Hey everyone! I recently bought an iPhone 16 Pro and had to get the screen replaced by Apple about a month ago due to a dead pixel. Just two days ago, while I was traveling, I rinsed my phone under water as part of my normal cleaning routine. However, it ended up boot looping and now some buttons are acting weird, especially the action button and Face ID isn't working at all. I suspect the screen repair may have compromised the water seal, but I didn't even submerge it! Do you think Apple will repair it for free since they already replaced the screen? Will talking to someone in-store help? I really want to avoid a huge repair cost if possible!
5 Answers
Just out of curiosity, how come you decided to wash it like that? I get that it's for cleanliness, especially in crowded places, but it could lead to problems like this. Always better safe than sorry with technology! Anyway, if you do go to talk to Apple, just be prepared for them to stick to their policy about water damage, but it doesn’t hurt to ask!
Unfortunately, Apple is highly unlikely to cover this type of damage. While the phone is rated as water-resistant, they usually won't honor claims like this if it was caused by exposing the phone to water, even if it was just for cleaning. When they replaced your screen, they did use a new adhesive seal, but there's no guarantee it will keep out water completely, especially after some time has passed. Just to be safe, it's best not to wash your phone directly under running water.
Why were you washing your phone in the first place? Just a tip: wiping it down with something like an alcohol wipe is much safer for cleaning without risking water damage. Remember, iPhones can handle some water, but they're not meant to be washed under running water. It’s best to be cautious with any electronics around water, even if they’re advertised as water-resistant!
Seriously, washing an iPhone? Try to avoid running water on it. It’s water-resistant, but not waterproof. You might want to edit your habits a bit and find alternative cleaning methods to prevent issues like this in the future. It sounds like a rough spot you're in with the buttons and Face ID not working, but Apple is usually pretty strict on their damage policies.
I'm afraid there's not much hope for a free repair. Water resistance can indeed fail either during normal use or after a repair. Since your issue started over a month after the screen replacement, it's hard to prove the repair caused the problem. Apple tends to consider water damage as accidental damage, and they'll charge a flat fee for a replacement. If you have AppleCare, it might be a little cheaper, but without it, you're looking at a pretty hefty fee. Plus, keep in mind that water damage typically means replacing the whole unit rather than fixing individual parts.
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