Galaxy S4 suffered water damage, but possible to save maybe.

[AC Question]

I just need reassurance so I am asking here for it, because it seems it may be savable.

Basically, I was using my GS4 at a friends house, and I lost grip and it fell in his hot tub. It wasn't in for more than ten second. I have the otterbox defender case on it without that screen thing, and when I pulled it out of the water it was on and still operating, but I didn't take chances. I took off the case, removed the battery, and being I wasn't home, I let it sit out in the weather for a bit. Wasn't hot out so no worries of heat damage.

About 4 hours later I tried turning it on. It turned on and went through all the normal stuff, but it started having issues so I turned it off. I got home and let it sit in rice for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, I put it together and turned it on. The phone itself was fine it seemed. Speakers played the sound, it did the little vibrate when it boots, and the LCD itself seemed to work fine. However, the screen seemed pretty water logged, and touch sensitivity was unresponsive. The only damage seemed to be on the more external screen, or touch screen I guess you would say, while the internal LCD seemed mostly fine, but I'm having my friend who can maybe repair it look at it.

I need this phone for a lot of reasons and I can't entirely afford a new one right now. So I guess I'm asking, with the state it seems to be in, does it look like it will survive with a touch screen replacement?

 

[Golfdriver97]

Welcome to the forums.
Water damage can be so tricky. Today the screen seems messed up, in a month from now, something else could go out.

Do you have insurance? What carrier are you on?

 

[Chaos Spectre]

I'm the original poster.

I have no insurance sadly. I just started a new job and was going to put money toward it, but a little late I guess.

I am on At&t. I really didn't care for the phone anyways because At&t locked its bootloader and I made the mistake a while ago of updating it and almost had it bricked, but nonetheless, I need a phone, so I'm looking for a sign of hope my phone can still work with that screen repaired.

 

[Golfdriver97]

I'm the original poster.

I have no insurance sadly. I just started a new job and was going to put money toward it, but a little late I guess.

I am on At&t. I really didn't care for the phone anyways because At&t locked its bootloader and I made the mistake a while ago of updating it and almost had it bricked, but nonetheless, I need a phone, so I'm looking for a sign of hope my phone can still work with that screen repaired.

You can try, but depending on how expensive the screen is and the replacement cost, you might be just as well off getting a Moto G for example, and just placing your SIM card in it.