LG ENV3 shutdown problem fix?

[onipar]

I just called customer service at LG concerning the problem many people seem to be having with the LG ENV3, namely the phone shutting down by itself.

I really want to get this phone, but the issue worried me, so I called to do some research. The man was very helpful and said the issue is actually a "power cycling" issue that occurs when the user puts in a 16GB card (or other large micro SD card) and loads it up with downloaded apps and files from the web.

He said it's partly a problem with the phone trying to access the data, and partly that the things downloaded from the web may contain spyware/viruses/etc.

So in order to try and access the data the phone starts to shut off on its own.

My question to those of you who have the phone and experienced this problem is simple: Does this explanation sound plausible?

In other words, if you experienced this, did you in fact have a lot of downloaded music/games/apps installed on a large capacity micro SD card in the phone?

If so, this man's information is correct. If not, his explanation may have simply been rhetoric the company is spewing.

Either way, I'd like to know before I go out and buy the phone. So please, chime in.

Thanks!!

[onipar]

Just as an added note, after some research, I found this thread:

http://community.vzw.com/t5/Cell-Phone-General-Devices/EnV3-Shuts-off/m-p/134636#M20230

In this thread, the posters seem to suggest that the shutdown problem is actually caused by the battery connections on the phone. 

Is this what most of you have found?  Is the other option that I posted (told to me by LG customer support) not *really* the problem.

Again, I'm very close to buying this phone, but would really hate to be buying into a defective phone from the get-go.

[SuzyQ]

We just purchased 2 Env3's - in spite of the "shut down issue".  My reading and research (and I do research!) seems to point to the battery connection, dirty contacts, and possibly loose door, as the back cover of the phone IS the battery.  If the contacts are kept clean, and the door is made "tight" (sometimes wedging in a piece of paper or rubber), in most cases the shut down issue is resolved.  As far as the memory issue, and using a 16 GB SD card - I dont' know how many folks do that.  My kids  use 2 GB, or 4GB cards, not 16, but maybe....I  would lean more towards the battery/door  being the culprit more often than the SD card.

We've only had the phones 3 weeks, but so far, so good - no shut downs, only one complaint of an echo on one of the phones on one call.  It's a sweet little phone - qwerty keyboard is excellent for texting, camera is decent....

Choose wisely....

[onipar]

Thanks for the reply.

I agree that the battery and connection solution seems much more likely than what the customer service man told me.  Which is why I decided to come ask the people who actually own the phone.

It bothers me to a certain extent that the phone itself would have an inate manufacturing defect to the extent it seems to.  Phones shutting down on their own due to a loose battery pack would seem to be a big deal...at least I think so.

Then again, of the dozens of complaints of read, there are still hundreds of other people who don't have the problem...so I'm still considering this phone.  In fact, it's between this one and one other, but that's for a seperate thread... 

[reallyniceguy]

Hey, what software do you guys have? I have an env3 with version 6. Doesnt shut down, I did read on howard forums that theres version 3 and 4 that make it crash.

[MojaveMoon_]

Here's someone's solution that I came across recently on another forum:

"01-04-2010, 08:09

I was able to fix the random shutoff problems by following a tip I found somewhere here on the forums: I folded up a small piece of paper and put it in the battery compartment to keep the battery from wiggling around. My phone hasn't shut off in a week now..."

[onipar]

As I mentioned in the first post, I initially spoke with a customer service official at LG.

Just now I called  *local* verizon store to ask if they get a lot of returns or complaints about the Env3.  Before I could even go into detail, the sales associate said, "Oh, they already fixed that issue."

I said, "The automatic shutdown issue?"

He went on to exaplin that yes, LG figured out it was a memory card problem (only this guy said it would happen when *any* memory card was installed in the phone, unlike the LG rep who said it was with 16 GB cards with web-downloaded programs on it).

He said that once they figured out it was a memory card problem, they issued a new firmware update and fixed it.

So, just another peice to the puzzle. 

I'm inclined to believe these reports about the battery being loose and causing the phone to shutdown too.  Maybe they were two (strangely similar) problems?

Either way, it sounds like if you have the latestest upgrade and keep an eye on the battery connectors (possibly having to put a pirece of paper in there), the phone should work okay.

Is this the experience you are having (those who have the phone)?

[SuzyQ]

Update: Just today my daughter said her Env3 had shut down twice yesterday    We'll see if it continues to happen....her battery door seems very secure so far, but she does carry it in her purse with no cover, so dust on the contacts may be the problem.  When it happened the phone was in her purse - she pulled it out to make a call and it had shut off on her.

i'll let you all know how this turns out - our 30 days are up on Jan. 15, but I don't think she wants a different model phone, she loves the Env3 and really didn't like any of the others that were out there.

[acraftylady]

Have had mine for a few weeks now and use a 2 gig card and no shut down issues at all here and I leave mine on all the time so would certainly have noticed.  When I activated mine it did some firmware update so don't know if that has anything to do with it or not.  I usually have mine in my coat pocket and don't have the rubber body glove thing with the swivel clip I had on my ENV2 because I am waiting to find a more stylish holder of some sort or a new purse with a cell phone holder on the outside.    Mary

[onipar]

I'm sorry to hear that, SuzyQ. 

But yes, please let us know what happens with this issue.  I'd first check to make sure she has the latest firmware. 

