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Has anyone done a warranty exchange with an unlocked bootloader? For example:
Your headphone jack develops issues and you're pretty sure it's a hardware problem with the connector as noted in this thread. You have an unlocked bootloader so the text "UNLOCKED" is shown every time you boot, but otherwise stock 4.5.91. You are beyond your 30 day exchange period.
You send the phone in for a warranty exchange, and since it's a hardware issue Motorola does one of the following:
1. Says, "Everything is cool, we know you unlocked the bootloader but can see this is an obvious hardware issue and will give you an exchange."
2. Says, "You unlocked the bootloader and voided your warranty. You owe us $500."
3. Replaces the phone without noticing.
Would flashing the stock 4.5.91 SBF to remove the "UNLOCKED" notice change anything?
This is all purely hypothetical, of course.
I have no idea what checks Motorola goes through when they receive a device under warranty but, for me personally, I just accept that I forfeited my warranty when I unlocked my BL. I know it doesn't seem fair for the consumer to have this mentality but until they decide to offer us the unlocks officially we have to play by their rules.
stewartsoda said:
Has anyone done a warranty exchange with an unlocked bootloader? For example:
Your headphone jack develops issues and you're pretty sure it's a hardware problem with the connector as noted in this thread. You have an unlocked bootloader so the text "UNLOCKED" is shown every time you boot, but otherwise stock 4.5.91. You are beyond your 30 day exchange period.
You send the phone in for a warranty exchange, and since it's a hardware issue Motorola does one of the following:
1. Says, "Everything is cool, we know you unlocked the bootloader but can see this is an obvious hardware issue and will give you an exchange."
2. Says, "You unlocked the bootloader and voided your warranty. You owe us $500."
3. Replaces the phone without noticing.
Would flashing the stock 4.5.91 SBF to remove the "UNLOCKED" notice change anything?
This is all purely hypothetical, of course.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let us know when you find out.
I voided my warranty and your mum.
stewartsoda said:
Has anyone done a warranty exchange with an unlocked bootloader? For example:
Your headphone jack develops issues and you're pretty sure it's a hardware problem with the connector as noted in this thread. You have an unlocked bootloader so the text "UNLOCKED" is shown every time you boot, but otherwise stock 4.5.91. You are beyond your 30 day exchange period.
You send the phone in for a warranty exchange, and since it's a hardware issue Motorola does one of the following:
1. Says, "Everything is cool, we know you unlocked the bootloader but can see this is an obvious hardware issue and will give you an exchange."
2. Says, "You unlocked the bootloader and voided your warranty. You owe us $500."
3. Replaces the phone without noticing.
Would flashing the stock 4.5.91 SBF to remove the "UNLOCKED" notice change anything?
This is all purely hypothetical, of course.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, here in canada with Bell, if you have a software problem you're in deep sh*t...
If it's a hardware problem, they fix it or they give you another atrix ^^
Your welcome
In Singapore, sent in an Atrix with a hardware problem, (Atrix will not start up)
They fixed it and returned it back to me with the bootloader still unlocked.
(They returned it to stock, but OEM fuse shows it is unlocked)
Really though, pray or go on your lucky day!
stewartsoda said:
Would flashing the stock 4.5.91 SBF to remove the "UNLOCKED" notice change anything?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flashing to a FroYo SBF can either remove the text or brick your phone.
If you updated to Gingerbread officially (OTA) than it would brick your phone
Well I actually just got off the phone with AT&T and I'm getting a replacement phone because the vibrate motor (don't want to call it a vibrator ) in this one is broken or something. She said they only charge the big fee if there's water damage or severe cracks, etc. I mentioned that I had modified the phone in various Android-ish ways and she said it doesn't matter because they flash it to stock before they do anything with it...But AFAIK there's no way to relock the bootloader for us Atrix owners. Hopefully they can do something we don't know about, or I'm screwed. I imagine they have plenty of ways to get it back to stock. No where on AT&T's terms for warranty exchanges does it say anything about getting the fee for something other than water damage/extreme physical damage/etc.
EDIT: I got online with another ATT rep, because I was freaking out. I told him about the unlocked bootloader and he said "Yes, that will be a problem". When I read that, pants had been pooped. I was glad that I found out so I could perhaps cancel the exchange, but mad that I was basically stuck with this broken phone now...Then he said he talked to a supervisor, and he told him that google recently required manufacturer's to take any phone regardless of any modifications that had been made to it in spirit of open source. So I confirmed numerous times that the unlock won't be a problem. And as long as there's no water damage (circle on back is still white) or extreme physical damage, you should get the replacement without any fee.
At the very least, if anything were to arise, I feel I have reason to argue now that I've confirmed this in so many ways... Hope this helps you all!
guys, just use the SBF to flash to stock. it *should* remove the "unlocked" text on boot. I HIGHLY doubt they will go into that much trouble to try to see if your bootloader is unlocked or not.
andy2na said:
guys, just use the SBF to flash to stock. it *should* remove the "unlocked" text on boot. I HIGHLY doubt they will go into that much trouble to try to see if your bootloader is unlocked or not.
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Click to collapse
I also highly doubt that they would check but I'm not willing to risk $500 on that doubt.
I might have hypothetically fixed the headphone jack on my own anyway. But I still think that inquiring minds would want to know the answer to this: Can a software modification release Motorola from honoring warranty claims based on hardware issues?
stewartsoda said:
I also highly doubt that they would check but I'm not willing to risk $500 on that doubt.
I might have hypothetically fixed the headphone jack on my own anyway. But I still think that inquiring minds would want to know the answer to this: Can a software modification release Motorola from honoring warranty claims based on hardware issues?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fastboot oem unlock.
Iphone > galaxy s 2.
@thebeardedchild - So did you actually replace the phone through ATT warranty and they didnt charge you any money.
I replaced mine through at&t not a single charge was given to me. Bootloader was unlocked and had stock gingerbread.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
defnow said:
I replaced mine through at&t not a single charge was given to me. Bootloader was unlocked and had stock gingerbread.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
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And it said "unlocked" at the top left during boot and everything? Just trying to clarify whether you tried to hide it or not or left it as obvious as it normally would...
If you did hide it, what did you do? I've been confused as to whether you SBF flash or what. I'm scared of bricking this phone before I send it back haha.
@hjd17, I haven't sent it in yet, the replacement hasn't arrived. The poster I quoted has had success though, so that should answer your question!
Hi all,
But why don't you all put stock rom with rsd? If you do this the label "unlocked" Goes
away. Just download the stock rom from xda in the thread under the Android development and push it with rsd, no worries i've done it lot of times....
stewartsoda said:
...
I might have hypothetically fixed the headphone jack on my own anyway. But I still think that inquiring minds would want to know the answer to this: Can a software modification release Motorola from honoring warranty claims based on hardware issues?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IF Moto was going to hold you to this, then I would expect them to win unless you could show the product was broken day one.
In reality, it is not worth it for companies to play this game. Easier just to fix and get on with life.
They could make it easy for all (and collect some cash) by adding a "un hard-bricking" fee.
Unlocked boot-loader and running a non-OEM ROM.
My device's LCD appeared to have burn-in, went to AT&T and he gave me grief because he noticed the launcher was not stock and the background was different (Really?) So I kindly returned the launcher to Blur and changed the background to something else.
They replaced my device on-site.
I have unlocked bootloader, and am trying to return it to stock. RSD lite won't show my device...
here is more info on my drama: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=17571581#post17571581
any idea how to proceed with flashing the OEM .sbf when RSD lite will not recognize the device? thanks...
So I have a Question. I unlocked my bootloader following the HTCdev.com Website and when doing so there was a warning saying that in Unlocking it I MAY void my warranty. I have followed Xboarders instructions to completly Relock the bootloader and boot completly back to stock. If anything goes wrong with my phone via Warranty issues(Such as the screen stops working or a button stops working and there is no Physical damage) will t-mobile warranty the phone without charging me the crazy restocking fee. Has anyone done this before on a different phone. I know on my older galaxy S phone I could but there wasnt the bootloader issue. Thanks for any advice.
Pretty sure that HTC/T-Mo won't charge you because its a hardware fail that could've happened regardless if you unlocked your bootloader
Sent from my HTC Amaze 4G using XDA App
Do you know the best way to confirm this?
Shawnkanan said:
Do you know the best way to confirm this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Call them.
these companies work together. If htc knows that someone voided their warranty through the htc dev method, t-mo and asurion prolly know it as well. It doesnt matter if you call them saying "i lost my phone", "someone stole it", "it flew up to the moon", etc - they already know its warranty no longer exist... simple
This isn't directed only at the OP so please don't take offense, but this question has come up so many times, and no one seems to actually be using their brain to come up with a real answer. Since my brain apparently still functions, let me set this straight.
First of all, warranty and insurance are different things. If you pay for the insurance through T-Mobile (which is through Assurion) then it shouldn't matter whether you void your warranty. You would still be covered either way. That's why you pay extra for it.
