[Q] possible bricked xperia play - Xperia Play Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hello all
i have read through these forums found a range of ideas but have found no specific answer to my problem.
heres a few details (i am not up to scratch on the technical details but will do my best)
a coupe of weeks ago i did something to my phone (rooting i thinkit is called ) where i created a partition on my sd card so i could use the app sdlink. the reason for this was after every app update i was getting low memory and my phone was very sluggish so i wanted to shift it all to that partition. i managed to do this no problem, the phone worked absolutly fine afterwards.
over the weekend i was away and i noticed my phone getting slower, when ever i wanted to take a picture the camera would take ages to load. this just got worse and worse to the point of the screen hardly coming on when i activated it, the only thing that got the screen up was sliding the gamepad open and shut a few times.
it also became extremly sensitive, i could use the screen when i got it back on but the slighest nudge on the slide mechanism and it would go blank.
when i got home i tried the repair open on pc companion and it went completly black.
i have tried this a few times, i have flashed with ftf files i have used SEUS many times and nothing. it will occasionally come on, load up but the slighest touch and it goes blank.
Is the phone usesless?
shall i keep trying? i have rang up my insurance and they will want me to send it to them in a few day, i want to keep trying myself though because the excess i cant really afford to pay at the moment.
Thankyou, any help would be greatly appreciated

That sounds like a hardware fault - something wrong with your screen or a cable. I'm afraid your only option is to get it repaired

well, i am going to have to concede its a hardware problem. my phone rang and i didnt even realise it was on. it showed on my screen i lightly touched it and it went blank but continued to ring. thanyou anyway

try this
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1252038

If the screen came on, then flipped back off, I highly doubt that process will fix it. You're better off just getting it exchanged.
Did you look into a warranty replacement? The phone, itself, is not quite a year old, so you should still be under warranty. Reverting it to stock using the .ftf process would have gotten rid of root, so your warranty shouldn't be voided anymore.
Edit: Maybe the phone is a year old, but do look into it. You have a year manufacturer's warranty that, unless you got the phone right when it was released, should still be in effect.

xperia play dead!!
my case my xperia play is totally off, its only vibrate whn i press power button. Some days ago my play working perfectly but whn i slide up or down my screen display goes off but my mobile is on & thn i press lock button and thn press unlock the screen, but oneday i was using my mobile and suddenly my mobile display off again at tht time mobile on only screen off thn i pulled out battery and restart my mobile but thr was no luck, my xperia play dead only vibrate. i flash my mobile several time through flashtool but no luck. I think its slider cable issue or may be motherboard, is thr any luck to send my mobile to sony repair center bec i am a secnd owner but no purchase slip or any bill. kindly confim me, is thr any chance that sony repair my mobile???
your early response in this regard will be highly appreciated..

The infamous slider flex cable. Same thing wrong with mine.
I'm starting to think that slider is a faulty design. More and more people are having issues. After taking apart my xplay, I can tell you the way it's designed puts a lot of stress on that cable. The engineers weren't doing their job..
Sony needs to do a warranty extension/recall because of this IMO
Maybe we should all make a petition.

So I have a rooted CDMA xperia play running 2.3.3, my question is is it possible to unlock the bootloader of my phone? Cuase from my reading CDMA xperia plays are unable to have the bootloader unlocked

gagebiddy said:
So I have a rooted CDMA xperia play running 2.3.3, my question is is it possible to unlock the bootloader of my phone? Cuase from my reading CDMA xperia plays are unable to have the bootloader unlocked
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only way is to pay to have it unlocked

Related

[Q] Gingerbread G2 Screen DEAD / returning to Tmo / Help please

Ok guys, Long time lurker, First time poster here.
Been hanging out around the forums for a while now, but this is the first problem I've ever had that I just couldn't figure out on my own.
Screen dead. Have to return to TMO. What to do about existing rom???
Last Saturday night I was playing around with my phone before bed. Everything was fine. Woke up in the morning and the screen was dead.
The backlight comes on but no display what so ever. No HTC screen, no bootflash, no nothing. Everything else still works.
I can feel events happening on the screen when I touch so the digitizer is clearly up to snuff.
Also I have been able to get the phone into fastboot from memeory, so its a start.
I contacted Tmo about a replacement and it arrived today. I'm running GingerVillian 1.4. So the big question is what do I do about the ROM on my phone. Also, what happens if they get the phone back and discover it has been rooted. Will I get a bill for the full price of the unit? Anybody know??
The way I see it I have three options, but if I'm missing something please let me know.
1. Attempt to flash stock ROM via recovery using up down vol and track pad. And just not worry about S-off. If it looks the look, will they check Hboot for s-off???
2. Attempt a side by side deroot using the new G2 and the broken one next to each other.
3. Physically damage the memory somehow preventing the phone from booting.
#2 seems like the worst option simply because I will have no way of verifying that any step in the process is successful... (Scary prospect) of course this applies to option 1 as well but I figure I could go through the flash process two or three times just to be sure. Option three doesnt exactly sound like a winner either, just putting it out there.
Comments please, a little help would be greatly appreciated.
I would go for the blind flash of pcimg10 from sd root. Then plead ignorance. Confused tho ...did u say u can see the bootloader txt or no?
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
No, screen displays jack squat, nada.
Also wasnt there a huge writeup about how I'm not supposed to flash pcimg10...?
Bluetygator said:
No, screen displays jack squat, nada.
Also wasnt there a huge writeup about how I'm not supposed to flash pcimg10...?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depends on how you're rooted. I'm gfree'd and every now and then I'll copy that out to sd root and reflash it. It flashes fine, unroots the phone, but still leaves s-off. I've been thinking about this - again- after reading your post because I've thought this would be the worse-case scenario. That is a screen in some state where you just can't see what's going on.
If it were me, I'd at least want the factory load on it and hope that should they run some diags, put on a new LCD then boot it up, it could all be done without really noticing the s-off in bootloader.
For me though, I just would have a hard time physically damaging it - that would get me a 130$ refurb on my handset protection or if I tried to just kill some internal IC like the ram, I'd be even more worried they'd eventually find that for what it was.
edit: obviously your number 1 is the easiest since it's just answering volume up after giving it a few minutes on boot to parse the pcimg10 file.
edit2: okay, how about, hook jumper cables to it, blast it, then send it back and just claim you were hit by lightning
I'm perm rooted using visonary r12.
Yeah not going to damage it. I just wouldn't have it in me.
What worries me is if I flash pc10.img and something goes wrong I would have no way of even knowing it. Was thinking about just regular old CM6.1.
You people worry too much. Just send it in. As long as they receive an intact G2 with no physical damage to the screen (this bit is crucial if you got a swap out for anything screen-related) then you'll be just fine.
I have read on more than one occasion that if you cant turn on or see screen, as long as ur void stickers are still intact, and there is no water damage (moisture detectors all ok) they do not care.
Though not confirmed.
EDIT..... But if I were in your position then I would do as ZKID suggested with the pc10img thingy.
if there is nothing on the screen, it sounds to me that maybe the copper ribbon on the phone that attached the bottom of the phone with the keyboard to the screen portion could be damaged or loose... this happend with a buddies g2 and he was rooted and everything like you... he just sent it in as is and they never mentioned anything to him or gave him any problems because if it. he thinks they just saw the screen wasnt working and that was it.

