Carphone Warehouse/Apple voiding iPhone warranty due to physical damage

HelpMe16

A few months ago, I dropped my iPhone as all iPhone owners population do at some point. This caused a very small crack, and barely a crack on the bottom right corner of the front of the phone. Neither on the screen or close to the charging port, I thought whatever, no big deal as it was only noticeable upon close inspection.

Fast forward 4/5 months to today, the charging port had been acting up the past week, having to move around the cable to get it to start charging and eventually the lightning port just stopped working, the battery then died rendering the phone useless, could not even turn it on.

It was an iPhone 6s which I bought from Carphone Warehouse in Eyre Square shopping centre in Galway at the end of November last year on Bill Pay, and still under warranty from both them and Apple. They agreed that the lightning port was obviously not working and that it was still under warranty so they could send it away for me. However they said that due to this tiny crack on the bottom of the phone that they were '' 99% sure '' that the phones warranty was now void due to physical damage and that Apple would simply send it back to me and refuse to look at it. This was even though I was claiming under the warranty for a completely unrelated problem, being the charging port not working but because they would have to lift out the screen and doing so when the screen was cracked would break it so they would refuse to do so unless I paid them €120 to replace the front of the phone, even though none of my problem was to do with this crack, which was more of a nidge. They also told me that they have had phones sent back for much less than what was on mine.

This was also the Assistant manager and another employee which I was talking to, and the assistant manager even said that he didn't see a point in me sending away the phone and that I shouldn't bother because all that will happen will be that they'll send it back to me and that it was my fault because i didn't take out insurance. He also said ' well you shouldn't have broken the screen '. What did they not get IT WAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PROBLEM I HAVE. Nothing of this sort was ever said to me when i was signing up for the phone, which I paid €250 plus a €300 deposit for as well as €55 a month.

They basically expected me to take back my unuable phone still worth between €400-500 and just do nothing with it, throw it in a bin or something. Regardless I sent it away because I couldn't believe that something like this could be true, they've basically told me that my right to a warranty under consumer law has been withdrawn for something unrelated.

Has anybody else every had this problem? I'll certainly be ringing the NCA as well as putting in a case to the small claims court. Any other recommendations on what to do next?

dazedandlost

But to fix your problem would Apple need to remove the screen which is cracked? They would not be able to put back on a cracked screen so may they have a point that you would need to have the screen replaced first?

HelpMe16

Yes but the problem I'm claiming is nothing to do with this, its a broken charging port caused by their faulty part which is under warranty

dazedandlost

Have you called Apple directly?

HelpMe16

Not yet because i don't have a phone, I have to wait until i get home which will be at 7 but they're closed then

Gumbo

HelpMe16 wrote: »

Not yet because i don't have a phone, I have to wait until i get home which will be at 7 but they're closed then

Schedule a call with them. They will call you then.

FourFourRED

HelpMe16 wrote: »

Yes but the problem I'm claiming is nothing to do with this, its a broken charging port caused by their faulty part which is under warranty

Irrelevant. Your warranty doesn't cover accidental damage. Let's say your iPhone needs a whole unit replacement for the issue with your charging port? Do you expect a new phone damage free in return?

Bottom line is this: You still have the Apple one year warranty. Pay for the screen to be replaced if possible (prices on Apple website) by sending it away to them and the hardware issue will be repaired and you will either get the same unit back or a replacement one.

But your "I don't want the crack repaired just the other issue fixed" argument won't work. Once the damage is paid for, warranty remains and you can claim for the issue then.

You might not agree with it but that's the way it works.

wush06

Hey turn your phone upside down and clean out the port with a pin or the sim tool. This happen to me and the port was full of lint (dirt) phone was back to normal in a couple of seconds.

Sugar I see you don't have your phone but this link might help someone else out as have done for one or two mates.

https://youtu.be/3cpiH1unudM

theteal

Oh how I don't miss these scenarios. How do you know that the charging port fault wasn't caused by the drop, OP? Just because it didn't cease to work straight away does not mean it's unrelated. No company will honour a warranty when they see a device has actually been damaged, how can they stand over a repair if they don't do the whole job. Basically as soon as you caused physical damage to the device your warranty is null and void.

Now as everybody should know, warranties are meaningless in Ireland anyway but good luck trying to win a case in the SCC after you've admitted to dropping the phone and causing the crack.

Sleeper12

The warranty is offered on top of your rights under the sale of goods act. You have the option of going through the small claims court even after the 12 months warranty has expired. This is your legal right. However you'll never be able to prove that dropping the phone didn't cause the issues you have now.
Op I feel for you. It's an expensive phone but I'd have to side with Apple on this one. If they do repair the phone it'll be as a good will gesture and not because they have to

deadanonymau5

HelpMe16 wrote: »

A few months ago, I dropped my iPhone as all iPhone owners population do at some point. This caused a very small crack, and barely a crack on the bottom right corner of the front of the phone. Neither on the screen or close to the charging port, I thought whatever, no big deal as it was only noticeable upon close inspection.