Mary, it is good to hear some people are not having issues with this phone.  It could very well be the firmware update that helped, or possibly the way you carry it.  There still seems to be a certain amount of uncertainty about what causes the problems with this phone...

[acraftylady]

You know I wonder if you carry it in your purse with no cover if something hits against it that could cause it.  I mean could be if something hits the OK button to activate the screen then something touches the power button it could be possible.  Mary

[onipar]

Actually, now that you mention it, in a separate forum I posted this same topic, and the only response I received so far suggests exactly what you're proposing.

The guy said that when he has the phone in his pocket, he hits the correct buttons (accidentally, I assume by sitting on it or something) and shuts the phone down.  He also mentioned that to avoid this you can lock the phone, though it did raise the question: why doesn't he just lock the phone if he keeps accidentally shutting it down?

Either way, it just adds yet another possible explanation to the growing number of theories behind the Env3 problems.

I keep asking myself why, when I know of all these problems, would I even consider buying this phone?  And the answer is because it's the perfect phone for me; it's exactly what I'm looking for in a phone.  Plus I keep thinking that for the few complaints I've read about, there has to be thousands of other users who don' t have a problem. 

I mean, if this was a innate defect with *every* Env3, there would have to be a recall, right?

[acraftylady]

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onipar wrote:

Actually, now that you mention it, in a separate forum I posted this same topic, and the only response I received so far suggests exactly what you're proposing.

The guy said that when he has the phone in his pocket, he hits the correct buttons (accidentally, I assume by sitting on it or something) and shuts the phone down.  He also mentioned that to avoid this you can lock the phone, though it did raise the question: why doesn't he just lock the phone if he keeps accidentally shutting it down?

Either way, it just adds yet another possible explanation to the growing number of theories behind the Env3 problems.

I keep asking myself why, when I know of all these problems, would I even consider buying this phone?  And the answer is because it's the perfect phone for me; it's exactly what I'm looking for in a phone.  Plus I keep thinking that for the few complaints I've read about, there has to be thousands of other users who don' t have a problem. 

I mean, if this was a innate defect with *every* Env3, there would have to be a recall, right?

---

Well look at all the other phones that people complain about, I don't think they recall those.  My thinking is this.  let's hear from someone with the shut down problem that does not put the phone in their pocket or purse.  I want to know if someone let's say leaves it sitting on the desk untouched does it still shut down on it's own?  I would think if my phone was going to have this problem it would have started from the beginning but I guess one never knows when issues could pop up.  I have never really had any problems with my LG phones over the years except on the ENV2 when someone called I felt it was not loud enough when they were talking too me and that is the first time I have ever had that problem with a phone but this phone is so much better about that.  Mary

[SuzyQ]

The "purse" theory is interesting....   I told my daughter to keep track if (when) hers does the shutdown again, what she's doing, how it happens.  My son also has one (Env3) and has had no issues with it shutting down, and he doesn't carry a purse!!  Maybe we are on to something here....

[onipar]

Those are some good suggestions, Mary.  I hope we hear from some other owners of this phone to help us figure it out.

About a recall, I figure it must be a certain percentage failure rate before they would have to start offering extended warranties or do a recall.  I mean, when we read complaints in forums or reviews, we have to remember that people who have problems with their phones are more inclined to complain, whereas the people who don't have any issues won't be as vocal.

So perhaps the failure rate is a very small percentage, and it just seems like a lot to us, who read all the reviews.

But, as an example, when the xbox 360 was proven to have an above-average failure rate, Microsoft was forced to give 3 year extended warranties to anyone who was effected with the problem.  So I would *hope* that if this Env3 problem was something that couldn't be fixed with a firmware update, and was an inherent defect that a large percentage of users get, the company would do the right thing.

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to hearing more from other current owners, and seeing how your son and daughter, SuzyQ, do with their phones.

[starmagik]

Don't think the purse is the answer my daughter's shuts down right in the middle of texting and or talking. Lets keep trying. She is a very impatient 15 year old.

[Buddy123]

I have the EnV3 and it has the randomly turning off problem. And mine happens even if it is just sitting there. And it doesnt "power off" it just cuts off. And I have to manually turn it back on. I can't figure out what to do to fix this problem.

[Jen714]

Mine even shut downs when I am talking on it and also in my purse.

[MsTayBay]

i keep a case on my phone and carry it in my hand most of the time. Right now it's sitting flat on the desk and is "charging" however it will not turn on, has no sign that it's charging, and if it does turn on it immediately turns off.

[caesar772]

For the past 2 days, my phone has started shutting off on its own.  I've had this phone since Dec 12, 2009 and now starting to experience what everyone here is stating.

Great, garbage phones but we get to pay more for them now with the recent data plan screw job.

[onipar]

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caesar772 wrote:

For the past 2 days, my phone has started shutting off on its own.  I've had this phone since Dec 12, 2009 and now starting to experience what everyone here is stating.

Great, garbage phones but we get to pay more for them now with the recent data plan screw job.

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Have you been able to determine what the cause of your failure is?  (Firmware, SD card, loose/defective battery?)

Have you tried the possible fixes?  (Firware upgrade, cleaning battery connectors, the folded piece of paper behind the battery, etc etc?)

Just curious, thanks.