[Q] Should I try to Repair my touchscreen or replace the whole phone?

So it would seem my touch screen is dead for good. I wanted to try the latest aokp build but after it booted I couldn't select which launcher to use. I flashed back 2.3.3 with flashtool this morning but I still can only use the hardware buttons. If it weren't for the gamepad I wouldn't have been able to activate it, but it doesn't matter now.
I'm wondering if other people have had this problem if I could buy a new digitizer and fix it?
Does buying new digitizer fix it for good?
Is it easy to screw up my phone more when I open it?
Anyone try to replace parts on their xplay and notice werid bugs after closing it up?
I've had this happen be4 but flashing back to 2.3.3 fixed it, the only things I've done is unlocked the bootloader via testpoint with Aljerismo's help (sry I can't spell his name). An flash a couple roms, kinda sad and mad at the same time to have such giant hardware failure after 8-9 months of having my first android .
i have changed a digitizer about 4 times on 3 different xperia plays and noticed the proximity sensor never worked after replacing, like if i put the phone to my ear when in call the screen goes black and when i remove it from my ear its still black.
Sent from my R800i using XDA
I actually find that to be annoying so I don't mind if I lose that. If I get a another phone, a new xplay to replace my broken one. Is it un-rootable or only if I don't unlock the bootloader? I'm not sure if I'm covered for a fully replacement but I should be.....
btw around 1 EST I pulled the battery to reboot again see if did any thing and it fixed it! After trying it at home this morning I got it back at school only to loose it now when I rooted it by flashing SU.

Broken Touchscreen

So I bought this xperia play off ebay..it was listed as having a bootloop so I figured.."Should be an easy fix." Well..as long as its plugged into the computer, and i hold the search button, I can get it to boot. Doing that got me to the home screen where I discovered the touchscreen is broken and doesn't respond. It has the latest update on it and the ps buttons work, so I'm wondering if it's even worth rooting, or even possible with the touch screen working.
dragonrazorz said:
So I bought this xperia play off ebay..it was listed as having a bootloop so I figured.."Should be an easy fix." Well..as long as its plugged into the computer, and i hold the search button, I can get it to boot. Doing that got me to the home screen where I discovered the touchscreen is broken and doesn't respond. It has the latest update on it and the ps buttons work, so I'm wondering if it's even worth rooting, or even possible with the touch screen working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First thing you should do is replace the touchscreen digitizer (you can find some on places like ebay) by following guides like these
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1593067
OR
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1547756
Next you can root your phone by following guides like these (ROOT AT OWN RISK!!!!)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2054495
OR
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2054504
OR
http://theunlockr.com/2013/03/27/how-to-root-the-sony-xperia-play/
Hit thanks if I helped :good:
dragonrazorz said:
So I bought this xperia play off ebay..it was listed as having a bootloop so I figured.."Should be an easy fix." Well..as long as its plugged into the computer, and i hold the search button, I can get it to boot. Doing that got me to the home screen where I discovered the touchscreen is broken and doesn't respond. It has the latest update on it and the ps buttons work, so I'm wondering if it's even worth rooting, or even possible with the touch screen working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had a weird experience just like yours. At first the touchscreen is messing, and then it became totally unresponsive. I did everything I could. Debranding, changing firmwares, restore factory using SUS, using pc companion, etc, but again, the screen isn't responding but just like yours the gaming pad is perfectly working. I turned it off for a day and when I turned it on again, it shows some responsiveness just a little bit but then again, it became unresponsive later on. So I came a conclusion, if the flex is broken, why the hell I can navigate using the pad? So I turned it off for a week without removing the battery, sim, and microsd. Surprisingly when I turned it back on, it came back to normal. It was a year ago and until now the screen is pretty responsive. Hope we have the same problem:victory:
Thanks for the tips, I was able to return it and bought one from someone that already worked. Sadly its a verizon branded one and can't unlock the bootloader..dang I hate verizon (i have an htc as my main phone.)
After some extra reading I finally got the new one rooted and running 2.3.3 I wish I could flash more roms but from what I read, the gb roms are the best for gaming and so thats basically what I got it for, its pretty cool! Thanks again!
Correct the best roms for the xperia play are gingerbread based roms which only work on the international phones. You pretty much have the short end of the stick lets just say. Development for the r800x halted since of March 2012.
Luckily I didnt buy it for development ha, maybe another day I'll switch it for a gsm version or wish for Sony to make an upgraded one!

