Xperia Z - micro USB port weak point

[Becky]

The micro USB port on my z has stopped receiving charge and won't even allow the charger to be plugged into it any more.

The port is uniform in shape which doesn't allow you to know which way round to plug the charger, so you have to guess. Guessing places stress on the pins inside the port. In my case, they seem to have suffered because of this (imho) design fault. USBs can only be inserted one way round, so the user needs to know which way to insert it.

I am wondering if this will be a common weak spot on these phones once they have been in circulation a while?

[edwardpope]

bell wants me to pay 150 to have it replaced, why should i have to buy another cell phone when i paid 700 dollars for this one and no one wants to give me a warranty

[Sam]

I am sorry to hear about this, however please contact your local Xperia Care team as a first step for any service/warranty questions. I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

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[hilda]

Today I receive the answer from D ick Smith (New Zealand). They said that the warrant won't cover the repair because is due a physical damage (USB port broken), and it will cost me 237 NZD (196.19 USD). The phone cost me 1000 NZD, and now you can but it for 750 NZD. That's an abuse, 1/3 of the phone cost when you can find the replacement part for 1.99USD and there is other people that will fix it for 60-70nzd (but sadly on the UK only). 
Now that I realized there is MANY people reporting the same failure, I don't want to pay a cent for the repair... clearly is a design failure. 
I hope to have a good answer from Sony New Zealand, because in **bleep** Smith doesn't look willing to help. 

[Moo81]

As expected, I heard back from Sony's UK repairers SBE and have been informed that repair is not covered under warrenty as it's down to damage. I'm fuming as it's clearly a design flaw. The letter advised I have to pay £14.40 to have my phone sent back.

I spoke to Sony customer services to request a replacment, but was advised no, as not covered under warrenty. I asked the £14.40 to return the phone be waived as a gesture of goodwill and this was agreed. I was then advised to buy a charging dock, but they have not agreed to send one free so the cost is down to me.

When I pointed out this forum and others indicating the number of people with the same issue - the advisor replied "you can type anything into google and get a similar issue to yours". Not quite, so it's a losing battle,

I'll also complain to my provider to see if they can put any weight on it, and to BBC Watchdog.

I'd love to know if anyone less despondant has escelated further and had a replacment when the phone was older than 28 days?

How many people need to have the same fault before Sony admit the charge port is not fit for purpose?

Very unhapy customer. I will not be buying another Sony phone and will advise anyone interested in doing so to avoid at all cost.

[gemin21]

I guess I woild be one of the "victims" of buying EXPERIA Z!  After 2 wks, the phone was rebooting and the pins in the charging dock broke. After bringing it to the TCI Philippines, an authorized Sony Service Center , they said that it was mishandled and the broken pin was not covered by warranty. Much more, they need to replace the logicboard/ motherboard of the phone! The cost of which I would shoulder. It is true, SONY made a design fault with their charging port. Do we have to suffer all these for their fault? Now my phone is useless! The sad part is, I am being blamed for my phones' damage. SONY, replace our phones for your engineers incompetence!! Quo Vadis SONY?

[nicthemighty]

Fallen foul of this myself. Put the USB cable in the wrong way, bent the pins - I bent it back and it survived for another few months. Now I have to put pressure on the cable to charge.

Sent off using Carphone Warehouse for a warranty repair, they have stated physical damage and want £170 to repair. I phoned Sony UK and had a chat about the problem, Rachel from Sony said that if I sent it in for Sony to repair it would be classed as physical damage and Beyond Economical Repair so I would have to either pay £14 to have the handset returned, or pay for a replacement phone through them.

As far as I see it, the port should never have been designed that way - and one mistake should not break the phone. I've contacted Sony on twitter and BBC watchdog.

For now I can at least continue to charge it, and will have to claim on my phone insurance under accidental damage if it gets worse from plugging/unplugging. Sony really need to recall and fix this.

[bobb1]

I would also recommend writing to the consumer champions in the papers you read with your story and a link to this thread as well as the BBC, they can often get a swift answer from a company.

[Hyderabad]

I have a similar problem  weak Micro USB port. and understand that from Sony it does not cover under warrenty, cna you sahre your experience and copy of the  letter from sony to take forward  the same to claim warrenty for my mobile.

[Hyderabad]

I guess I would be one of the "victims" of buying EXPERIA Z!  After 4 months, the phone was rebooting and the pins in the charging dock broke. After bringing it to the  an authorized Sony Service Center , they said that it was mishandled and the broken pin was not covered by warranty.  Looking at posting , what  I understand that  SONY made a design fault with their charging port. Do we have to suffer all these for their fault? Now my phone is useless! The sad part is, I am being blamed for my phones' damage. SONY, replace our phones for your engineers incompetence!!  I never expected  a service  from Sony and incompetence engineers  and  no focus on services,  neither I buy Xperia nor recommend  to my friends to purchase  this useless phone. 

[nicthemighty]

What I want to know is why Sony changed the USB port on the Z1 - http://cdn1.xperiaguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Xperia-Z1-USB-port-cover-fell-of-during-norma... - this port clearly only works one way.

Everyone I speak to at Sony refuses to accept that the Z has a design fault and just blames me for inserting the cable the wrong way. I should not be able to do this.