Flip Z broken again along the fold.

[Lindsay Burrows]

The phone was purchased through Vodafone in may 2020.  Kept in great condition and after 6 months of use, boom. The screen just burst along the join between the top and bottom. 

Didnt think that much of it being a new technology etc.. Off it went to Samsung, no questions asked just repaired and returned without any issues what so ever.

Another 6 months passes and low and behold wake up one day, unfold the phone and its got a crusty looking crack again right through the center. Screen still worked and didnt seem to be effected despite the gastly looking line through it but took it into Vodafone who looked over it and recommended just using the phone as normal as its likely just the covering ontop of the glass screen and shouldnt cause any more problems down the track.

About a week of use and the dreaded dead pixles and funny looking black stuff started coming out all over the bottom of the screen again rendering the phone unuseable, again.

We asked the question this time, saying is this a common fault with these phones as its barely over a year old and already been replaced once. They couldnt say in store as they had only sold a couple of them personally.

This time Samsung came back and said, yes the screen has broken same as the first time and they will fix it under warranty. However the charge port had a bent or broken pin or something inside that would cost extra to repair. I said, its not a big concern we only use wireless charging on them 99% of the time anyway but sure I paid the extra couple of hundred $ to get it done at the same time.

Another 8-9 months later... Here we are again, big crack through the middle of the screen.
This time we made it known to vodafone, we dont want this fixed again. We want a refund or a replacement phone as this is clearly an ongoing issue that we didnt want to continue dealing with.

This time Samsung decides that the exact same issue that has been repaired twice already under warranty is now an issue we have caused somehow. And that the phone again mysteriously has a broken charge port again.
Liquid damage (the black stuff from the screen popping) I can only assume. To which they said yes it is from the screen because you broke the screen. 
And said, pay the $900+ to repair it or take the phone back useless and go away.

Vodafone and Samsung have been equally useless in trying to get this issue sorted despite a clear history of this issue on our phone and documented here and plastered across youtube/google and many forums.

Good luck if you ever buy any of the samsung flip phones and need to get it repaired under warranty. 

[B Cooper]

Exactly the same issue with a phone less than 3 months old.  No damage or drops but being told its out of warranty and I must pay $399.44 to repair it or have the phone sent back not working.  Samsung  should be ashamed of their business practices.  

[david 1]

HI ALL SAME THING JUST HAPPENED TO MY ZFLIP.TAKING IT IN TOMORROW AND ITS GOING TO BE FIXED. IVE SEEN A FEW SAYING THAT SAMSUNG IS SCREWING THEM OVER ON THIS DEFECT OF THEIR ITEM AND COME HELL OR HIGH WATER IT WILL BE FIXED FOR MYSELF OR ILL GET A NEW ONE. ITS NOT A DROPPING PROBLEM AS IVE NEVER DROPPED MINE AS I TAKE CARE OF IT BEING A 1300$ CELL I WOULDNT WANT TO BREAK IT. ITS A DEFECT AND A FLAW SAMSUNG IM SURE KNOWS ABOUT AND SHOULD STAND BY THEIR PRODUCT. I LOVE THIS PHONE UNTIL NOW AND MY WIFE HAS ONE AS WELL AND IT BETTER NOT HAPPENT O HERS BUT SEEING SO MANY IM FIGURING IT WILL SOON. STEP UP SAMSUNG AND FIX YOUR PROBLEM. 

[david 1]

THE FACT THE TECH SAID IT WAS THE SCREEN PROTECTOR AND JUST KEEP USING IT TELLS ME THEY ARE *****. IT DID SAME TO MINE SO I TOOK OFF THE SCREEN PROTECTOR AND REPLACED IT, AS NORMALLY ANYONE WOULD. THEN WOKE UP FEW WEEKS LATER TO SEE THE FROST CRACK AND SCREEN STILL WORKED. BUT THINKING BACK NOW IT DID HAVE A GLITCH OR 2 ON IT SO I SEE NOW IT WAS THE PROBLEM. WELL NOW ITS WENT BLACK AND TOP HALF OF SCREEN ISNT WORKING, SO TELLS ME ITS TORN IN HALF. THIS IS CLEARLY AN ISSUE THEY ARE AWARE ABOUT NOW. BUT THAT TECH SHOULD HAVE CHANGED THE SCREEN PROTECTOR AND WOULD HAVE SEEN THEN ITS WAS THE ACTUAL SCREEN SCREWED. HOPE YOU GET IT CORRECTED. I AM ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

[Caz7]

This is the message I got from the repairers today - Your device had its LCD replaced previously and your device still has not 1 but 2 years warranty from the date of purchase. However, regrettably on this occasion, the fault is not covered under warranty due to the physical damage on the screen surface.    😠 First repair cost $220 and now they want to charge me $680. Have contacted Samsung but going by other reports on here, I don't hold out much hope and I still have nearly $1,000 left to pay for the phone 😡😡

[Emendoza3]

I see a lot of complaints but no one trying to get toghter to file a law suit! 

[Lindsay Burrows]

An update for my situation.

As I purchased the phone through vodafone (in australia) They are responsible for carrying the warranty on the product regardless of who manufactured it.

