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.
Nothing crazy about it happens to all kinds of lithium ion and lithium polymer batteries.
Some relative proof: http://www.macworld.com/article/1058916/iphonebattery.html
The 300 number always refers to a 20% decrease, or 80% capacity. Seems to be the case for Apple products, but of course I only know of Macbooks and iPhone.
LATEST UPDATE FROM APPLE LOL
SIR WE CANT EXCHANGE THE PHONE AS A REPLACEMENT BECAUSE THE SCREEN IN YOUR PHONE IS A GENERIC NON APPLE SCREEN I SAID HOW DO U KNOW HE SAID WHEN THE SCREEN POPPED OUT THEY OBSERVED SMALL SCREEWS ON THE FRAME HOLDING THE LCD INTO THE MID FRAME HE SAID APPLE SCREENS ARE ALL BONDED NOT REMOVABLE LCD
I SAID OH OK I HAD NO IDEA BUT TODAY I RECIEVED A CALL FROM CUSTOMER SUPPORT AFTER I LEFT VERY POOR FEEDBACK HE EXPLAINED THE PERSON WHO LOOKED AT THE PHONE WAS PROBABLY NEW DIDNT REALISE THE 3G AND 3GS SCREENS HAD A REMOVABLE LCD BUT NEVERLESS THEY KNOCKED IT BACK
EVEN THO THE PHONE IS LESS THEN 6 MONTHS OLD IT WAS FITTED WITH A FAULTY BATTERY BUT BECAUSE THEY SAY ITS A GENERIC SCREEN ALL WARRANTY IS VOIDED
SO IN OTHERWORDS APPLE IS MAKING PHONES WITH AFTERMARKET SCREENS BECAUSE THIS ONE NEVER HAD A SCRATCH ON THE SCREEN
IM TOTALLY OVER THE APPLE PRODUCTS NOW IM GOING TO TRY SAMSUNG GALAXY
I have about same issue as u. My 3GS got swollen in the way that it is completely useless. Local repair shop (working for phone dealer which I bought the phone) stated that my phone had had some sort of moisture damage. They did not want to fix the phone under warranty. My point is that this phone has always been in normal consumer use. It has its history as loved and used device which have never been misused in any way. If the battery explodes like my did, it is higly possible to happen to anyone!
In my country (FInland) there is no apple stores and iPhone purchases has to be done via operators... Operators are not so concerned about product safety and they are not taking this serious..
Have any of you guys had any luck with this matter?
cheers
Mine just popped. Used it a week ago to test an app, and went to grab it today an the screen is sticking out about a centimeter from the casing, main board is snapped, and its just totaled. Sure wish apple would do something about this as i am an independant game developer who just lost the ability to test 3gs support.
no offence taken
i have a few disputes running with apple atm about warranty and there excuses to to honor
1 i did software update on our 4s on a friends computer they said warranty voided because it was updated on a computer not associated to my device
the other one a iphone 4 with sticky home button been complaining about this since we got it they say accidental damage and want $198 even tho its got apple warranty
and third one was we has a 3gs the sim tray had broken they said thats classed as accidental damage and wanted $178 to replace the whole unit oh sir we dont know how this had proken and what environment it was exposed to so we cant honor the warranty on this i went to a phone store bought replacement tray for $5
they seem to think there stuff dosnt fail or break and always blames the user
I had the EXACT same problem! Bought my 3gs in July of 2009. Never had a problem with it. Nov. 2011 I purchased a new 4s, put the old 3gs on the shelf. And a week ago I charged it and figured I could use it for music, well I woke up this morning and the whole thing came appart! I did take pictures and then took it appart, the battery was all puffed up, and smelled funny. I then did some searching online and got very frightened to learn it could EXPLODE!! I honestly dont know what to do with it. This seems to be only a 3gs problem?? Its pretty scary to see the same problem over and over like you had said, same senario. (put old phone on shelf and when used later battery puffs up).Ive always been an apple fan but after reading these reviews, I am quite dissapointed 😟 ..
