Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

New update from me:

Still no calls from "The Customer Escalation Resolution Team", since Monday/Wednesday now.

I called the supervisor at Nokia yesterday to chase this up, and he said he doesn't know why I haven't received any contact and he's very sorry, and he escalated my case once again.

I sent an email to Nokia today and got this reply:

I'm going to reply asking for a time frame on this, then proceed with Trading Standards next week...

N900 repair rejected - please help
 

Hi there,

I want your advice on what to do. I have my Nokia N900 since December from the release date bought on contract on vodaphone from mobilephonesdirect.

Since having the device I have had to get it repaired twice, both reasons was because of the USB port was not working/broke. I took this to my nearest Carphone Warehouse express store.

The first instance it took 3 weeks for my phone to get back to me as the USB port just wasn't responding (it was always kind of wobbly), in the end it went back to Nokia for them to look at it, after a few days I got my phone back, the USB charger was still kind of wobbly when the charger however I just assumed that's what it was supposed to be like.

About a month later, plugging the charger in - the USB snaps inside the phone. I took it to the Carphone Warehouse express store where I was told " Repair Outcome: Beyond Economical Repair" and they are refusing to fix this as they are holding me responsible for the damage and regrettably the fault is not covered by the warranty. I was told that it was due to mistreatment etc. - the phone is in pristine condition I even bought a zag shield for the device.

This is outrageous, many people have reported problems with the USB becoming loose, broken and just not working. Of all the phones I have ever had, not one has broke.
I have been following the thread here,

http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=37107

I am asking for any advice on how to go about this? Personally with the amount of problems that have been caused by this USB port, I am thinking of using the sales of goods right under "faulty goods" as the amount of people with this problem suggests that the phone has a fault.

Any information on how to go about this will help me very much.

Regards,

Lee Johnson

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

The thread "N900 repair rejected - please help" with one post has been merged into this thread.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

Dominator, unfortunately you are in the same situation as me, I've explained everything I've done so far...so you're gonna have to do the same.

Try support first on the phone, same as me. Then once you get an absolute no, you'll have to call up consumer direct and ask for their advice on how to compose your letter to send to Nokia's UK office.

Let me know how you get on, looks like I'm sending off my letter on Monday...

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

I sent in my phone a week ago and just got it back. Put the charger in to charge battery, it doesn't even charge :(
Nokia.......

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

Are you using a wall charger or plugging it into your PC? A lot of computers are too underpowered to charge a device through USB. You may also have a faulty USB cable or a faulty wall charger. The N900 isn't necessarily at fault.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

I did both. I used a charger on another device that also has a miniUSB connection and it worked.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

HeY NOKIA!

It's pretty simple.

Send out a bulk email, all USB port issues fixed no questions asked during the warranty period.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

Sharing my experience with the USB issue.

I got the phone 12/11/2009 and the USB port broke 4/1/2010. I mailed it in the following day with 3 day shipping from Maryland to Alabama USA. It arrived 4/6/2010.

On 4/8/2010, "Unfortunately we were unable to repair your device and are currently awaiting delivery of a replacement device for you."

Replacement phone was shipped on 4/09/2010 and I got it on 4/12/2010 with $10 OVI debit card and extra stylus since I didn't send original one in.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

I bought mine new on ebay. Do not know how Nokia will look on this but entering the imei on nokia website warranty link shows valid. Just to cover myself got SquareTrade warranty for $64.99 that covers for two years. In the contract states during factory warranty period will help you file claim with Nokia and if they balk SquareTrade will cover. Might be wasting my money but trying to get piece of mind.
Doc

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

More news from me:

Called Nokia yesterday and asked to speak to the same supervisor again.

Turns out Nokia's CERT department claimed to have spoken to me and closed my support case. Had a go at the supervisor and he told me he'd call me back later that day and tell me exactly when CERT were going to call me.

Never got a call...

