Google Pixel 4 XL with Water Damage, Not Covered under Warranty

never waz on 16/02/2021 - 20:05
Last edited 16/02/2021 - 21:35 by 1 other user

My missus got a Pixel 4XL in May 2020. It has been in a case ever since.

In January we were away camping. The missus had the phone on her when she was in the lake for a bit. Later the phone had a display message re the phone being too hot and needing to turn itself off to cool. When the phone was cooler it no longer turned on. When she took the phone out of the case to check it out, she discovered the back had slightly separated. Some googling suggested it is a known fault (or at least a common issue). She took the phone back to JB Hi-Fi who sent it off, noting on the report the phone had no signs of damage.

The repair company have refused to fix it under warranty, stating it has liquid damage. The letter states "the device will need to be amended to an out of warranty claim as any liquid damage overrides faults which are classified as in the warranty" Now the phone was supposed to be water resistant, so the only way water damage could occur is probably through the separated back. It makes no sense and JB Hi-Fi have stated they can't do anything else.

Any suggestions, as it seems a ridiculous situation?

Mobile Google Mobile Phone Android

Comments

  • Strahany on 16/02/2021 - 20:09
    +2

    Might be worth double checking the T’s&C’s around their water resistance claims re: warranty. Most tech companies don’t back their IP ratings with warranties against water damage. The way they claim to see it, any liquid exposure is a risk taken by the end user; the water resistance is designed to protect against damage, not expand its use cases into marine ventures (although the bastards will imply otherwise in their ads).

    • apsilon on 16/02/2021 - 20:15

      Quick google shows it has an IP68 rating so it's only rated for being hosed basically, not immersed. I'd say having it in a lake you risk damage even without the case separating. Sorry to say but the phone does seem to have been damaged through the way it was used.

      • brendanm on 16/02/2021 - 20:25
        +3

        Quick google shows it has an IP68 rating so it's only rated for being hosed basically, not immersed

        1.5m deep for 30 minutes immersed.

        • never waz on 16/02/2021 - 20:28

          She only had it in the water whilst swimming to a bouncy pillow thing and then back t the shore again. About 10 minutes overall at less than 1 metre depth.

          • brendanm on 16/02/2021 - 20:30
            +2

            @never waz: Yeah so technically should be ok. If the phone isn't actually capable of ip68, they shouldn't advertise it as such.

          • reactor-au on 17/02/2021 - 08:12

            @never waz: Apparently those ratings are in still water (lab tests), swimming and moving it around under water is not tested and a different story.

        • apsilon on 16/02/2021 - 20:40

          Oh yeah, I was remembering the numbers backwards, I always do that so I should know better.

    • never waz on 16/02/2021 - 20:32

      But the most likely way liquid got in would be through the seperated back, which appears to be a known issue.

      • brendanm on 16/02/2021 - 20:39
        +5

        If this is the case, this should have been noticed before going in the water I suppose.

  • holdenmg on 16/02/2021 - 20:10

    Was the phone always charged with the charger it came with?

    Was the Pixel in the Case while being charged?

    Sounds like the separation was a hot battery/overheating fault.

    • never waz on 16/02/2021 - 20:31
      +1

      Yes to both questions. It seems to be an issue with them. Obviously the seperated back is where the liquid would have got in to damage the internals.

      • holdenmg on 16/02/2021 - 20:35

        I have had phones get warmish charging in the case.

  • WreckTangle on 16/02/2021 - 20:18
    +1

    Water resistant ≠ water proof

    • foxmulder on 16/02/2021 - 22:32

      This.

    • TilacVIP on 17/02/2021 - 08:30

      I wouldn't trust either claim. Basically keep it away from water/liquid as best you can.

    • dust on 17/02/2021 - 09:03
      +1

      Check the IPX rating. There are different levels of water resistance/proof.

  • zombrex on 16/02/2021 - 20:42
    +3

    You should fight them harder. Quote ACCC, threaten consumer affairs and so on. Keep emailing them and emphasise it was a manufacturing fault regardless of what they say. The reason water got in was clearly because the back separated which is obviously a fault.

    • TilacVIP on 17/02/2021 - 08:32

      It would be hard to prove the back separated due to faulty construction. On top of that, there is water damage.

      Yeah sure, fight it if you have nothing to lose but time, but the chance of the OP winning here a slim.

  • mbck on 16/02/2021 - 20:43
    +3

    Never ever use the phone near water (especially sea water/swimming pool).

    The ip rating is there as last resort protection, if you did drop it, then there's a chance the phone is still OK. It does not mean you should go swimming with it.

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 17/02/2021 - 15:50

      And if near a pool/salt water, splash it, and the ports with tap water, then use a hair dryer (not to close, or air duster to dry it. Don't plug a charger in for at least 12 hours.

  • Randxyz123 on 16/02/2021 - 20:48

    As others have said most tech companies don’t cover water damage under warranty. Apple for example doesn’t. Their phones are waterproof yes but doesn’t mean it is capable of being immersed in water. It means if you drop your phone in the pool, unlike 10 years ago it won’t be dead.

    With the split back, that is how water got in and you’re going to have to somehow convince google to fix it. Since it wasn’t sealed and not waterproof, you’ll be facing a uphill battle.

    Maybe contact google directly and see how you go.

  • holdenmg on 16/02/2021 - 20:50
    +1

    Try: Get help with your Pixel phone
    https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/7109524

    • BlueGlass on 17/02/2021 - 23:00

      This - definitely.

      I had a 'water damaged' phone that Vodafone refused to touch. This was rubbish, because the phone is rate at IP68.

      After chatting to support for a while Google support agreed to receive the phone for replacement under warranty and ship out a replacement.

      OP, time to tell Google a compelling story about your wifes phone.

  • burningrage on 16/02/2021 - 21:05
    +1

    Did you buy using Credit Card? Maybe you can claim it that way.

  • bweiss on 17/02/2021 - 10:22
    +1

    That definitely does seem quite rubbish. Then entire purpose behind the IPxx ratings is to determine 'how' ingress protected a device is. So if it has an IP68 rating, I would also be expecting that it could survive a short time submerged in water.

    If it can only handle being splashed with water, then this is NOT IP67.. this is IP64.

    The challenge is of course that Google have some manufacturer advice that should have been followed. If you didn't follow this advice it will be a little trickier.
    https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/7533279?hl=en

    You probably want to file a case with ACCC, it might help grease the wheels a little.

  • srhardy on 17/02/2021 - 16:34

    Either way, good luck

  • brighto on 24/02/2021 - 22:29

    I have had my Google pixel 2xl replaced with Google before, best experience ever. Have you tried reaching out to Google store online?

    Here's my case:

    I bought the 2xl from JB hifi and somehow the water got into the device why I was playing with the snow.
    The problem I found was that the phone wasn't charged properly so I tried to get the new phone from JB hifi as I thought it was under a warranty (1 out of 2 years of warranty left). They said that the phone has water damage so I needed to pay ~$50 for a checking fee or a few hundred bucks for it to be repaired.

    I reached out to Google and they said the phone should have IP68 rating and they wanted to send me a new phone although I told them the device was checked by JB hifi and had a water damage. So I ended up paying $50 to JB hifi to get a phone back and post the phone to Google in exchange for a new device (with sealed box and new accessories).

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