iPod Anyone else had the AppleCare "water damage" scam?

[casperfandango]

I purchased a refurb iPod classic 80GB from Apple. In about three months it began to act strange. I plugged it in to a USB port on my computer to charge the battery (which was very low at the time). It repeatedly failed to mount in Windows or iTunes. The next day when I plugged it in to the USB port it would only flash for a minute before saying "OK to disconnect". It was broken.

I sent it into AppleCare and even bought the extended warranty. I got it back in the mail in two days. They had detected water damage and returned it still broken. I called and talked to a guy several times. He was polite, but REFUSED TO HAVE A TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSE IT ANY FURTHER. This was infuriating because I knew I hadn't spilled water on it.

He offered me a coupon towards another iPod, which is used. Now I probably have no recourse. At least I canceled my extended service plan.

Since then I've sent the same iPod to another service. They found NO WATER DAMAGE. However, they did find a faulty logic board.

AppleCare essentially hid behind their warranty under FALSE pretenses to avoid repairing or replacing my iPod.

I know this has to have happened to others. Come on, tell me about it!

 

[Mr Skills]

I believe Apple put some sort of moisture-detectors in their products to detect water damage. I've heard stories of them returning false positives for people who live in humid areas.

 

[AppleMatt]

Similar story with mobile phones, they're usually under the keypad or near the battery. People have had positives from rainfall or (as said), humidity (or maybe taking it into the shower room to listen to music)

AppleMatt

 

[kcdaly]

Very disappointed

Ok so I joined this forum just to respond to this thread so I appologize up front for any offence I commit to apple lovers around the world.

I am a PC man. Like many I was captivated by that shiny Iphone with all is promise. even got the nice ultimate ears for music.

To make a long story short, I woke up this morning and turned on the Iphone I have happily owned since Sept of 2008. Everything functioned except when I called someone they couldnt hear me or they heard something that sounded like a scratchy bad robot immitation. It didnt matter if I used the phones mic or the earbud mic. I rebooted, I restored from back up, I restored completely. After spending 2 hours on the phone with a very nice tech guy from Apple (Federico from the Phillipines) he indicated that the phone needed to be replaced. Since I have a set of phone meetings with NIH on monday, I needed to resolve this ASAP. Federico identified the closest Iphone store to me (only an hour and a half away) and I took off after making my "reservation" (ok thats just some sort of gay apple thing). Again sorry.

At any rate I get up there and everyone was so nice (actually, it gave me the creaps!) at least until I handed my phone to the "genius" who promptly told me after careful inspection that I had submerged my phone in water.

Now let me tell you that is just not the case. I work inside (I am a professor and neuroscientist) I work and I sleep and that (unfortunatly) pretty much summs up my life. I dont take it into the shower (as if anyone would be that dumb). I have never even so much as made or answered a call in the rain (for obvious reasons, its too cool looking to endanger). The only possible way in which this phone could have interacted with water is via sweat whilst in my pocket or humidity in the air. I am the only one that uses it and you know I just havent had it long enough to have forgotton an event that could have endangered it. So its either in my pocket, on my face or on the computer getting charged.

Incidently for those of you wonder where the indicator is, it is located (visible) just behind the main port where you plug your phone in. If it is red THEY DONT CARE! you submerged your phone.

Now I would put this challenge to all you Iphone users to find this patch and confirm its color. If you find it is red I would like to know if you have ever exposed it to excessive moisture of any kind.

Of couse this is all academic, if you little indicator has even a little red on it, you are screwed.

-cheers and again sorry if I offended anyone

 

[jonjames]

i some how managed to break my 30 pin connector off into the usb cord while charging i then noticed that the sensor was red but like you i have never gotten any type of liquids on my phone. i dont know how this has happened. can you tell me if you ever had any luck with getting it replaced?

 

[jazzymike]

iphone 3g waterdamage copout

Ok so I joined this forum just to respond to this thread so I appologize up front for any offence I commit to apple lovers around the world.

I am a PC man. Like many I was captivated by that shiny Iphone with all is promise. even got the nice ultimate ears for music.

To make a long story short, I woke up this morning and turned on the Iphone I have happily owned since Sept of 2008. Everything functioned except when I called someone they couldnt hear me or they heard something that sounded like a scratchy bad robot immitation. It didnt matter if I used the phones mic or the earbud mic. I rebooted, I restored from back up, I restored completely. After spending 2 hours on the phone with a very nice tech guy from Apple (Federico from the Phillipines) he indicated that the phone needed to be replaced. Since I have a set of phone meetings with NIH on monday, I needed to resolve this ASAP. Federico identified the closest Iphone store to me (only an hour and a half away) and I took off after making my "reservation" (ok thats just some sort of gay apple thing). Again sorry.

At any rate I get up there and everyone was so nice (actually, it gave me the creaps!) at least until I handed my phone to the "genius" who promptly told me after careful inspection that I had submerged my phone in water.

Now let me tell you that is just not the case. I work inside (I am a professor and neuroscientist) I work and I sleep and that (unfortunatly) pretty much summs up my life. I dont take it into the shower (as if anyone would be that dumb). I have never even so much as made or answered a call in the rain (for obvious reasons, its too cool looking to endanger). The only possible way in which this phone could have interacted with water is via sweat whilst in my pocket or humidity in the air. I am the only one that uses it and you know I just havent had it long enough to have forgotton an event that could have endangered it. So its either in my pocket, on my face or on the computer getting charged.

Incidently for those of you wonder where the indicator is, it is located (visible) just behind the main port where you plug your phone in. If it is red THEY DONT CARE! you submerged your phone.

Now I would put this challenge to all you Iphone users to find this patch and confirm its color. If you find it is red I would like to know if you have ever exposed it to excessive moisture of any kind.

Of couse this is all academic, if you little indicator has even a little red on it, you are screwed.

-cheers and again sorry if I offended anyone

Hello All

My background is also technical.

I had purchased an iphone in june 2009,and recently had problems charging the phone due to the originally shipped cable becoming frayed,I eventually purchased another original cable ,but my phone would not charge fully and after a couple of days would not charge at all.

I tend to take the utmost care of my expensive shiny toys and gadgets,and do not take showers with them or pour fluids on them,as they are expensive units.

I took it to local Telefonica shop here in Spain,who sent it to Apple,who replied "Water damage" and insist that I pay 170.00 euros for a replacement,I am currently still paying the contract costs while I do not have the use of the said phone,after over a month.

While disgusted by the lack of service ,I am very calm about this issue,if they return the phone still unrepaired ,I shall smile ,and reply that they can keep it,I shall then cancel my contract and lose no sleep over demands to pay cancellation fees,as I have not had the service which I have been paying through the nose for.

It is a shame that Apple are so arrogant and Telefonica who are untroubled by the very real prospect of losing customer.

I shall take this as an abject lesson to remind myself to never again buy a contract phone ,which you pay for and pay for,but instead save up for an android phone that is open and will allow me to control my budget better.

Enjoy life!!

 

[Consultant]

Condensation from water bottles in your bag = liquid can trip the sensor.

Some form of liquid tripped the sensor.

I believe Apple put some sort of moisture-detectors in their products to detect water damage. I've heard stories of them returning false positives for people who live in humid areas.

Nope. It's designed not to trip due to humidity.