Samsung Galaxy S4 Battery Swelling.. Samsung are being very stubborn!

[Anonymous]

I posted a thread about this a good few months ago, and a few weeks ago I finally managed to get my S4 sent off to a repair centre as I've been travelling a lot.

Basically, I was using my S4 more so as a back up phone at this time (it's still under contract for another 4 months), when I went to take it out my drawer to use it I was shocked to see that the screen had come away a little and the home button was completely detached but more shockingly when I picked it up there was a massive bulge at the back - so I managed to take the back case off and seen that the battery had expanded and swelled. I looked it up and seen this was a known issue.

I rang O2 and they said as the battery is no longer under warrenty with O2 I'd have to contact Samsung, so I did. They sent me the packaging to send the phone back to them. I finally got an email a few days ago saying as there was 'physical damage' (the screen and home button) I'd need to pay to get it fixed, which came to just under £110. I was surprised as I made a note saying this is what I found - the battery had clearly expanded and had pushed into the phone and pushed the screen slightly off (the glue has come away) and pushed the home button off - the screen is perfectly intact, no cracks or anything.

I've been on and off the phone with Samsung but they're just not budging, basically the engineer doesn't believe the screen/home button damage was caused by the battery. 

What else can I do? I don't see why I have to pay when the reason the screen and home button are damaged is because of their faulty battery..? I'd be a mug to pay it. 

I've been referred to their complaints department, also. 

[jonsie]

Worth a little less now though

[MI5]

Not worth the fight for £70 so defo not in the condition it's in now.

[Cleoriff]

Probably ready to be launched then 

[viridis]

Bet it's covered by home contents insurance with cheaper excess than repair cost....

[Anonymous]

I live with my parents so I don't know if I'd even be covered under home contents... I'll ask my dad.

It's just really frustrating, I haven't actually done anything wrong yet Samsung are adament that the damage wasn't caused by the battery when there's no other logical reason behind it, they won't even look into it again or listen to my side, the engineer's decision is final, simple as that.

And I've still got 4 months of my contract left to pay... Fantastic. 

[Anonymous]

Got a reply for the Exec Office email and they sent a very long essay stating how the engineer(s) has thoroughly examined my S4 and in no way could the front screen and home button damage been caused by the battery as apparently the back cover should of been damaged first as they've done extensive tests generally to check so. And apparently there's no report of damage to my front screen? There was, it had seperated from the base on the buttom half so that's confused me. I personally don't feel the engineer examined it properly and hasn't re-examined it since and is just talking rubbish.

[jonsie]

Seems you are at an impasse now. This isn't going anywhere with Samsung and it's for you to decide if you want to take it further by getting an independent inspection of the phone and taking legal advice.

Difficult decision for you, principles can be costly.

[Cleoriff]

If honest and knowing Samsungs reputation with things like this is invariably excellent.... I may just cut my losses. You could end up paying a lot on principle....only to come out the loser.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, there's not much else I can do... Just means I can't sell the phone and make a little money but ah well. 

[jonsie]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Yeah, there's not much else I can do... Just means I can't sell the phone and make a little money but ah well. 

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That just about sums up the whole sorry mess