S4 Active Screen Defect Showing Strange Spikes

[Greenbot]

I am sad to make this my first post on android central.

My 2 days old Galaxy S4 Active started showing screen defect today. The Top Left edge of the screen are showing strange spikes that are visible on all screens. It is even there in recovery mode.

The phone never had any impacts or water damage. I have rebooted and left it off for fifteen minutes and it's still there. I will give it one day before I call for return...

I fear this is a hardware defect (trouble going through returns...) Anyone have heard of this before? :'(

UPDATE: A while after posting, I noticed it started to slowly fade from the bottom tip of the spikes. Now is five hours past, the spikes are gone and only some residue water mark like is there but they are fading too. I will give it one more day of regular use to see if it will recur. If it does then I will return it for exchange for sure. :-X It never happened on my previous galaxy phones/iPhones/Tablets!

 

[Haalcyon]

Ouch. Yeahp, back it needs to go.

Not rooted, Stock rom, just Awesome (NSA)

 

[johnnh]

Yeah, that's water damage. I had the same thing. Check your back cover - when you press above the ATT logo, does it make clicky noises? That means the seal is defective. Water came in from the top left for me, too - I believe the vulnerability is the rubber plug.