Second, HTC states that you MAY void your warranty. Which means the warranty still exists, but that if you have a problem with your phone and send it in for warranty repair or replacement and they feel that your issue was caused by unlocking the bootloader and doing something stupid (like bricking it by trying to flash an incompatible radio or something) then they can choose to not honor the warranty.
You guys really need to stop worrying so much.
Also of note, there is currently no way to get back to 100% stock after unlocking the bootloader. You can relock it, but it will say 'relocked' instead of 'locked' indicating that you messed with it. Plus I assume HTC keeps a record of the unique identifier codes that were submitted for an unlock code.
Hopefully this clears things up. You're welcome.
^^^^^^^^^^What he said.
MAY is the operative word.
So verizon got with htc and added the rezound to there htcdev unlock tool. which is def a win for us but from what a friend who used this with his evo3d on sprint just informed me. is that as soon as you use this tool your device esn is red flag by htc then sent to carrier and all insurance coverage is permanently voided. so if you used this tool and have insurance you might as well cancel it.
so now that this tool has hit for our devices. would it be safe to assume that some dev or devs will be working on a method that unlocks the device without flagging your esn or making the bootloader say relocked if you choose to go back to locked and will this make it easier to achieve S-off .
this is just some info i got from one person who has sprint and did this please correct if this is wrong.
Hopefully not.
Insurance can't be entirely voided. Besides, that is hearsay. Until you can show me that in writing, I don't believe it. I'm sure it voids mechanical problems or software issues but if my phone gets lost... I'm covered. Until you can prove it, everyone needs to just calm down and don't let speculation get out of control.
Sent from my newly unlocked Rezound.. Thank you HTC.
Htc/dev has already said when you use the unlocker you void your warranty and any support from htc. And when you use the unlocker You know that info goes to VZW .
Peter Chou said if you use the unlocker you lose your warranty.
Sent from my HTC
LTE 4G Rezound
You warranty is voided upon unlocking the bootloader. I really doubt they can just nullify the insurance in which you pay for a replacement.
you can think whatever you want im just relaying info from my friend who only found this out because he dropped his 3d and cracked the screen when he went to get it fixed thats what they told him after they said they couldnt fix it idk how it is on verizon i suppose u could ask them but ill bet its the same
brandonkill02 said:
you can think whatever you want im just relaying info from my friend who only found this out because he dropped his 3d and cracked the screen when he went to get it fixed thats what they told him after they said they couldnt fix it idk how it is on verizon i suppose u could ask them but ill bet its the same
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
he had to replace his 3d with best buys black tie also i found all this out because i called him to ask him how hard it was to do on his 3d and he told me not to do it
This is exactly why I've waited to unlock my device. Not like there's even anything to flash yet.
Sleek69 said:
This is exactly why I've waited to unlock my device. Not like there's even anything to flash yet.
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Click to collapse
agree i just thought id give a heads up to people who got excited about this maybe help save someone a headache
So just say you lost it. Problem solved.
Your friend was lied to by sprint, or he didn't really have insurance. I am on the 3d and have spoken with numerous sprint employees and know a couple people who unlocked with htc and used the insurance to fix their phone from dropping it and what not. It does void the warranty, but not the insurance. But s-off voids your warranty, always has, this isn't different. HTC states it just like it's been stated by devs over the years, you do this at your own risk.
____________________
Trolls, trolls everywhere
I don't think there is any douchebaggery here. We void warranties. That's what we do. Buy insurance from an outside source that is willing to accept software modification. Dunno if squaretrade does, but probably.
pstevep said:
Your friend was lied to by sprint, or he didn't really have insurance. I am on the 3d and have spoken with numerous sprint employees and know a couple people who unlocked with htc and used the insurance to fix their phone from dropping it and what not. It does void the warranty, but not the insurance. But s-off voids your warranty, always has, this isn't different. HTC states it just like it's been stated by devs over the years, you do this at your own risk.
____________________
Trolls, trolls everywhere
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly. this needs to be locked/deleted ASAP before people start freaking out over nothing!
Just stop for a second and think about it, you can get your unlock key without actually unlocking your phone right? Right. So from that point you do whatever it is that you do with the key, throw it in a zip file, put it on a storage drive, delete it, whatever really...the only way Verizon or HTC could know that you actually did use the unlock key would be if you foolishly sent it back in a "unlocked" or "relocked" state. Besides would you really think a company would waste the resources or manpower to pass along a "red flag" to your carrier who would then in turn, go through every account associated and adjust coverage or call customers and ask if they used the key, get real. Furthermore "insurance" like Asurion covers for lost/stolen/damage, and has absolutely nothing to do with warranty. The only thing that happens when you use that tool is that you get a unlock .bin file, if you flash it then yes your hardware warranty is technically void(IF someone could prove it), that's it...period.
