Fairphone 4 doesn't charge anymore

[Simone_Biagiotti]

Yesterday I wanted to charge my Fairphone 4 that was had around 15% of battery but plugging the USB cable the phone was not charging. I tried several different cable that are all working fine with other devices but the phone was not charging. The USB plug is clean inside and apparently nothing is broken.
Is there anything I can try before sending the phone to a repair center?
Thanks

[anon9989719]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

You may try charging slowly for half a day with the phone powered off, An old fashioned USB A to USB C that you can plug into a computer:

There’s lots you can read, but it does no harm to contact support as that can take time and be gruelling.

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FP4 does not charge

Hi there, I have an annoying problem: my FP4 will not charge. When I restart my phone, it charges again, but after a short time it does not charge anymore. Does not matter if slow or fast charging. I am using the original FP4 charger, and when I dial ##2886## while charging, the following test results come back: USB:ok Charging:NOK Current:NOK Current:0 uA The FP4 system is up to date. Has anyone had the same experience? Is this a software issue? Thanks a lot for the help!

[Simone_Biagiotti]

Hi, thanks for your reply. Sorry for having been so quick in my message but I was struggling (and still am) in finding a solution.
What I have done, beside of course reading the similar problem in the forum, is trying to follow some of the instructions that seems to work to other people. More in detail:

1. Follow the debug instruction for USB cable (test failed - USB: unknow, Charging: unknown, Current: unknown)
2. Clean the USB connector
3. Remove the USB connector, clean the plastic cover (the one you need to remove before removing the connector) using alcool
4. Try to change the device overnight and see if the battery has somehow charged slowly (hadn’t)
5. Try a low power charger (I used it for about 5 hours), no result.
6. I also reboot the device several time, the only action I have not taken is reset to factory configuration.
   To be honest I have no idea of what I can try, the hardware seems fine meaning that there are no cracks that I could see.
   Should I try to replace some hardware or is there a way to test the hardware as well?
   Thanks
   Simone

[anon9989719]

@Simone_Biagiotti

Try a low power charger (I used it for about 5 hours), no result.

5 hours may not be enough if the battery has ‘died’ it could take the best part of a day

@Simone_Biagiotti

Should I try to replace some hardware or is there a way to test the hardware as well?

The only part you can change is the USB C port.

After a conversation with Fairphone, my daughter bought a new USB port and all seems well. They are now refunding the cost.

Note: You have a warranty I imagine, so contact them with all the steps you have taken.

[Toshikobo]

SOLVED (at least in my case) !!! Thanks to some unique post in some forum, where this single advice had gone unheard. I remembered it and tried, it works ! Happy New Year !
My Fairphone 4, after accidentally falling a couple of times (because it’s heavy and can quite easily slip from the hand), had started erratic random (re)boot and battery recharging behavior.
After opening the phone and reconnecting the display plug following the Fairphone tutorial video, still no success.
How I solved: make the battery strictly fit in its slot with a piece of paper. Even an eight of millimeter of loose connection triggers the recharging/(re)booting process.

1. Remove the battery (and the charging cable of course).
2. Take a look at the bottom part of the battery, where it fits towards the USB with the two tiny black rectangle fitters (Don’t know how you call those two protrusive parts), they are really discreet and camouflaged by their black color and tiny size, they’re carved onto the battery.
3. While sliding-in the upper part with the four “golden” pins, place a small piece of paper in the bottom part, just between the two tiny rectangles, then push the battery flat. The piece of paper should be just large enough, but not too much, else you can’t properly fit the rear cover.
4. Clip the rear cover, which should be flat, and not bumped because of the piece reinforcing the contact of the battery with the pins.

Voilà ! Spread the news, because all the people on Android and Fairphone forums are tearing off their hair because of this crazy issue.