Now, after a few months the buttons started to get issues, first it started with the power button, then the volume bottom button and finally volume up button.
At some point, I had to remove the battery of my FP3 to change the sim card, and the only way to restart it was to go in boot mode and use the volume buttons (both volume buttons press).
Now, for some reason I will not details, FP3 is turn off again.
However, none of these buttons are working.
I discovered that these buttons were not among the items replaceable.
I tried to see if these buttons have any contact issue, but apparently it break the warranty ?
My FP3 can’t be turn on anymore. So what am I suppose to do now ?
There are not any huge water damage. However my phone might have receive a few water drops when near a sink which I would clean quickly, would it be enough to create such issue ?
Mostly, now I wonder if I can try to remove the button and clean them without breaking the warranty. Because I would not fully remove the motherboard… But it seems not everyone agree on this.
Can you try to find the little dots on each module? If they are red they have been in contact with water, otherwise they are white. It’s a good test.
Repairing the buttons will probably require to remove the motherboard. Also, I believe trying to repair or remove the buttons is out of warranty in any case.
As you haven’t gone swimming with it or dropped it down the pan I think it’s best that you arrange with support to send it back under warranty. I’m disappointed to read that the switches aren’t part of a replaceable module. I wouldn’t touch anything on the mainboard as you can’t buy a new one. Phone becomes land fill if you break it.
The motherboard is one of the Fairphone repair modules, although it isn’t listed as a user available item, so no land fill ~ ever # as the phone can go back to Fairphone for recycling and|or parts could go to Fairphone Angels: so not all is lost
Hopefully this is a software issue or a back module issue, which are cheaper to fix, but as you said returning it to Fairphone becomes an ever increasingly attractive idea.
Fair point regarding there being very little landfill with a dead Fairphone 3. I hadn’t thought about the Angel angle. Finding a new home for old working parts is a sound idea. I also had a search and see that the Fairphone main board is available as you rightly said. I didn’t know that. The “core module” repair price is half the price of a new phone though, so I wouldn’t be brave enough to tamper with it myself.
Are you reading this moonpolis? Don’t touch it! Send it back unless you don’t mind the risk of having to pay €209.90 + postage for a new one!
Send it back unless you don’t mind the risk of having to pay €209.90 + postage for a new one!