Galaxy S4: Major problem - SIM card not detected

[ANYOMOUS WITHHELD]

I am going through the exact and I mean exact same issue im from or my phone is from tmobile . Its the phone i know it even they think so. Its a known issue and are advising either stick with this issue or get another phone , great right!!! They have convinced me that I had owed my 650 down to 350 to back up to 650 or more for the ugly white samsung galxy S5 now I dont know how to use it, maybe my screens wont be the same , my movies, I loved the weather icon in the front thats im seeing not there on the S5, and then the lock screen and just on and on. This is horrible what if it doesnt take our apps that it did on the galxy S5?

THIS IS THE WAY SAMSUNG INVESTIGSATES THE BATCH OF PHONES BEING SENT OUT ARE BAD AND MY OLD PHYSICALLY DAMMGED ONE WORKED FINE BECAUSE I HAVE HAD IT FOR A LONG TIME> BUT IT HAS THE WORST SCREEN AND DROPPED AND CRACKED LIKE IT ALWAYS DOES SO I SAID OK ILL BUY A GREAT SO SO CASE AND NOW I NEED A NEW PRIVACY PROTECTOR< CASE AND I MIGHT FOR SURE HATE THE PHONE AND OWE MORE MONEY REALLY FAIR!!!!

 

[Tony Davis-Coyle]

I've got to ask how you accessed this menu when I can't access it because I need a sim card to allow me to?

 

[Anthony Ramirez2]

This worked for me after phone would not recognize sim after taking a dip in pool and drying out in a bag of rice

 

[PhiPsi32]

I've also had the SIM card error. I replaced SIM card and flashed the phone. No luck. Handset is at Samsung. I will update if there is a resolution.

 

[matthewtmiller19]

Hey all, started reading these (and this one) forums when my phone had the same problem. Did my factory reset, the whole works, no fix. I sent my phone into samsung and they replaced "component". I called and asked what this meant and they said the SIM Card reader. Good I thought, "Its fixed". Nope. Received the phone and still had the "SIM card not detected" error. Sent the phone in again. Apparently when you send it back the second time they give you expedited shipping (from what I've seen by google searching Samsung Repair Problems). For the second repair I asked to talk to a tech before he even touches the phone, and they said certainly.

I then called the day that I received an email explaining that the phone reached Plano Tx. I called again, asking to be sure that the tech calls me, and they said "yup it's in the notes". Cool, just going to wait a couple days and- bam I get an email that the phone has left the tech and is going to be sent out for shipping. WTF.

At this point I can go into more and more detail about how angry I am but I will just post the facts. They then replaced the Mother Board. Then waited a period of time to see if it works, apparently it didn't and I received a message that it didn't pass quality testing. Of course this angered me bc I assume it wasn't quality tested the first time.

I called today asking "What is the next step". The rep said that it would have to go back in for repair and I should be updated in probably 2 days. So maybe they will fix it.


As you all know, this problem tends to come and go. I have an extended 90 day warranty after my year long one ends (Aug 6th). Clearly I have to try to sell my phone before the problem persists again, which I assume it will.

TLDR; If you send your phone in be prepared for a long process and get a backup cellphone. Bought a refurb nokia lumia 520 for 40 bucks off amazon.

 

[Max Sorensen]

Re: Major problem - Sim card not detected

my phone just started the "sim card not detected" pop up. I have removed the battery, and the sim card multiple times and nothing, it did work for most of the day but then it started doing it again and wont let me do anything else but reboot my phone. if I can get a response from someone here on how to fix it, that would save me time and money to go get it fixed, please help

 

[Ninjus]

Re: Major problem - Sim card not detected

Try doing *#06#, there should be IMEI code that will pop up but if it turns out that IMEI code says "null/null" then I am afraid that you will have to repair it using Odin or have your local repair service to have it repaired.

 

[NPinUK]

Re: Major problem - Sim card not detected

Hi just joined to comment on this issue. My S4 has same problem. Started with error message on screen asking to reboot. On restart sim would be detected. However it started happening more frequently and upon restart the sim would not be detected. Tried the usual factory reset, clean, sellotape on sim, and tried other sim cards but still problem. My sim card works fine in other phones.

The problem for me was how to make this thing happen all the time as it was intermittent. I plugged in my headphones and kept music player running. Guess what the message appeared restart phone sim error. On restart sim was detected, so i repated the headphone/music trick. After 10 min sim error restart phone. So on restart I put the music player on and left it running with headphones in for around an hour. When I came back the phone had messaage sim error restart phone. On restart the sim was never detected and just displays message No sim insert sim card. This message is now there all the time and never goes away.

So I got my phone to the point where I can ring Samsung and have it repaired under warranty without them saying we cant replicate the problem.

