Rather fortuitously (although it didnt feel that way at the time) the windscreen had been replaced in the week prior, as my husband had rock cause a sizeable crack in the windscreen. So that screen surface couldn’t have been cleaner or dust free, in reality.
The installation was without hassle, and the instructions were absolutely minimal at best. Certainly no mention of heat causing a loss of suction.
@draughtrider that description is absolute comedy gold considering the damage it caused while the phone was ‘safely’ within it. It appears this squeaky wheel might be getting somewhere, as Samsung have now been in contact regarding my complaint and are ‘looking into it’. Not getting too hopeful, but otherwise my next port of call is one star reviews on any site selling these blasted windscreen mounts. If they are going to say ‘losing suction isn’t a fault’ I will make sure every potential customer knows that!
@vax2000 I agree it was a rip off when he bought it, but he (clearly incorrectly) assumed that it would provide better protection than an unbranded one. His lesson has been learnt the hard way, but its another nail in the Samsung coffin ‘why should someone pay $50 for a mount that you won’t take responsibility for when it causes the phone to be damaged?’ I’d expect to be in this situation using a cheapy, but not after paying top dollar.
All good stuff to include in the wording of the complaint as it supports your view that the suction plate on the mount was inadequate/not fit for purpose. To assists in potentially removing your own actions or neglect as a potential source of the failure and points more toward the mount being the problem, causing the damage to the phone.
The wording that you took all reasonable actions to ensure that the mount was fixed to the windscreen properly as you had a new one week old windscreen free of any contaminants or defects likely to impact on the mounts adhesion and followed Samsung’s installation instructions. There is also no known additional actions which you could not have undertaken (maybe apart from gluing the mount to the windscreen) to prevent the mount from falling from the windscreen as it was installed correctly and in accordance with the installation instructions.
It is also worth writing that verbal advice from Samsung officer indicate that the device could fall in hot weather, but such information is not included as a warning in the instructions or provided on purchase. You could assume that this may have been the issue if the mount fell off when the car was hot…and as such is evidence that the mount is not fit for use (or to Australia’s hot summer conditions).
(It may be worth attaching the new windscreen receipt as proof that the windscreen is in fact new and can be ruled out as a source of the mounts failure.)
@CaitlinB I agree totally with you Caitlin . The point I was making was that I think it is a bit rich Samsung wacking on $40 to the price of an item just because it has their brand on it . Especially if it is no better quality than the items available on websites such as DX.com , Made in China.com etc which are 1/5 of the price of the branded item . I know this is common practice among many manufacturers but just because it is " common " does not make it right .
Agree - Samsung have very poor customer service which no doubt prevents higher profits. I had to return a phone for repair under warranty and they would not repair it. They actually “stole” my phone as they would not give it back. Emails were ignored. I wrote a hard copy letter to the CEO of Samsung with all the hard copy emails that were not answered. I posted everything. This letter was too ignored for a while. I finally got a response and they admitted they had performed poorly. I got a voucher and a new phone which I am soon to pick up. Stick to the Australian Consumer Law - they are nervous about this as they have already stuffed up with the washing machines.
This company treats customers very poorly - you hear it again and again.
The CEO never contacted me directly which shows that from the top this company does not care a great deal.
I gave up on.Samsung for a similar reason and now use XIAOMI phones instead . My Xiaomi Mix 2 is far superior product and cheaper.
Mates Samsung tv motherboard failed ,my front loading washing machine failed,when it comes to phones only apple because they will look after you.
My son bought an “unlocked” iPhone while we were in New York a few years ago.
Turned out it was locked to AT&T!
AT&T (US/Australia) AND APPLE refused to help in any way whatsoever!
I will never buy an Apple product again. Anyone want an iPhone that has never made or received a telephone call?
I wonder if you have considered a claim on JB HiFi? They are the retailer of the product that broke, and it is the retailer that has first line responsibility. If you purchased the phone at JB HiFi as well, you would have a very strong claim against the retailer I suggest - making it up to the retailer and the manufacturer to sort out who pays, while your contract is with the retailer and they can’t pull the same shady tactics as Samsung seems to be trying.
The idea is that if you open up every front possible, then one of them is likely to be weaker and will hopefully cave in to your demands without needing to bring in the ACCC, or ombudspeople, or the Choice heavies…
I notice in the JB link that they invite people to post a review on the product. Why don’t you do that? A letter to JB asking them to refund the cost of the mount and to repair your phone damaged by its failure would also be in order. Go for it!
Technically they aren’t the retailer of the product that broke. they are the retailer of the product that broke my other product (the S8 phone). It entirely Samsung’s failure to acknowledge the fault in their product is exactly that - a fault - which damaged their other product, and they could EASILY repair it at their cost. But so far they are dragging their heels.
For anyone who is interested in the current status of this saga, Samsung have continued to deny and deflect. After making a public post on their facebook page, I also sent them a PM, so they couldn’t do the standard ‘we dont know anything about this, lets talk in private messenger’. I have attached the screenshots from the conversation, but basically their next deflection has been ‘you didnt follow the instructions’ which is odd, because surely that doesnt take a month in a service centre to (incorrectly) conclude that. When I replied, I havent heard back. The ACCC won’t handle it until NSW Fair Trading try, so I am waiting to hear back from the complaint lodged with Fair Trading. 
Hi @CaitlinB, you can pursue either JB HiFi or Samsung with your claim (more information on your consumer guarantees). NSW Fair Trading should be able to provide you with more advice on the best course of action when they address your case.
Good on you, Caitlin!
I have bought 3 Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X phones for family members. A$191 for a 5.5" phone with 2 day battery (4000mAh battery). Fingerprint reader. Can take micro SD card. Beautiful build quality.
One has suffered a broken screen; dropped on a hard surface when not in its case. 
Replacement was just over A$20 delivered complete with installation kit (tools to open case etc).
My Samsung phone was never returned to me when I asked for it to be repaired under warranty. Samsung would not talk to me ( e.g. emails not responded to). I ended up taking the whole matter to the Australian CEO. I was given another phone ( not new, they said it was pretty much new, one they had refurbished or something like that) which was a later model. I was also given a gift card. I really think I should have received a new phone. I have no information about the warranty re the phone I have now.
It was an ordeal dealing with Samsung - their customer service is bad bad bad.
They are experts in creating poor customer relations.
I cannot understand why this big company makes so much effort to save a few dollars by not respecting warranties - they lose so much more by the poor publicity the unhappy customers create.
How many sales have they lost by consumers reading these shocking cases and deciding not to buy Samsung products?
They terminate calls when you are in their long phone queue. Staff are defensive and do not treat you as a valued customer. I don’t think some staff have a good knowledge of the Australian Consumer Law.
No wonder they feature in the NSW Dept. of Fair Trading complaints register.
