- Report: #154007
Complaint Review: MOTOROLA - VERIZON WIRELESS - LIBERTYVILLE Illinois
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MOTOROLA - VERIZON WIRELESS
MOTOROLA BUSINESS DEVICES 600 NORTH US HWY 45 IL93 LIBERTYVILLE, 60048 Illinois, U.S.A.
Phone:
847-523-2324
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MOTOROLA - VERIZON WIRELESS ripoff MOTOROLA CELL PHONES CAN EXPLODE AND CAUSE DAMAGE OR EVEN DEATH! LIBERTYVILLE Illinois
On July 12, 2004, I pulled into my driveway with my new Pontiac Grand Am to stop in and pick up my daughter. I was only in my house for minutes, when we noticed smoke passing our front window.
When we looked outside, my new Pontiac Grand Am was engulfed in flames and catching my garage on fire! It took my insurance company until December of 2004, but with the help of GMC, it was determined the cell phone was the cause of the fire. Upon investigation, we found several cell phones sold through Verizon Wireless had defective batteries that would explode becasue they would over-heat.
I located many stories on the web of people having these same cell phones exploding in their faces or hands, and even phones not turned on, just charging , were exploding in homes and starting fires. I forwarded the report on to Motorola, who of course sent their own investigator to look at the remains of the phone. The investigator called me while he was looking at the remains and mentioned the remains were beyond utilizing as evidence since the fire was so hot. He stated he could not say for sure the cell phone exploded, but he could not rule it out either.
I asked for his report, and he stated he would request Motorola send me one. Needless to say, Motorola denied my claim, and stated there was no report of the findings from their investigator. The attorney working on my case simply discontinued to answer my calls or respond to my e-mails. We bought a lot of four phones through Verizon. We were not allowed to cancell our wireless contract without a termination fee, they did provide me with one used phone, but Verizon will take no responsibility for selling the exploding phones to me, nor did they want to comment on other incidents.
Customers need to know how dangerouse these phones can be and that both Verizon and Motorola willnot take responsibility of any claims, even though there have been many incidents. Motorola have recalled very few phones, leaving the door open for many more incidents. This is just a time bomb waiting to explode, literally, in the hands of every person holding a Motorola cell phone!
Elizabeth
Ham Lake, Minnesota
U.S.A.
When we looked outside, my new Pontiac Grand Am was engulfed in flames and catching my garage on fire! It took my insurance company until December of 2004, but with the help of GMC, it was determined the cell phone was the cause of the fire. Upon investigation, we found several cell phones sold through Verizon Wireless had defective batteries that would explode becasue they would over-heat.
I located many stories on the web of people having these same cell phones exploding in their faces or hands, and even phones not turned on, just charging , were exploding in homes and starting fires. I forwarded the report on to Motorola, who of course sent their own investigator to look at the remains of the phone. The investigator called me while he was looking at the remains and mentioned the remains were beyond utilizing as evidence since the fire was so hot. He stated he could not say for sure the cell phone exploded, but he could not rule it out either.
I asked for his report, and he stated he would request Motorola send me one. Needless to say, Motorola denied my claim, and stated there was no report of the findings from their investigator. The attorney working on my case simply discontinued to answer my calls or respond to my e-mails. We bought a lot of four phones through Verizon. We were not allowed to cancell our wireless contract without a termination fee, they did provide me with one used phone, but Verizon will take no responsibility for selling the exploding phones to me, nor did they want to comment on other incidents.
Customers need to know how dangerouse these phones can be and that both Verizon and Motorola willnot take responsibility of any claims, even though there have been many incidents. Motorola have recalled very few phones, leaving the door open for many more incidents. This is just a time bomb waiting to explode, literally, in the hands of every person holding a Motorola cell phone!
Elizabeth
Ham Lake, Minnesota
U.S.A.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Alex
Miami,Florida,
U.S.A.
Exploding Phone Fire- Unlikely!
