LG Warranty and Customer Service Problems

[alexsd123]

I actually had the same exact problem you did--my phone was freezing and then restarting. I sent in my LG G4 on the 14th. I called LG and the lady on the phone emailed me the free Fedex shipping paper. It arrived at the LG facility in Texas on the 20th and now I am waiting for the return. I called LG today and they told me that it probably wouldn't ship until the end of this week, so the whole process will probably be around 2.5 - 3 weeks. I also have Sprint and was able to have one of the repair shops lend me a crappy phone since I have no other Sprint phone and know no one that has one. Unfortunately, they end up charging something like $75 to get the phone replaced through them which is either an overnight or given to you right there. It may be worth looking into if you need your phone immediately and don't have a replacement phone.

It really sucks and makes me wish that I had insurance or that LG had customer service like Apple. They wouldn't even send me a refurbished phone at the same time that I was returning mine. You would think they could just charge me for a phone and refund me once they receive my phone and inspect it. Some people say that it's what you deserve for not getting insurance. They're the same people that don't realize why Apple is so successful, because they go above and beyond for their customers.

 

[Mikey47]

Oops wrong thread.

 

[EvoLveR84]

I am also having these issues with my G4. I got it at the end of June from Sprint, didn't have a single issue for an entire month of normal use and testing pretty much every app and setting I would possibly use. I am not a heavy user, I barely play games and my phone is primarily used to take pictures and browse reddit. Towards the end of July (after my 14 day window, of course) I started getting random reboots while I was browsing reddit, or even just while looking in Settings. The only way to get the phone to stop the loop process was to re-seat the battery, and about 75-80% of the time, the phone just repeatedly boot-looped even after turning it back on. I have seen the "optimizing apps" screen a few times, but its not consistent. I have also had crashes while in safe mode.

After managing to factory reset and clear the data cache via Recovery Mode, and remove my SD card, the phone worked completely fine for about a week. I did not install many apps, and I was not using the phone heavily over that week, because I was trying to pinpoint a possible software issue. After that week the reboots started again, so I took my G4 to Sprint and I was able to show the Technician at the store a video of my phone boot-looping from a video I shot with my iPhone 4S, but of course the phone worked 100% fine while in store.

The Tech also took the whole phone apart and found nothing physically wrong with it. He said the issue seemed to be software related and that my best bet was to hold on to the phone and hope for a patch to come out, I was extremely unsatisfied with this answer and wanted them to give me a brand new phone, but they said the only option would be to order a refurbished unit from LG through warranty/TEP insurance. This occurred on August 15th. I took the phone home that night, transferred my service back to my Iphone, and managed to factory reset the G4 again. After 10 days of sitting in airplane mode hooked up to wifi, and an hour of use each night browsing chrome, tweaking settings etc the phone has started to reboot again as of yesterday August 25th. The phone crashed while in the settings menu at a 92% charge. I left the G4 on the table and went to work yesterday, tried plugging the phone in today and the screen turns on and shows that it is at a 3% charge (how did it lose 89% while bricked sitting on my table...?), tried turning it on after a few minutes and it made it to the Sprint screen and then turned off and is completely unresponsive again.

I am taking the phone to the store again this weekend, since the G4 is completely bricked at the moment and I am totally done screwing with it to try to get it working. I have taken extremely good care of this phone (zero drops) and there is not a single physical problem with it, and I think it is completely ridiculous that LG would not stand by their product and replace a clearly defective phone with a new unit. The only reason I have a working cellphone at the moment is because my (almost 5 year old) Iphone 4S still works, even though it only holds a charge for like half a day.

Both LG and Sprint are most definitely losing my business after this debacle if they don't solve my problem soon. I should also add, my girlfriend got a Sprint G4 on the same day as me (we started a family share plan) and has had none of the issues I had. Owning a cell phone should not be a part time job like this has proven to be.....

 

[mcirishman]

Evolve thanks for posting your story. It provides a little comfort knowing I'm not suffering through this alone. Doesn't help either of us unfortunately. I received a nice email from a manager type from Sprint...with a non-response email address of course. He was very sorry for my troubles and reccommended a....wait for it.....hard reset. This was after i sent in a trouble ticket email explaining that I had already done this procedure. Twice. So now i am on my third hard reset. Camera came back to life but the three times i have used it it has always given me an error first, saying the cam app could not start. I would have to close it and then it would only open after the second attempt.

