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

Apple charging me out of warranty fee for this - harsh?

B

bobbytallant

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 6, 2010
382
40
A completely selfish thread my apologies!

Am I wrong for feeling slightly miffed about being quoted to pay £177.27 + 20% VAT for my faulty (less than 1 year old) iPhone being repaired/replaced (the original fault being that it had a faulty signal, dropping calls constantly, after all troubleshooting steps) - due to 1 of the pins in the iPhone lightning connector being bent (which I was of course unaware of)?

Apple said this means my iPhone 5 isn't covered under the 1 year warranty - this out of warranty figure (£177.27 + 20% VAT) is the same they would for a cracked screen etc.

I am disappointed as this firstly was definitely not foreseen by me, I have simply used it regularly, with the official Apple USB cable. It is not like I have dropped the phone accidentally, or caused some damage by my own fault etc. And secondly the broken pin is independent of the actual fault/issue I have sent the iPhone in for.

Would you feel the same as me if you were in my shoes?

Or am I being unreasonable? Again just curious, thanks.
 

Attachments

  • iphone.png
    iphone.png
    452.3 KB · Views: 7,495
If it's out of warranty it's out of warranty. Now I'm sure they are sometimes nice and make out of warranty repairs and replacements, but they are not obligated to do that.
 
Sounds like this happened within the 1 year warranty but Apple is saying the issue is HIS fault and therefore not covered. Am I correct here? If this is the case I too would be annoyed if I knew I was only using approved Lightening connectors.
 
Try a different Apple Store and see if they help you?

Each employee has a lot of leeway as to whether they'll cover a repair under warranty or not. I suspect the one you visited is an arsehole and/or was having a bad day.

What kind of idiot blames the customer for something like that??
 
Thanks for the replies. To clarify yes it is again less than 1 year old (still under the 1 year hardware warranty Apple offer), however they are saying due to the bent pin (as pictured) this means the phone would not be covered under the warranty.

Yes again I have only used the normal bundled Apple USB lightning cable like I'm sure most people do.

I used their mail-in service btw, not in-store
 
bobbytallant said:
Thanks for the replies. To clarify yes it is again less than 1 year old...
Click to expand...

I'm sorry. I interpreted your first post to say that this phone was a warranty replacement for an earlier phone which was purchased more than one year ago. Under those circumstances you would be beyond your warranty, since you don't get a new year with each replacement.

However, given that I was wrong and you are still in warranty, then I think they should give you a new phone, as the this would be exactly the type of damage I would expect from a manufacturing defect.
 
I'm having a hard time figuring out what is going on in that picture. The green material near the bent pin looks like corrosion to me. Has the phone been submerged in liquid or exposed to moisture at all?
 
T5BRICK said:
I'm having a hard time figuring out what is going on in that picture. The green material near the bent pin looks like corrosion to me. Has the phone been submerged in liquid or exposed to moisture at all?
Click to expand...

Nope no water damage or anything like that - when I rang them they simply said it was because one of the pins (as circled) is bent.

----------
chabig said:
If it's out of warranty it's out of warranty. Now I'm sure they are sometimes nice and make out of warranty repairs and replacements, but they are not obligated to do that.
Click to expand...

Companies are not legally obligated to provide warranties, point taken - however I personally think the warranty that companies often choose to offer, like Apple do, is part of their package/product to customers. It is part of how they justify their prices.

It has certainly contributed to how Apple have justified getting my money over the years - the idea that their products are backed up by a goodwill warranty.

I think most people would be annoyed in my shoes but hey who knows.
 
bobbytallant said:
Nope no water damage or anything like that - when I rang them they simply said it was because one of the pins (as circled) is bent.
Click to expand...

Why is the inside of the port all green and brown? :confused: Looks like mold.

Either way, if they're saying it's the bent pin, I think that's not good..if at all possible, I'd definitely try taking it in to a store instead.
 
bobbytallant said:
Nope no water damage or anything like that - when I rang them they simply said it was because one of the pins (as circled) is bent.

