Galaxy S4 Unusable due to exploding battery and over heating

[emmamartin]

I have been a vodafone customer for 11 years and have always been happy with the service I have received, however I am having a dreadfull time getting anyone to deal with a huge issue I have with my S4. I am unable to visit a store as I am in south Africa on business so am reliant on the internet to deal with issues.Maybe someone on here can help me instead. My phone overheats even when it is just sitting in my handbag. I tried removing all my apps when this did not work i tried a factory reset which did not work.It then started to black out as soon as the battery reached 94% and would not charge fully. Then overnight the battery exploded forcing the screen out and bending the back of the phone off, I have been unable to use the phone for over 6 weeks. I have e-mailed vodafone on the 20/1,26/1,30/1 and I have received no reply.I have tried their 24/7 live chat and it always says theres nobody there try again later.My vodafone sim does not seem to work in a S.A handset so i have had to buy a payg phone.Can someone advise me on what I should do ...all I want is vodafone to supply me with a phone that works and refund me for the weeks I have not been able to use the phone.I have photos of the phone and battery but no where to e-mail them.I have no issues sending the phone back to the UK.

Emma Martin

[Martinrobo]

What and wait to see if the phone explodes??? And before any of you comment watch the watchdog episode where the nurses phone explodes and causes damage to her friends face.....So was no guarantee it would of cooled down and scary thing watching a battery explode....trying to work out who on this thread works for Vodafone or Samsung

[froggerty]

Well, I certainly don't work for or have any association with either other than using their products and even that is very limited. I can appreciate that you tried to save the phone by attempting to remove the battery but you knew that in doing so would be like trying to put out a firework that was already alight and easy to say with hindsight but you should of just let it go, the outcome would at worst left you in the exact position you are now with both the phone and the battery but at least you would have had some leverage in claiming from Samsung, the battery situation causing the damage to the phone, not by you dropping it. A bit late to shut the stable door after the horse has bolted, a hard lesson to learn but you'll just have to make the best of it I'm afraid.

Those on the Forum that work for Vodafone have their photo in a red background against their replies, you'll soon work out who's who.

[hrym]

TBH, if I was concerned that a device was going to explode or catch fire, I wouldn't want to be handling it.   I'd get it somewhere it couldn't cause any damage - a glass or ceramic bowl comes to mind - and leave it.   I'd have to say I think Samsung are being a bit strict with the interpretation of the warranty and it might be worth going back to them and explaining the circumstances in detail.   The overheating battery is likely to have caused damage anyway and the phone would probably have had to be replaced even if you hadn't dropped it.  Samsung seem to be working on the basis that all that would have been needed was a new battery, not a whole new device.  If the phone was so hot you couldn't touch it, I doubt that was the case.

I'd certainly take that line and see where you get, anyway.  If you don't, you could try going to BBC Watchdog or one of the newspaper problem pages.   If they take it up, the PR people would get involved and may give you a replacement for a quiet life.

[Ben_H]

Hi @Martinrobo ,

To confirm, you can see who works for Vodafone from their profile to the left and the signature underneath each post.

Ultimately, I'm afraid accidental damage (such as dropping the phone or getting it wet) voids your warranty. 

We have strict guidelines laid out by the manufacturer which we must follow when it comes to repairs. However, you're entitled to approach Samsung directly if you want to get a second opinion.

Many thanks,

Ben

[hrym]

We haven't heard back from the OP and I agree that a strict interpretation of the warranty would say that.  However, a battery that's too hot to touch is going to have pretty much fried the phone and I think a more liberal interpretation would be in order (that's just an opinion - to be clear, I don't work for either Vodafone or Samsung).  That would be a matter for Samsung themselves, though.

[froggerty]

In my opinion, Samsung knowing that these batteries have an issue,  should have put out a recall on them, in knowing that the battery could overheat, swell and potentially catch light and explode, any damage that has occured as a result of a faulty battery should be covered by Samsung. Terms and conditions are usually bias in the favour of any Company but may with more scrutiny be open to interpretation or contradicted under customer and user Law. It would be worth knowing if in these terms and conditions there is a section on 'concequential damage', damage caused to an item due to faulty parts or components of that item.