Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

iPhone 5 screen bulge

My iphone 5 has recently developed a bulge on the left hand side of the screen just above the volume buttons. I have taken it into the apple store who said they believe it to be the battery expanding but as the phone is one month outside of warranty they will not replace. Then told me to contact my service provider, which I have done and they have sent me back to apple. Any suggestions? I don't think its fair that I should have to pay to repair a faulty item as I would expect an item of this cost to last much longer than 13 months. Anyone know if I'm covered under the sales of goods act?


The screen bulge is causing some other problems as well:

Phone turns off randomly

Touch screen is very temperamental

Freezing


Any input would be highly appreciated.

iPhone 5, iOS 7.0.6

Posted on Mar 7, 2014 1:16 PM

Reply
136 replies

Jan 9, 2017 9:55 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

I had this problem in August and paid my local Apple store to replace the screen. It was cheaper than a new phone. In December, the problem reappeared. I was told this time that the problem was a swelling battery that was a known problem. Unfortunately, the three-year from original purchase date warranty had expired TWO MONTHS AFTER I PAID APPLE TO REPLACE THE SCREEN. Seems like they might have told me, at the time, the problem was the battery, and replaced it. I would have been happy to pay for that replacement.


I ended up buying a new phone because they offered me 1) a "new" 5S or 2) $47 toward a new phone. My old 5 is a phone on which I'd already had to replace the home button (another common defect). I don't know what's happened to Apple's quality/service but this is not the company I dealt with when first switching from PCs to Apple products. Now, I'm so heavily invested in Apple, it would be difficult and time consuming to make the switch. If my new 6S fails to deliver, I may choose difficult and time consuming.


The Apple device that caused me to switch was the iPod click wheel, for which I had to get a firewire card for my desktop PC to be able to use. I've owned many iPods and my last one, the iPod Classic died a few months ago of hard drive failure. Apple could make a 160GB iPod with a solid state drive but has made it clear that streaming is what I need to embrace and get over the fact that I once had an elegant device that was designed to do only one thing and do it extremely well. Ditto for the removal of CD/DVD drives from everything.


iPhones are where Apple makes its money these days and I guess with the end of carrier subsidies, Apple's willingness to give people a break is pretty much over as well.

May 8, 2017 8:18 PM in response to Samd123

Today is 8 May 17 and same symptoms.

Appointment at Apple Store, Lehigh Valley, Pa.

Had an 11am appt to have phone diagnosed by Apple technician.

Phone is three years old but after all

the past posts figured it was worth a try.

Result = $79 = new 5s + tax .

Time spent about 30 minutes .

Be sure to back up your old phone and

have all the current OS and iTunes updates beforehand !

.

Jun 24, 2017 10:06 AM in response to phreload

Well replying to a 3 year old post. I have a similar conditioned iPhone 5. Its battery is swelling. However, when I go to a store, they say that since it is out of warranty they cannot replace it. My phone's warranty ended in 2012, and they said that if the issue had come under 2 years after the warranty expired, they would've replaced it for free. But they aren't!

Is there such a thing? If not, then how do I contact Apple, since it feels not safe having it around me now.

Also, I am from India. :)

Jun 24, 2017 2:07 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

We bought two iPhone 5's in August 2013. The first one had this condition in September 2015 and after a lot of talking the Apple store replaced the entire phone for free. Made sense since its a real liability issue. Our second phone had this happen today - June 24, 2017. Only this one started to get real warm so back we went to the same store and now they want $79. I refused and had them look up the first replacement and they relented when a few people around us started to listen in about fires and 3rd degree burns that have been reported.


Kind of sad in a way they put these employees out there to try to phenagle dollars out of people when its in their best interest to have these liability laden phones out there in the first place. And lets not forget their battery supplier in China has got to be contributing to the cost of the replacements of their defective batteries.

Jun 25, 2017 9:40 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

Agreed. I'd like to add that when I had our first phone replaced I was talking to a fellow customer who was there for the same issue. Apple's first solution was to have him upgrade to a 6 for about $450 more. Every customer interaction, at least in that store, is seen as an upsell.


Polite but firm seemed to work for me. My last response to them was that I had no intention of paying to resolve one of their suppliers problems and that a product liability issue would be worth far more to me than $79. And they are still making new iPhone 5's BTW. Mine was produced in May 2017.

Jun 25, 2017 9:52 AM in response to paulfromindio

Well, had a little chat with an Apple representative through a call. He said that the phone will not even replaced since it is 5 years old! He said that it would be a chargeable one, for which you would have to pay 22K INR! That's too much. Yet, again in that amount I can buy a better iPhone 5S.

