Unlocking Bootloader means Warranty Completely GONE

**kychan060** · 09-12-2012, 09:00 AM

Original story here

HI, My HOX was shipped with yellow tint on the left top corner. I unlocked the bootloader at the 1st day I received the phone. After abt 2 month the tint wont go away and I asked HTC for repair. 1 day later they phoned me and claimed that since I unlocked the bootloader, and the repair would 'require a change of motherboard' thus I would have to pay $300 for that. I insisted that the problem was obviously a hardware defect but not caused by custom software. Few hours later they phoned again and claimed the repair could be done 'without touching the motherboard' and thus no fees required. And the 'repaired screen' actually suffered from flickering problem for high-medium brightness, obvious while displaying grey color, although that could be fixed with using recent stock/some other chosen kernel.

And some days ago I was back from trip and when I turned off the airplane mode, the SIM card could not be detected. This time I go again to HTC for the SIM and screen flickering problem, and few hours ago they gave me the same statement like last time, while this time it's 'the repair must require a change of motherboard and thus the fee etc etc etc' and I replied like last time. This time I wonder what s gonna happen : /. This time I am not confident that they would go easy and change another set of screen and board for me.

@f4flake
When you said someone reassured you after the 1st conversation that the warranty state would not be touched due to unlocked bootloader/ custom ROM, was it HTC 's ppl or the provider's ppl ?

Regards,
Kenneth

Update: HTC just called back and refused repairing the phone without charging me 'as they cannot be sure if the unlocked bootloader caused the sim detection error'. I think may be I need to summit a complant to the consumer council.

They claimed that unlocking the bootloader means "giving up all parts of warranty". (And yet they promise that the screen part could be fixed without charge again, quite contradict I think..) I find myself cannot accept this and think that they actually are trying to use their 'internal policy' to override my right. If anyone knows how to deal with them please lend me some help. I am not a lawyer and wish to know what am I to do. I purchased the phone via handtec and the phone was shipped to Hong Kong. If I cannot get them fix my phone freely, at least I wish to let everyone know how they treat their customers who purchased their fragship smartphone at the 1st day being available.

Regards,
Kenneth

**creccaj1** · 09-12-2012, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by kychan060

Original story here

They claimed that unlocking the bootloader means "giving up all parts of warranty". (And yet they promise that the screen part could be fixed without charge again, quite contradict I think..) I find myself cannot accept this and think that they actually are trying to use their 'internal policy' to override my right. If anyone knows how to deal with them please lend me some help. I am not a lawyer and wish to know what am I to do. I purchased the phone via handtec and the phone was shipped to Hong Kong. If I cannot get them fix my phone freely, at least I wish to let everyone know how they treat their customers who purchased their fragship smartphone at the 1st day being available.

Regards,
Kenneth

To my knowledge, any phone manufacturer or cell provider will basically clean their hands with your warranty as soon as you unlock the bootloader. Any time that you unlock the bootloader you basically are assuming all risks of your device and should do your absolute best to avoid letting the companies behind your phone find out that you did unlock the bootloader. Unfortunately that is just the way the world works, if they covered everything that happened after a bootloader would be unlocked they would be expensing insane amounts of repairs for people who screwed up their phone for not knowing what they are doing.

I don't have ATT, but I have used HTC devices in the past so I am not 100% sure on their policies but I am pretty sure its an industry standard that if you unlock your bootloader you are on your own. I agree with you that its a little BS that they are treating you like that, especially for a problem that couldn't be cause by unlocking a bootloader.

My question... would you be able to relock the bootloader and then try again under a different case file?

**kychan060** · 09-12-2012, 09:56 AM

I think they have record of my phone being unlocked b4 and then they can continue with this BS?

**creccaj1** · 09-12-2012, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by kychan060

I think they have record of my phone being unlocked b4 and then they can continue with this BS?

Yea they probably marked your account or if its HTC probably marked your serial number. Honestly what I would do is get on the phone with them and be very nice and considerate to them. If you get angry they will be less likely to help you out and they will get defensive. Explain the problem and tell them that this is a hardware problem, not a software problem so therefore the bootloader should have nothing to do with the screen (unless you did install something that would have tinkered with the GPU settings). I have noticed a trend that when you get mad with the tech support, they won't help you and dismiss your problems quicker. If you are nice to them and treat them with respect, they may help you out.

Did you notice the color problems before you unlocked the bootloader or notice it after? Since you unlocked it on the first day, there is a chance that it was there and you just didn't pay attention to it.

**kychan060** · 09-12-2012, 10:34 AM

The problem was there and I noticed it b4 unlocking the bootloader, they did repair the screen for free for the first time. But this time when it concerns the motherboard they wont do it 'bcuz I touched the bootloader', be it caused by my action or not.

