Parts of the touchscreen don't work - See first post for troubleshooting

I assume there are quite a few of us out there waiting for replacement display modules right now. I do find it really annoying that I cannot write certain letters on my FP2 and have been looking into solutions to make my waiting for a new display module bearable.

As a temporary fix I did change the settings for my Google keyboard Gboard to one-handed mode. The one-handed mode allows you to move the keyboard over the screen until it’s not affected by the defective parts of the touch screen.

Not a final solution, but at least a temporary relief.

1 Like

Thanks! Good advice!

Did anyone get their replacment display yet?

I have the same problem with some letters in the keyboard not working. I solve it temporarily with tilting the screen so the keyboard is wider and then the letters work.

Another case here!

I have been using my FP2 for almost one year and a half and yesterday the left part of the screen stopped working. It happened suddenly, with no reason.

I have followed Gamlao advice and have started using Google keyboard Gboard to one-handed mode. It helps.

I have the same problem since a few days, i contacted support and they said that they are out of stock for replacement screens, but new screens will be available “within a week or two” [sic]. Which does not sound too reassuring to me, but i’m keeping my hopes up to get this resolved quickly once the parts arrive.

And since this thread is about moaning about the phone: this isnt the first replacement part i ordered neither, and i also have other problems that i have workarounds for (e.g. only using 3g as using 4g will reboot the phone every once in a while. Or having paper stuck in the back so that the battery does not move too much) it really is a pity.

I got a mail today that they are back in stock, but the shop still (or again?) shows them as “coming soon”. Usually warranty repairs are handled with priority so maybe you should write them again (Or they may get back at you any time now anyway).

Unfortunately my screen also has some flaws. First it was only a small part on the left side which was still usable. Now the left side got bigger and on the right side there’s also a big part gone. Sometimes my screen also gets ghost touches where it is jumping all over the screen pressing buttons without me touching the screen. I then need to restart the phone. Here’s an image from the maintenance thing.

Hoping it will be replaced soon. Does anybody know if the new screens have this issue resolved?

I’m starting to wonder if it is because I keep the phone in my pocket making it prone to pressure when I sit or something like that?

Some people affected by this issue came up with a theory that it might be moisture related. At least, quite a few of them said they were regularly going by bike, carrying the phone in their pocket.
Same for me, I often go by bike, putting the phone in my trouser’s pocket. I’ve had to replace my screen twice already. After replacing the screen for the second time, I started putting my phone is a pouch and I’ve not had any issues with the screen since. Doesn’t prove anything, of course :grin:

1 Like

Interesting. I also fairly often bike/walk and there’s for sure some moisture around here in Norway.

It strange that the part of the screen which works changes. I now cannot press the send button anymore, which I couldn’t on Saturday either. But yesterday I was able to press the send button. I think I can declare the phone unusable now… What’s a phone if you cannot send texts or call phone numbers with a “0” in it?

1 Like

Hi. I have the same issue on the whole left part (approx 1cm ). I am want to replace the screen but it seems still out of stock. Is this something covered by the warranty by the way ???

I have problems with the left part of the screen not working. Today I received an email that I am supposed to send in the defective screen, they will then:

Once your product arrives, we will inspect and assess it:

If the product is found to be in a very good condition and with no sign of user-induced damage, we will proceed with the settlement of your return;
If the product has been damaged (cosmetic damages) or is not working as expected (functional damages), you will be held liable for its diminished value.

I am not very happy that I bought an easily repairable phone and now I am supposed to be without it for several days. I would rather place a deposit or anything like this and then replace it myself. Yes, I know, severe case of phone addiction…
Anyone elses thoughts?

1 Like

I agree. I wouldn’t mind placing a deposit either, if that means getting the screen before sending back.

1 Like

For a while, you’d put down the price of a new screen as deposit, which Fairphone would refund if it turned out to be a warranty issue. They stopped doing that at some point, but I’m not sure why - though evidently it didn’t work out for some reason… (Actually, my guess would be that it turned out that a significant number of cases were not down to the screen, which means sending in the entire phone is the only way to effectively diagnose).

1 Like

But they ask that I only send in the screen. In the meantime my phone is obviously useless.
And knowing Fairphone I expect quite the delay before I get my phone reassembled again…

It really makes no sense to send the screen in advance. What am I supposed to do in the mean time? Not have a phone and not knowing when my screen will arrive? :slight_smile:

1 Like

As a follow up to: Right side of the screen unresponsive - #5 by Hanno_Deckert

I’m experiencing the same problem for the 2nd time. It starts almost exactly as last time (only this time it is the left part of the screen):

I’m only at the phase where “part of the left side of the screen becomes non-responsive”. But I know it’s all the way downhill from here. Could it be due to faulty chargers / bad USB cables? Or bad wiring? Please somebody fix this!

I’ve figured out that applying pressure on the screen on the bottom left corner changes the not working areas. Fiddling around is sometimes successful, sometimes I only make it worse.

This is something @Wiko typed on Jun 13. Which is exactly what I’m experiencing aswell. If I push really hard it all of a sudden seems to work.

Since this is the second time this happened to me in a very short time, I’m really thinking about switching phones. I do really really want to support this idea and I actually enjoy the philosophy of the Fairphone, but these types of major criticial hardware failures make it impossible to work with this phone.

Same here, often by bike in the trousers pocket, third time my screen fails.

Second time my screen is failing now. It starts with a vertical area on the right hand side that is unresponsive. Then another vertical area stops working. Got a new screen back in Feb 2017 (first screen made it for about 10 months) and that fixed the problem. The problem is very similar to many of the posts and pictures above.

Now since Aug 2017 the problem is starting again and getting worse (second screen made it for about 6 months). After one month of soldiering on (using work arounds like rotating the phone and changing keyboard layout to reach certain keys) I have had enough (can’t answer calls anymore) and have raised an issue with customer support. In a couple of weeks I hope to have my third screen. Hope it lass longer than 6 months.

Next time the screen fails it will be a new phone for me that is solid and glued together. My last such phone (cheap samsung) lasted me around four years but didn’t have any hardware troubles. This Fairphone 2 not even two years old has already included replacing screen, backcover and microphone module.

My usage is very normal. I carry the phone around in my pocket all day - nothing unusual.

I guess, I have read somewhere, that it is a quality issue.
Most likely the manufacturer did not apply the same thorough quality control as he would for brands like Huawei, Apple, LG etc. that are ordering quite different amounts of displays.
As this article (in -german) states:
Deshalb sucht Fairphone jetzt nach Investoren, um schneller zu wachsen, Kapazitäten auszubauen und mehr Bedeutung in der Branche zu bekommen - nicht nur für Verbraucher, sondern auch gegenüber Zulieferern.
(That’s why Fairphone is looking for investors, to grow faster, expand capacities und gain significance in that line of business - not only towards customers but towards suppliers as well.)