Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Slowly breaking iPhone 4 power/sleep button.

P

Paliv

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 19, 2011
4
0
So my power sleep button just all of the sudden felt stuck the other day. There is no click anymore and I have to press it on one side with a bit of force to get it to work. I enabled assistive touch so I basically only have to use it to turn on the phone if I need a hard reset, but that little dot on the screen and accidentally hitting it and bringing up the menu is really annoying. My concern is also that the button will stop working and, in the case that the phone dies/is turned off, I wont be able to turn it back on. My question is what, from other users experience, is that best place to get it checked out/replaced? There is only one Apple store in my city and it is a mob scene every weekend, but the carrier is (Verizon), who's employees are actually pretty cool about things most of the time. What would the MacRumors community recommend? Is it worth spending half my day dealing with an overcrowded Apple store? Or will both just make me take a dreaded refurbished phone?

Thanks for any suggestions in advance.
 
Your only choice is going through Apple. Also, refurbs are only "dreaded" if you're completely ignorant to Apple's quality standards. The refurb phones are fine and beat the heck out of having a broken phone.
 
abijnk said:
Your only choice is going through Apple. Also, refurbs are only "dreaded" if you're completely ignorant to Apple's quality standards. The refurb phones are fine and beat the heck out of having a broken phone.
Click to expand...


This ^

Make your appointment first thing in the morning if possible and you should get in and out relatively quickly.

To make sure you don't waste your time... backup your phone first... bring your laptop just in case (if applicable)... and check your purchase date and warranty status so you know what you may be in store for.
 
Thanks for the tips. Also, I am well aware of the quality control of apple, current issues not withstanding. Really, I just like to be the sole owner of something if I am paying the price of getting something new. More of an idiosyncracy than anything.
 
Paliv said:
Thanks for the tips. Also, I am well aware of the quality control of apple, current issues not withstanding. Really, I just like to be the sole owner of something if I am paying the price of getting something new. More of an idiosyncracy than anything.
Click to expand...

I've heard that Apple's QC for refurbs is much stricter than that of their brand new phones, FWIW
 
It seems there are so many people have issue with the sleep button. I myself have the some problem. My button still working electronically but I can't feel it move. A couple of my co-workers also have the same issue with their phones. I wished Apple would make better buttons. Anyway, I live in a pretty large city so there are so many iPhone repair shops. They quote me anywhere from $60-$80. I also found a place selling the button for $4.95 and provides a very details (with lots of pictures) instructions. The bad news is it's not easy to replace. The good news is my co-workers and myself have this problem for more than 6 months now but the button is still working electronically. I don't see a need to get mine replaced right away.
 
toiday said:
It seems there are so many people have issue with the sleep button. I myself have the some problem. My button still working electronically but I can't feel it move. A couple of my co-workers also have the same issue with their phones. I wished Apple would make better buttons. Anyway, I live in a pretty large city so there are so many iPhone repair shops. They quote me anywhere from $60-$80. I also found a place selling the button for $4.95 and provides a very details (with lots of pictures) instructions. The bad news is it's not easy to replace. The good news is my co-workers and myself have this problem for more than 6 months now but the button is still working electronically. I don't see a need to get mine replaced right away.
Click to expand...

Hi there! Got the same problem also! I just woke up yesterday having this problem. My iphone4 power button is no longer working! Got stuck up! Wasn't able to press it. I didn't dropped it or whatever!! Seems like lots of iPhone4 users are having some problems on their Power/Sleep button! Since my iPhone is already out of warranty, And I actually bought mine in the Philippines (Authorized Apple Dealers), I just don't know if Apple will still entertain me. . I called Wireless toyz last night if they are able to fix it, and they quoted me for like $50-85. Kinda expensive right?! Just for the button!! Now I'm thinking if I'll go to Apple Store or Have it repair at Wireless toyz... Sucks bigtime!!:mad:
 
Prettyoj said:
Hi there! Got the same problem also! I just woke up yesterday having this problem. My iphone4 power button is no longer working! Got stuck up! Wasn't able to press it. I didn't dropped it or whatever!! Seems like lots of iPhone4 users are having some problems on their Power/Sleep button! Since my iPhone is already out of warranty, And I actually bought mine in the Philippines (Authorized Apple Dealers), I just don't know if Apple will still entertain me. . I called Wireless toyz last night if they are able to fix it, and they quoted me for like $50-85. Kinda expensive right?! Just for the button!! Now I'm thinking if I'll go to Apple Store or Have it repair at Wireless toyz... Sucks bigtime!!:mad:
Click to expand...

This just happened to me. I just had it on my bed, checked my e-mail and then it just got stuck.

I went to the Apple store and the genius said that I was out of warranty. He said I could either buy the replacement for $149 or upgrade to a new phone. I passed on both. Not sure what to do now. :T
 
replaced button. still not working.

i JUST posted a post about this.

I bought the button, had my brother replace it.

It still doesnt work.

I have to turn my phone my phone on via itunes.

I am out of warranty. Apple is making me pay $150 for THEIR mechanical failure.

Can you say annoying?
 
I just fixed this...sorry no photos...iPhone was apart...

The fix was simple once I had all of the parts straight. Let me be clear; The parts needed to fix this are in your iPhone plus a dab of super glue. There are three parts that make up the button assembly.

1)The silver part you see from the outside of the phone (main button)
2)A silver disc that is glued to part #1
3)A very small clear plastic button (size of a pin head) this is glued to either #2 or the button itself.

Once you remove all of the parts #1 and #2 are easy. I happedned to find #3 had drifted itself along the ribbon cable for the power button. Since this part (#3) is made out of clear plastic it is very hard to see let alone find!!!!

Once located I put a small dab of super glue on #2 and set #3 in the center. Then reassembled. So far so good.
 
This just happened to me Saturday as well. My iphone is out of warranty and the genius bar told me that I would have to pay 150 for a replacement. I asked the guy why this happened and he told me that it just happens after a long time of use. REally?
 
Seems my trip this eve to genius bar maybe a waste of time, as I am out of warranty to now. Already had one replacement phone to for home button.

Why is it my 3g which i had for over 2 years use still has perfect buttons, but iphone 4 seems to lose them easily my wifes iphone 4 also had a bad home button to.

I shall be arguing the point I can not turn off screen so it gets activated to easily etc and its not good to dial wrong number accidently etc.

Mine barely works needing some serious force to turn off!:mad::mad:

Thanks

Lee.
 
how much does your local apple certified repair shop charge to replace the <power/sleep> button with a brand new one?
 
$50-$85 isn't bad. I usually charge about $50 in labor to change the iphone 4 screen since it takes a lot of time to take apart the phone. It takes just a little longer for the sleep button since everything has to be out of the shell of the phone before the screws can be touched. Mine has gone out recently as well.
 
$50 or below is reasonable for a good work. It is a common problem for ALL iphones!! Hope they no longer have the mechanical buttons for iPhone 5.
 
Apple store did not replace as out of warranty thought be the case. Would of been £130 or so to replace handset for refurb one.

Why do apple stores not do repairs? I know the sleep switch is hard to get at but expereinced techs could do it easily seems madness when switch is cheap part, i might even try it myself when feeling risky!!
 
iPhone 4 power button

my power button was stuck, and my phone is out of warranty, got a referral from and apple dealer to a mobility guy who is replacing the flex cable on the button... $50 repair
symptoms were unresponsive power button, seemed to be stuck in, no looseness, not water damaged, or dropped.
Hope this helps someone else!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back