The battery for my iPod nano 5th generation died. Is anyone having a similar problem? I think there should be a recall because my iPod is not that old.
iPod nano
"Most likely" does not equal "definitely." 🙂
And any kind of "offer" is better than nothing. And there are exceptions to any rule. And it couldn't hurt to ask. And maybe it's not really a "dead" battery. And...
I am not saying apple will not do anything about a dead battery. I called customer service and they were great, but the estimate they gave me was for over $70 about the cost of a new one. I think this would be the same if I went to the genius bar, but I may try.
It is good you are not having any problems, but I did. I loved my iPod and that is why I am so passionate about this.
Yes, I do feel users need to know this info. My only options are to pay for someone to fix it which would cost about $50-90, fix it mysel which would mean the cost of a kit with a soldering iron which I would have to learn to use or do without.
This is not about a laptop. This is about a device to listen to music while I walk/exercise.
Also after discussion with customer service they felt it was a dead battery and you all have said the life span of the battery is about 2 years.
Yes, I do feel users need to know this info.
Well, you sure seem more interested in telling your story, instead of actually fixing your problem... 🙂
That is so untrue. I have spent hours on the Internet trying to see if I could fix it. I spent time on the phone with customer service and I did that before I signed on to the discussion groups.
I am not telling a story. I am giving facts and I had hoped for a better solution to fixing my problem than what I have already researched.
A new one starts at $129.
On most small lithium polymer batteries the health of the battery will begin to decrease by increments after about 2 years of normal use but it can last a year or two beyond that if you don't mind charging more often.
Yours did not have normal use as you barely used it at all thus causing a premature death of the battery.
I now know that thanks to all your help and now other users will know.
You have been very helpful and I appreciate you help.
Actually, we all started this discussion with the assumption that the battery is "dead" (because you stated it was "dead"). So we started off with the final diagnosis.
Maybe you should post a reply off of your original post (not indented), and describe the actual "symptoms" of the problem.
For example, if you connect the iPod to power, does it still work properly? Does iTunes still recognize it, and do syncing properly? If it still works properly when connected, what happens when you disconnect it? Etc.
Even the Apple tech support folks seem to have assumed it was a dead battery. Did they have you do some tests while on the phone? At least the Genius Bar tech support folks can look at it in person.
Yes they did have me do tests and yes I did check all that you listed. I did my homework before this discussion. I checked it with iTunes, power, etc.
I have not gone to the genius bar.
It seems you assumed I did not do all that I should, but I did.
And does the nano still work properly (and play music) when connected to power? Does it appear in iTunes and sync properly? If it works normally when connected, what happens (exactly) when you disconnect it? What happens when you disconnect it is the actual problem, not a dead battery. A dead battery is the assumed cause.
I asked those questions because I was curious about the actual answers...
Of course it does not play.
No it does not work at all with power, with iTunes-nothing but a blank screen. I followed the the manual and instructions over the phone -blank screen, no power.
Those are the actual answers. I already answered these questions and I am done answering yours.
No it does not work at all with power, with iTunes-nothing but a blank screen... blank screen, no power.
Those answers do not make sense, if the cause is a dead battery. If it has power, either through a USB connection or from a power adapter, the iPod should work normally whether the battery is working or not. It should work if you removed the battery. If it is not immediately working, a Reset
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1320
while connected to power should make it work. Also, a Reset while connected to your computer (running iTunes) should allow iTunes to recognize it and do all the normal things with it.
So, I don't think the cause it a dead battery. A completely dead battery would make the iPod "die" as soon as you disconnected it from power. A very weak battery would last a few minutes.
"Those answers do not make sense, if the cause is a dead battery. If it has power, either through a USB connection or from a power adapter, the iPod should work normally whether the battery is working or not. It should work if you removed the battery. If it is not immediately working, a Reset..."
That is not correct. If you completely deplete the lithium-polymer battery of any iDevice when you connect it to power it will be completely dead, black screen, just like she has described. You need to wait 20 - 30 minutes for it to charge and then you may need to Reset it (and possibly more than once) to get it to display and boot up. If the battery cannot even take a minimal charge, i.e. it has flat-lined, then the iPod will not work even if connected to power, no matter how long you let it charge.
Yes, you could remove the battery and do some rewiring to bypass the battery and it would work when connected, but it will not work with a battery that is completely gone.
I'm sure the AppleCare representative she spoke to went through all this with her when she called. She could indeed make a Genius Bar appointment at her nearest Apple Store and they could attempt to charge it and run battery diagnostics on it assuming they can get it to take a minimal charge. If it can't they can ask the service manager about doing something for her, they can offer to do an out-of-warranty replacement, they can give her 10% off of a new one for recycling the 5th Generation.
If she was not watching videos or taking videos but primarily using it for music while walking, exercising, or just relaxing, she may prefer the 6th Generation Nano which is smaller, has a clip to attach it with out a case, and has multiple watch faces so she could wear it on a watch band.
But that is up to her.
@deggie
Well, that's not true in my experience. I've never disassembled a 5th gen nano, YET. But what I said is true, with other iPod models that I've taken apart, swapped parts, and repaired. I tested them with no battery, to make sure they worked, before I installed a new replacement battery.
And besides, would a "real" Apple service tech actually make THAT diagnosis (a dead battery) based on a blank screen and no recognition from iTunes, whether it is connect to power or not? Just because it's two years old? No, that would be the world's dumbest tech support rep. There are probably ten other more likely possibilities, which would be impossible to confirm or rule out on a phone call.
First off the tech did not make that diagnosis based on the age of the battery and no recognition from iTunes only. I never said that.
Second it was connected to power and there was a blank screen in all situations that I tested.
I totally agree with degee and I am now convinced based on his comments that I will go to the genius bar. Degee's suggestions are the only ones that have been helpful and make sense.
The battery for my iPod nano 5th generation died. Is anyone having a similar problem? I think there should be a recall because my iPod is not that old.
