Dropped my iPhone 3GS in the Toilet

[Capt Caveman]

I'm a moran! Did it yesterday, it was submerged for only a couple of seconds and still on after I pulled it out. But within seconds it turned off.

Air dried it out under a fan and currently have it in a container with Damp Rid to absorb any remaining moisture.

The bottom liquid indicator is red but the top one isn't.

Tried powering it up with no luck this morning.

I'm pretty sure Genius guys at the Apple Store won't replace it for me as the warranty has been voided due to the water damage.

How much is a replacement going to cost? Do I have any options?

Argh!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JohnAn2112]

I believe an out of warranty replacement is $199 for the 16gb, $299 for the 32gb.

 

[mmntech]

I believe an out of warranty replacement is $199 for the 16gb, $299 for the 32gb.

Full price, well on contract but still, ow.

Just remember not to take it into the bathroom next time.

 

[Capt Caveman]

I believe an out of warranty replacement is $199 for the 16gb, $299 for the 32gb.

If I can get a replacement at that cost then it wouldn't be too bad.

Full price, well on contract but still, ow.

Just remember not to take it into the bathroom next time.

Yeah, I know. But I wanted to kill the time and play Madden 10.

 

[speg]

Ouch. Unless you're ready to sign a new contact I think you'll have to buy a new device at cost ($500+).

So how did this happen? Were you sitting on the can while you dropped it? Standing in front of it? I can't imagine how this could happen. HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN?!

 

[Hacp]

Contrary to popular belief, it can happen very easily. You're taking a piss while listneing to music, you reach to flush and accidentally drop the phone. Bye bye 500 dollars.

 

[Muadib]

Contrary to popular belief, it can happen very easily. You're taking a piss while listneing to music, you reach to flush and accidentally drop the phone. Bye bye 500 dollars.

So you don't have pockets? A gf of mine did the same with her iPhone, and I was like WTF???

 

[zylander]

Damn that sucks. The iPhone has water indicators? I didn know that.

 

[mmntech]

Yeah, I know. But I wanted to kill the time and play Madden 10.

Eat more fibre. lol

 

[Pliablemoose]

Damn that sucks. The iPhone has water indicators? I didn know that.

All phones have those indicators in them now...

 

[PCTC2]

I think you're going to have to pay the "out of contract" cost, so isn't that like $600 or something? You won't be eligible for new-contract pricing until your contract is up.

Or you can cancel your plan for $175 and get a new plan and phone. it might save you $100 or something.

 

[Lufusol]

I'm a moran!

Aw shucks, just look at that trollbait. Must... resist... wiseass....comment.

Seriously though I hope you get them to swing you a new phone on the cheap. Good luck!

 

[Rottie]

Sell it to ebay and see if they want to buy it I am sure they can fix themself...Like they said dont ever take it to bathroom next time....I find hard to believe it.

 

[Pliablemoose]

A couple of thoughts...

Was the water clean?

Put ziplock bags in the bathroom to put your phone in next time

Have you put it in a plastic bag filled with rice or silicone packets yet?

 

[Capt Caveman]

A couple of thoughts...

Was the water clean?

Put ziplock bags in the bathroom to put your phone in next time

Have you put it in a plastic bag filled with rice or silicone packets yet?

Yes, the water was clean. I've since wiped it down with disinfectant.

Good idea about the ziplock bag.

It's currently in a plastic container with Damp Rid.

I tried power it up this morning with no luck. Tonight, I'll plug it into a power adapter to see if anything happens.

Any idea how easy it is to disassemble/reassemble the phone?

Doubt it will help but I thought I'd open it open to try and dry it out better with compressed air. But don't want to not be able to reassemble it.

I'll call an AT&T store and an Apple store to see how much a replacement is.

 

[Ka0t1x]

There is a one time replacement @ subsidized pricing, after that its full price. I just went through this not too long ago.

 

[speg]

There is a one time replacement @ subsidized pricing, after that its full price. I just went through this not too long ago.

Hmm, so could you "lose" you phone (aka sell it to me for $300) and then get a new one for $200? Or does it have to be "broken" and sent back before they we replace it?

 

[Ka0t1x]

You receive a box containing two boxes, one is a white box that your broken iphone goes into. The other is a slim refurb phone box containing your replacement phone. A hold is put on your credit card (I did it by CC) for the full amount of the phone. If it is not returned you get billed the full price of the phone.

This is all done through Apple Care, AT&T will just redirect you.

Your serial #'s and account info is all logged and I'm sure they track it through AT&T as well so I don't know about doing this multiple times. Its very particular through Apple Care, just as a normal computer is through Apple's replacement policy.

 

[7window]

man thats like drinking out of the toilet bowl.

 

[Capt Caveman]

A little good news. I was able to power up my iPhone tonight. Everything is there and working but the home button. There's also a little swerve in the background but the touchscreen is working fine.

Plan to stick it back in the container with Damp Rid for a couple of more days.

 

[speg]

A little good news. I was able to power up my iPhone tonight. Everything is there and working but the home button. There's also a little swerve in the background but the touchscreen is working fine.

Plan to stick it back in the container with Damp Rid for a couple of more days.

w00t! It's alive!

In summer 2008 I left my iPhone charging by a sink while I went out. My friends were all hanging out and must have been using the sink and a little bit splashed around and into my phone. My home button also did not work. Well it worked like 25% of the time, which was annoying. Eventually over time it slowly got better, maybe half the time it would work. And then 75%. I found I had to sort of push down and up to get it to work. Then I left my phone powered off for almost 2 months in summer of 2009 and when I returned the home button was almost back to normal, working 90% of the time.

 

[Ka0t1x]

A big bowl of rice works well also. I remember them doing this with a Blackberry on LifeHacker.

 

[KeypoX]

How did it get in the toilet? I understand you were using, but your hands should have been far from any water. You didnt try to create a iwipe app did you?

 

[Zebo]

Sucks bro. You may want to get insurance. I heard in another forum State Farm is insuring iphones w/ no deductible for like 40 bucks a year.


You guys need to not give the man a hard time either. That's nothing. I eat phones. Lose, break or sink one a month which is why I'm relegated to water proof but crappy models like moto i580 where all I have to worry about is loss now.