Is this REALLY the best customer service that SAMSUNG can offer??!!

[Ryan Bogdewic]

I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 that has recently started shutting off at battery intervals around 70ish, 50ish, and 30ish percent ranges, and won't turn back on unless I plug it back into the charger.

I've already tried replacing the battery, and it's still doing the same thing. IN FACT, if my phone shuts off at these intervals, and I put in the new battery, it still won't turn on until I plug the charger in. So that eliminates the battery theory.

This has been happening for only the last few months. Before that my phone was working perfectly.

To make a long story short, I called Samsung directly and they denied any responsibility because my phone is a Straight talk phone. WHAT??!! Seriously??!!

So I called Straight Talk, and they informed me that it is a Samsung issue and that I need to address it with Samsung. So it's a vicious cycle of back and forth from Samsung to Straight talk, over and over again.

But the mere fact that SAMSUNG denied any responsibility on THEIR product is what made me irate. I could understand that if Samsung were to give Straight Talk permission to have the Straight Talk logo on the phone, but since there is no Straight talk logo on, in, or associated with my phone, and Samsung's logo is plastered on and in my phone, shouldn't it LEGALLY be Samsung's responsibility to honor the manufacturer's warranty to have my phone fixed and/or replaced?

What can I do? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanx!

 

[STARGATE]

To my understanding, the manufacturer warranty is only one year. The GS4 is 2 years old already.
If you bought it less than a year ago, call Samsung again and ask for a supervisor.

Sent From my Gold Platinum Galaxy S6 Edge

 

[Ryan Bogdewic]

To my understanding, the manufacturer warranty is only one year. The GS4 is 2 years old already.
If you bought it less than a year ago, call Samsung again and ask for a supervisor.

Sent From my Gold Platinum Galaxy S6 Edge

No, my phone is less than 1 year. August will be my one year up. I've already talked with supervisors on Samsung's end as well as Straight Talk's end. No one is lifting a finger to help me with this. So, I guess my only option is my state's Attorney General's office as well as The Department of Consumer Affairs.

 

[Ryan Bogdewic]

Can anyone offer a solution? I'm tired of the run around Samsung is giving me. I wish they would just own up and take care of their customer! Seriously, this is ridiculous now!

 

[Kelly Kearns]

How is your warranty less than a year? Did you buy this phone used?

 

[Rukbat]

To answer the question in the topic, it's the best they're willing to offer.

So, I guess my only option is my state's Attorney General's office as well as The Department of Consumer Affairs.

Or your own attorney. It won't cost much (if anything at all) for an attorney to send a letter to Samsung's legal department, explaining the terms of Samsung's warranty to them, as it applies in your state. (The carrier and network don't matter. Neither does where you bought it as long as it was an authorized seller. Both Walmart and Straight Talk are for Samsung.)

Most manufacturers assume (and if they're wrong it's by a tiny percent) that 95% of consumers are sheep and will accept whatever junk the manufacturer foists off on them. It's cheaper to settle law suits for the remaining 5% than to spend money to make a better product. (Forget about pride in workmanship - it's the 21st century - good workmanship lowers the profit, which is blasphemous in any religion.)

The 5% of customers who squeak get the grease.

(This is one reason I stay with AT&T. They apologized when they had to give me a new phone, because the old one had developed a hardware defect [I suspect it was a blown chip on the motherboard]. If you always keep your data backed up [and after 42 years in this business, I do], all I lose if an in-warranty phone goes bad is 20 minutes of driving, about 20 minutes of setting the new phone up and as long as it takes for me to be next at the service center.)

 

[Kelly Kearns]

They offer a one year warranty, period. Samsung has been excellent customer service in my experience.

If you bought the phone new and the IMEI check shows the wrong date, has happened before, all you have ever to do is upload or mail in a copy of your receipt.

 

[Aquila]

The warranty may not require them to replace it - read it closely, they may have a way to repair it for lower or no cost to you. Generally the first point of contact is the place of purchase. They should be able to help you determine if their return exchange, your insurance and/or the warranty are applicable for whatever the issue is, given the nature of the damage or defect, circumstances surrounding it, etc. As far as who is, "legally responsible" for it, that's not a cut and dry issue. Many people want it to be the OEM, but it makes a difference when/where the device was purchased (state laws) and by what means - third party, authorized retailer or direct. It also makes a difference if the device was new, refurbished or re-certified at the time you purchased it, assuming you bought it at a store.

Aside from trying another (possibly also, but not likely faulty) battery, what have you tried to troubleshoot this? Does it do this on every charge, or randomly? The top three candidates for repairs would be 1. The battery 2. The connectors in the battery compartment 3. Software. Is the new battery an OEM stock battery or another brand and/or size? Are you using the stock charging cable and adapter or a third party charger? Do you notice any heat issues either on the battery door or screen before/during the crashes? Was the device exposed to any elements? (There's no data above about what happened during the time leading up to the issue) Did you ever let the battery die before charging it? Has it ever been connected to a non-OEM stock charger, with either significantly higher or lower amperage?

Have you sent it to Samsung to troubleshoot? Normally the process is to send them the device, they may or may not send you a temporary device in the mean time and may or may not place a hold on your account during the interim if they do, they investigate and give you an invoice of needed repairs and which repairs are covered by any applicable warranty and which are not, as well as a total amount (if any) needed from you to complete repairs and ship it back to you. If you have insurance on the device, that's likely to be cheaper and a faster turnaround (many plans are just a deductible and you have a new (to you, probably refurbished) device in your hands within a couple business days.

Here's the applicable portion of how to get them to inspect and/or fix the device:
"To obtain service under this Limited Warranty, you must return the Product to an authorized phone service facility in an adequate container for shipping, accompanied by the sales receipt or comparable proof of sale showing the original date of purchase by the first consumer purchaser, the serial number of the Product and the seller’s name and address.To obtain assistance on where to deliver the Product, please call SAMSUNG Customer Care at 1-888-987-4357. If SAMSUNG determines that any Product is not covered by this Limited Warranty, you must pay all parts, shipping, and labor charges for the repair or return of such Product.
You should keep a separate backup copy of any contents of the Product before delivering the Product to SAMSUNG for warranty service, as some or all of the contents may be deleted or reformatted during the course of warranty service."

So all you have to do is call them for an address, ship the device and proof of purchase, etc to their facility and then follow up to coordinate repairs and/or payment (if applicable) required for repairs.

 

[Kelly Kearns]

They will send a shipping label, even if you have to pay for the repair.

Now this is Samsung US, which I'm assuming this is, since the phone is on straight talk.

 

[dpham00]

Sorry to hear about your problems. Hopefully you can get it resolved. In the Samsung terms of service it discusses ways to remediate your problem, including arbitration if desired.





Sent from my Pearly White Verizon Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge