Samsung Fold 4 Hinge issue

[Saiabhilash94]

Is anybody else having an issue where the fold phone wont open fully? 

I checked on the internet and so far found the issue is due to Hinge. Did anyone have similar experience? Was there any solution provided for anyone from Samsung Canada?

I have been with Samsung since 2018 and this fold phone has been my worst experience so far. 

[bobn85]

if you take it in for service samsung will charge you $700

[bobn85]

now I have to pay out of my pocket for a manufacturer defect

[Newfie3]

Good day to you all. I have more recent updates on this subject but not really anything new. I've always been loyal to Samsung and for the last decade, have been acquiring their flagship-level devices (tablets & phones), albeit I don't get the latest iteration every new model year.

My Z Fold 4 was 19 months old recently. I read on my news feed a month ago that some Fold 4 owners worldwide were having issues with their folding device. I thought to myself "wow, I'm glad that's not me". But 3 weeks later, it is me too. The Samsung Support experience via Live chat is not a very smooth process when you have an issue. While perform a troubleshooting exercise per their instructions, and which may take several minutes, the chat times out in 6 minutes of inactivity (because you are following their instructions) and they unilaterally close the chat session. When your done, you have to start a new chat with a new Rep, then re-hash everything that has happened with other reps to date.

Long story short, I closed my Z Fold 4 on March 28th, as normal, then re-opened it and discovered that it had crashed. It would not even boot up when closed, but I eventually figured out that it would boot and operate completely normally only when open and left open. Sounds like a hinge issue, right? Remember to record your case number in chats so the next agent can refer to it and hopefully maintain continuity.

I spent ½ the night on Support chat following troubleshooting processes as instructed. Eventually, I got a service ticket number, but it took several days of "Safe Modd" or boot to command line mode, and repeated freezing and failure to complete a backup of the phone to temporary Samsung Cloud backup. Without completing the backup, it was impossible to put the phone into "Maintenance Mode" before utilizing the Samsung door to door repair service, but there was no way to delete the incomplete backup either, the classic Catch-22 problem. Eventually, after more Support chats, we fell back to using SmartSwitch to copy the phone to another of my devices, then put the phone into maintenance mode, shut it off, package it and ship it via FedEx to Toronto, using a prepaid label provided by Samsung support. The whole FedEx experience was also a disaster, but that's another story.

The phone arrived in Toronto at Samsung Canada's primary service repair facility which actually called Future Tel. Several days later, I get an email from Future Tel, saying my phone will not turn on, and that the main board, two (2) sub-boards, the LCD, and two (2) 'tapes' are all defective and must be replaced. Since it's beyond warranty, I expected to pay up to $500 for the repair. But no, the repair price is over $1,600. Or I can have the phone returned to me un-repaired for $35. Fair enough. But, the service centre now has my phone, I don't know if they were able to boot it when open (their report simply said "device nto; no turn on") and when booted when unfolded, they could observe that it is completely functional as though nothing was wrong.

So I log into the Future Tel repair page, but there are no further details than I already know. So I call (voice), hold for 10 minutes, then they cancel the hold, tell me to leave a voicemail for a callback (which I did) or they will terminate the call. And I never get called back.

My issue is: I would take my fone back unrepaired for the $35 fee, but I don't know if it is now in pieces and inoperable, or not. I sent them a fully functional phone when open (unfolded), but is it now 'bricked'? And if it's still fully functional in their hands (when unfolded), it seems unreasonable that it would need a new LCD, new main board, 2 new sub boards, and the tapes, as their repair estimate suggests. And if it's inoperable, that result occurred in their hands. But they aren't even calling me back with details or explanations.

Aargh! Sorry, I hit the 4,000 character limit.

[Newfie3]

Next step was to contact Samsung Support. But they claim they have no information because they don't have the phone, Future Tel has the phone. But I argue "surely Samsung has a business relationship with their apparently 'main' service company". I managed to get my call elevated one level up, but if I were to receive back (for $35) my Fold 4 in inoperable condition, after having just sent it to them in nearly fully operational condition, who would I now make a claim against? And just to be clear, I had no "accident" with my phone. It has no apparent physical damage whatsoever, and my entire problem occurred from simply closing (folding) the phone after use, an operation which defines the very "normal" nature and indeed purpose, of having a folding device in the first place. Apparently, I will get an email response from Samsung Support in 24-48 business [sic] hours, but the whole process has shaken my confidence in the Samsung brand, and my former enthusiasm for their products. I accept the warranty limitations of 1 short year, but durability has never been an issue ( my old Note10+ is functioning as my backup phone now), and even my old Note 5 is still fully functional, as are my 12.2" Note Pro tablet, S4 tablet and current S8 Ultra Tablet. I'm disappointed that Samsung does not appear to be stepping up to mitigate what appears to be hinge design issues (the Fold 5 hinge was re-designed) being experienced by the biggest proponents of the Samsung Brand, namely those customers who acquire flagship models and keep kicking the can farther down the road of progress and innovation. To say nothing of publicly promoting their latest and greatest Samsung Device acquisition. If I have to buy first, and then pay to repair, fair enough, but it doesn't seem fair that I should keep paying so that Samsung can increase their market share. And make no mistake, unlike some Fold owners, I have been thrilled and truly enjoyed every minute with my Fold 4, until now. My Tablet usage has declined dramatically because my Fold 4 is a mini tablet in my pocket.

I'm just wondering how it's all going to play out in the end. I'll bet that the early adopters of the Note 7 were never satisfied with the outcomes of that debacle. If my Fold 4 experience continues on the 'going south' trajetory, I'll either replace mine with a refurbished unit for far less than my current repair estimate, or step up to the Fold 5. If I can get back my Fold 4 in operable condition (when open), I might just stick it out until the Fold 6 is released. I can't imagine retreating from the Fold experience, I can't "un-see" it now that I've experienced it.