Android News
Nexus One power button not working for some frustrated Android fans
June 22, 2010 | by Andrew Kameka
Google, HTC-Nexus One
For the past couple of weeks, tech podcaster and pundit Leo Laporte of TWiT has mentioned that his Nexus One’s power button stopped working. It turns out that Laporte isn’t alone in this problem, as several Nexus One owners have taken to the forums to complain about their power button failing.
Androinica.com reader Sam told us some Nexus One owners have been forced to deal with a defect that eventually makes the power button unresponsive. Users report that holding down on the button no longer brings up the option to power off a phone, and removing the battery proves to be a fatal mistake because the power button doesn’t respond to restart. The defective button turns the Nexus One into a $530 paperweight.
Complaints have been appearing on the Nexus support forums since February, which was only a month after the Nexus One was first released. This is certainly not the first time that a phone – or any electronic product, really – has experienced a major flaw, but the gap in occurrences means there could be an issue with some Nexuses in circulation that may take time to manifest.
Thankfully, HTC, been quietly addressing the problem by replacing defective phones for users who complain. Users can contact HTC for support if the Nexus One power button stops working. Also worth noting, while Froyo has yet to be officially released, the power button functioning properly is among the list of improvements reported by people who have installed Froyo.
Back in April, HTC responded to one complaint by issuing this statement to a customer:
“I do apologize that you had this issue with your device. At this time we have no information on how to prevent this issue from happening in the future on your device. We are working on getting the issue resolved on the newly made devices. I do apologize for all the inconvenience that this issue may have caused you.”
If the power button starts to get wonky on your N1, backup your data and put in a word to HTC’s Repairs and Returns division at 1-888-216-4736.
[Thanks, Sam!]
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Is anyone else seeing this on their EVO? I can always shut mine down but powering it back up isn't always reliable.
I just spoke to HTC to replace my phone. They acknowledged to me that it was a Hardware issue, and I asked if I would have the same issue with the replacement phone. She said the new ‘batches’ shouldn’t have this issue, but sometimes an unopened box return gets placed in the pool. That’s why some users have had several replacement models.
I had this same issue a few months back. HTC overnighted me a new phone with no questions asked. I even had my phone rooted and they didnt balk about taking it back.
Hey Randy,
Just wondering how you went about this, I've been having the power button issue for over a month, however it has gotten so bad the past few weeks I can't even power my phone down. It takes 2 minutes of mashing the lock button before I even can wake it up. But yeah, called HTC support and they were helpful until they heard the phone was rooted, said if I sent it back they would insist on replacing the motherboard, which I think is ludicrous.
I know about the new phone option, send it in, the charge a credit card for a new one, and then refund when they receive the old unit, however am afraid to do so. I really cannot afford to pay $530 for a brand new phone and am nervous that they will not take my unit back if it is rooted.
I’m paying that my my touch slide wouldn’t have this problem.
I thought that this was just a freak issue with my phone only was not aware it was happening to others. What happens on mine is that I have to press the power button multiple times for the screen to awake, or hold it down for long periods of time to wake. But 8 out of 10 times when it tries to wake it goes back to sleep immediately after. Thanks for this news I'm calling HTC now
Mine is doing EXACTLY that! It drives me crazy.
Just shipped my N1 back to HTC for repair a few days ago because the power button has gradually failed…finally wouldn’t even turn on after the battery drained.
same happened to me, but worse…. shipped it back for repair (I was all the way in Australia)… they then shipped it back to the wrong address after I told them the correct address on 4 different phone calls!!! and tried to intercept fedex as they were delivering to the wrong address… HTC said they intercepted it, then I find out a stranger has my phone at the wrong address… Anyway, Now I get my phone back today, and find this news post.. . Guess what, all they did was repair it, not replace it, cause its still my original handset (I can tell from a tiny scratch on it).. So does this mean cause it was REPAIRED and not REPLACED that its gonna die again??? Im so furious over all this.. Took 4 weeks to finally get my phone back and over $200 in overseas calls and shipping..
Bottom line – HTC support *sucks*. My phone arrived one week ago at their repair center. The only thing they can tell me is that, yes, it arrived. No word on when it will be repaired, much less whether or not repair is covered by warranty.
My recent post Links for 2010-06-16
HTC Support has been great. Best support I've dealt with. Not sure what Brian Carnell is talking about, but I sent in my phone and had it back within a week.
You can sometimes get the phone back on by taking out the battery/plugging it in fiddling around with doing both at the same etc..