From HTCDev:
It is our responsibility to caution you that not all claims resulting or caused by or from the unlocking of the bootloader may be covered under warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please understand that you will not be able to return your device to the original state and going forward your device may not be held covered under the warranty for all claims resulting from the unlocking of the bootloader.
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Click to collapse
It doesn't even void your warranty. It just voids parts of it that could be caused by you being a dumb-ass.
If something breaks non related to something you could have done with an unlocked boot-loader, it cant be taken away. Even more so, Verizon can NOT cancel something and still keep taking money for it with zero notification. It's very, very illegal.
Vashypooh said:
It doesn't even void your warranty. It just voids parts of it that could be caused by you being a dumb-ass.
If something breaks non related to something you could have done with an unlocked boot-loader, it cant be taken away. Even more so, Verizon can NOT cancel something and still keep taking money for it with zero notification. It's very, very illegal.
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Click to collapse
definitely the truth there
Vashypooh said:
From HTCDev:
It doesn't even void your warranty. It just voids parts of it that could be caused by you being a dumb-ass.
If something breaks non related to something you could have done with an unlocked boot-loader, it cant be taken away. Even more so, Verizon can NOT cancel something and still keep taking money for it with zero notification. It's very, very illegal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know a lot about cell phone companies and warranties. If it is anything like car manufacturer warranties, and I have a feeling it is, then by law the company has to prove the "mod"(sorry car slang) caused the failure to deny warranty service. And this is by law.
Sax1031 said:
I don't know a lot about cell phone companies and warranties. If it is anything like car manufacturer warranties, and I have a feeling it is, then by law the company has to prove the "mod"(sorry car slang) caused the failure to deny warranty service. And this is by law.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yep, I mean if you change your intake and then you suck up water because the air filter is in the front bumper in a flood, sure it's void, but if your alternator goes bad, it's covered.
this is just some info i got from one person who has sprint and did this please correct if this is wrong.
im pretty sure i said that^ in the main post it was just something interesting i thought others should know also it wouldnt shock me if they made you jump through hoops because of this if you did crack the screen and they saw your device was flagged and why couldnt they flag it computers can send and input the date changes automatically its not like our esns are stored in a file cabinet do you think that they wouldnt have a software to make these changes for them ...im not saying this is what happens again this is based on one persons experience that i know personally so idk why your tripping out
brandonkill02 said:
this is just some info i got from one person who has sprint and did this please correct if this is wrong.
im pretty sure i said that^ in the main post it was just something interesting i thought others should know also it wouldnt shock me if they made you jump through hoops because of this if you did crack the screen and they saw your device was flagged and why couldnt they flag it computers can send and input the date changes automatically its not like our esns are stored in a file cabinet do you think that they wouldnt have a software to make these changes for them ...im not saying this is what happens again this is based on one persons experience that i know personally so idk why your tripping out
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it's nothing personal, but people will just read the thread title and the first post and freak out, because they don't think, that's why the response was a little, harsh
PhantomApollyon said:
it's nothing personal, but people will just read the thread title and the first post and freak out, because they don't think, that's why the response was a little, harsh
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Click to collapse
ok i understand what your saying. you are correct people dont do research as they should before they do or dont do things to the devices. and they dont read all the entire thread like some of us. so my bad if i made the title to broad
my rezound is unlocke and rooted. my ear piece speaker make really bad cracking noise. if i unroot the phone, can i have warranty replacement? or will there be a problem?
Well
No one has an answer to this. You will not know you have a problem until months and months. If months from now you get a charge for a unit, because you voided the warranty and then sent it in for warranty exchange, only then will you know.
There just simply hasn't been enough time since HTC released the unlock, people unlocked (I still have NOT for this very reason), and then people started trying to turn in unlocked phones to Verizon.
if u can use asurion u would be fine... they take them back no matter if they are unlocked or not
oh.. well...
if u have no other choice i say re-lock and try it
even when you re lock it, it says that it is relocked, thus showing that it was once rooted, so it helps but it isn't 100%, I would just put the stock RUU on the phone, so stock ROM, recovery, and then re-lock bootloader as suggested and give it a try.
I think you will be ok, but dont take my word.
andybones said:
even when you re lock it, it says that it is relocked, thus showing that it was once rooted, so it helps but it isn't 100%, I would just put the stock RUU on the phone, so stock ROM, recovery, and then re-lock bootloader as suggested and give it a try.
I think you will be ok, but dont take my word.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 this should work unless they really check for it and know to lock for it saying unlocked
Call tech support and profit. I've gotten two replacements which are worse than the original... But I got them none the less! Both are going back to Verizon lololol.
