Note 3 Proximity Sensor issues

[Shannon Zabroski]

So...I have been looking at some of the other carriers who also sell the Note3...and it appears people are experiencing what I've been experiencing with my proximity sensor...ie...not working properly. It will initially turn the screen off when I lift it to my face for a phone call...but it will not turn back on when I take it away from my ear. Once I hit the home button it turns back on. However...then it won't turn back off...even if I lift it to my face.

Anyone experiencing this? I searched this forum and I didn't see a Verizon thread for this.

 

[B. Diddy]

I've seen a number of posts about this. Hopefully, it isn't a widespread hardware problem. You should make sure that you don't have a screen protector or case that might be interfering with the proximity sensor, and make sure the area is very clean. The sensor is near the front facing camera.

 

[Shannon Zabroski]

Some think it is software related and that the S4 has had similar issues. I don't have a screen protector on...and the screen is as clean as it can get when it happens.
Hope this is addressed in an update. I love it otherwise.

 

[dallasfever]

Happens on Sprint version as well. Yes happens to alot of people.

Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk

 

[mullarameez]

I also suffered the same problem from day 1 on my N900 note3..

 

[wrich2005]

Me too, hopefully it's only a software issue

Posted via Android Central App

 

[mag44]

This happened to my first one which I ended up returning. The speaker on my first one also started cracking. Luckily this happened within 14 days of purchase so I exchanged it.

The exchange is working fine and the build quality feels more solid the buttons seem more set in the device. Also my home button does not jiggle.

 

[LillieBennett]

I can't test yet but am wondering if smart stay should be off. Sounds like those 2 features could conflict.

Lillie via LG Spectrum (waiting for N3 DE) & tapatalk

 

[janaksingh]

I got my Verizon Note 3 few days ago when it got released, after 13 days of playing with it , found that the proximity sensor could have the causing the exact problem. During or after call if you take the phone off your ear, the screen will not come on, tried pressing the various hardware buttons. It would take 10-15 seconds before the screen comes back on, making it completely unusable during the call duration specially if you want to check apps/browser or press keys while and after a call.
Do not want to risk a 2 year contract with an exchange that might have the same issues, so returned it.

 

[Markster1]

Mine is working fine however I had this issue on my note 2.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk 2

 

[mullarameez]

Hello everyone. I found the cause of this I hope. The main culprit is hardware. 1st I will tell solution for this problem. Just push hard the earpiece chrome grill inside with ur nails and the proximity sensor will work properly. problem is when we use phone and it gets heated at top then the glue which is holding earpiece grill will loose itself. its hardware problem and eventually many note3 users will face this. im using exynos note3.

Sent from my SM-N900 using Tapatalk

 

[Zulkarnine Mahmud]

Facing the same problem here.

I think the proximity sensor is malfunctioning. Just press *#0*# in the dialer and go to the sensor part. Then you can see the raw sensor values. In my phone I found that the sensor is always showing as if something is in close proximity.

Will take it to service center this Monday to see what they can do. By the way, I am in South Korea and using the KT telecom's version of Note 3

[Update: Just noticed that the ADC value in the proximity sensor part which I suppose the analog to Digital Converter is changing the values in the range from 160 to 1000 which means the hardware is working fine. But the corresponding digital value isn't changing which should be 1 if the value is above 512 and 0 if it's less than 512 instead it is fixed at 1.0 for no good reason]

 

[kboggs123]

i downloaded the sensor tester from play store then the prox sensor is the one on the right by itself . I did everything to fix it but the only thing that fixed it was tapping it on the table above the camera then looking at the tester screen and saw it was fixed try it and let me know if it works for you. it must be a loose connection

 

[Zulkarnine Mahmud]

Brought it to the A/S center and they fixed it. The sensor was probably loose or some dust were present which they told to be the cause of the problem. Now it's working perfectly.

 

[dswatson83]

Compressed air in the speaker port fixed my issue. I'm sure the problem is still on every phone so no point in exchanging most likely .

