Verizon won't honor warranty repair? Help/advice please...
photomu
Enthusiast - Level 3

I've had my Note 8 for around a year (don't remember exact purchase date).  Needless to say, I did drop the phone once or twice and put a couple of slight cracks on the screen.  The damage is cosmetic and, while I don't love it, I can live with it -- no biggie.

However, I have another problem (one reported by many other people) and Ii would love to seek a warranty repair.

My ear speaker has a very, very low volume -- almost unusable.

When I receive phone calls, I must use the speaker phone or bluetooth to hear the caller.  I have good hearing so it's not me being deaf....it's just that the volume of the earpiece is at 10% of what it should be.  Needless to say, I've  turned up the volume and I've even reset the phone several times - nothing helps.

This has been going on for a few months, but I only recently had the time in my schedule to drop by a Verizon office.  I know that, in the past, Verizon honored equipment warranties easily so I figured there would be no issue.

The store reps were attentive and believed my issue......until they saw the cracks in the screen.  They immediately said policy dictated that they could do nothing.  Even though it's my speaker that's causing the problem, they can't even look at my phone because of a crack in the screen.

I pointed out the silliness of this and noted how weird it would be if Ford refused to work on a damaged engine because the windshield had a crack.  This doesn't make sense to me.  I had this small crack in my screen for months before the speaker had problems...and....ultimately, a hairline crack does not cause a bad speaker.

They suggested that I go through my phone insurance to repair the glass (probably $150-200 and then they *might* be able to address the speaker volume issue.

This just doesn't seem reasonable to me.

When working on the speaker, I assume they would have to remove (and probably??) replace the glass anyway (though I don't know that).  Further, if they replace the phone due to a speaker problem, the fact of a screen crack would not be important.

As I stated to them, while I don't love a crack in my screen, I am fine with some tiny cosmetic damage -- no biggie.  That's why I didn't try to get repairs when I cracked the screen when the phone was a month old.  But.....but....having an ear piece that I cannot hear is indeed a concern.

I dunno if Verizon reps read these threads -- but I would really love a solution.  I've been a loyal customer for a few years and continually keep high bills.  Customer service is paramount, though.

Thanks in advance!!

DB

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Re: Verizon won't honor warranty repair? Help/advice please...
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

The warranty processed by Verizon Wireless is a warranty replacement and not a warranty repair. If you want it repaired you need to go through Samsung to facilitate it and have the phone sent to Samsung for the repair.

And a cracked screen no matter how cosmetic it is voids the warranty.

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

Re: Verizon won't honor warranty repair? Help/advice please...
photomu
Enthusiast - Level 3

Amazing...  just like in my analogy, it would be like Ford refusing to repair a burned up motor because a kid through a rock in the back glass lol.

SMH.

Thanks for the info.  It does make me reconsider my loyalty.

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Re: Verizon won't honor warranty repair? Help/advice please...
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

photomu wrote:

Amazing... just like in my analogy, it would be like Ford refusing to repair a burned up motor because a kid through a rock in the back glass lol.

SMH.

Thanks for the info. It does make me reconsider my loyalty.

You would have gotten the same response from the rep at AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint as what you got from the VZW reps.  That is just how the warranty is handled by the carriers.

Ford has separate warranties on the power train components than the overall vehicle itself and I am sure they have exceptions as well on what is covered.

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

Re: Verizon won't honor warranty repair? Help/advice please...
bearone21
Legend

after dropping an admitted 2 times, don't you think the ear speaker issue might have resulted from being dropped?

Re: Verizon won't honor warranty repair? Help/advice please...
rcschnoor
Legend

photomu wrote:

Amazing... just like in my analogy, it would be like Ford refusing to repair a burned up motor because a kid through a rock in the back glass lol.

SMH.

Thanks for the info. It does make me reconsider my loyalty.

Wrong analogy. Dropping the phone enough to break the glass is more similar to driving you car into a tree hard enough to crack the windshield. The impact is enough to ALSO affect some of the other interior workings of the car which are not readily visible by eye without looking more closely at the interior of the vehicle. Whether or not the speaker stops working immediately after the impact does not mean SOME damage could have happened which would eventually lead to the speaker not working. Not only damage to the windshield, the impact could ALSO have affected the engine in a way which would not have been apparent immediately UNLESS the engine was examined at that point. That is simply not able to determined at the point of impact. Sometimes minimal damage takes time to lead to something which is noticeable. For example, when you run over a nail with your car's tire the tire does not always go IMMEDIATELY flat. Sometimes it can take many days for a slow leak to lead to a flat tire. That does not mean the initial damage  by the nail is not the cause of the leak just because it did not become apparent at the time it happened.

Whether or not your speaker problems are a result of the drop(s) could not possibly be deduced without looking more closely at the phone. If you are unhappy with Verizon's handling of the MANUFACTURER'S warranty, simply send it in to the MANUFACTURER. It is very likely you will be presented with a bill for repair if you would like to get your phone back.

Re: Verizon won't honor warranty repair? Help/advice please...
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

The last thing we want is for you to reconsider your loyalty, photomu. Our community has provided great insight into the concerns you have. When the device has damage, we are not able to replace it for you with a manufacturer's warranty replacement. 

http://spr.ly/6580DINpM

Phone replacements work differently than automobile warranties, and we want you to know your specific options. 

We are glad to review your account for insurance, repair or upgrade options. Please reply to my Direct Message when you get a chance. 

 

Tamara_VZW
Follow us on TWITTER @VZWSupport
If my response answered your question please click the _Correct Answer_ button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

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Re: Verizon won't honor warranty repair? Help/advice please...
mama23dogs
Legend

Your warranty is processed through the carrier as a convenience, but is covered by the manufacturer.  Physical or liquid damage voids the warranty.   Repeatedly dropping a phone can cause internal damage, even without exterior evidence.  As you admit it has obvious physical damage, you have no warranty coverage Anymore.

Your analogy doesn’t work, and doesn’t matter, since the warranty from Samsung requires devices not be damaged.

This isn’t verizon policy.  It’s a restriction from the manufacturer.  Any other carrier and you would be in the same spot.