Iphone 4 home button not working

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Loismustdye

919 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#91875 21-Oct-2011 21:00

Ass the title says, my 7 month old iphone4's home button has stopped working. Essentially it only works sometimes, and requires restarting at least twice a day at present in order to get it to "reset". And even then a couple hours later it stops working properly again. Factor in with that the random not connecting to wifi issues and you have a very frustrated iphone owner.

I was going to do the repair through apple NZ website rather than noel leemings (where i got the phone as an insurance replacement) due in part to the absolute nightmare 2 of the women I work with are having horrendous issues with Noel's trying to get their phones replaced (in one case she had had the phone for 3 weeks and Noels have had it in repair for a month!!!)
Has anyone had any experience with the apple repair/warranty process?
Im kinda dreading not being with my phone for the few weeks its likely to take to repair/fix. :-(

thanks.

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2458 posts

Uber Geek

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#536273 21-Oct-2011 21:14

Apple as far as I know don't "repair" phones in New Zealand.

They'll give you a refurbished one usually as far as I know if its under warranty or you claim under the CGA.

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skewt

747 posts

Ultimate Geek

#536657 23-Oct-2011 10:38

Have you tried restoring the phone to factory defaults and confirming it still has an issue before you install the backup ?

I've read quite a few home button issues can be software related, there's been a few things posted on fixing it , http://www.tipb.com/2011/01/04/tipb-bug-home-button-working-iphone/

There's one listed in the comments there about performing something while your phone is plugged in, my friend did that one and her issues have gone away

scuwp

3870 posts

Uber Geek

#536678 23-Oct-2011 12:07

Have you upgraded yet to iOS5 ...I wonder if that might fix your problem?

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

Loismustdye

919 posts

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#536687 23-Oct-2011 13:29

It's upgraded to ios5 and if anything it has become more noticeable:-(

The fix I had tried was plugging it in, turning on the voice control and then unplugging it from the cable, this worked for a few hours before it stopped again. Restoring hasn't fixed it either unfortunately.
Thanks for the ideas, but looks like I'll be going thru apples help desk I think.

acsonline

181 posts

Master Geek

#536724 23-Oct-2011 15:02

This seems to be quite a common problem with the iPhone 4. My home button stopped responding completely after 4 months. Even with my replacement I use it carefully!

And yes, I wish I had the foresight to avoid Noel leeming. But no. I did buy off them.

It took them 4 weeks to sort it. One bungle after another - they kept sending it to the wrong repair agents. Once they got the right place it only took 3 days. I had to keep the pressure on them.

If I had to go through it again - I would ask the guy accepting the repair to call HQ first before firing it off to telegistics or somewhere.

BerG

61 posts

Master Geek

#536725 23-Oct-2011 15:17

I once left my iPhone in a hot car and melted it.

As I bought the phone in Aus I had to send it back to Aus, but they sent me a refurbished one immediately.

The iPhone 4 I just bought off trademe had a dodgy home button (not working ~60% of the time). Bought a new one off trademe for $20 and spent about 2 hours completely dismantling the phone to replace it. Now works like new!

Seems very strange though that yours works fine for a while then becomes unresponsive...

Loismustdye

919 posts

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#537555 26-Oct-2011 09:05

This fault process might take a while :-) :

After ringing apple 00800 (and waiting 15 mins on hold to get through to a very very helpful CSR, apple have this part of the equation sorted as I have never had such a positive encounter with a CSR from anywhereelse, kudos to Apple for this) number yesterday, they gave me a case number etc and instructed me to ring their local courier people (TNT) to sen it back to apple etc.
TNT then advised I had to wait until I received all the paperwork and packaging from apple in order to go forward with the return and wouldn't go any further until I had such.
Waiting for a time now to ring Apple again in order to see what happens next.............

myopinion

938 posts

Ultimate Geek

#537583 26-Oct-2011 09:54

I use this support page from Apple to get repairs done for our work iPhones. Just follow the process and Apple will send you a courier pack which delivers your iPhone to Apple Aus, then they send you a nice refirbished unit.

https://selfsolve.apple.com/GetWarranty.do

bluedisk

226 posts

Master Geek

#537607 26-Oct-2011 10:11

I had the same problem, home button not working after 7 months, bought from Noel Leeming.

This button just froze and rendered the iphone 4 useless. Even more irritating was that I was about to leave on a business trip across the Tasman where a smartphone would have been useful.

I took the phone into NL in Tory St Wellington on Sunday afternoon and by Wednesday morning 11am I had a new looking iphone (probably refurbished). There were no issues at all with the return or replacement, it just happened. They volunteered that this seemed to be a common problem with this set.

Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all...

Loismustdye

919 posts

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#537641 26-Oct-2011 10:49

Just took the phone into NL's, stated it'll probably be around 10-15 working days for a turn around.
here's hoping I can con my partner to loan me back my old iphone for that time!!!!!
Think i might have to save that link (selfsolve) for future use :-)

DrNut

135 posts

Master Geek

#537812 26-Oct-2011 16:20

I've had mine replaced through the VF store once. Dropped it in on a Monday morning and had a refurb one by Wednesday morning.

Just a note if you're home button does crap out and you're absolutely desperate, you can enable a home button on the screen through the accessibility settings.

PaulBrislen

198 posts

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#537838 26-Oct-2011 17:00

Mine did this - I had a replacement within two days from memory. Was very quick.

Loismustdye

919 posts

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#537862 26-Oct-2011 17:43

I'll keep my fingers crossed I get a similar turn around to all you guys.

I'm already suffering withdrawals from not having my life (ie my phone with me), unfortunately my old SE 995 doesn't allow me to tether my ipad to it for internet whilst away from home :-(

bluedisk

226 posts

Master Geek

#537865 26-Oct-2011 17:49

NL also told me 10-15 working days, but turned out to be only 3 days. I enquired if they had any rental iphones to tide me over, they just laughed. Fortunately it worked out OK.

Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all...

Loismustdye

919 posts

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#539459 31-Oct-2011 10:39

I must be the black sheep then, enquired today with the Noel lemmings where I took the phone to and was told at least another few days before I either got a replacement phone or told the repair wasn't under warranty.

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