Should this Samsung Galaxy Flip 3 be covered by warranty?

aaronaldo on 16/05/2022 - 16:27

The screen on my Samsung galaxy flip 3 has stopped functioning altogether in the last week, after owning it for just 6 months. It started as a black dot a week ago, then grew to full screen darkness by the end of the week.

https://imgur.com/mUf7b0o

Brought it in to get fixed under warranty and they rejected it stating the following dent on the hinge caused the screen damage, eventhough the dent was there months before.

https://imgur.com/aI1aFng

To me, the dent should be part of normal wear and tear, plus it is no where near the screen.

Would like to hear fellow Ozbargainer's thoughts on this?

Poll Options

  • 14
    Samsung should cover under warranty
  • 39
    Not covered as the back hinge is critical to screen function
Mobile Mobile Phone Samsung Android

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Comments

  • dust on 16/05/2022 - 16:31
    +2

    How did you get the dent?

    • Master Bates on 16/05/2022 - 16:42
      +14

      One too many drinks…

    • aaronaldo on 16/05/2022 - 16:47

      Dropped it while the phone was closed. Usual fumble, just unlucky it hit the hinge where the case did not cover

      • SF3 on 16/05/2022 - 17:02
        +6

        Dropped it while the phone was closed.

        /thread

        • aaronaldo on 16/05/2022 - 17:09
          +4

          Really? I would think phones should withstand the once-off drops even without the case, similar to laptop standards. Yes it will be dented and scratched up, but should still be functional (unless you drop it on the screen directly of course).

          My opinion of course and definitely one that can and will be argued, but I would go to the extent of /thread.

          • [Deactivated] on 16/05/2022 - 17:35
            +1

            @aaronaldo:

            Really? I would think phones should withstand the once-off drops even without the case

            not these phones. even with normal use, they eventually start wearing along the part of the screen that flexes every time you open and close it. have dropped my iphone and oneplus phone a lot and neither of them have any damage, mostly due to the fact that they don't have a delicate hinge and are always in cases. i even dropped the iphone directly onto the screen once, thankfully i had a tempered glass protector installed so that took the brunt of the impact (cracked) but the screen is completely fine.

            laptops will fare worse than phones as they are heavier and hit the ground harder

            try pushing it anyway, this should still be covered by warranty as that dent is tiny and shouldn't cause that much of a problem. samsung are known to do their best at avoiding responsibility for things, only surpassed by sony.

        • dust on 16/05/2022 - 17:31
          +1

          Don't think drops are covered as standard wear and tear.

  • brendanm on 16/05/2022 - 16:35
    +12

    That history….

    • aaronaldo on 16/05/2022 - 16:49

      Haha it's my wife's phone…. Does that make it better?

      Guess her profession

      • Muzeeb on 16/05/2022 - 17:09
        +2

        Untrained drug and alcohol counsellor?

        • aaronaldo on 16/05/2022 - 17:14
          +1

          Pretty close, just slight reorder of words: Counsellor untrained in drugs and alcohol area.

        • FLICKIT on 16/05/2022 - 17:16
          +5

          After the 40% BWS cashback the other day I thought the search history was quite reasonable ;)

  • mbck on 16/05/2022 - 16:38
    +2

    Not really up to any of us to decide…

    • aaronaldo on 16/05/2022 - 16:51

      Just after a general opinion, not a decision. Situation I'm in with Samsung at the moment is a "he said she said" case with the technician's visual assessment (phone was not opened to assess)

  • Brian McGee on 16/05/2022 - 16:45
    +1

    How did they prove the ding on the outside of the hinge caused the damage to the floating part of the screen?

    • aaronaldo on 16/05/2022 - 16:48

      Their expert technician said so…. Without opening the phone up though

      • Brian McGee on 16/05/2022 - 20:28

        Sounds like a true drip under pressure.
        It’s like saying there’s a scratch on you bumper and you’ve got a leaking radiator, is there proof the 2 are related or is it just a get out without the bother of diagnosis?
        Did they say you can pay $X.XX for tear down and inspection with a possibility of replacement? They can’t just brush you off.