#2UPDATE Employee
Sat, June 10, 2006
If this had happened in Latin America or Asia, I might be inclined to believe that such an occurrence could happen given the problem with counterfeit accessories (see http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=2304). This by the way is a problem all cellular manufacturers are facing and not isolated to Motorola (i.e. http://www.nokiamena.com/english/about/battery/counterfeit.htm) Now, as for your particular vehicle, I could not help notice that you mentioned the model engulfed in flames was a 2004 Pontiac Grand AM. Curiously enough, there was a recall issued on that same model (and several others) because of a known problem that could result in a fire: http://www.lemonauto.com/complaints/gm/pontiac_grand_am.htm ************ RECALL: 2004 Pontiac Grand AM NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V301000 Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE *********** If in fact Motorola had been anywhere near as culpable as suggested in your post, why did your attorney stop taking your calls "The attorney working on my case simply discontinued to answer my calls or respond to my e-mails." I guess as an employee I am a bit taken aback not only by the accusation that it was "Motorola's Defective Death Phones" that caused your fire, but that so many people blindly jumped on the bandwagon without doing an iota of research. As an FYI, it only took me 45 seconds on Google to find this information. I think people need to be a little more careful before they begin accusing companies in a forum as widely accessible as this since irreparable damage may be inflicted on innocent companies. Not only could such rumors damage their reputations, but there are people, families and children who can be hurt by the possible loss of jobs resulting from mass hysteria.
Kate
Toledo,Ohio,
U.S.A.
Mike from Radford - Sue for what??!!! Dumbfounded here
#3Consumer Suggestion
Mon, September 19, 2005
Are you saying in Radford it is legal to manufacture and knowingly sell dangerous equipment? Nokia is also being sued, this is technology that can kill and has killed and maimed. And these are hazards that the sellers are aware of and NOT disclosing to the customers they sell this equipment to. Read the papers, Mike. Or do a Google search and just put in 'exploding cell phones'. Geesh - how'd you find this site anyway? Close your eyes and hit a bunch of keys? Additionally Mike, don't you know that insurance claims cost everyone's insurance to go up? It would be civically irresponsible to allow an insurance company to cover the expense for a company who caused the expenses. Don't you think a company that comes into our communities and sell equipment they know has the potential to blow up or catch on fire (that is designed to be held up to the side of our HEADS) should be accountable? Never, ever, ever going to Radford. Must be very dangerous place. Yup yup yup.
Mike
Radford,Virginia,
U.S.A.
Sue? For what?
#4Consumer Suggestion
Fri, August 19, 2005
If you win a suit against Motorola the money will first go back to your auto and home insurance companies. They already paid for your loss. Actually they probably already got their money back from Motorola as well, but they won't tell anyone that. Since this case involves only property damage, attorneys won't be interested in it. (well some may, but ony to take your monny upfront. Nobody will do it on contingency). In a personal injury case, there is a potentially unlimited award from a jury. With property damage, the money damage is limited to the value of the property. And the Motorola attorney and investigator certainly aren't working for you.
Magic
Winston-Salem,North Carolina,
U.S.A.
Who is actually responsible....
#5Consumer Suggestion
Thu, August 18, 2005
I'm sorry that this happened to you. What you have experienced is not uncommon because Kyocera actually had that same scare with their "Phantom" line of phones that had a defective battery in them. On one occasion, a lady's phone blew up while she was talking on it (I used to work for Cricket Communications). What you need to understand first about the issue is that it's not necessarily Verizon's problem. Why? Because Verizone Wireless ONLY provides SERVICE to the phone. They do NOT make/manufacture the phone itself. Therefore, the problem you have is actually with Motorola, not Verizon. Getting mad at Verizon is like getting mad at WalMart where you bought your TV if it stops working. WalMart didn't make the TV. I'm sorry that Motorola is treating you with such contempt. I would sue them in court over the matter if they continue to not respond to you. I would probably sue the attorney as well since they didn't work on your behalf (my grandma had that happen to her...and the attorney asked for $600 upfront....which she used to go on a vacation after "dismissing herself" from the case). Good luck with this one. If you have insurance papers showing that it was the cell phone that caused the fire, then it should be EASY to win.
