iPhone stuck in "headphones" mode

I'd just like to comment that i'm having this same problem.

as ridiculous as it is, sucking air out of the headphone output jack did the trick.

my phone is only about 2 weeks old. is this grounds for a trip to the genius bar? would this warrant a free replacement?

Mine was doing the same thing after a back housing change! I finally figured out that there are TWO different versions of the headphone jack flex ribbon cable for the 1st Gen iPhone. The older version 821-0449-A and the newer version 821-0600-A are not compatible with one another. If you have part number 821-0600-A, then part number 821-0449-A will not work in your iPhone.
Most of them have the 0449 in them, most of the 16GB 2G's have the 0600 in them and putting that 0449 cable in them make it reverse the sound(ringer and headphone are reversed!) So anyway, that's how i finally fixed mine! get the right cable!
~Danny~

Heating is the problem! Just put your iphone in your refrigerator when it gets stuck in headphone for 1 min. and it will return to normal. apple needs to own up to this problem and fix it asap!!!!!!!!

*Hello everyone! I live in Brazil and I'm having this problem too. Surely not because hardware has changed the plug of the headset and still the problem. Surely it is the heat that activates the headphone. Anyone got any definitive solution pro problem? I can not stand it anymore !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If anyone knows something that really works, give us a light. Thanxxxxxxxxxx .............*

I started having "headphone mode" issue about after 3.0 upgrade (or some minor upgrade afterward. iPhone switches into headphone mode while I am on the phone!
Seems to be a bug ignored by Apple...

Had this problem all day. Read every post I could find. I sucked air, blew air, threw in fridge, inserted, took out....finally A SOLUTION worked. I put earphones in and while taking earphones out I slowly wiggled jack from front to back all the way out. Whatever switch was stuck is now unstuck and all is well! this works for someone else. This is such an old problem - I had the same problem with first gen phone

*....unfortunately don't work to me:(*
*This is not the final solution!!!! If somebody has some diferent idea, tell us!!!!*
Thanxxxxxxxxxxx

Ok guys. After wrestling with this issue for several months I returned my phone and got a new one. This one functions as it should. It is a combined hardware/software issue and is triggered from heat. Apple is likely aware of this problem since it is widely reported already. It is however very sad that Apple has not taken any stance on this problem and has not commented it on any threads either.

Apple, where is the quality we old fans are used to and your excellent customer service?

*I totally agree with you! The M@#$% Fu*¨&%$ Apple is simply turning their backs to the problem. I'll sell mine, since I have no more warranty. thank you brother!!*

I thought it was craxy but my phone get really warm and I use it often. I put in the frig for about 5 minutes and it went back to ringer..But what do we do now that its overheating...we should be able to use our phones without this problem...any suggestions.

I have tried everything and, as far as I'm concerned, there is no known fix for this. It is a combination hardware/software problem. The only solution is to take the phone back to the Genius Bar and have them replace it soonest. If you are out of warranty having it replaced might be a bit more difficult but the Genius's have the discretion to still replace your phone for free (they'll try and make you pay $199 but kindly insist on a free replacement) so be sure to push them hard. It may take more than one visit to the Genius Bar (and have the same person deal with you problem). All the the fixes suggested in this thread are only temporary fixes and the problem will return in time. Replacement is the only solution.

Tried all fixes (and I really mean all) without success. This particular problem has occurred on 2 different Iphones. Hmmm.

Procrastinating period. Gears rolling. Tests.

It got back to work by just reverting the ringtone sound to a built-in one . I was using a Ringtone I did myself and it seems it was confusing the Iphone making it think it was an Ipod. It was the only thing the 2 Iphones had in common.

Hello! I'm sorry but can you explain it as you did to fix the problem? Not very clear to me:(
Do you was using an ringtone make to you, and when you change to an original ringtone the problem was going is taht?
Sorry my bad english please;)
Thanxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Message was edited by: Type.o.negativE

Yes. Just change the ringtone (settings>ringtone>whatever...)
No other tricks worked for me.

well i had the same problem with my iphone (used 3rd party headphones for a bit) and apparently one of the pins in the headphone jack got stuck. so after a lot of cussing @ apple, I inserted a tightly wound piece of tissue paper drenched in iso-propyl alchohol and jammed it in the headphone jack...and viola! the ringer started working again! and now it properly detects the headphones aswell..my recommendation is that use only iphone headphones with the iphone, it dosent like anything else...