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Other applecare is saying "water damage" but this phone hasn't been in contact with liquid?

KingCathcart said:
How the hell could water damage cause a broken mute switch anyways. The water damage indicator should only prevent repair if the fault could actually be caused by water damage, surely.
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teiresias said:
This is my thought as well. He's asking for a repair for a purely mechanical fault that would have nothing to do with whether there was any water damage to the device (which would cause a more electrical-based fault in usage of the device).

This sounds like a load of BS to me (from Apple's end) and a horrid method of customer service from Apple.
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jrm27 said:
Thanks for the solidarity folks!

Apparently, the alleged "water damage" has nothing to do with the switch breaking off. The customer service rep I spoke with said that the first thing they do when they get a phone in is hook it up for a diagnostic. Once the diagnostic shows "water damage" they pack the phone back up and send it back to the owner. It doesn't matter that just my switch is broken and the phone works otherwise. Once they find a bigger problem (alleged), it takes precedence over the smaller issue.

Doesn't even sound like they looked at the switch.
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Some people began breaking off the mute switch and using it to get a warranty exchange. This is the reason that Apple has started to deny the warrany replacement. It seems that "some" people got the idea that if they broke off the mute switch Apple would replace their liquid damaged iPhone even if the warranty was void. :eek::eek::(

Do a quick web search and you will see all the suggestions about how to get Apple to do a warranty exchange on a liquid damaged iPhone. All you have to do is break off the mute switch. So a few thousand bad :apple: Apples ruin it for the honest customer.

Dave
 
How the hell could a broken switch have anything to do with water damage?

EDIT: DAMN Somebody beat me to it!!! :D :D
 
goosnarrggh said:
Of course, if it is shown that the water submersion indicators are prone to showing false positive results in phones that have never actually been subjected to misuse or exposure to environmental conditions outside the recommendations, then the warranty ought to be still valid, and there's always the possibility to negotiate (or litigate) for a more favourable outcome.
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If you could prove it, would it be grounds for a class action lawsuit?
 
brax.j said:
When you signed up for ATT service you signed a contract that says if water damage is evident then your warranty is void which means that no matter what you shouldn't get a phone. For those of you that say your headphone jack detector is white there is another water detector in your dock connector. Stop whining about how you have "never" gotten your iPhone wet but your detector has been activated it's not Apple's fault.
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i'm not stupid, i know there's another detector. that's the one that was red. and i also know i signed the contract. if i really did put my phone in water, i wouldn't even think about trying to get a new phone from apple. i'm not that type of person. also, i live by myself so no one else uses my phone.

however, if the moisture detector is triggered by humidity at a gym, or condensation from going outside (which i was told could happen by an apple representative), it should not void a warranty.
 
however, if the moisture detector is triggered by humidity at a gym, or condensation from going outside (which i was told could happen by an apple representative), it should not void a warranty.
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These are my thoughts as well.

Does Executive Customer Services always write back? I dropped an email to the address provided here earlier last Thursday and haven't heard back from them. I'm not expecting a quick reply (or necessarily one at all). Just wondering if anyone had any experience with emailing Executive Customer Services at all. Thanks!
 
Me too

I have an iPhone that did not and has not been submerged in a liquid. At most it has been exposed to use in the gym for playing music on my headphones.

In any event, something caused the phone not to startup. It would start, show the logo, and then as the icons were showing up it would shut down.

We made an appt at the Apple Store expecting to get a replacement phone after all we had read on the Apple Forums about Apple's excellent replacement history when there was hardware issues. The tech said that our phone had the submersion indicator activated and the "extreme heat sensor." As he said, "this phone shouldn't even exist, its showing that is should be melted."

He could not replace the phone. I had to buy a new one if I wanted a new iPhone.

I wrote a letter to 1 Infinite Loop, Attn Customer Service and just got a letter back today. Unfortunately Apple cannot help me. As the letter said, my case #XXXX indicated the submersion sensor was activated. They hope I will still be a customer.

Wondering... what if you touch the headphone plug with a sweaty hand and insert the plug into the jack? False positive? As for the other indicator at the bottom of the phone I am not sure.

Suffice it to say I am a VERY UNHAPPY person with Apple from this experience. I have a product that they would not honor the warranty. I did not submerge the phone in any way, or expose it to extreme heat. I have a phone with hardware issues that is still under warranty and Apple would not help.

So for what its worth..... good luck.

ps. do let me know if you find a way to get them to listen. Seems like when the submerge indicator is lit, that is it. Even if its false.
 
I'm having the same problem right now.

The water sensor at the bottom of the phone is light red, but the one in the headphone jack is still white.

I went in for an issue with WiFi connectivity, and the genius first says he's going to replace the phone, but then checks the bottom and tells me it has water damage.