Rang Nokia this morning and asked to speak to the same supervisor again and was told he'd call me back...no call back.

So I gave up on Nokia support and was about to write my letter to Nokia's head office in the UK, when I decided to first try and just call them.

Shocked...someone actually answered the phone without me being put on hold, and it was an English lady actually in the UK rather than a Canadian call centre.

So I briefly explained my situation and asked who I could speak to and she said she would put me through to the repairs line, and I said I think I've already spoken to them enough, is there anyone else I can speak to.

So she put me through to Nokia's complaints department and after a few minutes, the lady I spoke to had organised UPS to collect my N900 tomorrow and she'd inform me personally on Thursday what the outcome is.

I did have to mention that I know I have the right to see absolute evidence and proof that the fault is due to user damage, but that my main issue is the condition in which I received my N900 back.

Should have just done this in the first place, after 2 weeks of going round in circles I'm finally getting somewhere.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

This is great news for you and everyone.

Anyone still getting push back, keep pointing those arguing with you to these examples!

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

I have read all the contents of this issue.. No one has a solution for this.....Dont tell me that after spending close to 650 dollars, i will loose this phone in 3 months.....if this is the case, i will NEVER purchase a NOKIA....Im gonna open this up and try to soilder the usb back. will give you updates.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

If you have actually read the entire contents then you know the problem is being addressed. Not completely consistently, but persistence will pay off.

And I would advise against any soldering.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

Soldering would be abuse in anybodies book. That would and should void any warranty.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

I seriously can't bring myself to read this many pages... I just keep praying every day I plug and unplug my phone that it doesn't break on me... because I'm still not sure what the "status" is of this.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

Yes, I'm still frustrated by lack of solid info too... : /

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

I've been thinking about this for a while and had not brought it up. Perhaps Texrat can place a post on the first page with modalities and contacts to follow with how to get this resolved expeditiously, perhaps by area. We can collect contacts to facilitate resolution.

There's got to be a way to streamline this process so the pain doesn't "start over from scratch" for each person.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

Good idea (it would have to be another mod though at this point)... with the caveat that few people seem to be starting at the front...

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

I agree about the starting at the front part, but at least questions could be referred there as an info repository. I see the "need" for this increasing with time if you know what I mean.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

I understand.. I bought the phone In Dubai while working for a company there....with all i have read, i dont think Nokia will even attempt to honor fixing the phone. This is sad, i wish i knew this before purchasing... i think i will just go for a Nexus One this time....im thinking of other uses for the N900 without a functional usb port. Except that charging will be frustrating (having to charge via desktop charger), I could just mod the phone to be my music streamer for my home...... men... im so frustrated... Can you believe this is my first Nokia phone?.........this sucks.....

Re: N900 repair rejected - please help
 

This is such a sad post to read and a kick in the balls for Nokia, never will i agree that nokia do this to people and i think trading standards should become involed in a big way because after all this is a design fault of Nokia and i have not seen a conclusion that would stop USB ports from breaking off again after the repair, i have howver seen a repaired device and its the same as it originated with no mod at all to prevent further problems.
I just dont understand the logic from Nokia at all regarding this issue after all this IS suppsed to be there current FLAGSHIP device.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

If it is any use to anybody that has had a refusal from Nokia i really DO suggest you go to trading standards and point them in the direction of this very thread for a starting point.
It IS 100% a badly designed fix to the motherboard for a USB port destined by design fault to rip itself off due to minimal pushing in of the USB lead and from pure experiance alone i can remember the days when Nokia actually bolted either side the USB port and THAT was a proper design.
This USB port is secured by 4 very small soldered points on 4 corners of the port socket itself and the problem is the points of solder are far far too small to hold something in place that needs a lead plugged into it.
The actual USB data connections are at the back of the port itself and are tack soldered to tiny tracks that lead up to it, those tracks are inevitably going to rip off the M/B if the port itself is pushed in any way too hard by inserting the USB cable into the port.
I have now repaired 4 N900's and i was actually able to recover those data tracks by minute soldering links to them.
I can give a complete fix for anyone needing this repair done OUT of warranty.
Please note that epoxy or any other glue applied in any way is NOT a fix even as a preventative fix.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

@abill_UK:

I've had contact with Consumer Direct (Trading Standards Consumer port of contact), I think I said this in my posts, not sure.

