So this happened to my iPhone...!!

[nick1024]

Was the battery still the original one? If so, call Apple and tell them what happened, even if out of warranty they might give you a replacement

Yup, batt was original. Will see what Apple say...

 

[darrylcn]

If in fact it still works and you're as happy as I am to get it working again iFixit's battery seems pretty much OEM level so far. I won't know until I get the phone back for sure, but it lost about 5% overnight after I installed it and charged it up. There's a guy called Le55ons on youtube with a great video guide (even says which screw goes where) if you want to do the battery yourself. I'm kind of curious to see what Apple says, please let us know if you can, for reference my battery was about 25$ to my door but I installed it myself. I ordered a digitizer from Amazon but I've since gotten tired of waiting for it to arrive and took the phone to a reputable store here. This time tomorrow I should have it back.

 

[Cergman]

Just got out my old iPhones and one of my 3GS's looked like this. Do you guys think it's safe to charge it, or should i take it to the apple store? It looks like the battery is pushing up on the screen.

 

[Charadis]

Just got out my old iPhones and one of my 3GS's looked like this. Do you guys think it's safe to charge it, or should i take it to the apple store? It looks like the battery is pushing up on the screen.

Yikes, I wouldn't turn that on. Does look like battery is pushing up. Looks kinda like my 5, except I can only see it when on and looking at an angle (boomerang shaped going long ways).

 

[HEK]

Same thing recently happened to my 3GS as well at my first iPhone 5 - Apple Store charged me the screen replacement cost and gave me a new 5. I had given the 3GS to my brother after he killed his Blackberry a couple of years ago and I finally got it back in November. Traded for a Russian Imperial Stout I love 😀. It had been powered off for a while (He had a 5S and now a 6S since) and when I charged it the battery drained 40% sitting overnight. I charged it the next day and the battery swelled. Fortunately (since I intend on keeping the phone now that I have it back) it didn't bend the logic board as much as the OP's, it instead pushed the plastic back away from the metal frame. I've since had the broken digitizer fixed (I replaced the battery with an iFixit one) and I'm picking it up from the shop tomorrow. I've got a 5 now and there's a 6S Plus under the tree but I'll still be glad to have the 3GS back since it was my first Smart/iPhone back in '09. I hesitate to say it's a sentimental thing, but I will be happy to have it back in my custody.

Does your phone still work Nick, assuming you were brave enough to test it?

Left it uncharged to long, low voltage caused dendrites to form shorting out cell when you charged it again. Happens to Li ion batteries when they go under voltage.

 

[HEK]

Just got out my old iPhones and one of my 3GS's looked like this. Do you guys think it's safe to charge it, or should i take it to the apple store? It looks like the battery is pushing up on the screen.

Whatever you do, don't pug in to power adapter to charge it. Take it in to Apple Store.

 

[von franklin]

About 8 years on a phone isn't bad.

 

[darrylcn]

Thanks for the info Hek. I guess that reason must be why Apple recommends periodic charging for stored devices? The iFixit battery I put in it seems solid, Will be interesting to see how it holds up.

 

[duction]

Steve Jobs said You were charging it wrong.

 

[HEK]

Thanks for the info Hek. I guess that reason must be why Apple recommends periodic charging for stored devices? The iFixit battery I put in it seems solid, Will be interesting to see how it holds up.

Yes exactly, also why zero percent is not really zero. Still has voltage well above the damaging point. Read all the details at battery university.