iPhone 4 Power Button Stuck

This might be repeating a previous observation but here's how I fixed my daughters power button and Wife's volume up button (both 4S):

The problem is caused by the displacement of the small (1mm diameter) rubber spacer which is needed to transmit the pressure to a small area in the middle of the switch. The glue does not hold the spcer in place and it will thus move off center over time.

I fixed it by taking apart the phone and clean the spacer and switch using isopropyl aclohol. Reattachment was done using a tiny amount of "Goop" adhesive. It has lasted more than a month, but it is indeed a significant design fault and should thus be corrected for free by Apple.

Apple is doomed, seriously!! The stock prices are already going down in the drain, and thats just a consequence of selling crappy products, and even crappier customer service. I am not buying apple products anymore, enough is enough.

13 MONTHS!!! That's how long this iPhone 4s has worked wonderfully then all of a sudden the power button sticks. I've been browsing all morning and THIS [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRt4Zjbx6n4] is the best 'fix' I've found.

Really disappointed with the quality and reliability of this phone ... my 3GS was great but I fell for the 'hype' and bought this one in Dec 11. Not gonna waste my time and ca$h on the 5 ... sorry Apple, you need to improve your reliability. FAR too many complaints of the SAME problem! What's up with that?

Same issue here - 1 month out of warranty. Couldn't be bothered with travelling the whole way to my local store for them to ask me for £100 odd pounds so found a local repair shop that fixed it for £35 in one hour.

Pretty bad - happend will all the iphones I've had the minute it's out of warranty something happens to it - I've never dropped it - got water in it - nothing. This is certainly my last iphone.

FIX for iphone power button. Apple wont let me post a link to this youtube video, however if you go to youtube, search for "broken iphone lock/power button", author is "Palemale19", IT WORKS!

I have been a loyal and repeat Apple customer. I am now on my second Iphone that has had an isuue with the sleep/wake button becoming stuck and nonfunctional. I always take great care of my phones, always in a case and no water damage. The first time it happened on my Iphone 4 I went to my local apple store and they happily swapped it out for me. I now have the 4S with the same problem and am just over a month out of warranty and the Apple store could only sell me another one for $199. I see from a google search and from this message board about the sleep/wake button getting stuck that this is a widespread hardware issue affecting many many customers. I feel that Apple should correct or replace this issue regardless of warranty status as this seems like a manufacturing/component problem. This is a very expensive product that I feel I should be able to expect the buttons to stay functional for at least 2 years as is per normal mobile phone contract length.

This is not the product quality and customer service that I have experienced with Apple in the past.

My power button became stuck for no apparent reason 2 days ago, went into an Apple store and was told there was nothing they could do but ask me to pay £126 to get a replacement.

My phone is only 3 DAYS out of warranty!

Goodbye Apple, hello Android!

Join the crowd

Me too, 150 € in Spain for the button that suddenly stopped working ...

Does anyone know of comparison of long-term mobile phones/brands that show how reliable are they over time?

(Or does anyone know which smartphones are less prone to give problems?)

-Mine had the antennagate which I couldn' t solve and this one apart from other minor ones...

Message was edited by: CMVAL

- for some reason I can't branch to a new discussion:

:" It appears you're not allowed to view what you requested. You might contact your administrator if you think this is a mistake."

Congratulations Apple, now you are finally JUST like everyone else. I am seriously rethinking my apple approach. I have so much Apple gear, I it would be too frightening to add up. Why? Because I didn’t mind paying slightly more for products that have more quality, are easy to use and are backed by their manufacturer. Dropped and damaged products are one thing, but a power button that stops working after 14 months? Even that I don’t really mind because design defects happen, I get it. What I do take issue with is the fact that you take this product in for service and I am ‘offered’ a $200 USD replacement. Since I purchased my phone outright, that now places the cost of this device at $1049. Over $1000 USD for phone for 14 months? Stand by your product and customer base. This clearly is not an isolated issue. In the corporate circles of ups and downs, it was bound to happen sooner or later.

Well, congratulations Apple, now you are finally JUST like everyone else.

yep same issue with me - add another to the 617k views of this discussion - I am guessing for every one of these there probably another 2 users who have the problem that havent read this thread.

Power button totally stuck

went to apple store to try and get replacement (2 months out of warranty) - I quoted them the EU regulations on 2 year warranties - was told that this only applies to manufacturing / design defects (I had already read up on the legal aspects so knew it was likely this is what I would be told). I asked 'would you expect this to happen to a £600 product only 14 months old (that is supposed to be of the highest quality)'. Was told no - so I indicated it must be a design defect. Also indicated how many apple users had viewed this discussion - does that indicate it is a design defect ?

I was then informed that the "Assistive Touch" feature was the 'preferred workaround to this problem'. Wow - so you also have a preferred workaround I said - surely that must make this a design defect.

No joy. Thought I would give this Assistive touch feature a try. Was all good until I turned off my phone (completely) using assistive touch when asked to on a recent flight. But of course when I arrived at my destination I couldnt turn my phone back on. Some preferred workaround !!!

This is bonkers. I am seriously unhappy with this situation. Android is looking like my preferred workaround now. On the verge of the big switch..

😟

I also tried the EU 2 year route, although in the UK the sale of goods act applies for much longer. The store told me they could not discuss legal matters and gave me the address of their Irish solicitors bidding me good day at the same time. I took the remote control from my 2004 Sony TV which has the same type buttons on it to show what something of quality is, but it was lost on them. Corporate computer just says no.

The only way to pursue would be to have it independently repaired, obtain a report stating it is a manufacturing defect, and then take them to court to recover the costs. It's likely this would cost far more than the £120 they want for exchange (though it might set the precedent for future action). I think if they deal with this defect within warranty this must be a manufacturing defect anyway - what with warranties not covering wear or damage. I have used this argument with other manufacturers when they won't cover stuff outside warranty and had work done on this basis.

Incidentally, if you plug it in the charger it will power up.

where's the best place to get one of those iphone repair kits?

Apple would not help me either with this issue, unless I wanted to pay $199 to fix a simple button that barely lasts longer than a year, yeah I won't be fooled again. I'm on my second iphone with this button problem. I guess I'll try to fix it myself long enough until I can trade up to the Samsung Galaxy.

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Now I am really peeved - apple stores near me dont have appointments for a week.

Selling 100m devices and not having enough stores to service problems (and manufacting defects) is just plain arrogant.

You know what Steve Jobs would never have let problems like this arise - it was all about the quality and the customer.

No wonder apple stock is tanking.

Tim Cook - wake up and pull the finger out.