They're just not accepting a free replacement now. I just wish someone could help me one this one here.

Jul 27, 2017 8:31 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Thank yo very much.

Exactly, I had already met AASP twice. At first, he told me that I can replace the new one with some charge.

But for the second time (after I went back for data backup), another one told me that I can't replace anymore.

Therefore, I'm not sure about how AASP solve this issue in other countries.

Now I have an appointment with Apple call center. I'm just waiting for the call. Thank you so much! 🙂

Sep 14, 2017 10:28 PM in response to nigagape

My son's 5s (http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/iphone/iphone-faq/differences-between-ipho ne-5c-iphone-5s-iphone-5.html) started behaving erratically a couple of days ago. With a full battery, the screen would randomly go blank (ie. not a shut down), and be unable to be rebooted. However, when you plugged it into power it would first show a flat battery indicator, and then (but not reliably) reboot, immediately show 100% battery and so work as normal. The corner of the screen near the volume buttons was slightly raised and a bit spongy to touch.


I booked it in for a repair with the Genius Bar and after a few tests, they concluded that it had a swollen battery. They gave us a new phone to replace it, saying that they were required to under Australian Consumer Law. (The Australian regulator had recently taken Apple to court for refusing to repair or replace defective products where the customer had used a third party repairer for an unrelated problem. https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-takes-action-against-apple-over-alleg ed-misleading-consumer-guarantee-representations. In my case all repairs were with Apple. This follows previous criticism of Apple's extended warranty for charging for services required to be provided for free.)


So, in Australia you should get this repair for free. If not, check your rights with ACCC.


Good result for me though!

Oct 26, 2017 7:59 AM in response to Samd123

Your apple store is bogus. I bought an iphone 5s in 2015. In 2016 the back of phone had become deformed and the phone went black. Went to apple store, they determined that the battery had swollen and they replaced phone for free. The guy told me that I had a swollen battery and that apple could replace it for that reason. I do not know whether i was still within the warranty but nonetheless, it's an internal issue with apple's battery so I see it as their fault. Therefore they need to take care of it.

Oct 26, 2017 8:03 AM in response to MSsZJ

MSsZJ wrote:


I do not know whether i was still within the warranty but nonetheless, it's an internal issue with apple's battery so I see it as their fault. Therefore they need to take care of it.

If the phone is under warranty or covered by a supplemental program for a specific issue, Apple will replace it. If the phone is not covered, you have to pay. A swelling lithium ion battery is not necessarily defective. It is what they do as they age.

Oct 26, 2017 8:33 AM in response to IdrisSeabright

I hope you have a better experience than I did. My iPhone 5 screen started delaminating about a year ago so I took it to an Apple store for repair (my cost). It happened again and they told me it was a swelling battery problem that had been covered under a program but that program had expired. It had not expired when they made the first screen repair but they didn’t replace the battery when they replaced the screen. My options were: replace the screen and battery (my cost), live with the phone as is, or take the measly credit they offered on a new phone. I chose the last option thinking repairing an old phone for more than it was worth was probably a bad idea. On later did I learn they’d put a new screen on, knowing there was a battery problem, and therefore knowing I would most likely be back for another repair (or new phone). If I’d known that in the store I would have had a fit. Rather than go back, I decided to let it go as a reminder of how different the Apple of today is compared to the Apple I dealt with only a few years ago. That’s what happens when a company shifts its focus to profits from a focus on customers. When the time comes to replace my laptops, desktop, iPads, and iPhones, I will be considering all options. This is something I wouldn’t have dreamed of doing until recently. I’ve had five iPods I obviously won’t be replacing since they’ve discontinued all but the Touch. I don’t need nor want an iPhone without the phone.

Oct 26, 2017 9:11 AM in response to macdenife

macdenife wrote:


I hope you have a better experience than I did.

I've never had a bad experience with Apple service.


Apple had no way of know if your phone would, in the future, develop a problem. If it had, while the program was in effect, they would have covered the issue. You seem to be thinking they should have treated the issue as a recall rather than a warranty extension.

Oct 26, 2017 12:55 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

I don’t expect Apple to be clairvoyant. I just am surprised that after acknowledging a battery swelling/screen issue they didn’t want to do anything for me. Other than offer retail-priced repairs or the opportunity to buy a new phone. When I’ve had problems with Apple products in the past, they offered reasonable solutions for things that were quality problems. I was offered no such reasonable solution.

iPhone 5 screen bulge

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.