They don't appear to have a front for consumers as a mass to go against Nokia...I'm not too sure how you go about this.

They can give you all the details you need in order to get your phone repaired under warranty however, since you have to ask
Nokia to prove explicitly that this issue is due to user damage and that the device can withstand normal usage.

The downside is that this has to be done by post and can take a while.

The current solution in the UK seems to be to call Nokia's head office direct and go through to the complaints department (after first sending it to Nokia Care and having it returned), then you should get your phone replaced/repaired the quickest.

I've sent letters off to various newspapers on this issue in the hopes of trying to get some publicity on all this, but unfortunately haven't received any replies so far...shame, it would be a big article and cause a lot of fuss.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

Once again i am so sad to read this and i guess you have some very valid experiances to tell, i am just wondering if the Moderators of this community can do something? i know Texrat himself (moderator) has addressed this USB issue with Nokia direct and maybe he is the first port of call to talk too.
I think Meamo.org should if not already done so make a solid move on this issue because it is without doubt even without my reports a very clear fault to see even by a blind man !.
Lets see what comes from this forum.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

Im very interested in your fix. How can i get more information...

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

I need firstly to find out just how bad the situation is with the actual damage caused by the USB port ripping off the M/b but in due course i will publish pics of a before and after situation for all to see.
I have before pics already but i never took pics after the fix as yet because i needed firstly to test the fix out before i release it, and i am currently doing this before i finally open my N900 up for pics. (the fix to my N900 was in fact a prevenative fix and not already broken)
It can be a very easy fix for some but i dont know yet how bad the damage can be on the motherboard as it will fully depend on how hard they have pushed the USB socket before ripping it off, this will depend if the data tracks have gone with it.
Please understand i have only repaired 4 units and all were minimal damage as in the tracks were workable..
I need till the weekend and by that time i will have done more work on this.
One thing i CAN tell you now is IF the USB socket is wobbly in ANY way but is still working at that point STOP USING THE USB as it MUST be repaired before it rips off the M/B as this will only be the 4 cornered solder points that have worked loose from the M/B (the data connections will have to be re-soldered in any event).

FINALLY PLEASE NOTE ANY REPAIR / FIX WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY WITH NOKIA AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

Although there is some overlap, I think the body that should take this forward with Nokia is the Maemo Community Council. The forum moderators are just here to look after the forum itself.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

I am Glad that Meego will be on Multiple Vendors. I hope Nokia never tempts me to buy one of their devices again. Here's my list of $600 failed Nokia phones

9210 Failed Clamshell Hinge
9300 Failed Clamshell Hinge
9300 Replacement Same Failure

N900 ??When will it hit me?

I've invested enough in poor Nokia Engineering I think...

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

I sent my N900 off to a Nokia carepoint for repairs sometime in March for a malfunctioning USB port.
I got it back a couple of weeks later, with nothing changed. I sent it off for a second time, and got it back exactly the same 1 month later.
I contacted Nokia Belgium for this.
I don't know how Nokia does it for the rest of the world, but in Belgium Nokia sends out a new device if repairs have failed 3 times in a short period of time.
So hopefully I just have to wait a couple of weeks, and I'll either get my phone repaired or a new phone.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

I think this process that you are going to is working exactly as intended. I think Nokia is relying on attrition to cut their costs down. Their reputation is irrevocably damaged in my opinion.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

It's hard to believe and understand how Nokia can send it back out without even testing the phone. As les_garten stated this just destroys their reputation.
Doc

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

Further backing up all the ranting I've been making about how Nokia does NOT provide an acceptable customer service experience. This is a rant that I can recall making for years, now, since purchasing my N800 and experiencing nothing but an incredibly frustrating series of experiences and insulting phone support (that is, insulting offers of "support" like--no repair.. and an incredible 'discounted' price to replace an item that costs more than the item I purchased in the first place).

