27-Sep-2010 08:54 PM
Just wondering how a phone can be returned from Nokia care unrepaired as the fault is stated to be due to water damage yet the phone has not been near any water and the indicators on the phone and battery which are supposed to turn red in the event of water damage are still totally white ? Yet another N97 mystery. Can anyone help me solve it ?
27-Sep-2010 11:04 PM
28-Sep-2010 07:00 AM
Hi mccoy 1, thanks for replying. I did try and discuss the problem with the Nokia care point who had sent the phone off for me but was referred to a piece of paper they gave me with a tick in the box for water damage and a blurry pic of the "damage" that could have been anything. Basically I was being told that if the piece of paper said it was water damaged then it was, regardless of the fact that the phone has not been exposed to water.
I then spoke to Orange who were a great deal more helpful and told me about the two indicators on the phone that turn red if it is water damaged, both were still white on my phone.
An extremely frustrating call to Nokia customer services followed, after a lot of struggling to make myself understood I now have a reference number and a "promise" that someone will call me back within the next 5 working days.
Will have to wait and see what happens
28-Sep-2010 08:43 AM
OK the indicators you describe are inside the phone so I don't see how you can tell if they are pink or not without having opened it yourself
Water damage can be caused by the phone spending significant time in a humid enviroment,
a bathroom or kitchen, a trouser pocket on a hot or wet day etc the damage is culmalative but will turn the moisture indicators occasionaly
once even a very small amount of water gets into the phone it it classed as beyond economic repair as corosion damage is agan culmalative and can take significant time to take effect, once moisture gets in the only option is to replace all of the electronics in the phone
28-Sep-2010 08:54 AM - last edited on 28-Sep-2010 09:00 AM
Water damage can be caused by more than just water and often the external indicator (under the battery) doesn't turn red.
Common causes (usually after prolonged exposure):
Steam - phone is left in a steamy place like a bathroom or kitchen. The phone may also steam up inside.
Sweat - a real phone killer due to the salt content, if the phone absorbs too much sweat from your body the salt corrodes the circuit boards.
Condensation - phone left near a heavily condensated area or constantly moved from somewhere very warm to very cold.
Rain - you see people doing this all the time and is one of the most common causes of water damage where the moisture detection label remains intact.
Spills - a little bit of soft drink, coffee, alcohol etc can cause problem if it gets inside though a gap or button.
All of the above applies to phones of all brands, expect phones that state they are water resistant.
If you are 100% certain that none of it applies to you then your best option is to write a letter (not an email) to Nokia and to Orange (if you are still under contract). At Nokia the letter will be dealt with by a more experienced team who will ask for your phone back for a more thorough inspection.
Good luck.
P.S. Are you in the UK?