Please Help!!!!!!!!!!! Having problems with phone

**nikeairs23** · 10-12-2012, 05:34 PM

I charge it. Unplug it. Browse the internet, after a while screen flickers a lil and the phone goes off. If I try to turn it on right away the battery will be at zero or very close to it. If I wait several minutes, the battery is back to where it was right after the charge. So what is this? I thought it was the HBOGO update, but it wasn't. Now I'm thinking it's something related to droid 4.0.4 update. The Geek Squad at best buy where I got the phone was clueless. I have a protection plan, but they want to keep the phone too long. Any advice?

**mewikime** · 10-12-2012, 05:43 PM

Can't help with the phone because I've only had mine for two days, but if you've got the protection plan they'll give you a loaner for the period they have posession of it. OK, it's not your phone, but it's a phone in the meantime

**GCMS** · 10-12-2012, 08:01 PM

I'm having the same problem! Right before the screen flickers tho i notice the loss of signal symbol then the phone turns off. I never had this problem before ics update, anyone have any clue as to what's causing it and a fix?

**patrao_n** · 10-12-2012, 08:09 PM

How is you guys batteries? Had this happen before. I had a bulged battery. Take it out. Lay it flat on a counter or something flat. Spin it. If it turns like a top tell sprint you want it replaced as its causing you problems and could be a fire hazard.

sent from my BAD A$$ Epic touch

**GCMS** · 10-12-2012, 08:35 PM

I've had my phone for a year could this be a sign of needing a new battery?

**GCMS** · 10-12-2012, 09:30 PM

I checked my battery and it looks normal not as you described.

**nikeairs23** · 10-12-2012, 11:37 PM

Originally Posted by GCMS

I'm having the same problem! Right before the screen flickers tho i notice the loss of signal symbol then the phone turns off. I never had this problem before ics update, anyone have any clue as to what's causing it and a fix?

Same here. Signal goes first.

**Hawaiian_Geek** · 10-13-2012, 12:13 AM

take the phone into a Sprint store and have a tech check it out.

**duddy23b** · 10-13-2012, 08:24 AM

I started to have the same problem too I think it started when my phone updated to 4.0.4 by itself after that I notice if I play any game the screen flickers once and then goes black I then reboot by taking the battery out or hold the power button til itcomes back on. I never had any serious problem with this phone until now I'm beginning to wonder what's going on?

**mcs** · 10-14-2012, 03:14 PM

I'm having the same problem. I know it's got plenty of juice, and if I try to use an app (some apps, not all), it will turn off. When I turn it back on, it bleeps at me and says the battery is critically low and needs to be recharged, then usually turns off again. I plug it in; at first the battery image will come up empty, then a couple of minutes later it says 60% or whatever it has. I can then turn it back on and it works. But certain apps set it off: playing Tetris (paid, not free, so not loading ads); Nook; and Google Play Magazines. I only found the last two today so there might be more. But I've been using Podkicker Pro daily on the train on the way to work--obviously it's not plugged in--and it's fine. ETA: The podcasts are downloaded, not streaming.

Since all of these apps are full-screen, I can't tell if I lose the signal first, and to be honest my Sprint signal, phone and 4G, sucks most of the time so I probably wouldn't notice the difference.

I'm running stock, no root or ROM, 4.0.4, FH 13

ETA the second: can a mod please retitle this post so it says the problem, in case others are having it?

**TishaCombs** · 10-16-2012, 04:37 PM

I had this same EXACT problem.

Took it to Sprint - My battery had a bulge in it (naughty battery).

Sprint replaced it and all is golden now. :-)

**GCMS** · 10-16-2012, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by TishaCombs

I had this same EXACT problem.

Took it to Sprint - My battery had a bulge in it (naughty battery).

Sprint replaced it and all is golden now. :-)

Was the battery free?

**majstc1** · 10-16-2012, 10:27 PM

Exact same problem I've been having since the ics rollout. Even after rooting back to gb it didn't fix it. I will go to sprint because my battery does spin.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Android Central Forums

**mcs** · 10-17-2012, 12:41 PM

Thanks, Tisha--that's good to know. I'll take it to Sprint today, if I have time on my lunch hour.

