S4 battery swelling

[JillianSimpson]

My S4 is getting hot and switching itself off regularly. I have checked the battery and it has swelled so much the cover won't stay on. What are my options as I fear it may have damaged the phone?

[drey_p]

Hi there

It sounds like a faulty battery.  Pop into your local Samsung Repair Centre and they should be able to help you out.  You can also try your local Vodafone Store

[hrym]

I go with drey_p's suggestion.  There was an issue with faulty batteries, though I thought most of this had shaken out by now.

Two other things, though:

1. You need to get onto this promptly as a swollen battery is a failing battery and there is a risk of damage to the phone.   If you have to buy a battery and argue for a refund, do that if it's quicker.  Expect to pay around £10 for a reasonably genuine one.

2. If you've allowed the battery to go flat, this will shorten its life.  Lithium-based batteries have no memory effect and are happiest if kept regularly topped up.  Just charge whenever you can and switch off it it gets below 10%.

[Acceber]

Hi, I upgraded to the Samsung Galaxy S4 with Vodafone in June this year.  In the last few days I have experienced exactly the same issue as you.

Handset turns itself off and will not turn on again until plugged into charger.  Phone then shows drained battery despite being at a high percentage charge moments ago.

Phone sometimes feels hotter than is normal and battery has clearly swelled as can be felt through the back of the phone.

When I looked on the internet faulty batteries being sent out with this phone model seems to have been a known issue since 2013 trials, however it appears it is still happening.

I called customer services who give stock reply of send it away for repair - at the customer's inconvenience despite only having the phone a few week and paying a small fortune every month for the next 24 months.

I will try purchasing a new battery and report back, however am concerned that long term damage may already have been caused to my handset at no fault of my own and really feel that a new handset and battery should be sent out to customers with this known issue.

Let me know how you get on resolving your issue...good luck.

[drey_p]

Hi there

Why on earth would a new phone be sent out just because the phone has a faulty battery.  If you take it to your nearest Samsung Repair Centre and they'll look it over and provide you with a replacement battery.

[hrym]

The faulty battery issue should be history by now and I'm surprised it's coming up again.  This is probably why you've been given the "repair" response - the "replace" one has fallen off the script, and it could still be a fault with the phone rather than the battery, though I'd go for the latter first.  It may also be that Samsung have removed their authorisation to the networks to deal with this without question.  Try going direct to them.  They may be aware of something that Vodafone aren't and may even send you a new battery straight away.

If that's the problem, there's no need for a replacement phone.  I assume you haven't been allowing the battery to go flat, though?

[Acceber]

Thanks hrym, for your reply.  I never let the battery go flat as regularly charge the phone, I had a Galaxy 3 for the last 2 years with no battery issues.

Since I last posted, I replaced the battery that came with the phone and this appears to have fixed the issue.  The reason I believe the phone should have been replaced is that I have had it for a matter of weeks and have no way of knowing if using a faulty battery during this time has done any long term harm to the phone, indeed the battery could be felt bulging through the phone cover.

Clearly some 'experts' believe not, however given that I am expected to keep the phone for another 24 months, receiving faulty goods does not fill a consumer with confidence in the product....battery or phone.

So, in summary, it appears the battery issue is still live and kicking, hope this helps anyone else experiencing similar issues.

[hrym]

As long as the integrity of the battery remaims intact, you'll be fine.  I have an ancient PDA (remember them?) that's had two new batteries, both when the swelling was so severe that I was having trouble getting it on its charging stand.   The back cover of the phone should be flexible enough to ride through what you've experienced.

It's odd that there's been a small rash of this cropping up again.  I can see three posibilities:

1) There's been another batch

2) Some have taken longer to manifest themselves

3) Some idiot put some of the faulty batteries back into stock

Anyway, I don't think you need to lose too much sleep - hpoe that helps.

[MatthewTheakston]

When i had this issue vodafone were kind enoguh to refund me for the battery costs. i guess you could speak to them first to see what they can do.

[hrym]

They were certainly doing that then, and I assume they'd had some kind of cost indemnity from Samsung.  I don't know if it still applies, but I'd shell out first and argue my corner later in these circumstances.