"they seem to think there stuff dosnt fail or break and always blames the user"
YOU seem to think that if their stuff fails, it is their fault. This is the result of the user, likely you took it to an area outside of the approved temperatures. http://www.apple.com/batteries/iphone.html
I'd like to add my 32GB iPhone 3GS to the list of swollen phones. And mine happened exactly the same way. I used it for just under 3 years (2yr9mo) with no problems and had just bought an iPhone 5 on Sept 28th. From that day on, I did not consistently recharge the iPhone 3GS. It sat on a shelf. I then charged it up to show my mother on November 4, with the idea of giving it to her. She didn't want it and I slipped it back into my briefcase. Today, November 12, it is all swollen, with the screen popped out the front. What a shock. Very upsetting. Could it blow up and burn down the house while we sleep? I was planning on selling the 3GS for $150, the going price on Craigslist. Apple owes the people on this thread at least $150.
I'll take the phone into the genius bar and see what they say. If anyone from Apple is reading: shame on you for building in such obsolescence. A $700 product should last more than 2.75 years. I just paid almost $900 (including tax) for a new iPhone 5. Will it also be useless in less than 3 years?
Mine;s just gone too, going to take it to the shop tomorrow and see what they say. I think it's strange that they had no problem replacing the cheap as chips nano, but when they could potentially be dishing out iphone 4s's or 5's there's no issue with the phones.
The excuse that they're not being used regularly is bull too, I was using mine as an ipod in my car for a couple of months before it went pop, the wife's old nano (1st gen) was in the glove box for about three years with no problem. I can't see myself rushing out to buy any more apple products either,
What the ****, my 3gs just exploded too. I can see batteries dying but having the battery explode and the entire iPhone is now destroyed?!?!? this is horrible. Should I expect this to happen to my ipad too?
I am never buying antoher Apple product again if it will not last more than 2 years, this is just rediculious....
<Edited by Host>
I already tried to call Apple but I will have to pay $20 to pay for support. I will not pay $20 to have them just tell me it is not under warranty.
I also see on other forums that MANY people have the same issues and Apple is not doing anything to fix the issue. This is obviously an issue and Apple should issue a recall, what would have happened if my kid got injured from this?
Here are some videos on youtube of what we are experiencing:
Agree totally with bryanfrombc. This is an issue of consumer protection. For instance, what do I do with my puffed up 2.7-year-old iPhone? Apple won't take it back or fix it for less than $170 plus 12% tax. So it sits in my house. Is it a fire hazard? I don't really want to get rid of it, just in case Apple changes their policy and DOES issue a recall. So this is a consumer safety issue.
This is a very important thread and I wish it was echoed someplace more popular where people could pay attention and do something about it.
Barryfrombctoo
Same boat here. Went to use is and the screen was cracked. I ordered a replacement screen and when I started to remove the old one, the case popped. The replacement screen was cracked in shipping so I spent a month getting the return and the replacement for the replacement screen. When I got to the task of actually installing the new screen, the back had popped out and the system bord is bent. Built in obsolence is one thing but this???
I am absolutely appalled by my experience with Apple customer service.
I took my phone today with exploded batteries to 100 Greyrock Place.Stamford,CT. At first, they made me to make an appointment in an hour. When I came back, they made me wait for another 20 min in order to tell me that there is nothing they can and suggested to replace a phone for $149.
Since it was the most expensive phone on the market when I’ve bought it, I don’t think I felt disrespected more. They are selling me a phone for a full price on my request to fix defective phone? I had it only for two and half years and I understand the concept of expired warranty. The apple employee pointed out, that it is not any different than dead motor in the car. Well, excuse me, I don’t need to buy the whole new car with dead motor, but only to replace a dead motor.
It took me many years to buy the iPhone and this experience left an unbelievable bad taste. As you can guess, I will never buy another product from this company. This is a very dishonest and very greedy business. I have no respect for anybody who works for Apple going forward.
I will file complain reports with various agencies
iPhone 3gs exploding expanding battery