[Q] [Help] Phone shutting down when unplugged

Hi,
I'm experiencing some problems with my Xperia ZQ (C6503), which I bought less than a month ago, and would like to know if someone could help me, I'm getting desperate
The problem:
When turning on the phone, it displays the SONY logo (or DooMLoRD's, if I install TWRP recovery) for about 3 or 4 seconds, then shuts down (I can't even get to the boot animation, where there's the XPERIA logo and the waves).
The only way to get it to boot is turning it on while having the USB cable connected to a charger or PC. It will work just fine until I unplug it.
At this point, if I leave it alone and only access the home screen or SMS app, it will remain on until the battery is fully discharged. However, if I open any other app like WiFi networks, camera, contacts etc., it WILL shut down and I'll have to plug it again to be able to boot up...
What I did with the phone before this happened:
- Rooted using DooMLoRD Easy Rooting Toolkit and used it for a few days
- Unlocked boot loader with Flashtool
- Flashed DooMLoRD's CWM-Based Recovery 6.0.3.2
- Installed AOKP MR1 Milestone 2 (Android 4.2.2) and used it for a couple weeks
What I did trying to solve the problem:
- Wiped data/cache/dalvik cache
- Flashed various stock brazilian ROMs through Flashtool (10.3.A.1.434, 10.3.1.A.2.67 and 10.3.A.0.423) countless times
- Flashed AOKP again
- Restored to 10.3.1.A.2.67 using Sony Update Service (had to relock the bootloader with Flashtool)
- Tried updating using Sony PC Companion but it said I'm already in the latest version
- Tried to use Sony Emma but I can't get login credentials (I'm not receiving the confirmation e-mail)
I followed some instructions for similar problems in the Q&A forum but most of them end saying the owner had to send the phone to warranty, but they never say what's the outcome...
Do you think I'll have to do the same? If so, is there anything more to before sending it, other than relocking the bootloader and flashing stock firmware?
Thanks and sorry for the lengthy thread
Osni~* said:
Hi,
I'm experiencing some problems with my Xperia ZQ (C6503), which I bought less than a month ago, and would like to know if someone could help me, I'm getting desperate
The problem:
When turning on the phone, it displays the SONY logo (or DooMLoRD's, if I install TWRP recovery) for about 3 or 4 seconds, then shuts down (I can't even get to the boot animation, where there's the XPERIA logo and the waves).
The only way to get it to boot is turning it on while having the USB cable connected to a charger or PC. It will work just fine until I unplug it.
At this point, if I leave it alone and only access the home screen or SMS app, it will remain on until the battery is fully discharged. However, if I open any other app like WiFi networks, camera, contacts etc., it WILL shut down and I'll have to plug it again to be able to boot up...
What I did with the phone before this happened:
- Rooted using DooMLoRD Easy Rooting Toolkit and used it for a few days
- Unlocked boot loader with Flashtool
- Flashed DooMLoRD's CWM-Based Recovery 6.0.3.2
- Installed AOKP MR1 Milestone 2 (Android 4.2.2) and used it for a couple weeks
What I did trying to solve the problem:
- Wiped data/cache/dalvik cache
- Flashed various stock brazilian ROMs through Flashtool (10.3.A.1.434, 10.3.1.A.2.67 and 10.3.A.0.423) countless times
- Flashed AOKP again
- Restored to 10.3.1.A.2.67 using Sony Update Service (had to relock the bootloader with Flashtool)
- Tried updating using Sony PC Companion but it said I'm already in the latest version
- Tried to use Sony Emma but I can't get login credentials (I'm not receiving the confirmation e-mail)
I followed some instructions for similar problems in the Q&A forum but most of them end saying the owner had to send the phone to warranty, but they never say what's the outcome...
Do you think I'll have to do the same? If so, is there anything more to before sending it, other than relocking the bootloader and flashing stock firmware?
Thanks and sorry for the lengthy thread
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, what you read is right and you need to send it to servise center for repair unless you can change the battery itself yourselves...
Otherwise their is nothing you can do but to send it to Sony...
I have similar problem and because some don't say the outcome yet is because haven't receive the phone yet...like me, I have been waiting nearly 2 month for it to repair it by sony...
Don't know wether Sony accept my warranty or not because I have unlocked the bootloader and root...but before send I already relock it and unroot it..so hope Sony didn't find that out...
Of you have warranty, what you can do is just do the same...and hoping for the best...
Press thanks if this help....
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
My unit is still in the service and awaiting battery. The same problem, which as far as I know is only present to the ZL model, and the root cause is the malfunctioning battery. I did not do anything with my C6502, its completely stock, but the dealer wants me to present a receipt for them to acknowledge the warrantry of my unit. I politely told them that the unit is several months old and it has not been opened and in pure stock condition. What then will be my protection when the unit was a gift from my daughter I argued.
In short I did not prevail and yes it is bummer considering that the phone is about 3 months old in pure stock condition. I am beginning to doubt the brand and how they stand behind their product. First time to use Sony, Am currently using my old reliable Samsung Galaxy S2 while waiting for the ZL battery. Yes I will pay for everything. parts and labor. [email protected]#$ accept my apologies for releasing. . .
its happening to the Z as well.
I went through this September, it took 5 weeks and they sent me an Xperia Z as replacement which was great because the ZL development stalled.
some info
The problem is with the BMS (battery management system) inside the battery pack (--> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_management_system).
If an unsafe state is detected, the BMS shuts down the battery to prevent it from severe damage (fire, etc.).
Some people manage to "repair" the BMS by going through several charge and discharge cycles but this doesn't always work.
A few years back we've played around with some cheap lithium polymer battery packs without BMS.
On heavy discharg load around 50% of the cells caught fire.. (Well, we were building an electronic car for the formula student, but the concept is the same )
If you send your phone in to Sony, in most cases they don't change the battery, they just reset the BMS.
This problem can occur with all modern lithium batteries, depending on the BMS thats used inside.
I'll post here if I find a way to reset the BMS for the ZL battery, but I don't think it's that easy..
And still, you would have to open your device and connect the battery to a small microcontroller (if someone has programming skills, it might work with the Arduino board..?!?)
Depending on where you live, it can take very long (2 months plus) until you get your phone back.