I have seen many people say unlocking voids the warranty, but they are all lying. On HTC DEV it says unlocking MAY void you warranty. I think if the device is re-locked and has the stock ROM installed there shouldn't be any issues.
FWIW, and don't take it as 100%, I know a guy in the warranty department that told me as long as it can be flashed to stock when they hook it up and it works, they don't care about root or unlocking. People have even received phones already unlocked.
06stang said:
FWIW, and don't take it as 100%, I know a guy in the warranty department that told me as long as it can be flashed to stock when they hook it up and it works, they don't care about root or unlocking. People have even received phones already unlocked.
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Click to collapse
I'd bet that's it. At least for a physical defect. Unless HTC decides to go evil. But I doubt it.
So I was recently thinking about how much I wanted to root my phone, but was afraid of losing my warranty. Which got me thinking about the fact that HTC seems to offer a warranty for the One. Would this mean I would be able to ship my phone for a replacement to HTC if something went wrong and they wouldn't care if I unlocked the bootloader? Anybody have any experience in this department?
vitallish said:
So I was recently thinking about how much I wanted to root my phone, but was afraid of losing my warranty. Which got me thinking about the fact that HTC seems to offer a warranty for the One. Would this mean I would be able to ship my phone for a replacement to HTC if something went wrong and they wouldn't care if I unlocked the bootloader? Anybody have any experience in this department?
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Click to collapse
Most people who send their phones in to HTC for warranty replacement of hardware don't have any issues. They usually fix the hardware and send it back with no questions asked. If it is software related you may run into issues. Now there is a chance they will not replace your hardware and void your warranty for unlocked bootloader but from what I have read from users that have done this with previous devices they normally replace and ship.
vitallish said:
So I was recently thinking about how much I wanted to root my phone, but was afraid of losing my warranty. Which got me thinking about the fact that HTC seems to offer a warranty for the One. Would this mean I would be able to ship my phone for a replacement to HTC if something went wrong and they wouldn't care if I unlocked the bootloader? Anybody have any experience in this department?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ROOTING DOES NOT VOID WARRANTY
If you BRICK your device due to something you installed, HTC will probably not cover it, if your screen goes bad, or wifi quits working, or anything else NOT caused by dropping it or getting it wet, AT&T or HTC will cover you.
AT&T's warranty department is the reason I buy phones from them rather than a manufacturer directly.
Something goes wrong, I call At&T, they ship me a new device and a mailing label to send them back my broken one. Takes a couple of days. HTC fixes your device and it can take a couple of weeks.
again ROOTING a phone is NOT a valid reason to deny a warranty claim.
gunnyman said:
ROOTING DOES NOT VOID WARRANTY
....clipped text...
again ROOTING a phone is NOT a valid reason to deny a warranty claim.
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Click to collapse
Rooting was never mentioned here. Unlocking your bootloader is different, and yes, it could allow them to deny you the warranty claim.
In the end, just because they can doesn't imply that they will deny you.
Almost all instances I've heard of including warranty replacement ended happily for the user. I would argue that even though HTC's replacement process takes a longer time, they're more likely to replace the phone without question.
AT&T = Faster replacements
HTC = Higher success rate if you have really hacked up the device
gflare said:
Rooting was never mentioned here. Unlocking your bootloader is different, and yes, it could allow them to deny you the warranty claim.
In the end, just because they can doesn't imply that they will deny you.
Almost all instances I've heard of including warranty replacement ended happily for the user. I would argue that even though HTC's replacement process takes a longer time, they're more likely to replace the phone without question.
AT&T = Faster replacements
HTC = Higher success rate if you have really hacked up the device
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Click to collapse
The OP mentioned rooting in his first sentence.
I wanted it out there that rooting in itself doesn't void a warranty.
Because we can root by unlocking our bootloaders doesn't mean that an exploit won't be found that roots without doing so.
We've said the same thing now we're just arguing semantics.
gunnyman said:
The OP mentioned rooting in his first sentence.
I wanted it out there that rooting in itself doesn't void a warranty.
Because we can root by unlocking our bootloaders doesn't mean that an exploit won't be found that roots without doing so.
We've said the same thing now we're just arguing semantics.
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Click to collapse
Doh, so true. Completely missed that in the first sentence too, thanks for pointing it out. :highfive:
Thanks a lot for clearing all that up. I apologize for the initial confusion with my first sentence, as you guys pointed out, it's the bootloader unlock that actually voids the warranty. My fears have been quelled and I'm very excited to take full control of this notification light.