 

[dswatson83]

Fixed it with compressed air in the speaker port. Whatever you do, good luck if you call Samsung. They don't even listen to what you are saying...they are like robots programmed to tell you to factory reset the phone.
My chat:
Ryan: Hi, thank you for contacting Samsung Technical Support. How may I help you today?
Daniel Watson: I was just speaking to someone with an issue regarding the Samsung Note 3 and the proximity sensor not working. It just started about 2 weeks ago and I have only had the phone for 6 weeks. I just was able to fix it by blowing compressed air into the speaker port
Daniel Watson: It seems like dust is getting inside the speaker to the sensor making the proximity sensor malfunction
Ryan: I understand your concern.
Ryan: I have your previous chat.
Ryan: May I place you on hold for 3 minutes while I go through your previous chat ?
Daniel Watson: sure
Ryan: Thank you.
Ryan: I understand that you have an issue with the proximity sensor on your device. Am I correct ?
Daniel Watson: yes
Ryan: Thank you for the confiemation.
Ryan: Do you have a screen protector on the device ?
Daniel Watson: no
Ryan: Okay.
Daniel Watson: It was getting worse and worse (prox sensor not responding) and 5 min ago I just tried blowing compressed air in the speaker port to see if the sensor had dirt debris on it. It seemed that this fixed the issue which is good for me but bad for the phone that dirt/debris is either in the phone or getting in the phone through the speaker port
Daniel Watson: I'm happen to be a design engineer so I have this issue all the time when I use prox sensors so I figured a shot of air would clean it but I'm sure most of your customers wouldn't know this or have access to compressed air
Ryan: Are there any scratches on the sensor ?
Daniel Watson: no, everything is still clean. It is an almost brand new phone
Daniel Watson: Plus, once I cleaned it, it seems to be working great so it seems the issue is inside the device
Ryan: Is there any physical or liquid damage ?
Daniel Watson: nope
Ryan: Let us perform a Factory Reset and see if its a software or a hardware issue ?
Daniel Watson: Are you reading what I am typing? I fixed the issue
Daniel Watson: I fixed it by blowing compressed air in the earpiece
Daniel Watson: it is a hardware issue with dust/debris inside the phone
Ryan: Sorry.
Ryan: That is good to hear.
Daniel Watson: blowing in the speaker port got rid of whatever dust/debris is there...but I'm a bit concerned that many more devices will have this issue and I'm sure it will pop up again for me after a couple days with the phone in my pocket
Ryan: I understand your concern.
Daniel Watson: Please don't tell anyone else with this issue to factory reset. It is such a freaking pain to do that and it isn't the issue at all.

 

[Sabrina Fair]

So...I have been looking at some of the other carriers who also sell the Note3...and it appears people are experiencing what I've been experiencing with my proximity sensor...ie...not working properly. It will initially turn the screen off when I lift it to my face for a phone call...but it will not turn back on when I take it away from my ear. Once I hit the home button it turns back on. However...then it won't turn back off...even if I lift it to my face.

Anyone experiencing this? I searched this forum and I didn't see a Verizon thread for this.

Oh mannnnnnnn, not this issue again. My heat sank when I read your post:

I had this exact problem with my Samsung Galaxy Nexus. It got so bad with the sensor turning the screen off I could not enter the code to check my voicemail messages. So I got a replacement from Verizon and the same thing happened...In fact the replacement phone was worse: In my apartment I would only get one signal strength bar. Verizon's solution to this was to do a factory reset. NOT!

I really want to get the Note 3. I dream about this phone - and I am willing to pay full price, because I got an upgrade last year (HTC DNA). But hearing that this problem exists, I am having second thoughts about the Note 3. My bf has the Samsung Mega running on MetroPCS. He has not had any problems with it.

Do you think that it might possibly be the case you are using or a screen protector?

~ Sabrina Fair