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

It's incredibly sad really. For the longest time, I have postponed joining the discussions in these forums for the point where I could explain how much I love the N900, but I never thought I would be joining under these conditions.

The USB port on my N900 has, for all intents and purposes, died and now it is incredibly painful to look at the bad experiences in this thread.

I have not started my inevitably horrible journey with Nokia customer service yet, and I believe I will receive more sympathy here explaining how much of my life has been wrapped up in this device and therefore Nokia.

In high school, I decided that the N800 would be a great, open device that I could rely on without being trapped within the closed environments of competitors, and thus I spent the $200 for the device. Lo and behold, I beheld the rumored RX-51, and waited in eager anticipation for the successor to my beloved device.

Now the point to this rambling is that for the N900 I spent $550 for the device, $550 that a freshman college student does not have! Therefore this device has my music, videos, books, comics, my life within it... and now I am going to lose that to the most ignorant common problem in an electronic device I have heard of in recent memory: a faulty usb port! There have been people on this thread speaking of externally charging the battery in the phone, or that people must be being too rough with the phone, but they are ignoring the key issue here. It is unfathomable that there is a repeated issue of the USB port breaking, especially after having the damn phone for only 5 months!

Now I love the N900, and for the longest I had been dying to give a response to all the naysayers that seem to troll this site every day. I appreciate the idea of an open system that stands in direct contrast to the incredibly closed environments of competitors, particularly the Iphone. However, if Nokia does not respect a long supporter of their endeavors and gives me the loop, I will not be fool enough to ever hand them any of my money which in Michigan is very hard to come by. I may also end up commenting more on Maemo.org, but for reasons that may not have the blessings of the moderators of this site.

Now I have search for the box that this device came in and hope my anger dies down a bit... If anyone is willing to give me advice, I bought the N900 in January from Newegg. I just hope either company is able to come through for me.

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

This is a repost of my initial post back in January 13th because I think it will help some people worrying about the USB port failure. I am yet to see any problems with my port. Still feels as solid as the day I bought it. -

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

Seems it is time to ask those have the usb problem what kind of ca101 did they use? The default one came with the phone or other ones?

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

this helped me a lot! after 2 weeks of obtaining the device, i read about the usb issue, in finding a solution/prevention, i am directed to your post!. thanks! :D

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

This is unbelievable! I've had my new N900 for exactly a week now and the USB port is already broken! This is ridiculous! I just signed a two year contract, it's a great phone but this is very very cheap/bad/unbelievable/no words for this. Even if I get a new phone from my provider (I live in Holland), the same problem might just as well happen with the new one, and then what?

Is there no way to fix this ourselves?

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

Well they can try wathever they want, that won't stop me from calling and annoying them. The N900 just costed me too much to start paying for repairs after only 3 months.:)
I've had bad luck with all kinds of electronics from all kinds of brands, but never with a Nokia product. I just hope they can sort this thing out before they, like you just said, really damage their reputation.

I couldn't understand it either. The documents that came back with the package said the software had been repaired... But my software had no problem what so ever! Maybe my phone just happenned to fall in the hands of a Czech (that's where it got sent to apparently) tech guy that wasn't in the mood for fixing it.. TWICE..

Re: Problems with N900 USB port becoming broken / loose and resulting warranty & repair issues
 

Just wondering what you guys think of this comment made on the whirlpool site here in Aus.

"1. MicroUSB port issue where it gets ripped off the main pcb was happening mainly on the pre-retail version of N900 which was gven out to a number of early testers. It is not common on the retail version of N900."