iPhone 4 - unresponsive button

King Ian

I have my iPhone 4 for about a year and recently the button on it has become very unresponsive. I really have to jam the thing down very hard to get it to work.

Is this a common problem after repeated use? And can it be fixed?

lynchtp

If its in warranty (less than 12 mts) and has not been damaged contact apple they should cover ya.

King Ian

lynchtp wrote: »

If its in warranty (less than 12 mts) and has not been damaged contact apple they should cover ya.

Ok...thanks.

Dim-witted question here: But how do I contact them? And how can I prove my warranty? (I definitely have it less than 12 months. It was August/Sept when I bought it)

miralize

My iPhone 4's button was acting up too. Got mine sorted within a week.

Go to http://www.apple.com/support/contact/ , enter in you serial, tell them your problem, and if its in warranty (which it should be), they will send you a box so that you can ship it to their facility in the UK.

Make sure you backup, because chances are they'll just send you back a new iPhone, and if not, they'll still wipe your phone. Make sure to take out your sim before sending it off too.

King Ian

Oh great thanks that's good to know.

Mr Moon

I heard you can get it working with a hoover, put the hoover to the usb connector and turn it on, if not try a paper clip to clear out the dirt and dust.

CathalDublin

Mr Moon wrote: »

I heard you can get it working with a hoover, put the hoover to the usb connector and turn it on, if not try a paper clip to clear out the dirt and dust.

paperclip wont work, the dock connector is not directly linked to the home button area as such, sucking the dust from the phone from the dock connector/home button area may work, your better off dismantling the phone and cleaning the dust from around the home button

King Ian

Ok I called Apple and they tell me that I have one day left in my "Repairs and Service Coverage" (ie. my one-year warranty) but they're telling me I can't get it fixed without paying 60 quid

Why is that ??

Drumpot

My buttons broken and I am out of warranty . . So I went online and saw a tip on how sometimes the button can be fixed . . Opened up the phone and tried it, didnt work (out of warranty so didnt mind opening it!).

Any advice on a good repair place near or in Dublin ? (Apple quoted something like €120!) . .

King Ian

Drumpot wrote: »

My buttons broken and I am out of warranty . . So I went online and saw a tip on how sometimes the button can be fixed . . Opened up the phone and tried it, didnt work (out of warranty so didnt mind opening it!).

Any advice on a good repair place near or in Dublin ? (Apple quoted something like €120!) . .

GSM Solutions on Jervis street told me it could cost 50-100 to get this fixed. They are good though

sxt

King Ian wrote: »

GSM Solutions on Jervis street told me it could cost 50-100 to get this fixed. They are good though

Gsm Solutions are a dodgy outfit. Avoid like a nest of black widow spiders. They will either rip you off or do a dodgy repair on your iphone. Had same problem with an Ipod, broken button .They gave me back a fried machine, "beyond economic repair" ipod 3 months later! Never experienced such deceit ,nonchalance in my life. :mad:

My threads about it

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=54621474

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=54785787

Thor

King Ian wrote: »

Ok I called Apple and they tell me that I have one day left in my "Repairs and Service Coverage" (ie. my one-year warranty) but they're telling me I can't get it fixed without paying 60 quid

Why is that ??

I'm actually shocked they said it would cost you money, If your device is within warranty when it breaks down, They must fix it or replace it.

Mine broke down and i had a replacement the same week.

Once you have reported the fault before the warranty end, Then you are covered, If it goes out of warranty during shipping, It's irrelevant because it broke down before the end of it's warranty date and you have proof of that.

Unless there is damage on the phone from say dropping it and not the usual wear and tear, Then there shouldnt be a problem.

They will post you out a box and a shipping label, Once you get it, You ring for collection and UPS(I Think) Will come and pick it up.

The iPhone 4 is notorious for having the home button break down and apple are very aware of this fact.

I'm pretty sure they are using a capacitive button on the iPhone 5 to counter-act this problem(That or no home button at all).

wez99950

this has started to happen to me lately where i press the home button, nothing happens or it goes straight to multi-tasking. it's not all the time but is happening more frequently. tried restoring it which helps but then starts happening a day or two later

rang apple this morning and getting a replacement on thursday. happy days

King Ian

I called Apple again just now, and got throught to a different guy.

Astonishingly, he never said a word about having to upgrade my cover, or pay 60 or 30, or the other waffle I was fed yesterday.

He was very helpful and arranged for a box to be sent to me, which will apparently arrive in 3-4 days. (today is officially the last day of my warranty)

How the hell can they tell me two completely different things in the space of two days??

Stevo2007

For anyone out of Warranty, this is common problem with the early iPhone 4's, happened to me and I was out of warranty so just bought a .99c home bottom on eBay and opened the phone up myself.

Not that hard if you follow the youtube tutorials:)

King Ian

Stevo2007 wrote: »

For anyone out of Warranty, this is common problem with the early iPhone 4's, happened to me and I was out of warranty so just bought a .99c home bottom on eBay and opened the phone up myself.