I saw a guy selling an Sprint optimus prime(?) for around $40 so I might go that route as a loaner. The thing about Sprint was they really had the best economic deal around by far and their service in the area where i live is actually very good. *sign* . May be stuck with them for a little while sespite the problems. Gives me some hope that most of the G4 owners are having a good experience.

 

[Shepx13]

Is anyone not on Sprint having this issue?

 

[erwaso]

Most manufacturers require you to send the phone in to do warranty work, this is why i keep all my old phones (still have my Optimus G and my G3). I also use squaretrade which has a 5 day turnaround time of repair or send a check to buy a new one.

you'll need to get a sprint prepaid phone and send in the defective G4 for them to work on.

Good luck!

 

[mcirishman]

That was the plan I came up with last night. At the very least I can give the phone to my daughter to play with after I get the problem corrected.

In the meantime, really quick, I THINK I may have found the possible problem: LG "smart" notifications. Once again, problems started happening after I did the hard reset and the bloatware updates and really kicked in after I loaded some 3rd party stuff last night. Was walking the dog, playing with the phone, really just saying "screw it, can't get any worse" and I completely turned off LG Smart Notification system. All the cards, pop ups, even the dedicated scroll screen page. The phone has performed so much better after that! I have to think that with the Smart Notifications switched on their may have been too much task redundancy that was causing the freezes. Maybe LG's apps were trying to compete with Googles/3rd parties to activate notifications simultaneously, maybe overwhelming the processing? Just a theory, but I think there is more than a coincidence here.

Will update later. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[EvoLveR84]

I have always had that stuff disabled on my G4 since I bought it. Still had the random reboots constantly. My phone is currently totally dead at the moment, wont even boot into safe mode, it just freezes and shuts down on the sprint animation. I don't even feel like factory resetting it again at this point, as it will probably freeze and reboot several times during that process, which it has in the past.

I will probably call the Sprint store again because I am not gonna drive out there for no reason. Seems like going directly through LG is my only chance of getting a brand new phone that isn't from whatever bad batch this phone came from.

 

[mcirishman]

I have always had that stuff disabled on my G4 since I bought it. Still had the random reboots constantly. My phone is currently totally dead at the moment, wont even boot into safe mode, it just freezes and shuts down on the sprint animation. I don't even feel like factory resetting it again at this point, as it will probably freeze and reboot several times during that process, which it has in the past.

I will probably call the Sprint store again because I am not gonna drive out there for no reason. Seems like going directly through LG is my only chance of getting a brand new phone that isn't from whatever bad batch this phone came from.

Sorry to hear that friend. I also spoke too soon. I forgot to check the camera. Cannot get it to function. Sourced several methods online. Tried everything to get it to work. Safemode, cleared cache and data, app patitition wipe. Nothing worked. I really am not into doing another hard reset. That would be number 4 if I did it. It also did that cute little thing where it swithes the input method back to LG default keyboard from my swiftkey preference. Other than that, still working lol. It did crash/restart once, but I was trying to fix the camera at the time.

 

[mcirishman]

Another hard reset and the camera is still not functioning. However, my fortunes might be changing. I called the Sprint store manager who sold me the phone. We had been working on the issues together and he knows how unhappy I am. He actually told me to bring it in tomorrow and he is going to try and add insurance to my account as an exception so I can use the hassle-free exchange service....whatever that means. Anyway, better than the current options I have. Stay tuned.

 

[Derek Dean]

I emailed them, told them what was happening. Told them I already tried a new battery, replacing the SD, flashing the memory and factory reset. After that, I sent it to them. 16 days later I got it back. They patted themselves on the back for a factory reset. I turned it on, within 2 hours it was restarting repeatedly and randomly turning off again. I just sent it back today (again) right now my plan is, it probably cost them $15 to ship back and forth. I will use my back up S3 and I'll ship that sucker back and forth until they finally realize they gave me a defective unit or until the shipping cost far exceeds the cost of the unit. Your phone has a 1 year warranty. Use it.

