cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
1

Ask

2

Reply

3

Solution

Samsung Galaxy S4: Faulty micro USB port?

happypeach
3: Seeker
3: Seeker

Hi

 

I've had this phone for 6 weeks or so. At first, the charging cable fit really snugly into the micro usb port and I had no problems. However, it seems to have gotten looser and looser, starting just a couple of weeks after I got it. I didn't drop it or see anything happen, it's just gotten steadily worse. Now when I plug the phone into my computer, it constantly disconnects and reconnects if I just move the cable even slightly as it's not a snug fit anymore in the port on the phone. This causes Windows to say the device has malfunctioned and can't be recognised.

 

I can use someone else's charger for a different phone in a wall socket and that's more snug, but not 100%, and obviously I want to be able to plug it into my computer.

 

This seems to be a common fault looking around, but am I going to get billed for it if I send it back to Vodafone? I want to get it fixed before it breaks completely (as it's getting worse) but don't want to be slapped with some ridiculous fee for what seems to be an obvious manufacturing issue... or worse, to not be told how much it will cost to repair because it has to be "diagnosed" and then be told it's some crazy amount and then have to pay to have them send it back to me plus the diagnosis fee, like with my last lump of a HTC.. which had the same problem..  I bought Samsung to better my chances of it not happening again!

 

Please help!!  :catsad:

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Northern-dj
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member

Samsung will charge £40 and the labour is covered by the warrenty 

The S4 S3 and s2 did have a week USB socket 

The new s5 has the same New usb as the Note 3 

The reasoon is the week point 

My S3 uses cordless charging and i have a rubber cover in the usb socket 

My daughter has the usb charging issue and this was sent through CPW and it was covered under warrenty as they inspected the phone first 

It may be worth trying Samsung if there are no signs of damage on the outside 

If its a dry join on the board then that is a warrenty claim plus Samsung service centres will have a stock of these sockets two seven days for the repair 


View solution in original position

20 REPLIES 20

Ben_H
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)

Hi PeteSullivan,

 

We don't currently range any wireless charges directly but many retailers and phone manufacturers such as Samsung, Apple, Nokia and HTC will offer wireless charging pads with some of their models. :Smiling:

Cheers, Ben

I have had my S4 since late December 2013, and have noticed on occasions that the charger does not always fit into the micro USB port with ease. This morning I couldn't get the charger to fit into the port at all, so I tried plugging my charger into my husband's Galaxy, which worked fine.  I then opened a live chat on the Vodafone website, and the adviser asked me to try my husband's charger in my phone which I did, but it wouldn't plug in - it was therefore obvious that something was wrong with my phone's micro port.  I was therefore advised to go to my local Vodafone shop to buy a new charger, which I felt was pretty pointless after having had no success with plugging in two chargers already.  The only alternative was to take my S4 to the Vodafone shop so they could send it off for repair.  Firstly, I was pretty angry when the assistant asked me if I'd dropped it, which I hadn't!  However, the assistant, was generally helpful and when he examined the phone further, he noticed that the pin inside the port was bent. My phone will now be sent off for examination and repair, and I shall be without it for a week, but I'm wondering what the outcome will be. After reading about others with similar problems, It seems to me that the ports aren't designed to stand up to regular use.  Before having an S4 I had a sturdy HTC for three years and had no problems whatsoever with it.

drey_p
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member

Hi there

 

You have to treat the USB ports with quite a bit of respect, if you have applied a little bit too much pressure when inserting the charging cable you can bend the connectors.  That said, I had my S4 for over a year and never had an issue with the charging port, neither did my partner. 

 

I suspect the outcome will be that they will charge you for an out of warranty repair, but only time will tell.

PWIAC

Hello drey_p

 

I'm puzzled.  Why out of warranty?  I've only had the phone for 9 months.  Vodafone's terms state that all devices come with a standard 24-month warranty.

VegeCai
1: Seeker

Why don't you try to replace a new usb port by yourself? It is not a hard task and costs less.

hrym
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

Be aware that you will void your warranty if you open the case yourself.  I wouldn't even think of trying this unless I felt supremely confident, or I had a old device I didn't mind (potentially) destroying.

Northern-dj
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member

Samsung will charge £40 and the labour is covered by the warrenty 

The S4 S3 and s2 did have a week USB socket 

The new s5 has the same New usb as the Note 3 

The reasoon is the week point 

My S3 uses cordless charging and i have a rubber cover in the usb socket 

My daughter has the usb charging issue and this was sent through CPW and it was covered under warrenty as they inspected the phone first 

It may be worth trying Samsung if there are no signs of damage on the outside 

If its a dry join on the board then that is a warrenty claim plus Samsung service centres will have a stock of these sockets two seven days for the repair 


thesoupdragon
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

Hi Sue99

Accidental user damage is not covered by Warranty.
I suspect the repair centre will see a bent pin as user damage.
A charger socket should cost approx £20 - £30
[Edit]

The cost could be closer to £40 apparently?
TSD

Accidental damage is such a good get out clause!  I feel pretty depressed considering my phone was in pristine condition; and it is without doubt that the robustness of products needs to be fully tested.  Furthermore, I worked for Vodafone for six years from its inception in 1985, when only five cell sites existed St Katherine's Dock.  Phones were the size of breeze blocks in those days, and customer service prevailed!  Being a teacher of IT and Business Studies now, who advocates the use of Smartphones as learning tools, it is doubtful I'd recomending Samsung or Vodafone to my students and peers, which is such a pity as Vodafone always had the advantage over Cellnet, now O2 when it came to customer service! Today's service is mercenary!

thesoupdragon
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion
The policy is nothing to do with Vodafone. Samsung lay down the parameters of their Warranties, Vodafone as a repair agent simply abides by those conditions.

Wait and see what happens, if it comes back repaired... Great!
If not, at least you have been forewarned of possible out of pocket expense.

TSD