Not that hard if you follow the youtube tutorials:)

Is it definitely a hardware issue though?

One of the Apple guys suggested that it could be a software problem and suggested that I do a factory reboot.

Don't want to go to that trouble for nothing though

LightningBolt

My warranty is up at the end of this month. I've smashed my back glass a while ago and still haven't repaired it. The home button freezes and is unresponsive at times, usually unfreezes after 15 seconds.

Does the warranty still stand even with the cracked rear glass?

Boxfresh

I ended up replacing it myself. No problems since.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=12473835&postcount=12

Drumpot

Boxfresh wrote: »

I ended up replacing it myself. No problems since.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=12473835&postcount=12

Where did you buy the replacement button?

My button is completely unresponsive, but the phone works perfectly apart from it so I presume its just a hardware prob.

Boxfresh

Bought it on ebay for about 4 quid

Drumpot

http://www.repairmyiphone.ie/index.php/repairmyiphone-contact.html

Anybody heard anything good/bad about above ?

Boxfresh

Drumpot wrote: »

http://www.repairmyiphone.ie/index.php/repairmyiphone-contact.html

Anybody heard anything good/bad about above ?

€70 to replace the home button? I'd do it for less than half of that.

Drumpot

Boxfresh wrote: »

€70 to replace the home button? I'd do it for less than half of that.

Gonna give the home button thing a go like you said . .

Just one last thing, how do you know if your Iphone is 3g or 3gs?

Thanks a mill for all the tips and advice..

Stevo2007

King Ian wrote: »

Is it definitely a hardware issue though?

One of the Apple guys suggested that it could be a software problem and suggested that I do a factory reboot.

Don't want to go to that trouble for nothing though

Well yeah, try a full restore / update to see if it fixes the problem, then try a hoover or compressed gas. If all that fails its a faulty home button.

Drumpot

Bought a button on ebay . . From all the clips attached here , should it not have some sort of cord coming out of it ? (its literally just a black button!).

Thanks

Boxfresh

Drumpot wrote: »

Bought a button on ebay . . From all the clips attached here , should it not have some sort of cord coming out of it ? (its literally just a black button!).

Thanks

The button already in the phone is probably fine. It's a thing called a "home button flex cable" is what you need.

Example: http://cgi.ebay.ie/iPHONE-4-INTERNAL-HOME-MENU-BUTTON-FLEX-CABLE-CIRCUIT-/180660018524?pt=UK_Replacement_Parts_Tools&hash=item2a102d1d5c#ht_3252wt_839

If you are going to the this job make sure you also get a good screwdriver set with Phillip head #0, #00, #000. You will also need a "pentalobe screwdriver" to remove the 2 screws at the bottom of the iPhone to remove the back cover. You'll find them on dealextreme.com or eBay.

wez99950

phone is being collected in about 30 min and getting my replacement. should i do anything with my old phone e.g. restore it to factory settings or is it okay as is?

Thor

wez99950 wrote: »

phone is being collected in about 30 min and getting my replacement. should i do anything with my old phone e.g. restore it to factory settings or is it okay as is?

Best to back up everything on it and then restore it, Just to be on the safe side.

King Ian

Thor wrote: »

Best to back up everything on it and then restore it, Just to be on the safe side.

Yeah I should be sending mine off tomorrow. So I'll back up everything tonight, and wipe it before it goes?

bigron2109

This has started to happen to my Iphone 4 too.Only Bought the thing in October.Would it be better to go to Belfast for the day to the Apple store up there or send it off too them?

Also do they give you a replacement phone? Or whats the proceedure?

GEO147

I suggest you guys try this first. I have the Apple box here beside me to return the iphone for service, then stumbled upon this and now its working perfect again!

Try the following, mine had the same problem, was pretty sure it was a hardware problem and was suprised when the following actually worked, worth a try, it fixed mine



This procedure recalibrates the home button after normal wear or heavy use.

1.) Open any application

2.) Press and hold the power button until the slide to shutdown swipe bar appears.

3.) Release Power button

4.) Press and hold Home button Lightly
until screen returns to icon screen

5.) Enjoy your functioning home button!!!



(it took a second go at it for me to get it sorted)

From O2 Forum
http://community.o2online.ie/t5/Apple/Help-iphone4-home-button/m-p/321704#M53983

King Ian

An end to this saga at last: I sent it back to Apple in the UK last Wednesday, and today I got a brand spanking new phone to replace the previous one.

I have to say, full marks to their customer care in the end.

afatbollix

Did it cost anything? As the button is being crap on mine too

King Ian

afatbollix wrote: »

Did it cost anything? As the button is being crap on mine too

Cost me nothing - despite the first goon at Apple telling me it would cost me 60 quid

afatbollix

My home button has gone to crap lately Im out of warranty any chance my insurance would fix it?