The battery in my old iPhone (out of warranty) has just decided to explode, pop the screen off and bend the main board. Is Apple doing anything to correct this issue? I wasn't using it for a phone, rather an ipod around the house, but still it shouldn't just fall apart like that!
iPhone 3GS, iOS 5.0.1
I got my old 3GS replaced at an Apple Store yesterday for $80 - it was out of warranty but they said they would replace it as a battery problem. This was the second Apple Store I went to - the first tried to sell me a new battery for $150. I found an authorized Apple repair shop and they told me to go ASAP to Apple (and go to a store that wasn't as busy as the one I went to) and they should offer to replace for $50 - $100, confirming that the battery was swelling and it could explode or at least leak and damage the board. The second Apple Store was great - I did not have to throw a hissy-fit to get them to replace, just dropped a few key words like product defect; the Genius at the first store just wanted to get rid of me.
I noticed the problem when I was finally getting ready to sell the phone. I got a new iphone 5 in Nov. and had sold the phone after taking photographs of the phone in mid Jan. No bulging back and screen was clear and bright. I did notice that the phone was not holding a charge very well. Sold the phone about 10 days later and while getting it ready I noticed a dark spot on the screen, below the glass. when I pressed on the area, the spot moved. got an appt at Apple that afternoon and the Genius told me that the battery was swelling and pushing upwards and that's what caused the darkening. he opened the phone and apparently relieved some of the pressure but there was still a spot. obviously I could not sell with a known change so I checked around and found the place to replace the battery. in the 5 days between noticing the dark area and then going to get a new battery, the case started bulging. this was shocking as I was not charging or using the phone.
Took a while to find any info on battery swelling on Apple website (only here). Google 3GS battery swelling and the photos are grim - this is NOT unique problem. If your phone gets warm and the battery does not hold a charge, run, do not walk, to get the battery replaced.
CMC55 wrote:
Hopefully his Nexus will have a battery indicator or at the very least, clear documentation that will tell him when to replace the battery so that he won't have to "wonder" anything.
Are there any devices that have this?
Oh, and one more thing... I have always kept all my iPhones on a cradle and always had them charged that way. I have had iPhone 3G, 4G, and 5, and only the iPhone 3G had this issue. I don't think it is related to using a charging cradle.
Sorry I misinterpreted your post. Probably because the subject of this thread is batteries, not cables or adapters.
I'm glad you have been lucky, unlike these people: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=samsung+battery+fires
Didn't know about this exploding issue until now. I bought my unlocked 3GS while I was in Hong Kong and it's worked great as a music player for my car until the car had some problems and had to sit for 3 weeks and the car battery died...as well as the battery on my 3GS totally drained. Then when I started driving the car again, I noticed the 3GS wasn't charging up, so I popped out of the cradle and noticed this. I've only used this as a music player since my car has a cradle for this phone even though I use an iPhone 5 now.
I have 2 iPhone 3GS and firends that have 4s and 5's that have done this after replacing the battery myself there's no imei when I press the info button after restoring the iPhone through iTunes seems its expanded the motherboard and loosened some IC chips maybe? Anyone have this problem? I bought them for 20 bucks as I hate apple and tell everyone who comes to me about apple products I tell them stay away from it they buy better products like Sony, Nokia and Samsung. I have a Sony that's lasted 7 years! No battery no malfunction. Apple should step up their game about this issue. Seems all apple products do this after so many years even if you never drop it and look after it so well
Perhaps,TJBUSMC1973 in responding to my post, you've reacted to my tone rather than the content of my post. I didn't say Apple is liable to me. They aren't. We can both agree that Apple explicitly said not to use the device. So, I won't. But in doing so, they acknowledged a safety issue to me that they are aware of, but not to the public. I posted my experience so that, in the event someone else is injured, they can point to this as documentation of a known issue.
As to your other point, my screen isn't cracked, though that comment appears to stem from your assertion that I'm trying to "loophole the system", by which I reckon you mean that I'm threatening the risk personal damage for personal gain, which I'm not. I haven't gained anything.
As for notifying owners, there's the App Store or direct push route (as they do with software notifications). There the carrier as a channel for those on one. At minimum, they could list this in this Quality Program page so it's findable. But really, this is Apple's responsibility to find a way to reach people if there's a safety issue with some phones. But it all starts with Apple taking responsibility for a potential product libability. I don't want to make too much of this. It's not at the same level as the car analogy where the consequences of frequently death, but my 5 yr old girl was using the phone and I'm a little ****** because she could have been hurt. And to find out is a known issue that the've done nothing about when I call Apple? C'mon.