----------



Companies are not legally obligated to provide warranties, point taken - however I personally think the warranty that companies often choose to offer, like Apple do, is part of their package/product to customers. It is part of how they justify their prices.

It has certainly contributed to how Apple have justified getting my money over the years - the idea that their products are backed up by a good-will warranty.

I think most people would be annoyed in my shoes but hey who knows.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you dealt with a low level bureaucrat who based their decision on a technicality without considering the circumstances. If you haven't already, I'd call back and try to escalate this to a level where you can speak with someone who has the ability to make an exception.
 
Tyler23 said:
Why is the inside of the port all green and brown? :confused: Looks like mold.

Either way, if they're saying it's the bent pin, I think that's not good..if at all possible, I'd definitely try taking it in to a store instead.
Click to expand...

Seriously, is that a phone? It looks like the inside of a wet dirty bong.
 
Tyler23 said:
Why is the inside of the port all green and brown? :confused: Looks like mold.

Either way, if they're saying it's the bent pin, I think that's not good..if at all possible, I'd definitely try taking it in to a store instead.
Click to expand...

Its an ultra zoomed in pic - just dirt I imagine. Like I say 'a bent pin' was the reason I got. I am hoping to call back tomorrow (UK time here) to see if I can speak to somebody senior and (politely) ask their opinion on the matter.

----------
bobright said:
Seriously, is that a phone? It looks like the inside of a wet dirty bong.
Click to expand...

Its actually my iBong yes
 
bobbytallant said:
Nope no water damage or anything like that - when I rang them they simply said it was because one of the pins (as circled) is bent.
Click to expand...

I can see the bent pin. I just thought the coloring of whatever is in the lightning connector port was strange. I work in electronics manufacturing and the color of that debris is very similar to corroded copper.
 
What on earth were you trying to put in there that caused the pin to bend, I think before anyone else gives their opinion on this thread, please do really have a look at your lightning connector ports and tell me how is it possible to damage the inside unless one was poking things in there....Impossible to damage it with the apple lightning cord.


OP --- It appears that apple is accusing you of Physical damage and that is certainly not covered under Apple 1 Year warranty regardless of how you put it.

What I can recommend is try and visit a different apple store and see if they are willing to help you, however your previous history speaks more than anything else to apple [not to us]. Depending on what reasons you have actually given to apple in the past [not to us] regarding the device or devices on your account/under your name / previous replacements you got for the first purchased iPhone 5 etc, at the end of the day may play a roll in you getting a replacement. After all Apple does counter fraud/misuse of its warranty services etc [when I mean misuse/fraud I mean when people take in blacklisted devices for reasons and then get them replaced to resell].
 
Since you already sent it in for repair, there's already a record in Apple's database. Visiting an Apple store may result in the same OOW option. Your suggestion of talking to a supervisor may be the best path.
 
We're not getting the full story here. That is, most definitely, a liquid damaged lightning port.

If that's gotten wet, it's probably not the only part of the phone that's had a bath, hence why it's OOW.
 
Looking at the state of that port I'm not surprised they want to charge you.
 
OP.... just call the support line and ask for Customer Relations.

Take it from there.
 
bobbytallant said:
It is not like I have dropped the phone accidentally, or caused some damage by my own fault etc. And secondly the broken pin is independent of the actual fault/issue I have sent the iPhone in for.
Click to expand...

The damage was caused by you unless you think the port looked like that straight out of the box when you purchased it.

Physical/liquid damage voids any warranty regardless of the reason the phone was submitted for.
 
As has been said, try and take it yourself. I always avoid shipping something in, if I can avoid it. You aren;t there, in the guy's face when he tells you problems X, Y, and Z aren't covered. For all you know the tech could have done the damage and was covering his butt. Not saying that happened, but anything can go with mail-in.

If you do try and take it in, let us know how it goes.
 
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