**mcs** · 10-17-2012, 02:01 PM

Okay...went to the Sprint store, and the tech said that the battery was definitely bulging and needed to be replaced, no matter what. Not free for me, because I didn't have insurance. So I guess if you have insurance it's covered, but you should confirm that first, of course.

He expressed concern that it might be the power button--he had that problem with his GS2, with similar symptoms. But when he put in the new battery, it didn't start up automatically, which he said would have happened if it was the power button.

I took some photos and tried a couple of apps. So far, so good!

**rasbutan** · 10-18-2012, 09:21 AM

And this is why I love this place. I've had the same problem for the last 2 weeks, battery indicates 3/4 charge. Using internet or some app, signal goes to zero, screen blinks and then goes dead. Turn it back on, says the battery is critically low, plug it in to charger. 5 min later it indicates 3/4 charge again.

Pulled my battery, there's bulge to it.

Guess I'll have to run to Sprint over lunch.

**DEF3NDER** · 10-19-2012, 01:02 AM

Sounds like we have a battery bulge epidemic here...

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Android Central Forums

**mcs** · 10-21-2012, 11:22 PM

It does, doesn't it? Things that make you go hmmmm...

I'd be interested to know if everyone's phone is about a year old. I've had mine almost exactly a year, and once I put in the SD card a day or two after I bought it, I don't think I had taken the back off until the battery was changed, so I've never changed or touched the battery. So is it that the stock batteries are good for a year or so and then you can expect to replace it? Or is it something to do with the latest update that did something to the battery? The latter seems pretty unlikely.

**Honis#WP** · 10-22-2012, 02:17 PM

I'm having the same problem (flickering screen, signal, expanded battery, turn offs, etc.). Took it to a Sprint Store, showed them the battery, they agreed it was likely the cause and referred me to Batteries Plus since they sell batteries for about half the cost ($30 was about what they quoted me over the phone.) I'm taking it to a tech store after work to make sure the rest of the phone is fine and then I'm going to grab a replacement from B+ and monitor the battery expansion on a weekly basis to make sure it's not the ICS update/problems that are causing a 1 year old battery to slowly explode. Going to also grab a new battery for my Pre- if they have any so I have a backup phone I can swap to if I throw this thing at a wall violently.

A 1 year battery life is ridiculous. My Pre- took 2+ years to have this problem.

**rasbutan** · 10-23-2012, 02:04 PM

Went in to Sprint today. Confirmed the battery was toast. It's not covered under warranty since it's "not part of the phone." Asked about a replacement and they referred me to Batteries Plus. Went there, they didn't have any. Ordered one off Amazon for ~$15.

My phone is just over a year old, I got it on release day last year.

I agree that 1 year is abysmal(sic) for a battery life.

**thenameisnigel** · 10-24-2012, 02:03 PM

When your phone gets really hot (ex. when leaving screen on with long time-out while charging) the heat will cause the battery to expand (budge). Same thing happened to me with my HTC Droid Eris...it was literally smoking under my pillow when I woke up, and Verizon refused to repair it even though I had insurance so I came to Sprint.

**wolf90** · 10-28-2012, 01:01 AM

ok, so new here, i see how it spin it, but hhow does a "buldging"battery look??

**patrao_n** · 10-28-2012, 01:19 AM

Depending on the buldge it might not look different compared to a normal good battery. Calipers would be needed in some cases.

sent from my BAD A$$ Epic touch

**garrettfarnum** · 10-30-2012, 07:33 PM

Pull your battery out, mine was doing this too and my battery was actually swelled up.

**garrettfarnum** · 10-30-2012, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by patrao_n

Depending on the buldge it might not look different compared to a normal good battery. Calipers would be needed in some cases.

sent from my BAD A$$ Epic touch

It's definitely swelled up, i have the same problem. It's enough to where you can see the bulge through the back case but not enough to be THAT noticeable.