You might think about replacing the battery yourself.. You can find them on ebay and several battery suppliers online for around 35$.
Here you can find the service documents: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2516874
my ZL too had this strange auto shutdown thingy, mine was fully stock, no root no unlocking.
i sent it to sony for repair. they sent me a new ZL within a week saying it had some problems with the battery.
i live in India.
Thanks for the information, I knew it was something with the battery. Some people said their phone came back to life after reconnecting the battery.
EDIT: I don't know anything about this battery management system, but Z/ZL seems to have a pretty dumb one.
Since I just got the phone and wouldn't open it, i tried discharging the battery but things got worse, the phone got stuck on a boot loop with the red LED blinking 3 times and was not charging again.
Thankfully it charged back when I tried with the original charger and cable (they were at work).
I just dropped the phone at an authorized repair center, they'll sent it to Sony and I will (or should) receive it back in up to 20 days.
Will let you guys know when I get any news.
OK, got my phone back (a new one, actually) this saturday, after 22 days.
They confirmed the problem was something with the battery.
Thanks for all the help!
That's good to hear that you got it back. I just sent my ZL in for this same issue.
Osni~* said:
OK, got my phone back (a new one, actually) this saturday, after 22 days.
They confirmed the problem was something with the battery.
Thanks for all the help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sony Repair Service is awful.
Onsi~ did it take 22 business days or 22 calendar days? Mine phone has been at Sony's repair center for 31 calendar days 20 business days and the repair center just seems to be sitting on their hands. Sony's tech support doesn't seem like they can push it along either.
Osni~* said:
OK, got my phone back (a new one, actually) this saturday, after 22 days.
They confirmed the problem was something with the battery.
Thanks for all the help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dr2005k said:
Onsi~ did it take 22 business days or 22 calendar days? Mine phone has been at Sony's repair center for 31 calendar days 20 business days and the repair center just seems to be sitting on their hands. Sony's tech support doesn't seem like they can push it along either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello dr2005k,
It took 22 days (16 business days).
The deadline given by the attendant was initially in days, but when I called them near the end of the deadline they claimed it was in business days .
It all depends on your agreement with the repair center. If it has already expired and they are sitting in their hands, like you said, you can complain to them (if you didn't already) and maybe say you would sue them if they don't give your phone back. (Even if you don't intend to, they will get scared and try to solve your problem a little faster ).
Also try contacting Sony directly, that's what I was about to do.
I had a last resort option, in my contry (Brazil) there's a law that states if the product spends more than 30 days in the repair center, the manufacturer has to give you another one (brand new, not refurbished) or your money back.
My Xperia ZL started shutting down when unplugged
My ZL is also shutting down when unplugged. Will changing the battery help?
Osni~* said:
Hello dr2005k,
It took 22 days (16 business days).
The deadline given by the attendant was initially in days, but when I called them near the end of the deadline they claimed it was in business days .
It all depends on your agreement with the repair center. If it has already expired and they are sitting in their hands, like you said, you can complain to them (if you didn't already) and maybe say you would sue them if they don't give your phone back. (Even if you don't intend to, they will get scared and try to solve your problem a little faster ).
Also try contacting Sony directly, that's what I was about to do.
I had a last resort option, in my contry (Brazil) there's a law that states if the product spends more than 30 days in the repair center, the manufacturer has to give you another one (brand new, not refurbished) or your money back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. I'll be contacting them again tomorrow to see if the device they offered me over a week will get shipped soon.
---------- Post added at 04:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:38 PM ----------
Rianto said:
My ZL is also shutting down when unplugged. Will changing the battery help?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most likely but you'll most likely have to send it to a Sony repair facility for warranty work. I hope you have better luck than I do getting your phone repaired and sent back.
Osni~* said:
Hi,
I'm experiencing some problems with my Xperia ZQ (C6503), which I bought less than a month ago, and would like to know if someone could help me, I'm getting desperate
The problem:
When turning on the phone, it displays the SONY logo (or DooMLoRD's, if I install TWRP recovery) for about 3 or 4 seconds, then shuts down (I can't even get to the boot animation, where there's the XPERIA logo and the waves).
The only way to get it to boot is turning it on while having the USB cable connected to a charger or PC. It will work just fine until I unplug it.
At this point, if I leave it alone and only access the home screen or SMS app, it will remain on until the battery is fully discharged. However, if I open any other app like WiFi networks, camera, contacts etc., it WILL shut down and I'll have to plug it again to be able to boot up...
What I did with the phone before this happened:
- Rooted using DooMLoRD Easy Rooting Toolkit and used it for a few days
- Unlocked boot loader with Flashtool
- Flashed DooMLoRD's CWM-Based Recovery 6.0.3.2
- Installed AOKP MR1 Milestone 2 (Android 4.2.2) and used it for a couple weeks
What I did trying to solve the problem:
- Wiped data/cache/dalvik cache
- Flashed various stock brazilian ROMs through Flashtool (10.3.A.1.434, 10.3.1.A.2.67 and 10.3.A.0.423) countless times
- Flashed AOKP again
- Restored to 10.3.1.A.2.67 using Sony Update Service (had to relock the bootloader with Flashtool)
- Tried updating using Sony PC Companion but it said I'm already in the latest version
- Tried to use Sony Emma but I can't get login credentials (I'm not receiving the confirmation e-mail)
I followed some instructions for similar problems in the Q&A forum but most of them end saying the owner had to send the phone to warranty, but they never say what's the outcome...
Do you think I'll have to do the same? If so, is there anything more to before sending it, other than relocking the bootloader and flashing stock firmware?
Thanks and sorry for the lengthy thread
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly the same problem here buddy...
Here's a little email I've sent Sony Tech Support and their Press people:
"I've purchased my Xperia ZL in the United States (online at the end of March 2013 at ATGSM.com) and started using it mid April, 2013. I currently live in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
After using this phone normally for about 9 months, there was this one day back on the first week of January 2014, where I was taking lots of photos at the world famous "Serra da Capivara National Park" and could just feel the phone heating up like never before. Next thing I know, the screen went blank and phone would not respond when I pressed the power button.
I had to pres the reset button in the back of the phone in order to make it work again. But once I tried to load the camera app, the phone would automatically shut itself off. I thought it could be related to a faulty or corrupted External SD Card, so I went ahead and removed that as well before I attempted to turn my phone back on. After the system loaded up again I tried to oped the camera app and the phone turned itself off again. Any app that would require a significant amount of processing power would cause the phone to freeze and shut off.
So I decided to charge the phone all the way up until 100% (while powered off). When it reached 100% I turned it back on and used it normally (while it was still plugged to the wall charger), so I thought... Great, the phone is "OK again"! Then I went ahead and unplugged the phone off the charger, expecting it to function normally... In just a matter of minutes, with just a little bit of usage (checking emails or browsing the web) the phone simply shuts itself off on its own, yet again. I tried to turn the phone back on again and just as before, I was greeted by the Sony logo and - without any warnings or alerts - the screen simply goes blank again and that's it. This is all it does on the battery.
I've searched online for a solution for this problem and I got nowhere. My phone is all stock, bootloader locked, not rooted. I've formatted and updated it with the latest Firmware (10.4.B.0.569) a couple of times using Sony's Update Service application for Windows to no avail. Nothing seems to fix this battery/shut down on its own problem. There's tons of other Sony users complaining about similar issues with their Xperias. Just look up "xperia zl shuts off" on Google and you'll see what I mean.
My phone is one big dud...
So there you have it - one big useless US$650 piece of hardware. That only functions normally when it's plugged into a wall charger or your average computer USB port.
Not much of a "mobile" phone if you ask me.
I'm extremely unhappy with Sony's hardware and their inflexible technical support.
I've purchased this device in the United States and they can only grant me tech support under my 1 year manufacturer's warranty if I ship it over to their facility in Texas for repairs. That's no big deal for me. The one big problem is: They want me to have a US shipping address so they can ship if over to that address after they finish repairing/replacing/refurbishing my phone. And I've got a big problem with that.
I do not live in the United States. How am I supposed to pick my phone up over there?
After doing some digging through my phone's IMEI, Sony's tech support representatives brought to my attention that my device is a "Grey Market" phone (meant to be used in Singapore?) and that they don't even know how long it will take for them to service my phone. According to their supervisor, it could take anywhere from 1 month up to 4 months, maybe even more for them to repair and send it back to me.
See what I'm going through here?!?!?!
What good is it for a company as big as Sony to print and place a cute little warranty pamphlet inside the box of your brand new phone, containing the numbers of several different technical support worldwide if the 1 year warranty is not going to be covered in all of those different countries??????????????
I took the initiative to call Sony's specialized Xperia Mobile support telephone number from that pamphlet that came with my phone (not a free call, by the way) here in Brazil and shared with them my frustration regarding my Xperia ZL. They were sympathetic with me, and readily provided me with 3 different authorized service centers near my home, with their respective addresses and telephone numbers.
I managed to reach a couple of those authorized repair centers here in Brazil (over the phone) only to find out that they DO NOT have any of these Xperia ZL / ZQ batteries in stock. They also mentioned that several other customers called them and shared their bad experiences with their Xperia ZQ's battery life (defective batteries) and were greeted the same way: "I'm sorry, we can't help you. We do not carry that replacement battery in stock. We have already placed the order for those with Sony, but there's no estimate of when or even if these will ever arrive in our store anytime soon... I'm sorry about that..."
Yeah, I'm sorry about that too Sony.
I'm really sorry I bought a Sony smartphone.
I wish I could go back in time and buy a Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition instead.
But it's too late... I've already spent 650 bucks on your crappy smartphone, Sony.
Looking back, I can tell you that I've had problems with lots of other computer components that I've purchased in the States, from several different manufacturers. And I've RMA'd lots of these defective memory modules (RAM), defective SD Cards, etc. I've shipped it from Brazil straight to them in the States and in less than 1 month after they received my RMA, they went ahead and shipped a replacement back to me (in Brazil) FREE OF CHARGE! Most importantly, with NO HASSLE! That's right, NONE of these companies refused to ship it back to me at my Brazilian address like Sony is doing to me at this time.
This is the worst customer support from such a big and Global company that I've ever dealt with in my entire life.
Shame on you Sony!
After this horrible experience, here's a few things that I CAN and WILL DO for sure:
- I will NEVER buy another Sony device (camera, smartphone or laptop) ever again.
- I will never recommend a Sony product to any of my friends and family.
- I will never buy another phone with a built in, internal battery.
Sony has been continuously releasing and flooding the market with new phones that doesn't add a whole lot of improvements over their previous gen devices (ZR - Z - ZL - Z1 - Z1 Ultra - Z1S and so on). All they do is depreciate the value of what they have already released just a few months for just a little more, sometimes even less money than what you paid for your current "last gen" Sony phone just 2 or 3 months ago.
The Xperia ZL was released with last gen Snapdragon S4 Pro and in just a couple of months after I purchased my ZL they released a new, better spec'd smartphone, the Xperia Z1. And now, Sony has just announced the Xperia Z1S...
I understand that in today's mobile market / segment it's "the norm" to have this ever evolving and improving trend of new technology on mobile devices, but this seems to be getting kind of out of hand. You buy something today for US$650, sometimes even more depending on where on earth you live, only to see it become seemingly obsolete in just a matter of 3 months.