**creccaj1** · 09-12-2012, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by kychan060

The problem was there and I noticed it b4 unlocking the bootloader, they did repair the screen for free for the first time. But this time when it concerns the motherboard they wont do it 'bcuz I touched the bootloader', be it caused by my action or not.

Ah I see, still that doesn't make a whole lot of sense but I get from HTC's standpoint its justifiable.

**dmcincubus** · 09-12-2012, 06:54 PM

You can't fault htc for this.

Ry · 09-12-2012, 07:53 PM

I'll probably get called a fanboy for saying that HTC probably is justified in canceling your warranty because you unlocked the boot loader but-

What terms do you agree to when using their bootloader unlocking tools?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

**Kevin O'Quinn** · 09-12-2012, 10:16 PM

I'm pretty sure they have to state that your warranty is void. The act of unlocking your bootloader makes your warranty "voidable" but not "voided". They must specifically state that they are voiding your warranty. At that point I'm pretty all parts of the warranty no longer apply to you (unlike with cars, where you can have specific parts of the warranty voided and not others).

I would ask them to send you something in writing stating that your warranty is void. Otherwise they need to fix your phone.

All of that is my understanding, and I'm not a lawyer, but I've done a lot of reading.

**kychan060** · 09-13-2012, 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by Ry

I'll probably get called a fanboy for saying that HTC probably is justified in canceling your warranty because you unlocked the boot loader but-

What terms do you agree to when using their bootloader unlocking tools?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

I agreed that I MAY void part or all of the warranty by unlocking. Something like overclocking that was caused by my action is obvious enough for them to claim my warranty voided. But what I flashed on my phone, which was open source where they can trace and then prove that no part of what I ve done to my phone could possibly caused the claimed defect. And at the 1st time I sent my phone to them abt screen defect, their 1st response was that 'repair require change of board and since bootloader unlocked thus $$', after some argument they changed the attitude and say 'repair could be done without touching the board and no $$'. Now with the sim detection defect they re doing the same trick again. Which makes the logic like this "If u touched the bootloader via the official way, be it a problem of screen/ sim/ storage/performance, the repair solution would be change of board and SINCE you agreed that you MAY void the warranty and now it s not covered and $$ plz".

I care about wt s gonna happen to my phone. And it is also important to let all people who are about to flash custom roms (or even purchasing a product from HTC?) read and consider carefully this: how HTC would stand against them in case of late-found issues. And I doubt that warranty claim in the 1st place, the case's just like that would my warranty become voided if I get SU state on my labtop?

**kychan060** · 09-13-2012, 12:58 AM

@Kevin O'Quinn

And I doubt that even if they stated that, would it be valid (if they cannot prove I caused the defect). Where in fact what I flashed to my phone is open source and can actually be proven that could not possibly causing the claimed defect -_-

Ry · 09-13-2012, 01:01 AM

Originally Posted by kychan060

I agreed that I MAY void part or all of the warranty by unlocking. Something like overclocking that was caused by my action is obvious enough for them to claim my warranty voided. But what I flashed on my phone, which was open source where they can trace and then prove that no part of what I ve done to my phone could possibly caused the claimed defect. And at the 1st time I sent my phone to them abt screen defect, their 1st response was that 'repair require change of board and since bootloader unlocked thus $$', after some argument they changed the attitude and say 'repair could be done without touching the board and no $$'. Now with the sim detection defect they re doing the same trick again. Which makes the logic like this "If u touched the bootloader via the official way, be it a problem of screen/ sim/ storage/performance, the repair solution would be change of board and SINCE you agreed that you MAY void the warranty and now it s not covered and $$ plz".

I care about wt s gonna happen to my phone. And it is also important to let all people who are about to flash custom roms (or even purchasing a product from HTC?) read and consider carefully this: how HTC would stand against them in case of late-found issues. And I doubt that warranty claim in the 1st place, the case's just like that would my warranty become voided if I get SU state on my labtop?

Did you unlock your boot loader through HTC's official channels and if so what terms did you accept and agree to during the process?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

**Kevin O'Quinn** · 09-13-2012, 01:10 PM

If it's an AT&T One X it can't be officially unlocked. Just by unlocking it at all you're risking your warranty.

Sent from my HTC One XL using Android Central Forums

**moosc** · 09-13-2012, 08:30 PM

That's why u never use the manufacture unlock tool. When u do your phone is marked. Price you pay for freedom

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Xparent Cyan Tapatalk 2

Ry · 09-13-2012, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by moosc

That's why u never use the manufacture unlock tool. When u do your phone is marked. Price you pay for freedom

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Xparent Cyan Tapatalk 2

If you didn't use the manufacturer unlock tool, it would also be a good idea to undo whatever you did and relock the boot loader if possible before shipping it back for an unrelated warranty repair.