Drew W wrote:
Perhaps,TJBUSMC1973 in responding to my post, you've reacted to my tone rather than the content of my post. I didn't say Apple is liable to me. They aren't. We can both agree that Apple explicitly said not to use the device. So, I won't. But in doing so, they acknowledged a safety issue to me that they are aware of, but not to the public. I posted my experience so that, in the event someone else is injured, they can point to this as documentation of a known issue.
As to your other point, my screen isn't cracked, though that comment appears to stem from your assertion that I'm trying to "loophole the system", by which I reckon you mean that I'm threatening the risk personal damage for personal gain, which I'm not. I haven't gained anything.
As for notifying owners, there's the App Store or direct push route (as they do with software notifications). There the carrier as a channel for those on one. At minimum, they could list this in this Quality Program page so it's findable. But really, this is Apple's responsibility to find a way to reach people if there's a safety issue with some phones. But it all starts with Apple taking responsibility for a potential product libability. I don't want to make too much of this. It's not at the same level as the car analogy where the consequences of frequently death, but my 5 yr old girl was using the phone and I'm a little ****** because she could have been hurt. And to find out is a known issue that the've done nothing about when I call Apple? C'mon.
They are aware of the safety issue that you have on your particular device because you reported it to them. This is an extremely rare occurrence. This thread is almost three years old.
There is no generalized safety issue to the public, except in the very rare instances that the battery swells up, and that can occur from a lot of different causes, many of them user-initiated.
And have you read the iPhone user manual? How about the Safety appendix in that manual? The one that's available for review even before you buy an iPhone in the first place? Seems to me that Apple has given plenty of safety information, as well as a support site, as well as physical stores, as well as phone support.
There's a potential 'safety issue' with every electronic or mechanical device in the entire world.
It's not a 'known issue', not to the point that you should legitimately expect a generalized response. There's also common sense; if an electronic device is physically damaged, has exposed wiring, sharp edges, broken glass, excessive temperature, etc., etc., then only a fool keeps using it in that condition.
Additionally, you state that you will provide the names of the reps you spoke to if anyone from this site contacts you? Good luck. The rules of this site prohibit providing personal information, either yours or anyone else's. Therefore, you can't share an email address or a phone number, nor can you post anyone else's name or personal information.
Your iPhone has damage or a defect. No one has been hurt. Apple has advised you to stop using the device. Everything else is you trying to stir up a problem.
billymac1 wrote:
How about the guy 5 posts up wedge07 comment ? 5 or 6 3gs iPhones all failed. Rare ??????
5 or 6 phones with bad batteries would be extremely rare!
That guy should buy a single lotto ticket as he is almost guaranteed to win!
I think we need to warn people about this. This could have burnt my house down had it exploded.
My 3gs was under a bunch of stuff in a drawer. I just went and looked for it cuz I wanted to use it as a webcam server, lo and behold the lithium battery looks like it's about to explode. Had it exploded and burnt down my house does the warranty cover that?
the proof:
http://i.imgur.com/57s5XKZ.jpg?1
P.S. I have no idea what to do with this thing now, do I just put it outside?
Hi guys and gals,
just realised that my 3gs also expanded. The screen is out and the phone is unusable.
Anyone had any recent luck with Apple? This is a safety issue IMHO.
There was a recall for 1st gen ipods nano - is there one for 3gs?
Many thanks,
M
having the same problem. bought iphone 3gs in 2009 used it until 2013 and put it in the drawer after i got a new phone. In nov 2015 decided to use it as a spare phone, reinstalled the software then switched off (since i had to get a new sim) and left in the drawer. After few days, i took it out to find it swollen. what can i do? will apple fix this problem or replace it with a new iphone 3gs.
Yes, and failing TVs with burning transformers, broken radiator hoses on cars, leaking hoses on washing machines, etc. are also unexpected and a problem for users. The battery does not go through expansion over a long period it does it rather suddenly and pretty quickly.
i will never buy there products again
You are lucky you got a replacement phone for the cost of a battery. How much did you actually pay?
<Edited by Host>
How is $149 full price? Full price was at ~$600 when you purchased it. I think $149 is very reasonable to get a refrub unit.
iPhone 3gs exploding expanding battery