Sighs...
I'm through with Sony."
Sorry for making it lengthy as well!
Rianto said:
My ZL is also shutting down when unplugged. Will changing the battery help?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I suggest you to first try restoring your device with Sony Update Service (it's in Sony website, just Google for it). If the problem persists, you now have a charger-dependant smartphone.....
Not sure if replacing the battery will help... I've read that someone fixed the problem just by detaching the battery cable, waiting a few minutes and then plugging it back, but I can't verify that.
Keep in mind that opening you device will void the warranty.
You can send it to repair center if it's still in warranty (or if you're willing to pay), but remove any customisation before that (eg. lock bootloader, restore TA partition etc.).
dr2005k said:
Thanks for the reply. I'll be contacting them again tomorrow to see if the device they offered me over a week will get shipped soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope you can get your phone soon .
AndroidBR said:
Exactly the same problem here buddy...
Here's a little email I've sent Sony Tech Support and their Press people:
[...]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those are my feelings, exactly.
I really fail to understand why Sony did nothing to correct this problem since it's clearly visible that ALL Xperia Z(insert letter/number here) models have this issue. Some start to show the symptoms on the first week and others after 1 year.
I love my Xperia ZQ/ZL, it's an awesome phone, but I have this feeling that this problem will occur again (bad luck if it's after the warranty...) and I should just have bought another model/brand (not the S4 though )...
That being said, whenever someone asks me for advice to buy a new phone, I tell them to get away from the new Xperias. They are great phones, but you may be granted in the battery issue lotto
Yes and it's being sent back again.
Osni~* said:
I hope you can get your phone soon .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I got my phone back from Sony Tuesday Night. And it's going back today... Sigh. They sent me back my old phone after offering me a new one which kinda annoyed me. Then when I tried to actually call someone with it they couldn't hear me and I found out that the main microphone is now broken. Hopefully it doesn't take another 6 weeks to get a fixed or replacement. I'm a very patient person but this is starting to wear that down really quick. I never had warranty work be this useless.
Agr! this is the exact problem with my phone. Just started this week, i start the camera app and the phone crashes! I had to keep it on charge for the most part to get it to work, so.. its a wired phone now.
Can someone document a quick way to get it fixed or replacement, where did you start? sony chat, email or visiting a repair store?
Osni~* said:
Hi,
I'm experiencing some problems with my Xperia ZQ (C6503), which I bought less than a month ago, and would like to know if someone could help me, I'm getting desperate
The problem:
When turning on the phone, it displays the SONY logo (or DooMLoRD's, if I install TWRP recovery) for about 3 or 4 seconds, then shuts down (I can't even get to the boot animation, where there's the XPERIA logo and the waves).
The only way to get it to boot is turning it on while having the USB cable connected to a charger or PC. It will work just fine until I unplug it.
At this point, if I leave it alone and only access the home screen or SMS app, it will remain on until the battery is fully discharged. However, if I open any other app like WiFi networks, camera, contacts etc., it WILL shut down and I'll have to plug it again to be able to boot up...
What I did with the phone before this happened:
- Rooted using DooMLoRD Easy Rooting Toolkit and used it for a few days
- Unlocked boot loader with Flashtool
- Flashed DooMLoRD's CWM-Based Recovery 6.0.3.2
- Installed AOKP MR1 Milestone 2 (Android 4.2.2) and used it for a couple weeks
What I did trying to solve the problem:
- Wiped data/cache/dalvik cache
- Flashed various stock brazilian ROMs through Flashtool (10.3.A.1.434, 10.3.1.A.2.67 and 10.3.A.0.423) countless times
- Flashed AOKP again
- Restored to 10.3.1.A.2.67 using Sony Update Service (had to relock the bootloader with Flashtool)
- Tried updating using Sony PC Companion but it said I'm already in the latest version
- Tried to use Sony Emma but I can't get login credentials (I'm not receiving the confirmation e-mail)
I followed some instructions for similar problems in the Q&A forum but most of them end saying the owner had to send the phone to warranty, but they never say what's the outcome...
Do you think I'll have to do the same? If so, is there anything more to before sending it, other than relocking the bootloader and flashing stock firmware?
Thanks and sorry for the lengthy thread
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is the common problems in all the xperia zl, as it occurs after android 4.3 update, even i am also suffering fom this problem, my bootloadert was unlocked, i had relock it using flashtools, but it had just relock my bootloader, no drm keys came back, and give it to sony service center, as after unlocking my bootloader, previous os was not installing, its 5 days now, and service center is still trying to repair my phone, your they also got headache, tommorow i will ask them to replace the cell !
dr2005k said:
Well I got my phone back from Sony Tuesday Night. And it's going back today... Sigh. They sent me back my old phone after offering me a new one which kinda annoyed me. Then when I tried to actually call someone with it they couldn't hear me and I found out that the main microphone is now broken. Hopefully it doesn't take another 6 weeks to get a fixed or replacement. I'm a very patient person but this is starting to wear that down really quick. I never had warranty work be this useless.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wow, you are a very patient man. i would be writing emails to ceo, posting on reddit, post on their facebook wall, their hangouts wall, and all other forums (hint) about it, and how incapable sony is in their repair service.
melvinrobertson said:
this is the common problems in all the xperia zl, as it occurs after android 4.3 update, even i am also suffering fom this problem, my bootloadert was unlocked, i had relock it using flashtools, but it had just relock my bootloader, no drm keys came back, and give it to sony service center, as after unlocking my bootloader, previous os was not installing, its 5 days now, and service center is still trying to repair my phone, your they also got headache, tommorow i will ask them to replace the cell !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is that right? Whe should start a new thread with symptoms like Upgrades, model version of the device AND chargers used lastly ( still thinking that's not the problem )
PD: Luckily I'm getting a new battery( used actually, torn apart from a totally destroyed device ) in 2 days from now and check if that's the real problem.

