• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Help Phone Shutting off randomly?

My phone turned off even though the battery was fully charged. I have plugged it in, and it still won't turn on. I also took out the batter and replaced it after 15+ minutes, and it still will not turn on.

Any suggestions?
 
After sporadic shutdowns, I called AT&T yesterday. I am out of the 30 day window. They are sending me a new battery. I am pretty sure this won't cure it, but I'll go through the process and see what happens.
 
After sporadic shutdowns, I called AT&T yesterday. I am out of the 30 day window. They are sending me a new battery. I am pretty sure this won't cure it, but I'll go through the process and see what happens.

Others who have received a new battery have reported that the problem persists. AT&T is grasping at straws.
 
With the new AT&T update I just received... think it may fix the shutting down? My phone shuts down about 15-20 times a day (no lie). It'll hit and i'll turn back on and it'll go off a few times in a row.

I'm noticing with the new update, GPS works beautifully now and the phone (for the past 6 hours now) hasn't shut off once? I know it is not where near enough time passing to say it has been fixed. Just curious if anyone else who has the phone shutting off issue that happens ALOT like me is seeing any improvement?
 
Disregard... just shutoff 4 times in 10 minutes. It was a good run though! Magical.

Only fix is a new phone I'm reading and AT&T support (on two occasions in the last week) said no? Go figure...
 
Following up on my post of 9/12. As of this date I have had no further shutdown issues since exchanging the initial phone.

I have to agree with Jack45. If you are within your 30 day exchange period, just do it. If not, beg, lie or do whatever is necessary to get the exchange.

It's a great phone and it's ashamed that folks are having to go through all this crap just to get their phones to work. Good luck all.
 
Following up on my post of 9/12. As of this date I have had no further shutdown issues since exchanging the initial phone.

I have to agree with Jack45. If you are within your 30 day exchange period, just do it. If not, beg, lie or do whatever is necessary to get the exchange.

It's a great phone and it's ashamed that folks are having to go through all this crap just to get their phones to work. Good luck all.

Thank you for the update. It was a bad batch and as you, I, and others have discovered - exchanging a phone exhibiting random shutdowns is the only solution. Glad to hear of your success.
 
I just got my Captivate on Friday, and during the first 24 hours, it turned itself off and was not responsive to anything but a pull-the-battery reboot. But since then, it's not done it at all. I'm wondering if my issue was just that the battery was not full charged. Makes me nervous, though, since other people have had this problem after charging. I'll be watching that 30-day return clock, in case I need to exchange it. Also having problems connecting to wifi, but other than that I really LOVE the phone so far! Especially the integration with Google web apps!
 
Welcome!

>>> Makes me nervous, though...

Be nervous for a couple of weeks until you're sure you haven't experienced this again. If you do experience a random shutdown do not waste your time hoping that it doesn't happen again, looking for answers, or trying out another battery (as AT&T has proposed to others). If they do offer this as a solution, fib by telling the CSR that you swapped batteries with another Captivate owner and it did no good...the shutdowns continued.

The only answer lies here: exchange it.

Let us know how it goes.
 
I purchased the Captivate yesterday, and within the first 24 hours I experienced atleast 12 shutdowns, in which 1 was during a phone call. I saw so many people talking about this situation, so to avoid any more hassle I returned it and just got the Aria instead.
 
I purchased the Captivate yesterday, and within the first 24 hours I experienced atleast 12 shutdowns, in which 1 was during a phone call. I saw so many people talking about this situation, so to avoid any more hassle I returned it and just got the Aria instead.

Well, it's too late now considering you've already opted for the Aria, but putting things in perspective you won't see posts here from people who volunteer that their Captivates haven't had random shutdowns and therefore aren't looking for advice. Rather, you're seeing posts from a sample of folks who received the output of a bad production run and seek assistance. It has not been as pervasive a problem as the GPS issue after assimilating related posts on this and other forums.

In any event, hope you enjoy the Aria (mods like that warm and fuzzy stuff from members).
 
I've never had a shutdown. Owned mine since the day after it was released.

Healthy people don't go to the hospital. ;)
 
Well, it's too late now considering you've already opted for the Aria, but putting things in perspective you won't see posts here from people who volunteer that their Captivates haven't had random shutdowns and therefore aren't looking for advice. Rather, you're seeing posts from a sample of folks who received the output of a bad production run and seek assistance. It has not been as pervasive a problem as the GPS issue after assimilating related posts on this and other forums.

In any event, hope you enjoy the Aria (mods like that warm and fuzzy stuff from members).

LOL thanks Jack.

But to comment on your post, I didn't check the GPS, considering I never use it. But I use my phone for conract many business associates, I didn't want to go the Blackberry route like most people who use their phone for business.

I was even considering exchanging for another Cappy, but I saw so many posts (not here, but on the AT&T website and a few others) regarding random shut downs, and at the time there was no fix for it. Some who have had the phone since launch. Which scared me a bit, because what if I had my phone for 35 days, and voila it starts to shut down. By that time, I'd be past my 30 days. I understand it's the chance you take, but seeing I use my phone for business use as well at times. I can't risk it.
 
