I have a Samsung Galaxy A54 that has always worked normally. A few minutes ago, the screen repeatedly went black after unlocking, even though the phone showed about 3% battery. It then appeared to shut down, but after restarting it suddenly displayed 75%. I left it alone to let the battery drain, and shortly afterward the phone became very hot and powered itself off.
I let it cool down, and it later turned on showing 0%. It now seems to charge normally and the screen is no longer going black, although the upper-middle part of the back becomes noticeably warm after only a minute of light use. There is no visible swelling or bulging.
Could this simply be a faulty battery reading, or is the sudden heat a sign that the battery is unsafe? Should I stop using or charging the phone until it can be inspected?
1 Answer
The battery or its monitoring circuitry is likely failing. Jumping from 3% to 75%, shutting down unexpectedly, and becoming hot without heavy use are not normal behavior. A battery does not have to visibly swell before it becomes hazardous, so don’t keep using the phone just because it seems normal now. Power it off, unplug it, keep it away from flammable materials, and arrange for a qualified technician or Samsung service center to inspect and replace the battery if necessary.
It has turned back on and the percentage looks correct now, but the back is getting warm again during light use. I’ll stop using it and have it checked instead of testing it further.