[Q] Xperia ZL Only Boot Up While Charging

Hi all!
I have ZL (ZQ in Brazil) and about two days ago it simply shut off while I was taking a picture. The phone stuck in the first screen showing the Free Xperia logo and didn't come up until I plug in the power (from wall or pc usb).
Today I've dowloaded the last oficial firmware from sony and put it up via Flashtool but now, as soon as I take the cable out the phone dies.
I noticed that with the oficial ROM, when it finishes booting up, I receive the message: "com.android.phone has stopped.".
The phone also looses the signal in places it use to have full bars, like my room...
Before that my phone was ok.
*All off above happens with battery full charged!*
Also, I did a snapshot update a few weeks ago and several features went off (I thought it was a stable version since it showed up on cyanogen menu). So I tried to recover the last version via Cyanogem menu. The phone stuck in boot loop. Then I downloaded the version again and installed via CWM.
The thing is that I never notice nothing uncommon since that day. I don't know if it's related.
Does anybody knows if it's software/firmware related or does it have something to do with hardware issues?
Any help is appreciated!
ngoline said:
Hi all!
I have ZL (ZQ in Brazil) and about two days ago it simply shut off while I was taking a picture. The phone stuck in the first screen showing the Free Xperia logo and didn't come up until I plug in the power (from wall or pc usb).
Today I've dowloaded the last oficial firmware from sony and put it up via Flashtool but now, as soon as I take the cable out the phone dies.
I noticed that with the oficial ROM, when it finishes booting up, I receive the message: "com.android.phone has stopped.".
The phone also looses the signal in places it use to have full bars, like my room...
Before that my phone was ok.
*All off above happens with battery full charged!*
Also, I did a snapshot update a few weeks ago and several features went off (I thought it was a stable version since it showed up on cyanogen menu). So I tried to recover the last version via Cyanogem menu. The phone stuck in boot loop. Then I downloaded the version again and installed via CWM.
The thing is that I never notice nothing uncommon since that day. I don't know if it's related.
Does anybody knows if it's software/firmware related or does it have something to do with hardware issues?
Any help is appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This problem is now spread in most of ZL user and many thread is addressing this issues ass well...
This is probably a battery or battery management issue...you need to send to Sony servise center for replacement or repair...
Or you can do it on your own by changing the battery...no software can solve this problem...
Hope for the best...
Press THANKS if this help...
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Stuck with the same issue here !
Hi all,
Everything was fine until yesterday my phone switched off during a call and never switched on.
Now it switches on only when connected to a wall charger ! Please let me know if someone fixes this issue
I'm also thinking it's hardware related
Since mine is only 6 mo I'll take it to an authorized repair shop tomorrow morning.
I let you guys know if they find something out.
Just back from service center
The Sony service guys could not make it work after a software overhaul.. They are gonna replace the entire chipset to fix the issue ! and in warranty :victory: !! Though Still no idea what caused the problem in the first place!
ngoline said:
Hi all!
I have ZL (ZQ in Brazil) and about two days ago it simply shut off while I was taking a picture. The phone stuck in the first screen showing the Free Xperia logo and didn't come up until I plug in the power (from wall or pc usb).
Today I've dowloaded the last oficial firmware from sony and put it up via Flashtool but now, as soon as I take the cable out the phone dies.
I noticed that with the oficial ROM, when it finishes booting up, I receive the message: "com.android.phone has stopped.".
The phone also looses the signal in places it use to have full bars, like my room...
Before that my phone was ok.
*All off above happens with battery full charged!*
Also, I did a snapshot update a few weeks ago and several features went off (I thought it was a stable version since it showed up on cyanogen menu). So I tried to recover the last version via Cyanogem menu. The phone stuck in boot loop. Then I downloaded the version again and installed via CWM.
The thing is that I never notice nothing uncommon since that day. I don't know if it's related.
Does anybody knows if it's software/firmware related or does it have something to do with hardware issues?
Any help is appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly the same problem over here buddy...
Here's a little something I wrote to Sony and their Press people.
"I've purchased my Xperia ZL in the United States (online at the end of March 2013 at ATGSM.com) and started using it mid April, 2013. I currently live in Brazil.
After using this phone normally for about 9 months, there was this one day back on the first week of January 2014, where I was taking lots of photos at the world famous "Serra da Capivara National Park" and could just feel the phone heating up like never before. Next thing I know, the screen went blank and phone would not respond when I pressed the power button.
I had to pres the reset button in the back of the phone in order to make it work again. But once I tried to load the camera app, the phone would automatically shut itself off. I thought it could be related to a faulty or corrupted External SD Card, so I went ahead and removed that as well before I attempted to turn my phone back on. After the system loaded up again I tried to oped the camera app and the phone turned itself off again. Any app that would require a significant amount of processing power would cause the phone to freeze and shut off.
So I decided to charge the phone all the way up until 100% (while powered off). When it reached 100% I turned it back on and used it normally (while it was still plugged to the wall charger), so I thought... Great, the phone is "OK again"! Then I went ahead and unplugged the phone off the charger, expecting it to function normally... In just a matter of minutes, with just a little bit of usage (checking emails or browsing the web) the phone simply shuts itself off on its own, yet again. I tried to turn the phone back on again and just as before, I was greeted by the Sony logo and - without any warnings or alerts - the screen simply goes blank again and that's it. This is all it does on the battery.
I've searched online for a solution for this problem and I got nowhere. My phone is all stock, bootloader locked, not rooted. I've formatted and updated it with the latest Firmware (10.4.B.0.569) a couple of times using Sony's Update Service application for Windows to no avail. Nothing seems to fix this battery/shut down on its own problem. There's tons of other Sony users complaining about similar issues with their Xperias. Just look up "xperia zl shuts off" on Google and you'll see what I mean.
My phone is one big dud...
So there you have it - one big useless US$650 piece of hardware. That only functions normally when it's plugged into a wall charger or your average computer USB port.
