. While plugged in the red notification light blinks. Unplugged while holding the power button the red light blinks.
Will ZTE be able to tell the damaged phone was rooted with bootloader unlocked? Will ZTE still honor my warranty and refund my card $399 after they receive the damaged phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does the warranty cover accidental damage? The water damage is what you should be concerned with. I doubt they would care if the bootloader was unlocked. If you live in the US they can't legally deny you warranty coverage for software modifications. Besides if the phone doesn't power I don't see how they'd find out. They're not going to forensically examine the eMMC storage.
Yeah they cover water Damage for 1 year in the US.
Doc Ames said:
Does the warranty cover accidental damage? The water damage is what you should be concerned with. I doubt they would care if the bootloader was unlocked. If you live in the US they can't legally deny you warranty coverage for software modifications. Besides if the phone doesn't power I don't see how they'd find out. They're not going to forensically examine the eMMC storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello, Doc . We're sorry to hear your device has been damaged. We can help with that! We cover accidental damages on Axon devices for 2 years, as listed in the US 2.0 Passport Warranty. If you can not find it on our website, you can call our VIP Axon Support line at 1-800-617-5065 to get an overview of the warranty, and submit a claim. If it has been rooted, bootloader unlocked, or accidentally damaged, we can still repair or replace your unit for a small fee. Once your device has been repaired/replaced, your device will be back "in-warranty", and it will be restored from the original date of purchase. There are certain things we can "tell" during the evaluation process, and we're very open to what we find once receiving the device. If you have questions or concerns, we encourage you to give us a call, contact our chat support, email support, or social media support on Twitter or, Facebook.
ZTEUSA Support
ZTEUSA Support said:
Hello, Doc . We're sorry to hear your device has been damaged. We can help with that! We cover accidental damages on Axon devices for 2 years, as listed in the US 2.0 Passport Warranty. If you can not find it on our website, you can call our VIP Axon Support line at 1-800-617-5065 to get an overview of the warranty, and submit a claim. If it has been rooted, bootloader unlocked, or accidentally damaged, we can still repair or replace your unit for a small fee. Once your device has been repaired/replaced, your device will be back "in-warranty", and it will be restored from the original date of purchase. There are certain things we can "tell" during the evaluation process, and we're very open to what we find once receiving the device. If you have questions or concerns, we encourage you to give us a call, contact our chat support, email support, or social media support on Twitter or, Facebook.
ZTEUSA Support
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Click to collapse
Thank you for your prompt response. My phone is undamaged. It's the OP who's son dropped his phone in the toilet.
Having a fee for accidental damage is fair. Assessing that fee on customers who unlocked their bootloaders or installed the su binary makes no sense. If you wanted salvage all or part of a phone with the intent of putting it back into your supply chain then you're going to reflash the phone anyways. If the bootloader is unlocked then reboot fastboot > [fastboot oem lock] > job's done.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2301
---------- Post added at 07:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:45 PM ----------
JKSurf said:
Yeah they cover water Damage for 1 year in the US.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whoops! Looks like they do care if your bootloader is unlocked. However, based on what ZTE support said I guess your stuck paying the "small fee" because of the accidental damage anyways. Unless I misunderstood them. They said that accidental damage is covered but later said that warranty service for phones subjected to accidental damage requires a "small fee." If it's supposed to be no charge for the water damage but they want to charge you a fee because you modified the software I'd raise holy hell. I'm not sure they are allowed to in the US. See the link to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act which I accidentally pasted in the reply to ZTE support. I'm not trying to argue with them but I think that's BS. Even if that is the case just don't say anything. If the phone is screwed they shouldn't be able to tell. Doesn't affect their bottom line anyways.
Doc Ames said:
Does the warranty cover accidental damage? The water damage is what you should be concerned with. I doubt they would care if the bootloader was unlocked. If you live in the US they can't legally deny you warranty coverage for software modifications. Besides if the phone doesn't power I don't see how they'd find out. They're not going to forensically examine the eMMC storage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hopefully the fee is the $80 deductable. I just don't want to pay $400 for a Axon 7 currently in the state LOS is in. I'm using my backup Honor 5X and AOKP runs perfect.
JKSurf said:
Hopefully the fee is the $80 deductable. I just don't want to pay $400 for a Axon 7 currently in the state LOS is in. I'm using my backup Honor 5X and AOKP runs perfect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good luck. I think it will shake out just fine. Yeah, I wish I would have done more research into the state of custom ROMs before I bought the phone. I figured that a year old phone with an unlockable bootloader would have everything working on custom ROMs. Not to sound like an ingrate. It's my fault for not looking further into it. I'm back to using my OnePlus One. The Axon 7 is back in the box.