My suggestion to anyone who has this intermittent problem is try the headphone/music player (factory samsung music player) method see if it makes the problem occur more often. This is just a suggestion and I'm aware this probably wont work for everyone. If it does its probably heat related and points to the mother board issue.

I sent my phone to Samsung on (Thurs 31/7/14) and now waiting. Will update once I have my phone back.

 

[NPinUK]

Re: Major problem - Sim card not detected

Update: Got my phone back after 1 week (7/8/14). They changed the motherboard. No problems since.

Update: 5/10/14 its doing it again. But only on sometimes.

 

[NJokeedokee]

I am on my 3rd replacement phone from T mobile for this issue. My original S4 worked great for about a year then I started having a black screen issue where the screen would go black and I couldn't access anything. Was a huge pain, especially when a call was coming in and you couldn't swipe the screen to answer it!....but that's another forum.......in the midst of my trying to swipe the screen I dropped the phone and cracked the screen. I paid my $175 insurance and was issued a refurbished S4. Within 15 minutes of turning it on, I received the sim card error after re-booting, I found that I was having the same black screen issue!. I took it to the T mobile store. They were all puzzled by the issue, as they had never heard of this happening. gave me a new sim card and sent me on my way. I shopped a little in the same mall and sure enough, the sim card error came up again so I went right back to the T mobile store to show them the error message. They rebooted the phone and then called it to see if the black screen thing happened and it did. They immediately ordered a replacement for me. I got the replacement about 3 days later. This phone would not connect a call. It would dial and then just end the call. If I had an incoming call, I would answer, but there was no one on the other end and then it ended the call. I called myself from my home phone and it just went to voicemail, so I called T mobile and they set me up with a nice tech who said that he would report the issue and it may take 72 hours but that he would get back to me. At that point I went back to the first replacement and used that phone because at least I could make and receive calls! I just had to keep rebooting it because of the sim card issue! Finally replacment number 3 arrived from UPS, (My UPS guy said to get an i phone!)
I turned it on and with 20 minutes the sim card error came up! I marched, myself back to the T mobile store and they were so apologetic! I will say that inspite of all my issues the people at T Mobile were extremely professional and very apologetic.I am very happy with their customer service staff! They called customer support who told them that it is a known problem and that they are working on new software to fix it but for now to try a new sim card again and that if this didn't correct the problem then I would have to get a different phone altogether. The CSR at T Mobile told me the minute it does it again, and it will, call them because they have to give you a different phone because this is the 3rd time they are replacing the S4. Within an hour, the sim card message came up. I called T Mobile and they advised me that there was nothing more that they could do and that they would payoff my balance for the phone and give me $150 towards an upgrade of any new phone I wanted. So today I am heading back to the T Mobile store to get a different phone. I loved my original S4 until the black screen thing happened. My husband has one also and his has never given him any trouble so now I have to decide do I go with the S5 or try something else. So anyway, after this long story, Samsung IS aware of the problem but they don't have a fix for it yet. My advice is, if you can exchange your S4 for something else, do so because any replacement phone they send you will do the same thing.

 

[johnj2803]

Hey all, started reading these (and this one) forums when my phone had the same problem. Did my factory reset, the whole works, no fix. I sent my phone into samsung and they replaced "component". I called and asked what this meant and they said the SIM Card reader. Good I thought, "Its fixed". Nope. Received the phone and still had the "SIM card not detected" error. Sent the phone in again. Apparently when you send it back the second time they give you expedited shipping (from what I've seen by google searching Samsung Repair Problems). For the second repair I asked to talk to a tech before he even touches the phone, and they said certainly.

I then called the day that I received an email explaining that the phone reached Plano Tx. I called again, asking to be sure that the tech calls me, and they said "yup it's in the notes". Cool, just going to wait a couple days and- bam I get an email that the phone has left the tech and is going to be sent out for shipping. WTF.

At this point I can go into more and more detail about how angry I am but I will just post the facts. They then replaced the Mother Board. Then waited a period of time to see if it works, apparently it didn't and I received a message that it didn't pass quality testing. Of course this angered me bc I assume it wasn't quality tested the first time.

I called today asking "What is the next step". The rep said that it would have to go back in for repair and I should be updated in probably 2 days. So maybe they will fix it.


As you all know, this problem tends to come and go. I have an extended 90 day warranty after my year long one ends (Aug 6th). Clearly I have to try to sell my phone before the problem persists again, which I assume it will.

TLDR; If you send your phone in be prepared for a long process and get a backup cellphone. Bought a refurb nokia lumia 520 for 40 bucks off amazon.