What I’m talking about @Jerome is they received my phone on June 23rd. As of July 3, their CSRs are still unable to tell me if fixing the power button will be a warranty repair and when that repair might actually take place.
All I get are “call back tomorrow,” “call back in a couple days,” “call back on Monday”.
If I’d known “express repair” meant at least a two week-plus wait, I would have went a different route.
HTC has now had my N1 for 13 days…only thing they will tell me is "it is in early diagnostics"…for a know problem!!!
HTC's service sucks.
HTC received my Nexus One for repair on 6/23. They are now telling me that they hope to have their technicians finally look at it for repair on 7/9. That's their idea of express repair.
My recent post Links for 2010-06-16
Last update until I get a resolution…after 14 days, the only thing HTC can tell me is they have no clue where my phone is or when someone might look at it. Complete tale of woe on my blog: http://brian.carnell.com/articles/2010/htc-could-…
HTC's actions here are beyond incompetence.
My recent post Links for 2010-06-16
My Nexus One had the same power button problem. I sent it in for repair almost 3 weeks ago and they just sent me an confirmation that they received it yesterday. The FedEx tracking says that the repair centre received it the day after I sent it. HTC claims that they moved their repair centre, so there is a backlog and I should call back in a few days. Every time I call, it's the same thing – call back in a few days.
@Andrew – same thing I’m getting. They did recently update my status to “Repairing your phone” but I’m not sure if that means they’re actually repairing it or they just changed the status to stop my multiple daily calls and emails.
BTW, that “we moved repair centers” message is BS…fine, you moved repair centers — THAT’S NOT MY PROBLEM! My job is to send the phone in; HTC’s job is to repair it. I don’t care if your dog ate your homework, just fix my damn phone.
Just got off the phone with Google, then HTC for the issue of the thread. Figured it was time I called them before my phone got locked-in syndrome too. Solomon from Google was helpful, insisted that I factory reset my phone before he was satisfied it was an HTC hardware issue, and then told me I could do a repair or a swap option for $45 since I had it engraved. HTC, on the other hand, just told me that if I swapped I'd lose the engraving. Whoopedy-do. The engraving was a dumb idea anyway; resale value gone.
I'm a little anxious about the $530 hold on the phone to get a replacement unit sent out, but I haven't rooted it for precisely that reason (that's why I still have my G1). Anybody who's gone this route have any experience to share?
Do not send the phone back for repair unless you want to wait 3+ weeks..OTOH, I assume phones get shunted down that process for the warranty verification, so be prepared for that charge to sit on your CC for who knows how long…stupid HTC. They've had my N1 for 3 weeks now and still can't tell me when they're going to have it repaired and shipped back.
Hi,
Do you know how to repair/change the power button yourself without sending to customer service ?
I don't mind to pay but i don't want to stay even one day without my phone !
Thanks.
I have this issue, and since I do not want to send my phone to support, I'm using a combination of the following 2 application:
"Screen Off and Lock"
"Simply Lockscreen".
Things are fine now; if I left the phone with the screen off for a while in the launcher, then I can turn the phone on using the trackball, however If I left the phone with other application (ex. facebook application), the old launcher is activated.
any help regarding this issue?
this same thing happened to the power and volume rocker buttons on my OG droid. I had to install a key remapper and use the camera button as the power button to wake the phone. Problem is if i remove the battery the device wont power back on unless it is charging. I have to carry around a usb charging battery to give it a reboot.
My Nexus One was purchased used, and is long out of warranty. So I was grateful the app "Fix Broken Power Button" was available. It was free, and installed quickly. Now I just press the volume control to bring the screen back to life.
had the same problem and here is what I did to make it work …..
I installed Screen Lock Application available free on the android market and with a touch of a button the phone locks ..
Now the question is how to turn it back on when the power buttonis not working …lol … so the solution is that there is an option in Screen Lock which enables the Phone to unlock when you touch the Volume up and down button …….
Second option is to install GO LOCKER ….. it will also give the same options
Hope my answer helped !!!!
After my phone turned off with a broken lock button, these steps saved my phone:
1. get the Nexus One, a USB charging cable and find a power source
2. plug the USB cable into the power source and connect it to the phone
3. wait for the charging indicator LED to come on
4. disconnect the battery (leaving the USB cable connected)
5. wait for the charging indicator LED to turn off
6. reconnect the battery before the LED starts blinking: the phone will turn on
(Timing for step 6 is necessary)
http://mdinescu.com/hacks/3-powering-on-the-nexus-one-without-the-power-button