Doc Ames said:
Good luck. I think it will shake out just fine. Yeah, I wish I would have done more research into the state of custom ROMs before I bought the phone. I figured that a year old phone with an unlockable bootloader would have everything working on custom ROMs. Not to sound like an ingrate. It's my fault for not looking further into it. I'm back to using my OnePlus One. The Axon 7 is back in the box.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My OPO went swimming in my pool.
JKSurf said:
My OPO went swimming in my pool.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably because you unlocked the bootloader.
JKSurf said:
My 1 year old son got ahold of my Axon and dropped it in the toilet. Phone was completely dead with water draining out of the ports. I contacted ZTE, paid the deductable along with a $399 hold on my credit card for them to send a replacement.
I have received the replacement and tried to boot the damaged phone. While plugged in the red notification light blinks. Unplugged while holding the power button the red light blinks.
Will ZTE be able to tell the damaged phone was rooted with bootloader unlocked? Will ZTE still honor my warranty and refund my card $399 after they receive the damaged phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, perfect! I'm happy to hear you've received the replacement device. The deductible that you paid covers "any" "out of warranty" conditions. We are able to tell if the bootloader has been unlocked if it was registered with us to be unlocked or if it's not able to be powered on and, is unlocked when it arrives. In the event that you unlock your replacement device, and a manufacturing defect occurs, as long as the device has the original software on it, when it arrives at our facility it is considered "in-warranty". In your current case, "if" our techs are able to determine that the damaged device has been unlocked, you've paid your deductible so there are no additional charges to you. The hold we've placed on your card for the $399 will automatically be returned to you, as long as you send us your defective device within 25 days.
ZTE USA Support
Doc Ames said:
Thank you for your prompt response. My phone is undamaged. It's the OP who's son dropped his phone in the toilet.
Having a fee for accidental damage is fair. Assessing that fee on customers who unlocked their bootloaders or installed the su binary makes no sense. If you wanted salvage all or part of a phone with the intent of putting it back into your supply chain then you're going to reflash the phone anyways. If the bootloader is unlocked then reboot fastboot > [fastboot oem lock] > job's done.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2301
---------- Post added at 07:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:45 PM ----------
Whoops! Looks like they do care if your bootloader is unlocked. However, based on what ZTE support said I guess your stuck paying the "small fee" because of the accidental damage anyways. Unless I misunderstood them. They said that accidental damage is covered but later said that warranty service for phones subjected to accidental damage requires a "small fee." If it's supposed to be no charge for the water damage but they want to charge you a fee because you modified the software I'd raise holy hell. I'm not sure they are allowed to in the US. See the link to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act which I accidentally pasted in the reply to ZTE support. I'm not trying to argue with them but I think that's BS. Even if that is the case just don't say anything. If the phone is screwed they shouldn't be able to tell. Doesn't affect their bottom line anyways.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sorry. I'll explain. The Passport warranty covers manufacturing defect, just like any other standard warranty; it does not cover physical or liquid damages. HOWEVER, our Axon devices have a "Protection Plan" included in the Passport 2.0 Warranty that covers "accidental" or "out of warranty" conditions, in which we will repair the device for a small fee to get the device back "in warranty" condition. If we are unable to repair the unit, we replace it. Once it is either repaired or replaced, the warranty is restored starting from the original purchase date. Instead of, being out of luck having to purchase a new phone. Unlocked devices generally are not able to placed on insurance with a carrier, so we've essentially built in a "clause" that allows us to replace or repair damaged phones for a much smaller fee than insurances companies offer (less than $80). Our Passport Warranty is "the best" out there, as a direct comparison for our Non-Axon consumers, that have a standard 12-month warranty that does not cover any damages, or advanced replacement options.
ZTEUSA Support
ZTEUSA Support said:
I'm sorry. I'll explain. The Passport warranty covers manufacturing defect, just like any other standard warranty; it does not cover physical or liquid damages. HOWEVER, our Axon devices have a "Protection Plan" included in the Passport 2.0 Warranty that covers "accidental" or "out of warranty" conditions, in which we will repair the device for a small fee to get the device back "in warranty" condition. If we are unable to repair the unit, we replace it. Once it is either repaired or replaced, the warranty is restored starting from the original purchase date. Instead of, being out of luck having to purchase a new phone. Unlocked devices generally are not able to placed on insurance with a carrier, so we've essentially built in a "clause" that allows us to replace or repair damaged phones for a much smaller fee than insurances companies offer (less than $80). Our Passport Warranty is "the best" out there, as a direct comparison for our Non-Axon consumers, that have a standard 12-month warranty that does not cover any damages, or advanced replacement options.
ZTEUSA Support
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the clarification on accidental damage. It is a good warranty. It was one of the major points I considered prior to purchase. I wasn't trying to beat you up. I just can't agree that having an unlocked bootloader should result in the device be considered out of warranty. Oh well. The phone bootloader can be locked and the stock firmware can be flashed easily. If I were to send the phone in for warranty service I would send it back locked and stocked anyways.