Not much of a "mobile" phone if you ask me.
I'm extremely unhappy with Sony's hardware and their inflexible technical support.
I've purchased this device in the United States and they can only grant me tech support under my 1 year manufacturer's warranty if I ship it over to their facility in Texas for repairs. That's no big deal for me. The one big problem is: They want me to have a US shipping address so they can ship if over to that address after they finish repairing/replacing/refurbishing my phone. And I've got a big problem with that.
I do not live in the United States. How am I supposed to pick my phone up over there?
After doing some digging through my phone's IMEI, Sony's tech support representatives brought to my attention that my device is a "Grey Market" phone (meant to be used in Singapore?) and that they don't even know how long it will take for them to service my phone. According to their supervisor, it could take anywhere from 1 month up to 4 months, maybe even more for them to repair and send it back to me.
See what I'm going through here?!?!?!
What good is it for a company as big as Sony to print and place a cute little warranty pamphlet inside the box of your brand new phone, containing the numbers of several different technical support worldwide if the 1 year warranty is not going to be covered in all of those different countries??????????????
I took the initiative to call Sony's specialized Xperia Mobile support telephone number from that pamphlet that came with my phone (not a free call, by the way) here in Brazil and shared with them my frustration regarding my Xperia ZL. They were sympathetic with me, and readily provided me with 3 different authorized service centers near my home, with their respective addresses and telephone numbers.
I managed to reach a couple of those authorized repair centers here in Brazil (over the phone) only to find out that they DO NOT have any of these Xperia ZL / ZQ batteries in stock. They also mentioned that several other customers called them and shared their bad experiences with their Xperia ZQ's battery life (defective batteries) and were greeted the same way: "I'm sorry, we can't help you. We do not carry that replacement battery in stock. We have already placed the order for those with Sony, but there's no estimate of when or even if these will ever arrive in our store anytime soon... I'm sorry about that..."
Yeah, I'm sorry about that too Sony.
I'm really sorry I bought a Sony smartphone.
I wish I could go back in time and buy a Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition instead.
But it's too late... I've already spent 650 bucks on your crappy smartphone, Sony.
Looking back, I can tell you that I've had problems with lots of other computer components that I've purchased in the States, from several different manufacturers. And I've RMA'd lots of these defective memory modules (RAM), defective SD Cards, etc. I've shipped it from Brazil straight to them in the States and I less than 1 month after they received my defective products, they went ahead and shipped a replacement back to me (in Brazil) FREE OF CHARGE! Most importantly, with NO HASSLE! That's right, none of these companies refused to ship it back to me at my Brazilian address like Sony is doing to me at this time.
This is the worst customer support from such a big and Global company that I've ever dealt with in my entire life.
Shame on you Sony!
After this horrible experience, here's a few things that I CAN and WILL DO for sure:
- I will NEVER buy another Sony device (camera, smartphone or laptop) ever again.
- I will never recommend a Sony product to any of my friends and family.
- I will never buy another phone with a built in, internal battery.
Sony has been continuously releasing and flooding the market with new phones that doesn't add a whole lot of improvements over their previous gen devices (ZR - ZL - Z1 - Z1 Ultra - Z1S and so on). All they do is depreciate the value of what they have already released just a few months for just a little more, sometimes even less money than what you paid for your current "last gen" Sony phone just 2 or 3 months ago.
The Xperia ZL was released with last gen Snapdragon S4 Pro and in just a couple of months after I purchased my ZL they released a new, better spec'd smartphone, the Xperia Z1. And now, Sony has just announced the Xperia Z1S...
I understand that in today's mobile market / segment it's "the norm" to have this ever evolving and improving trend of new technology on mobile devices, but this seems to be getting kind of out of hand. You buy something today for US$650, sometimes even more depending on where on earth you live, only to see it become seemingly obsolete in just a matter of 3 months.
Sighs...
I'm through with Sony."
Solved (by myself)
As I said before, I lost my warranty the moment I unlocked my bootloader and they were charging me almost the price for a new phone.
The only place I found the batery was on ebay.it and took more than one month to arrive.
As you all suspected, changing the battery solve the problem.
The only problem is that now my camera doesn't work...
ngoline said:
As I said before, I lost my warranty the moment I unlocked my bootloader and they were charging me almost the price for a new phone.
The only place I found the batery was on ebay.it and took more than one month to arrive.
As you all suspected, changing the battery solve the problem.
The only problem is that now my camera doesn't work...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Didn't you "relock" you bootloader and flashed latest Sony Firmware before you sent your Xperia ZL/ZQ in for Warranty Support????
RELOCK?
AndroidBR said:
Didn't you "relock" you bootloader and flashed latest Sony Firmware before you sent your Xperia ZL/ZQ in for Warranty Support????
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WHOA! I didn't know there was a re-lock feature...
Well, too late now...
Thanks anyway. I hope it helps if someone else have the same problem!
I am going through the same excruciating process with my girlfriend's Xperia ZL right now. This phone has not been rooted and just kept running the official updates from Sony. I just updated it to their official version of 4.4.2 and am having the exact same issues. The phone crashes, freezes and won't stay on and can't be kept powered on unless it is kept plugged into the wall or computer USB. Just got off the phone with a higher-level manager at Sony who was "sorry" and "couldn't do anything" unless I pay for the repairs myself. They were actually blaming Google for releasing a "bad" update which he said was "affecting ALL android phones". That's a pretty bold statement- especially knowing that's false, reading all the threads online about this issue with Sony devices specifically. This was until he found out that they screwed up and realized the phone was still under warranty, expiring TODAY. After an hour of back-and-forth, I got him to agree to paying for shipping and fixing the phone as if it were under warranty status still.
I will never buy a Sony piece of hardware again and will highly discourage and demote their hardware to anyone.

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