I saw so many posts (not here, but on the AT&T website and a few others) regarding random shut downs

Show me the highest-quality device in existence, and I'll show you a support forum for it which is almost exclusively people complaining about problems with it. ;)
 
Thank you for the update. It was a bad batch and as you, I, and others have discovered - exchanging a phone exhibiting random shutdowns is the only solution. Glad to hear of your success.

Sadly, that solution doesnt always work... i returned my first captivate yesterday due to random power offs, got it exchanged...was super excited to get back to using it with out worrying...and now my new one just powered off on me. wtf, i feel so unlucky:mad:

is there anything to look for when going to exchange it tomorrow to tell if it is the defective line or the non-defective line?
 
>>> Is there anything to look for when going to exchange it tomorrow to tell if it is the defective line or the non-defective line?

Not that I'm aware of. Took me three tries. I would go to another store with the hope that their shipment(s) will lead to a better result for you. In any event, if you're otherwise happy with the phone - don't settle. Exchange it until you're sure you've got a solid device.

EDIT. I noticed in another thread that you're past your 30 days. See if you can get permission from AT&T Warranty to go back to a store for a new unit.
 
I experienced 2 shut offs, the day after I got my new phone.

I went to Settings > Sound and Display > Power Saving mode, and switched it off.

Seems to have stopped the shut offs for now.

For everyone stating that it's definitely a manufacture defect, please provide a manufacturers source stating that. Otherwise we just have wild conjecture for an otherwise great phone.
 
For everyone stating that it's definitely a manufacture defect, please provide a manufacturers source stating that. Otherwise we just have wild conjecture for an otherwise great phone.

A manufacturer doesn't have to admit something for it to be true or verifiable via experimentation/analysis/elimination.

Users have taken stock Captivates with no apps or settings changed and had them shut down multiple times a day. These same users have exchanged their phones and then had stock phones with no apps installed then go for weeks already without a single shutdown ever.

Please provide an alternate explanation for the above, other than "hardware defect".
 
>>>
Not that I'm aware of. Took me three tries. I would go to another store with the hope that their shipment(s) will lead to a better result for you. In any event, if you're otherwise happy with the phone - don't settle. Exchange it until you're sure you've got a solid device.

EDIT. I noticed in another thread that you're past your 30 days. See if you can get permission from AT&T Warranty to go back to a store for a new unit.

Good idea, ill check another store. Other than this issue (and gps issue) the phone is great, so i dont really mind going through a couple exchanges. and where im doing the exchanges, i get 45 days so its all good
---------------------
I went to Settings > Sound and Display > Power Saving mode, and switched it off.

^^thx, ill try that and post results
 
I went to Settings > Sound and Display > Power Saving mode, and switched it off. ^^thx, ill try that and post results

Don't play with yourself. The only advantage to that exercise is that you don't have to look your best.

@KirkaFordis Rex:
I haven't sifted through hundreds of posts since the product's release nor tested every remedy available to then arbitrarily declare that your only choice is to exchange the device. Had my recommendation been "conjecture" I would have written it in brown font to denote where I retrieved it from.
 
I'm sad about the situation because I love the phone it's otherwise amazing in every way esp since I had dumbphones for the longest time but my phone should not turn itself off like this... that's not cool. :(:(:(:(:(:(. Somewhat embarrassing because I've bragged about this phone to my friends so much.

I registered with Samsung and seem to remember seeing somewhere when it told me when my phone was manufactured... but then I forgot to write it down. I'm curious if others have registered with Samsung and could share your manufacture dates, or even know where to check that info.

My phone is rooted, sim-unlocked and sideload enabled and has the one-click lag fix, but it was doing random shutdowns before I even did all this. At first I thought it was growing pains, new phone..etc or I did something wrong. I think I'll try to get a replacement because I'm within my 30 day window... and people on here seem to say this is a hardware issue. I've turned off power saving, I hope that helps... we'll see what tomorrow brings but I think I will head to my local AT&T store and see what they say.

I am just worried about the rooting situation... should I unroot or factory reset it? Very confused. PS I have several different backup options.. titanium, my backup pro, and rom manager installed a nandroid option as well. Any advice on this?
 
I think every workaround people are posting seems to be just that ... a workaround. It's like putting a bandaid on a deep cut. You really need stitches or a doctor. I'm going to exchange my phone for a new Captivate because the only thing that seemed to help was disabling Power Saving mode... and even that's not a complete fix It just makes the random shut downs LESS often it seems like. But they still happen. Not acceptable for any phone to just shut itself off unless its battery dies, a phone needs to be able to receive calls for as long as it has a charged battery... it's that simple.

PS
I love this phone though and put a lot of 'effort' into it already... so I hope I can get another that does not shut off randomly!!! The display is beautiful, the phone is fast, browser works great, android apps work great, can play divx files.
 
Back
Top Bottom