BlackBerry & moisture sensors - warranty?

[sparta]

My brother-in-law has a BlackBerry Curve 8330, and recently brought it to me as he was having some difficulty with charging and wondered whether it was the charger or the phone to blame.  The charger itself appears to be fine (no shorts in the wire, expected voltage being passed through, etc.), but the battery compartment liquid indicator appears to have been tripped (albeit slightly).  Surprise, surprise.

My question is this.  If he tries to have this repaired, will this tripped LSI completely bar warranty service, or would they at least take a closer look at the unit (internally) before concluding that some kind of liquid incursion was at fault?

The phone is otherwise fully operational and not exhibiting any signs of distress, but I've dealt with more than one Apple iPhone in the past that has been completely denied warranty service on account of a tripped dock connector LSI.

Knock wood, I myself have yet to have any issues with mine.  But some people seem... "unlucky" if you will. 

***Edited to add labels***

[ViperZeroOne · Accepted solution]

Sorry to hear the issues happening with the Blackberry.  If this is indeed the Curve (8520) and it's a Fido phone, then you can go into your local dealer and see what they can do for you.  Unfortunately with the tripped water censor it's a very HIGH possibility that the repair center will report the phone as damaged by water, and your warranty will be void.

Because of water/drop censors (visible and not) it's very important that phones are treated as electrical equipment and handled with care.  It's notable that even having your phone sitting on the bathroom counter, while having a shower, can trip the water censors inside.  Does this mean your phone is water damaged?  Well, it could.  The moisture in the air while you're taking a shower can, over time, cause oxidation inside your phone and an eventual malfunction.  This is especially possible if there is an open/uncovered port (headphone/power) that will easily allow the moist air inside the phone.

Most cases, designed for said phones, will cover up these "ports" and prevent naturally humid air from entering the phone.  Also, having it simply in your pocket will do the same, as the material of your clothing will naturally filter the humidity.  The only issue would be the phone sitting out unprotected in a very moist environment, such as a sauna or bathroom during a shower.  Rarely is a populated environment (city) damp enough to cause this kind of moisture buildup in the air, with the exception of rain of course.

Your best bet is to just go into your local Fido dealer and see what they can do for you.  If it's a Fido phone it CAN be repaired, but the question will be weather or not it's a warranty covered repair.  Worst case scenario, the phone is reported as water damaged and you simply pay the return shipping from the repair center.

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I am a Fido employee, but my comments are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of Fido or its affiliates. Je suis un(e) employé(e) de Fido mais mes commentaires sont les miens et ne reflètent pas nécessairement le point de vue.

[Anonymous]

The problem wit that ViperZeroOne, is that the BlackBerry does not go through the regular repair dealer channels, it is to be shipped to AMG Logistics once the CSR Agent confirms validity of the Warranty, and another handset is ordered as a replacement first.

Any non-blackberry or iphone are subject to shipping to manufacturer. There is a list in the Lbrary that explains this too. You should have access to it being an employee, no?

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I am NOT a Fido employee, my comments are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of this website and its affiliates.

[Anonymous]

Hi sparta,

Since that phone is a model not sold by Fido, they would not be able to help you out. But normally, water damage would void your chances of having a repair anyway if it was a fido model.

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I am NOT a Fido employee, my comments are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of this website and its affiliates.

[sparta]

I must have the wrong model number... I know it's pretty new, but I don't have it here with me...  I'm an iPhone'r myself. 

What I am wondering, though, is whether there is actually any such 'water damage'.  We've had incredibly cold days here lately, and simply walking to work and coming back inside might well be enough to result in some condensation.  Personally, I tend to leave my phone off for some time just in case, but it seems a little absurd to consider a warranty void in its entirety if these little indicators pick up on that kind of thing (whether or not the phone is in use being rather irrelevant to the stickers, I'm sure). 

Yes, significant condensation could cause all sorts of problems, I am sure, but it would seem to me that these "indicators" could be tripped even on a phone with no battery in it under those conditions, no? 

In this case, I'm inclined to suspect a more physical problem with the jack itself (as there is a minute degree of play in it). But it would seem that the actual cause will be irrelevant if the sticker has made up its mind that it's been dunked, one way or the other... 

I just know full well that it's going to be tough to explain this one if that's the stance they take...