I am exactly in your shoes. I sent in mine for the second time. I also bought a nokia 520 as a back up (att gophone) phone for $50 with tax at my local walmart... I miss my s4, but the lumia 520 is doing its job. I really hope they fix it, or just replace the phone already!

 

[iozdemir27]

This is my 4th Samsung phone. I have been using Samsung products rather than Apple for five years. However, I am disappointed with my new S4.
About a month ago my S4 has been intermittently giving me the "no sim card" error. Used to a quick restart would temporarily fix this, but for the last two weeks or so it has been doing it randomly, with the past week having been so bad that the phone is unusable. I sent for repair tree times and no solution. I cannot recommend Samsung to my friends anymore.
I think it is time for Samsung to do something to solve this problem with the spirit of social responsibility and consumer rights.

Prof. Dr. İbrahim ÖZDEMİR
The Founding Rector, Gazikent University, Gaziantep (2010-2014)
Director-General , International Relations, Ministry of national Education; (2003-2010)
President, Turkish-Iraq Friendship Association Higher Education Committee.

 

[igotthatfire247]

Good Morning All,

I've been having this SIM card issue for some time now; around the time I upgraded the firmware. It was intermittent at first, but now I can go up to a whole day trying to restart my phone with the hopes that it will work (even if it's just for a limited amount of time). I contacted T-Mobile and to my dismay, they informed me my factory warranty expired 25 days ago.

My options at this point are to contact Samsung in an effort to get them to repair/replace the unit, or purchase a new S4 (or upgrade to an S5), all while STILL OWING the balance of my defective S4. Needless to say, I'm frustrated and at a loss for words as I feel I should be responsible (directly or indirectly) for paying for a repair I didn't cause.

I didn't join this forum for a resolution, but to add a voice to the growing group of dissatisfied S4 users. Let's keep this thread going, with the hopes that someone, somewhere, will officially address this issue.

Danny Suarez
Miami, FL USA

 

[johnj2803]

I just got my S4 from repairs and this is what I got:

it seems to be working now.

Sent from my Venue 11 Pro 5130 using Tapatalk

 

[Olivia May]

Ok let me quickly tell you my story.

I bought my samsung s4 on ebay from china for a good price after losing mine on holiday haha. It was brand new sealed in the box and I've had it for about 2 months when out of no where this sim not detected restart now message started appearing. It slowly happened more and more often and sometimes for hours would not see my sim card. I tried everything, from blowing into the sim card and sim card slot, resetting to factory settings, wiping cache, everything! Convinced I bought a cheap copy from china I emailed the company (who I had a 1 year warranty with) my problem and they messaged me back with this solution:

"Dear customer,

After discussed with Samsung technician, please try to change the settings of your phone, please follow the below:

Firstly, please go into Settings - Under "Connections", please select: More networks - Mobile networks - Network Mode - Please select: GSM only.

We afraid that the 4G coverage of your area is not good but our phone always used the 4G network and lead to the result."

So far this has seem to work but will let ya know if it doesn't. I don't have 4g with my provider so was surprised to see 4g symbol on my phone but i guess this might be why it started rejecting my sim...who knows and i noticed that the message came up while I was on apps or the internet.

 

[Imp Beech]

Unfortunately, that fix did not work for us on our Galaxy S4 with Verizon. In fact, like others, nothing has worked -- from factory resets to new SIM cards, etc. Shame on Samsung to knowingly ignore this common issue.

 

[demonicfla]

Hi everybody just made an account here because i was experiencing the same issue! I sent the phone for repair (still have warranty). In fact, the phone was shipped to the same facility as the person that posted a picture of the parts that were replaced. So hopefully they replace the same parts on my phone and it starts to work. Once i get my phone back, ill upload a picture just like the person above did and ill let yall know if i still get the issue or not.

 

[tamiras]

I had this problem and it turned out to be a software issue. I had transferred some apps over to my SD card and shortly after, I received this error message and my phone stopped working. I did a live chat with someone on the Samsung website and she told me to reboot my phone in safe mode (continuously tap on the down volume button during startup, "SafeMode" should appear on the bottom left of the screen if this is done correctly). Safemode cuts out all third party apps so regular texting/calling works still. The person from Samsung told me to keep my phone in safe mode for 24 hours, but I did some research and deleted all apps on my SD card and rebooted my phone normally and it now works. It's been working for a full day now so we'll see what happens.

 

[demonicfla]

update: samsung couldnt find anything wrong with my phone, so i kept calling them over and over again telling them the issue. 2 weeks later they sent me back a new phone surprisingly !

 

[antomac89]

Hi guys,

My S4 won't recognise my sim, this is the first ever problem I've had with the phone, I've tried everything from resetting the phone to trying another SIM but it didn't recognise that either?

Is the best thing to send it into the service centre to get looked at?