My phone has never been in water.

I have no clue what to do.
It really sucks.
 
matthews said:
I'm having the same problem right now.

The water sensor at the bottom of the phone is light red, but the one in the headphone jack is still white.

I went in for an issue with WiFi connectivity, and the genius first says he's going to replace the phone, but then checks the bottom and tells me it has water damage.

My phone has never been in water.

I have no clue what to do.
It really sucks.
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Do they show you that it's actually changed color? I've never even looked at mine close enough to see white/red etc...

I do know if they try to tell me it's been in water, and it hasn't, he (the Apple store "Genius") will get to check it a second time after he removes it from his own A$$! :eek:
 
bossxii said:
Do they show you that it's actually changed color? I've never even looked at mine close enough to see white/red etc...

I do know if they try to tell me it's been in water, and it hasn't, he (the Apple store "Genius") will get to check it a second time after he removes it from his own A$$! :eek:
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He did show me, and let me look with his magnifying glass.

There's no argument that the sensor is tripped... but the problem is I can't figure out how it happened, and my word is nothing against their sensor in the Apple Store.

Believe me, I was frustrated.
 
matthews said:
He did show me, and let me look with his magnifying glass.

There's no argument that the sensor is tripped... but the problem is I can't figure out how it happened, and my word is nothing against their sensor in the Apple Store.

Believe me, I was frustrated.
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I've read this type of story way, way to many times for everyone that has had the sensor show up red to be lying about getting them wet. This thread alone it's like 3 or 4 and I bet I've seen another 20 or 30 on various forums. The sensors are way to damn sensitive or something. If you can't strap this thing to your arm/belt etc and goto the gym, which is going to be humid, or outside in the cold, anywhere near bathroom that might be humid... wtf, where exactly should we take/use our iPhone/iPod's at?

I think if this continues we will see "class action lawsuit" pop up someday soon. Another ploy to get people to buy more Apple products. Shame on Apple :mad:
 
I'm taking my phone to the Genius Bar Saturday because of a large crack that formed after charging it overnight. I haven't got my phone wet, but I had it sitting on my bathroom counter before when i took at shower. I also take it to the gym as well. Oh yeah..and i live in Memphis 98% humidity from June-Sept.
I wonder if i'm just taking it in for a crack in the plastic - will they hook it up and deny a replacement - similar to the broken mute button deal.
MemphisDave
 
This is post is in no way a comment on the OP but rather I thought it would be of interest in a point/counter-point sort of way.

A couple of employees I've come to know from the local Apple Store (one a manager) wanted to put the water sensor in the 3G to the test. After seeing a few people come in to the Genius Bar with it tripped, they wanted to see what it would take. So, they pretty much tried everything they could think of to trip it, from misting water in it with a spray bottle all the way to completely submerging it in a bucket of water. Nothing would trip the thing except for a full submersion, which turned it pink right away.

I thought this was interesting since I've seen people practically claim that they breathed into their headphone jack and the sensor was tripped and I've seen posts that have stated that an iPhone was dropped in a puddle and it didn't trip.

So, it's kind of difficult to know what to believe. I'm certainly not going to try and replicate and of the above conditions to see what it takes but I have to say that I'm inclined to believe words of my local Apple Store, the same store that without question has exchanged my iPhone many times for various reasons. I had a fairly long string of faulty iPhones, to the point where it became sort of a joke at the Genius Bar. But they always swapped it for me.
 
Mikey B said:
This is post is in no way a comment on the OP but rather I thought it would be of interest in a point/counter-point sort of way.

A couple of employees I've come to know from the local Apple Store (one a manager) wanted to put the water sensor in the 3G to the test. After seeing a few people come in to the Genius Bar with it tripped, they wanted to see what it would take. So, they pretty much tried everything they could think of to trip it, from misting water in it with a spray bottle all the way to completely submerging it in a bucket of water. Nothing would trip the thing except for a full submersion, which turned it pink right away.

I thought this was interesting since I've seen people practically claim that they breathed into their headphone jack and the sensor was tripped and I've seen posts that have stated that an iPhone was dropped in a puddle and it didn't trip.

So, it's kind of difficult to know what to believe. I'm certainly not going to try and replicate and of the above conditions to see what it takes but I have to say that I'm inclined to believe words of my local Apple Store, the same store that without question has exchanged my iPhone many times for various reasons. I had a fairly long string of faulty iPhones, to the point where it became sort of a joke at the Genius Bar. But they always swapped it for me.
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That may have been the case, but I can say it can't be the standard, because my phone has 100% never been in water or exposed to mass amounts of liquid of any kind.

So either the sensor really is hyper-sensitive, and the test you're talking about was a fluke, or there is some sort of faulty indicator in some phones that is tripping for no reason.
 
Have any of you that have tripped sensors at the dock connector who have not gotten your phones wet used the ocarina app? Because I have never gotten mine wet neither but noticed a tripped sensor before I took my phone in for a swap out last week due to a broken dock connector but was able to get mine replaced. I remember moisture build up when I used the ocarina app when it first came out and that's the only explanation I can think of that might have tripped my sensor
 
I take a shower with mine in the bathroom with me every day. mirror gets cloudy and all but my sensors have yet to turn red..
 
MemphisDave said:
I'm taking my phone to the Genius Bar Saturday because of a large crack that formed after charging it overnight. I haven't got my phone wet, but I had it sitting on my bathroom counter before when i took at shower. I also take it to the gym as well. Oh yeah..and i live in Memphis 98% humidity from June-Sept.
I wonder if i'm just taking it in for a crack in the plastic - will they hook it up and deny a replacement - similar to the broken mute button deal.
MemphisDave
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they dont need to hook it up to anything to detect water damage.they just look at the sensors in the headphone socket and/or dock, and if either of them are pink/red then it indicates water damage. I thought i could see the headphone sensor, but after looking again in better light it was something else.

jonjames said:
Have any of you that have tripped sensors at the dock connector who have gotten your phones wet used the ocarina app? Because I have never gotten mine wet neither but noticed a tripped sensor before I took my phone in for a swap out last week due to a broken dock connector but was able to get mine replaced. I remember moisture build up when I used the ocarina app when it first came out and that's the only explanation I can think of thatight have tripped my sensor
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it is very possible that that caused it. it makes sense that blowing into the microphone can easily result in spit accidentally entering the dock connector and setting off the sensor
 
This seems a little unfair..

I don't particularly take as much care of my phone now as I did when I first got it - I'll happily use it in the bath, in the rain, and I leave it on the side in the bathroom when I'm in the shower.. the screen gets really condensed, but the phone still works perfectly.

I just shone a torch down the headphone jack and my water sensor is still white, and so is the other one :(
 
lukenn said:
they dont need to hook it up to anything to detect water damage.they just look at the sensors in the headphone socket and/or dock, and if either of them are pink/red then it indicates water damage. I thought i could see the headphone sensor, but after looking again in better light it was something else.



it is very possible that that caused it. it makes sense that blowing into the microphone can easily result in spit accidentally entering the dock connector and setting off the sensor
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i wouldnt consider it spit as much as i would call it condensation because hot air from your body and a lower temp phone would cause it to "sweat" like a can of pop. thats they only reason i can think of but apple shouldnt of allowed an application that may fault your warranty
 
matttye said:
This seems a little unfair..

I don't particularly take as much care of my phone now as I did when I first got it - I'll happily use it in the bath, in the rain, and I leave it on the side in the bathroom when I'm in the shower.. the screen gets really condensed, but the phone still works perfectly.

I just shone a torch down the headphone jack and my water sensor is still white, and so is the other one :(
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congratulations
 
These moisture stickers are a total joke. I had issues with Tmobile a number of years ago with a phone that had some problems. Sent it to Tmo, they sent back saying it had water damage. Just like the OP, other than carrying it outside in humid weather or from cold to hot, it had never had liquid spilled on it.

But the problem is they have you by the balls and there is nothing you can do really. I called and called and called, but in the notes on my account it said device had water damage so I was immediately shot down. The sticker they claimed that indicated damage was on the back of the screen on a Sidekick, basically right out in the open. I took the thing apart and found 3 more stickers inside that showed absolutely ZERO moisture damage. Sent pictures of that to them and still nothing.

Its total bullcrap.
 
You need to call the the higher-ups and complain...

This happened with my Blackberry Curve. A week after sending it in, I got a letter saying that there was water damage (sticker wasn't a different color) and were going to charge me $374. I called the HQ of ATT customer service and left a message. A woman called me back saying that there's nothing they can do if the sensor was red. I took a picture of it and sent it to them; I threatened to go to the media about this ill mannered service they are giving a loyal customer. Of course, that did it for them; they asked for me to send it back and gave me a new one. Problem SOLVED!

You can't let them take control over you, even if they have you by the balls. Take the person grabbing you by the balls and bring them to the big wigs. When you threaten them, you win. Not all media is good for you.
 
RogueVasion said:
You need to call the the higher-ups and complain....
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Oh, believe me, i've tried! I've tried to escalate over the phone twice, written multiple emails up the chain and sent a letter to the Cupertino offices. When i got my applecare survey I attempted to escalate from there. All correspondence (except for the applecare survey) have included pictures of my phone and links to this thread. Nobody has ever contacted me back.

I've been cordial and polite, yet firm. Not sure what to do next... If you have anymore suggestions, I am all ears!
 
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