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iPhone 4S Volume changing on its own

Basically over the past few weeks every now and again my iPhone 4S volume will randomly turn itself up and the ringer stays on the screen like the button is being held down.

It's happened randomly since I got the phone (on day of release from Vodafone) but has never been a problem till now. This weekend it does it nearly every time I touch the phone. I can't risk putting my headphones in because it would actually deafen me if it turned up on it's own and it annoys me that it does it in games and stuff as well.


I researched on the internet and have reached nothing conclusive. I heard one person say they went into their apple store and fixed it in seconds. I don't get up town often (especially around Christmas) and would like to avoid this obviously so I just want some advice.


Is this a hardware problem and do I need to get it replaced in store or could it be a problem in my config or apps or something? I'm not very Apple savvy so any help is appreciated...


Just to add I currently have a hard case on my phone. I took it off yesterday for a while to experiment if it was that putting any additional pressure around the keys but it did it without the case on too. Also the volume is only turning up, not down.


Thanks guys x

iPhone 4S, iOS 5.0.1

Posted on Dec 4, 2011 10:24 AM

Reply
40 replies

Dec 5, 2011 12:23 PM in response to Kadaj316

Go into Settings/general/about, scroll right to the bottom, touch diagnostic & usage, then diagnostic & usage data. If there are any entries in there that are PANIC.PLIST, then your iPhone has a hardware issue and will need to be replaced.


My first 4S would randomly shut down and then restart, and also it would randomly turn the volume up and down on its own (basically as if I was pressing the volume button).


When I checked the diagnostic data on it, there were PANIC.PLIST in there. I made a genius bar appointment and the 4S was replaced with a new one.

Dec 6, 2011 11:11 AM in response to tal1971

Thank you very much for your reply.

I had read a solution like this before. The error is not present in the diagnostic data.


I spoke on the phone with Apple and the lady advised I do a complete restore and and start adding apps in one by one to see if the problem arises again. If it did, then it's a hardware issue.


Today I did this after a lot of trouble (I'm still not very apple product savvy) I added my 10 favourite apps back and it's been perfect all day... then the second I touched the volume key it just kept going. Surely this means that it is a hardware issue if it hadn't done it until I pressed the button? The error is still not present in the diagnostic data though. It could still be a hardware issue without that error right?

Dec 6, 2011 12:53 PM in response to Kadaj316

I did a restore as new on mine, but the volume problem returned along with my panic.plist crashes.


It does sound like a hardware fault. If you are within easy reach of an Apple store, I would contact them to make a Genius Bar appointment, I suspect that with you already doing 'a complete restore and and start adding apps in one by one' that they will replace your iPhone.

Jan 17, 2012 3:18 AM in response to ejHopper

Sorry it's taken so long to get back to you guys, I hope you've had luck with your appointments/repairs.

I requested a repair on Jan 5th. The packaging arrived on the 7th to send it away and I sent it on the 8th. I'm very pleased I received my phone back in less than a week on the 11th. I was told it would probably take 7-10 working days so I'm really impressed with the quality of the service.


I'm guessing they couldn't figure out the problem because I got sent back a brand new phone. Touchwood, the problem hasn't returned! I was advised if it did though, Apple would waive the £30 charge to get it repaired again within a few days. I didn't pay this time, I couldn't afford it.


How have you guys been getting on?

Jan 21, 2012 8:59 PM in response to Kadaj316

I had the exact same problem with my iPhone 4S. I looked in the settings, no PANIC.PLST. I restored the phone and the problem continued. I made an appointment at the genius bar. The Apple guy took my phone to the back and took it apart. Apparently there was a small piece of packaging stuck inside the phone just underneath the + volume button. It was pressing on the small spring under the button. He took out the piece of packaging and put the phone back together. This was yesterday and I haven't had the problem since. It used to happen several times a day. So far, so good!

Jan 25, 2012 11:37 AM in response to Kadaj316

Yep...mine does the same random sound increase thing. I've checked and rechecked all the settings--everythings always on the lowest possible. I did notice that it mostly does it at random, but almost always after I use the "talk to write" feature. I have yet to take it in since I've only had it for 4 days. I'll post if I find out what my particular phone decided it was.

Jan 25, 2012 12:00 PM in response to Kadaj316

My 4s was doing the exact same thing. It was a hardware issue - I could initiate the problem by gently touching the volume+ button - not even pressing it, just rubbing my finger over it. I exchanged it, and haven't had the problem since.


Another piece of evidence that it was a hardware problem is that in camera mode, the phone would randomly (and sometimes rapidly) take pictures on its own. It made the camera almost unuseable. Since the new iOS lets the volume+ button act as a shutter button, it's obviously a hardware problem if the volume+ button randomly raises the headphone & ringer volume under normal operation, and causes automatic shutter activations in camera mode.

Jan 25, 2012 3:31 PM in response to Kadaj316

I'm having this issue as well. Volume decreases on its own randomly and functions as if i am holding the volume button down. I'll probably take mine in soon. Sounds like this will be a legitimate reason for a replacement. I was already not 100% happy with my screen contract/brightness as compared to my previous Iphone 4 so hopefully the replacement will resolve both issues. No panic.plist file in the diagnostic by the way. I'll post an update when i get around to taking it in.

Jan 25, 2012 4:48 PM in response to Kadaj316

Well guys, I figured it out, for my device at least. After using Siri, the phones mic and speaker are sensitive to voice and the mic has amplified itself to hear you, and it hasn't reset itself yet causing maximum volume on the speaker for some reason for brief time after using Siri. (Something like that, it's kind of confusing) This is apparently a software problem on many iPhone 4Ses and needs to be fixed in a software update!


Source: my own research and tests.

iPhone 4S Volume changing on its own

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