 

[Derek Dean]

It's been 5 days. I've done everything and just sent it back to LG for the second time. Let me know how this fix worked for you. As of now, after a 16 day in between all they did was patted themselves on the back for doing a factory reset. Congratulations guys. You earned that pay check. But since they sold me a defective phone, right now I am going to keep sending it back until they either 1, replace it or 2. FedEx makes more money in the shipping back and forth charges than the phone is worth. Either way, I'll keep mailing it back until it finally works correctly.

 

[EvoLveR84]

Just got my G4 replaced with a brand new one at Sprint. I have TEP, and they said they'd normally order a refurbished one. But, I got lucky since there are no refurbished ones (they're on backorder, probably due to these issues), so they just gave me a new one.

Lets hope this one one wasn't a lemon like the first one...fingers crossed because I love this phone...

 

[mcirishman]

Going to call back the manager in a couple minutes. Phone has regressed to just having a restart fit 1-2 times a day. Camera doesn't work. Flashlight doesn't work. Phone gets very hot at times. Oh and the latest: cannot connect to bluetooth in my car. I am like Evolve. I love the IDEA of this phone. I really want to like it so I hope that I can get it resolved to where the phone functions like it should. My only problem right now is that since I don't have a backup phone I either need the manager to take it back or I need to get a back up and send it in to LG.

 

[mcirishman]

Touchscreen, bluetooth and restart issues.

LG G4 Is Good, but not Great, Plagued by Various Issues! | Master Herald

 

[windboater]

This behavior by LG doesn't surprise me in the least. My only experience (today) with L G products went about the same. It's a shame their design and production people are really on the mark. It's their customer service policies that are out of step with the market. Eventually they will be crushed under the weight of all their own bad press. Hats off to those of you who don't suffer is silence but carry the news on social media to warn the masses.
John

 

[mcirishman]

Well, finally had a breakthrough! I talked to the store manager and he wanted to charge me $75 since I did not have insurance. Long story short I escalated it to the regional manager and basically told him the situation AND that I would never do business with Sprint or LG again under the current circumstances. He needed to speak to his boss, but ultimately he called back an hour later saying to bring the phone into the store for a replacement!!! They had already credited my account $75 and I would need to pay that amount once I brought the phone in for inspection. I would keep the phone until the replacement arrives in 2-3 business days.

The regional manager also said that Sprint management is also aware of how the company is perceived, both good and bad, and that the managers and staff are undergoing training to service the customers better and change any bad perceptions from the customers. Finally reached someone who got it.

I guess my advice would be at this point would be to escalate your issues to the mid-managers sooner rather than later.

 

[AndroidHabit]

I am actually going through the manufacturer because the retailer(Sprint) is telling me they won't help me since I did not buy insurance with the phone.

It is not their policy under warranty to replace the phone at this point. They said send it in for repair and if it warrants replacement, then they will. Meanwhile I will be without a phone for 2 weeks since Sprint is not offering a loaner.

Read my posts from some of the other threads. I think I qualify for a replacement.

You don't need to buy insurance for them to cover the warranty.
The phone comes with 1 year warranty and the carrier handles it during that time.
Insurance is only purchased incase you drop and break it somehow.
Software/Hardware issues are all covered under warranty.

 

[sed51329]

You don't need to buy insurance for them to cover the warranty.
The phone comes with 1 year warranty and the carrier handles it during that time.
Insurance is only purchased incase you drop and break it somehow.
Software/Hardware issues are all covered under warranty.

You are incorrect. Manufacturers cover warranty exchanges, at least at Sprint. If you want Sprint to cover these, you need to purchase the total equipment protection package. Sprint doesn't offer the warranty.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[AndroidHabit]

You are incorrect. Manufacturers cover warranty exchanges, at least at Sprint. If you want Sprint to cover these, you need to purchase the total equipment protection package. Sprint doesn't offer the warranty.

Posted via the Android Central App

That says a lot about sprint, no wonder I left them ages ago after so many years.
I guess I should have said at least that's how AT&T handles warranties.
No extra coverage to buy unless you are clumsy and thats what the warranty is for "accidents".