Fast forward 4/5 months to today, the charging port had been acting up the past week, having to move around the cable to get it to start charging and eventually the lightning port just stopped working, the battery then died rendering the phone useless, could not even turn it on.

It was an iPhone 6s which I bought from Carphone Warehouse in Eyre Square shopping centre in Galway at the end of November last year on Bill Pay, and still under warranty from both them and Apple. They agreed that the lightning port was obviously not working and that it was still under warranty so they could send it away for me. However they said that due to this tiny crack on the bottom of the phone that they were '' 99% sure '' that the phones warranty was now void due to physical damage and that Apple would simply send it back to me and refuse to look at it. This was even though I was claiming under the warranty for a completely unrelated problem, being the charging port not working but because they would have to lift out the screen and doing so when the screen was cracked would break it so they would refuse to do so unless I paid them €120 to replace the front of the phone, even though none of my problem was to do with this crack, which was more of a nidge. They also told me that they have had phones sent back for much less than what was on mine.

This was also the Assistant manager and another employee which I was talking to, and the assistant manager even said that he didn't see a point in me sending away the phone and that I shouldn't bother because all that will happen will be that they'll send it back to me and that it was my fault because i didn't take out insurance. He also said ' well you shouldn't have broken the screen '. What did they not get IT WAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PROBLEM I HAVE. Nothing of this sort was ever said to me when i was signing up for the phone, which I paid €250 plus a €300 deposit for as well as €55 a month.

They basically expected me to take back my unuable phone still worth between €400-500 and just do nothing with it, throw it in a bin or something. Regardless I sent it away because I couldn't believe that something like this could be true, they've basically told me that my right to a warranty under consumer law has been withdrawn for something unrelated.

Has anybody else every had this problem? I'll certainly be ringing the NCA as well as putting in a case to the small claims court. Any other recommendations on what to do next?

I think it was you, who 'didn't get' it

Oops69

Sometimes life's a bitch , who knows you might win the lotto next week .

HelpMe16

It wasnt the drop that caused it, fair enough it might take a while for the problem to start but it was a good 5 months ago, it wouldnt take that long for the problem to be noticed, it was also a very minor drop, as I said the crack is tiny. I also get yer point but I'm not complaining about the crack, the charging port is broken, simple as and I know a couple of people whos charging port has also broken without any physical damage. Just so you all know also, i've seen on other forums screenshots from online chats with Apple agents who said even a scrape can void your warranty.

FourFourRED

HelpMe16 wrote: »

It wasnt the drop that caused it, fair enough it might take a while for the problem to start but it was a good 5 months ago, it wouldnt take that long for the problem to be noticed, it was also a very minor drop, as I said the crack is tiny. I also get yer point but I'm not complaining about the crack, the charging port is broken, simple as and I know a couple of people whos charging port has also broken without any physical damage. Just so you all know also, i've seen on other forums screenshots from online chats with Apple agents who said even a scrape can void your warranty.

You haven't voided your warranty. You do however have an issue that won't be covered by warranty unless you pay for the damage that's present.

If you don't want to pay for it, fine. Just don't expect someone to repair or replace your phone for free.

Examples of voiding your warranty:

Taking the iPhone to a third party repair shop and allowing them replace a component (i.e battery or display glass)

Damaging your phone by jailbreaking it.

whiterebel

HelpMe16 wrote: »

It wasnt the drop that caused it, fair enough it might take a while for the problem to start but it was a good 5 months ago, it wouldnt take that long for the problem to be noticed, it was also a very minor drop, as I said the crack is tiny. I also get yer point but I'm not complaining about the crack, the charging port is broken, simple as and I know a couple of people whos charging port has also broken without any physical damage. Just so you all know also, i've seen on other forums screenshots from online chats with Apple agents who said even a scrape can void your warranty.

For argument's sake, say moisture may have been seeping in through the crack since it was done. Apple repair the charging port, and it happens again and again because the crack is still there. They cannot guarantee anything else on the phone while there is obvious damage to it. From any other instances of this that I have seen, Samsung, HTC etc do exactly the same.

BreadnBuddha

HelpMe16 wrote: »

It wasnt the drop that caused it, fair enough it might take a while for the problem to start but it was a good 5 months ago, it wouldnt take that long for the problem to be noticed, it was also a very minor drop, as I said the crack is tiny. I also get yer point but I'm not complaining about the crack, the charging port is broken, simple as and I know a couple of people whos charging port has also broken without any physical damage. Just so you all know also, i've seen on other forums screenshots from online chats with Apple agents who said even a scrape can void your warranty.

The screen is cracked.

They have to remove the screen to replace the lightning port.

They're not going to do that without replacing the screen.

They'll repair the phone, but you'll have to pay for a new screen.

Whether the port has simply failed or was damaged is in every practical sense completely irrelevant.

You broke the screen and up until now you could ignore it and do without paying to have it replaced.

That time has passed. Now, you have to pay to have the damage you caused repaired.

It's not rocket science.

Nonoperational

You've no really choice. Dropped phone, youre lucky the warranty is intact at all. Pay for the screen.