        • aaronaldo on 17/05/2022 - 05:19

          One customer care rep said they have to fix everything that's damaged, including the dent, so it'll cost $570 (or something like that). I told him to escalate again so haven't gone down the path of options available.

  • SF3 on 16/05/2022 - 16:46

    To me, the dent should be part of normal wear and tear, plus it is no where near the screen.

    Comorbidities.

  • Drakesy on 16/05/2022 - 16:51
    +2

    Is it a design fault? Possibly.
    Was it caused by wear and tear? Possibly.

    Unfortunately it's a hinge/weak spot on the phone and i'd image all sorts of connections go through there. It's a tough one to argue as it'd go both ways.
    Yes it's a deficiency in the design, but also opening and closing the phone normally or even the dent/impact may have resulted in the damage.

    I'm personally still not convinced by these new flip phones and think they're a bit gimmicky.

    • aaronaldo on 16/05/2022 - 17:05
      +1

      Agree with you there. If their technician had opened the phone up and shown evidence of damage then I would concede it was my fault. It's being escalated right now so let's see.

      Use case wise, the phone is perfect for my wife as it can fit in her handbag plus (until this incident) I thought folding it up would prevent it from screen damages….

  • enzso on 16/05/2022 - 17:07

    The screens in these Flips are notoriously fragile. My wife's failed a second time after being replaced under warranty the first. Bloke at Vodafone said they get lots of returns. Samsung wouldn't fix this second fail under warranty as the phone "showed signs of distress internally", even though the screen fail happened while the phone was sitting in a car. My wife's phone is in perfect condition on the outside so who knows if this internal issue is real or not? I think you'll have trouble with a warranty claim with that dent.

    • aaronaldo on 16/05/2022 - 17:11
      +1

      Yeah, I'm suspecting so from researching online. A number of 'black spot' cases out there. Shame on their stance of repair. In fact, their whole customer service has been atrocious regardless of the latest outcome with warranty.

  • Gronk on 16/05/2022 - 17:07
    +3

    Dude, you dropped it…

    • aaronaldo on 16/05/2022 - 17:12
      +2

      Yeah, months before the screen issue. That said, maybe it is the cause, but they concluded without opening the phone to inspect? Does that mean all warranty is void once they find a random scratch on any phone?

      • FLICKIT on 16/05/2022 - 17:20
        +1

        It does seem a bit unfair from your side but it's not really that unreasonable they've made the assumption the issue was caused by that damage… Sucky situation…

      • Gronk on 16/05/2022 - 17:20
        +2

        Yeah, months before the screen issue.

        You might think that's an important detail, but it's not.

        Does that mean all warranty is void once they find a random scratch on any phone?

        A dent implies that there has been some sort of impact of significant force applied, so I think it's reasonable that unless the phone is marketed as being shock-proof or something along those lines that they don't honour the warranty. It's a bit the same with water damage, there's no such thing as minor water damage - it's either water damaged or it isn't.

        • aaronaldo on 16/05/2022 - 17:26
          +3

          fair point. Actually feeling a bit more reasonable of the situation after hearing your point (not being sarcastic).

        • [Deactivated] on 16/05/2022 - 17:38
          +4

          there's no such thing as minor water damage

          except those "water damage" indicators in macs which are activated by humidity

  • plmko on 16/05/2022 - 18:15
    +2

    Should've paid for Samsung Care.

  • AustriaBargain on 16/05/2022 - 19:16

    Looks like you have a very thirsty friend/family.

  • Savas on 16/05/2022 - 20:48
    +1

    NCAT Tribunal ? Flip 3 is an expensive phone and products are required by law to be durable.

    • aaronaldo on 17/05/2022 - 05:20

      Will look into it if need be. Thanks!

  • vince088 on 16/05/2022 - 21:00
    +1

    i dropped my fold 2 multiple times, still good :)

    • aaronaldo on 17/05/2022 - 05:21

      That's how I felt until it wasn't.

  • zombrex on 16/05/2022 - 21:32
    +2

    No evidence that the dent has anything to do with damage.
    They are playing hardball.
    Keep fighting and don't give up.

  • highon2str on 16/05/2022 - 23:48

    How much is it to get the phone repaired at your cost?