Just saying.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

**randyw** · 09-13-2012, 10:21 PM

OEM's make Bootloaders unlockable for just this reason. So they can deny warranty coverage. Always return your phone to Factory condition before seeking Warranty service.

**sitlet** · 09-13-2012, 10:56 PM

**kychan060** · 09-14-2012, 12:04 AM

To update, I ve managed to make the SIM working again. It s hard to believe that the other well know defect, other than the yellow tint, screen flickering, and now the SIM tray design, showed its symptoms 5 months after purchase and usage. When I used a flash light to peek into the metal detecting the SIM, I see mine were much more flattened than my gf's one. And then by sticking certain small and thin paper on the back of the SIM the phone managed to detect that again.

Now that I wonder how much different is the law between UK and HK. I dun believe that they can do this simply by saying I agreed to that MAY and PART statement and then they have no responsibility.

**mule0331** · 09-14-2012, 01:41 AM

Im quite sure you have read plenty of threads on various sites warning you about this very thing. I'm not here to take sides on the should you or shouldn't you unlock the bootloader, but your really asking this? How many warnings have we all read about unlocking the phone and voiding warranties? When I see people whining about not being able to unlock, it always includes something to the effect of "I understand it voids the warranty, but thats a risk I want to take". Stop crying, its a risk you knew about.

**blah121212** · 09-14-2012, 01:50 AM

Did you mean LAPTOP, one of those computers that you often use while its sitting on TOP of your LAP?

I've never heard of a computer you would use on top of a LAB. Not even sure how that would work - would you have to be outside on the roof? What if the lab was on the first floor of a two story building - could you just use it anywhere on the second floor? Does it matter if its a chem lab, or a physics lab? What if its a meth lab?

**Razieltov** · 09-14-2012, 03:37 AM

Did you see the warning when you unlocked the bootloader? It did say you voided your warranty. You could have relocked it before you sent it in the first time. When you unlock the bootloader and flash custom software it could do anything to your phone. The warranty is pretty much saying that HTC guarantees their hardware and software that runs on the hardware. But when you change what software is running on the hardware they can't guarantee that somebody else's software won't brick the device. HTC did you a favor by fixing the phone the first time. Its like if you bought a car and then put in your own engine in it. The manufacturer won't guarantee that engine because it isn't theirs.

OEM's don't make bootloaders so they can void the warranty. You void the warranty by your own actions

**creccaj1** · 09-14-2012, 06:36 AM

To my knowledge there is a major difference here. When you unlock a bootloader it isn't void right away, I was wrong. It is considered VOIDABLE. It will most likely be up the whomever you speak to as to where it will go from there. If I am wrong someone chime in here but most of the these phones with unlockable bootloaders are voidable if it is done and therefore still able to be warrantied but it will be up to who ever you get first. Your warranty can be voided, or you could get lucky.

**BAlGaInTl** · 09-14-2012, 06:54 AM

Many years ago, didn't we go through this same thing with computers?

Computers used to come with a seal that if broken could "void" the warranty. Manufactures would try and "force" you to use their overpriced service to do simple things like a memory upgrade.

Wasn't it ultimately decided that the burden of proof was on the the manufacture to prove that you breaking the seal and changing something directly caused whatever the ultimate problem was? Otherwise, they couldn't simply ignore a warranty claim because of it.... Likewise, they can't deny service because you updated a MB bios, or computer software... Again, unless it was proven that what you did ultimately caused the warranty issue.

Why is it that phones are treated differently? Why do they not share the same burden of proof?

Has nobody challenged the manufactures on this yet? Clearly a software change does not (normally) create a hardware problem.

**cyanogen-man** · 09-14-2012, 07:47 AM

One be eg admit to root in unlocking the boot loader and even flash your stock from when you call them if you have to send it in unroot with that out of the way if you changed your pixel density for what ever reason or ppi or added more power for brightness it can mess with the s green badly they put limits on hardware for a reason

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**cyanogen-man** · 09-14-2012, 07:59 AM

And one more thing!! You gotta stand up to them and say hey I'm a geek ik what I'm doing you sit at a phone all day have you e er taken apart devices and soldered co ncections to make it over clock? Have you ever loaded a custom rom?? Hell I bet you use an iPhone and ask Steve jobs ghost to save you from the angry android that's open source and no nm norms on patented tech and you loose money and gotta sue most people for HTC on the phone that's all they are not nerds not geeks no tech skills and freak out if their office suite crashes or scared to put an extra stick of ram in their machine or call tech support BC their printers in plugged; the smart a$$ list goose on and a on but you get my point?

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