After a long drawn out back and forth between samsung (who claim liquid damage) I basically told vodafone I wasnt willing to continue paying the remainder of the defective phone off and will escalate the situation through TIO and fair trading as this is clearly a faulty device and sent them the link to this website for proof of just how common samsungs shitty warranty practices are regarding this dodgy device.

To their credit, Vodafone decided to waive the remainder of the phone's payments in agreement with my buying a new device for the plan we are on.

For the first time in at least a decade, maybe more. We wont be buying another samsung device. Until the day I die, I will never own another samsung product after the bullshit they pulled with this piece of ***** flip phone.

And its not that its a faulty product, ***** happens with new technology. Its the way they tried to make out like we were in the wrong by simply using the phone as intended. And claiming the liquid damge was some how from an outside source when it was clear as day the liquid has come from the screen internals.

So Kudos to Vodafone, their customer service team really did help me out when samsung thew us under the bus with their bs excuses for not warranting a known faulty device.

[DocJeff]

My Z-Fold was purchased 5 months ago from Samsung directly since they sent me a "Loyal Customer" offer. I was allowed to trade in my Galaxy Note 20 for credit towards this Z-Fold. I sent in my Note 20 when I received this Z-Fold. Loved the Z-Fold until the dreaded black line started out of nowhere. I never dropped it and it was fully encased with the Samsung cover with Note pen. It happened while on a plane and simply opened it. Throughout the 4 hour flight....the black line eventually turned into a 1-inch black zone and unresponsive on the right side. I started a service request within 24 hours. I sent it in and had the dreaded email and phone call stating..."we are unable to repair and it has been determined that this damage is from "non-warranty damage"....WHAT??? I am without a phone since I traded my Note 20 in and now Samsung is deflecting the design flaw as if I threw against the wall while the phone was open and some how caused damage as the crease!!?? B.S. Samsung!!! What a loser company. I can't wait for the multi-million dollar class action lawsuit. 

[Members_BWE651k]

If they don't fix my phone ( same problem as everybody else on here ) I will just take out a small claim . Its quite easy to do in the UK  . If everyone does that they will soon sort it out I'm sure . 

[Members_EwAWPpP]

DONT BUY THE FLIP/FOLD phones from Samsung. They will do all they can to reject a warranty repair.

I waited for the 2nd generation of the Z Flip 3 phone after seeing how poorly the 1st generation flip phone performed. As soon as the zip flipped 3 arrived I purchased one only to find out 4 months down the line the screen started lifting from the fold, 5 months down-the-line I noticed what appeared to be hairline cracks on either edge of the hinge. I initially thought was a fault with the screen protector therefore I carefully remove the screen protector with the aim of getting it replaced by ee or at a samsung store only to find that the actual screen had the hairline fractures at the corner of each hinge along the fold! Month 6 and I can now see little cracks all along the fold! Due to this major fault with the screen happening only 5 months into my purchase I decided to have the phone sent back to EE for a warranty repair.

I keep all my Tech Gear in top condition and look after everything I own with a high degree of care. The phone I sent to EE was in immaculate condition with not a dent or  mark on the device. A few days later I received the paperwork advising that my phone was user damaged and that there will be a charge of 360 pounds to replace the screen!  I argued the case with  EE and took it as high as I could but they advised that the phone is not covered under warranty because it is user damaged? I asked on what grounds was the phone rejected and deemed user damaged when it is in immaculate condition bar the the screen cracking at the fold? They would not respond stating that their technicians make this diagnosis which EE have no control over. Ee offered £50 which I rejected, and i asked to take this further.

I was advised that I will need to reach out to the  Ombudsman and also Samsung directly.  I called Samsung Who advised that I would need to take my phone in to Samsung repair centre at Newcastle-upon-Tyne where they will inspect and have this repaired on the day.

After calling the Samsung centre at this location and informing them of what has happened so far the agent advised me to bring the phone in, which was a good 1 and a 1/2 hour journey. After I got on site they looked at the phone assessed it and advised the phone is in great condition but because the screen protector has been removed the warranty is void and that there will be a charge of 270 pounds to repair the phone. At this stage I was fuming due to poor advice from the Samsung centre wasting my time travelling in with a child to turn down the repair. I asked why they didn't ask if the protector was removed over the phone, to which the assessor just smiled! At this stage was quite angry and advised that this is an unacceptable level of service and very unprofessional, but got no response from the woman and was only given a number to call Samsung directly.

I called Samsung a technician took the case reference number and also half an hour of my time to listen to the problems I have faced to date only to advise me again that there's nothing they can do as the warranty was voided due to the screen protector being removed. 

Again I argued the case that the screen is fatally flawed, and that I actually use the phone at most 10 times a-day  which is a far cry from the claims of the phone enduring a 100 flips A-day! They were straight down the line with voided warranty and wished me a wonderful day!

My home is reliant totally on the Samsung ecosystem with the exception of this device which has been a major letdown. I have always purchased high end Samsung technology looking at forums I can see that it's not just an isolated case, these phone screens are failing for many people. I can imagine a recall for the flawed device being very costly for Samsung therefore the excuse of the screen protector being removed voiding the warranty is a successful cop out! Buy this phone at ur own risk, I have wasted too much of my time and energy in trying to getting this phone rightfully repaired at no cost to me and failing. I will be reaching out to the Ombudsman who will independently assess the issue.... let's see if this works?