    • aaronaldo on 17/05/2022 - 05:22

      $570. I've escalated they they threw in a $150 discount for goodwill. In the process of being escalated again

      • highon2str on 17/05/2022 - 12:27

        Ouch that's almost half the price of the phone. 😕 Though I can see their argument towards the warranty claim. Be as it may (that the dent may not have caused the screen to fail), warranty claims across most brands do not cover damage caused by neglect or misuse. In this instance there is reasonable evidence to suggest that the impact sustained (from neglect) may have contributed to the failure of the screen.

        • solidussnake on 17/05/2022 - 19:43

          Or like $500-600 at Xmas time with the trade in bonus

  • garetz on 17/05/2022 - 01:37
    +1

    If a small ding like that can cause substantial problems of that nature then there is a design flaw. I would insist on warranty or threaten accc and follow through with it.

  • MissKitten1 on 17/05/2022 - 12:16

    No Samsung Care?

  • Ramrunner on 19/05/2022 - 15:42
    +1

    Showing my age here, but I'm still surprised how many people think carelessness should be covered under warranty. This shouldn't even be a post.

    "Dropped it while the phone was closed. Usual fumble, just unlucky it hit the hinge where the case did not cover"

    A fumble isn't usual. I've owned mobiles since the old analogue Nokia era way back in 1995. I've owned a lot of phones. I've had to repair exactly ZERO of them due to issues as a result of dropping them. I'm not perfect, a couple of times one's slipped off my lap or whatetever, but low heights, soft landing. With or without cover never replaced a screen once.

    Nor has my wife, nor my son.

    My daughter however, at least 3 times that I remember and she's only had a phone for 2 years. Yep. We didn't even try for warranty.

    Whether it's caused the screen issues or not is beside the point (I'd say one has nothing to do with the other in your defence), but unfortunately not looking after a product does give a vendor a valid excuse to not cover it under warranty.

    Otherwise if my back bumper fell off and I took my car back under warranty - it wouldn't matter the fact that I backed into a tree with it.

    Certainly if I sold you an IT product and something happened and it needed warranty, but to me it's clear it's been dropped or water spilled on it that MAY have something to do with the fault - I'm NOT going to honour the warranty either. Happy to do an insurance replacement quote but certainly no warranty.

    Step away and look at this from another perspective.

    • aaronaldo on 20/05/2022 - 11:22
      +1

      My point was more towards Samsung using the dent as the reasoning behind the screen warranty being invalid. If they did a proper assessment (e.g. Opening the phone and seeing direct evidence of the cause) instead of just concluding it was caused by the dent, then I agree the warranty should be voided. I understand that with these phones, it is hard to open them and inspect. However, that's a problem Samsung themselves created by their design.

      • Ramrunner on 21/05/2022 - 10:30

        Firslty thank you for your reply without taking my comments personally. Very refreshihng and certainly I didn't intend them as such.

        But again (and this is what I mean may be showing my age), it's a different mindset these days. Just a generation gap I guess.

        See, I wouldn't even try to return a phone treated like that for warranty. I've damaged it, and the drop may have caused internal damage. The dent could have been pressing on a video/data ribbon cable inside for the last two months, and with the movement of the hinge it's finally failed. I would kick myself for dropping it and wear the consequences. In fact that's super likely as we basically have two halves of a phone joined by a flexible mechanism. The botton half needs to talk to the top half. I bet the house there is indeed ribbon cable of some sort between the halves and looking closely at how small and intricate the gearing mechanism is I'd also bet is is very tight between the housing of the hinge and the mechanism. A dent could absolutely cause some "pressing" internally.

        But you seem to believe Samsung should still diagnose it, even though there's obvious physical damage caused by yourself.

        Download ANY of the 24 month warranty documents for Samsung phones and they will have a section covering exactly this. In the one I just downloaded it's section IV under warranty exclusions section D:

        D. This Warranty does not cover damage caused by:
        • misuse or abusive use of the Samsung product, including physical abuse;
        • incorrect operation or not following the operation instructions (as stated in the Product Operation Manual or manufacturer's instructions provided with the Samsung product), including using a water resistant Samsung product in a manner that is contrary to the relevant rating or certification;
        • improper installation;
        • incorrect or improper maintenance or failure to maintain the Samsung product;
        • failure to clean or improper cleaning of the product;

        In my eyes it's been physically abused (dropped). Pretty clear.

        Anyway good luck to you - feel free to keep fighting - but yeah I wouldn't bother given the state of the damage.

        Have a good weekend.

        • aaronaldo on 22/05/2022 - 16:32
          +1

          Based on your comment, it comes down to the definition of "abuse". I personally won't classify an accidental drop as abuse (it was a drop as opposed to throwing it onto the ground). I wouldn't classify it as general wear and tear either, which should still fall under warranty. As such, I would say it is between the 2, hence my attempt to negotiate for a warranty claim.

          I don't believe I'm that far off your generation and I can relate to your way of thinking. Things were built of stronger stuff back then though, plus most things could be opened easily and fixed without almost the cost of a new device, which is what was quoted to me here.

          Anyway, there's no clear answer here that either of us can convince the other. Nice to hear your perspective though.

  • bzart01 on 24/05/2022 - 14:17

    Omg I went to the samsung service centre at Olympic Park in Sydney today for my flip3. I have a dent similar to the one in your photo as well. Similar to you, the dent has been there for a couple of months.

    My issue however is different. My screen works perfectly fine. But my phone started turning off on its own. It now only turns on for 1 second after booting. UNLESS it's plugged in. It works perfectly fine when it's plugged in lol.

    Anyway the guy at the front inspected it and went to the back for a couple of minutes. He said since there's damage on the hinge, they need to repair the whole thing. He quoted me as if it was a screen issue which was $515…. and they wanted me to pay upfront????? They hadn't even inspected it properly at this point. They want to take my money based on assumptions?

    I had to get the issue escalated as I explained I don't understand how it's a screen issue if my screen works fine when plugged in. Surely it's something else. I now have to wait 3 to 7 days for a case manager to contact me.

    Sigh.

    • aaronaldo on 25/05/2022 - 13:44

      I feel you. It wasn't a pleasant process for me either. Good news is after a couple of escalation, I suddenly received an SMS saying my device has been fixed and ready for pick up. I called Samsung up and confirmed they've decided to fix it for free. When I picked it up, I was told the screen, hinge and battery were replaced, as the battery is somehow grouped together with the screen (I didn't question it, I got a new battery).

      Although it was a good outcome for me, still not a great process to go through. Can't help comparing to the service Apple provides. In the past, you could argue that you're paying a surcharge with Apple's pricing, but Samsung prices are not far off now with a large contrast in the customer service provided.

      • bzart01 on 25/05/2022 - 16:28

        Wow great outcome! I'm relieved for you :) It gives me hope for my case.

        I got a text from samsung today:

        Our technician has assessed your Samsung device and found it has been subject to physical damage, rather than a manufacturing fault.

        Samsung is unwilling to provide a free-of-charge remedy for physical damage, at this time.

        We can arrange to have the device repaired at your cost, or we can return the device unrepaired.
        Our Service Centre will call to arrange payment of $405.00 (discount of $110.00 has been deducted as a gesture of goodwill has already been applied) if you would like us to repair OR we can return the device unrepaired.

        So similar to you, they offered a discount upfront.

        I texted back asking if they could tell me what the actual issue was and what's being fixed. Not sure if I'm supposed to text back or call lol

        Do you mind me asking what you said when you escalated it a second time? Did you just text them as well?

      • Ramrunner on 26/05/2022 - 08:04

        So Apple DOES fix phones for free even if you damage or drop them?

        • aaronaldo on 26/05/2022 - 10:17

          From experience, they don't scrutinise small wear and tear like Samsung does.

  • saga123456789 on 22/01/2023 - 15:29

    @aaronaldo. Similar thing just happened to me. The hinge on my fold 2 wont open past 160 degree (phone is only 1.5 year old and under warranty). I sent the phone for a repair and they rejected it because they found a small chip on the hinge (that chip happened months and month ago).

    Not sure if I should fight it and how.

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