Troubleshooting a Faulty iPod Nano Purchased on eBay

[leroyjenkens]

I bought an ipod nano on ebay and the headphone jack is messed up. When I first got it, I was testing it, but it eventually wouldn't come back on, so I assumed it needed charging. I plugged it into the adapter on my computer that plugs into the ipod's headphone jack to charge it. I noticed it was getting pretty hot, so I took it out and it still wouldn't turn on. I kept trying to charge it on that adapter, but I didn't want to mess it up from it getting too hot, so I just took it out. I emailed the seller and told him it was getting really hot when I plugged it in and asked if that was normal. Eventually I realized it had a slot on the bottom that I could plug this other ipod charger I have into it, so I did that and it was working again and charged just fine. So I sent another email before he responded telling him to disregard that last email.
Well, I found out after trying to listen to music in the headphones that the headphone jack is messed up. I just hear static and faint music when I plug the headphones in and can just barely hear the music when I adjust the plug.
I told the seller that I want to return the item, but he said no returns. I told him his description doesn't say that the headphone jack is messed up, so I'm allowed to return the item based on the fact that it wasn't described properly.
He refused and said that I probably overheated it by plugging it into the headphone jack charger and that's probably why the headphone jack is messed up.
I told him that it makes no sense that JUST the headphone jack would be messed up from the ipod overheating. And that it was probably overheating BECAUSE the headphone jack was messed up.
He said he checked the headphone jack before he sent it and he had a checklist of what he checked to make sure everything was working properly.
Well, I don't believe he checked the headphone jack, and if he has a checklist, there's no way to know it was created before he sent the item, or if he actually really checked everything he said he did.
He told me if I want to get my money back, I should relist it on ebay. This guy is so shady it's ridiculous.
So now it's up to ebay to determine what should happen. He said he can't resell an overheated ipod, so that's why he won't accept the return. But the auction itself said no returns, so he never intended to accept a return regardless. There's no reason to think I overheated it, since nothing else is wrong with it accept that headphone jack, which is an apparent weakness of all ipods. And even if it did overheat, I think it was probably because the headphone jack is messed up, since that's where I plugged it into charge.
Not to mention this guy asked me to leave feedback before I even received the item. If for some reason ebay decides against me, I'll just file a claim with PayPal. And he's getting negative feedback regardless. What a joke.

 

[phinds]

Well, you've learned a lesson. You should NEVER buy something from anyone that says "no returns". I mean, really ... what did you expect? All reputable dealers/vendors allow returns.

 

[leroyjenkens]

Well, you've learned a lesson. You should NEVER buy something from anyone that says "no returns". I mean, really ... what did you expect? All reputable dealers/vendors allow returns.

He said it's "just a hassle and a waste of time" and that there's no reason anyone should return anything because they're getting exactly what's described. That wasn't the case this time. This was just some guy selling stuff, not a dealer. Dealers should all allow returns.

 

[phinds]

Dealers should all allow returns.

This seems to imply that it's OK if "just some guy" doesn't allow returns?

How'd that work out for you?

EDIT: on rereading, I think I may have misinterpreted your statement and you were really saying ALL vendors/dealers should allow returns. Yep, they should. That's why it's not a good idea to buy from one who doesn't.

 

[turbo]

We have used car dealers in this area offering seemingly fantastic deals on cars and trucks in little print (as-is-where-is). This means that they bought the vehicles at auction and found out that they are mechanically deficient, so they want to pass their losses off to you, with some profit built in, of course.

These are the same guys that advertise used cars "fresh in from Florida", as if Florida is some mecca for gently-used vehicles. Pasadena might have been a better metaphor for people of my age.

 

[AlephZero]

Hm... this could be your own fault.

A bit of research says the IPod shuffle has just one connector for both playback and battery charging, but the nano has a two connectors, the "dock" for charging and USB connection to a computer, and the earphone socket.

So if you plugged a charger into the earphone socket, at best it wouldn't do anything useful, and at worst you fried the ipod yourself. (I found one web forum which said this does fry the ipod, but I don't know how reliable that post was).

 

[leroyjenkens]

Hm... this could be your own fault.

A bit of research says the IPod shuffle has just one connector for both playback and battery charging, but the nano has a two connectors, the "dock" for charging and USB connection to a computer, and the earphone socket.

So if you plugged a charger into the earphone socket, at best it wouldn't do anything useful, and at worst you fried the ipod yourself. (I found one web forum which said this does fry the ipod, but I don't know how reliable that post was).

Everything about the ipod works fine, just the headphone jack is bad. It's such a common problem in ipods that you can buy replacement headphone jacks on ebay to replace them yourself. What a coincidence, I fried the ipod in a way that's indistinguishable from normal wear and tear.

It would be pretty stupid to make an ipod that charges through the headphone jack, then make another one that fries if you try to charge it through the headphone jack.
And then not tell the customers about it.

 

[Dembadon]

Have you tried your headphones in another device to rule them out as a potential cause of the problem?

 

[xxChrisxx]

Ipods shouldn't be charged using the headphone jack... the only reason shuffles have a headphone charger is becuase they are a small form factor and can't reasonably fit a full size usb charger.

Shuffle headphones are designed to carry large enough currents to charge the device, normal Ipods aren't.

It's definitely better than evens that you've killed the headphone amplifier yourself.

From a dispute point of view, I think you've shot yourself in the foot by sending the first email. He now has a record that you've had a problem, then it worked now it doesn't.

 

[physicsboard]

Paypal sides with the buyer 99% of the time so you'll probably be okay, even if it worked at first.

 

[xxChrisxx]

I don't think it'd be morally right to put the seller out of pocket after misusing (albeit unintentionally) a product.

 

[leroyjenkens]

It's definitely better than evens that you've killed the headphone amplifier yourself.

This conclusion is based on what?
I've looked and can't find any warnings about it from Apple. Don't you think that would be something to warn consumers about?

 

[Hepth]

I don't think most consumers think the headphone jack is a port by which to charge (only the shuffle has that), and so no warning is really necessary. I don't mean this as an insult at all, its just that I'm not sure there has EVER been something that charges through the headphone jack other than the shuffle. I assume if you have the manual it says the only way to charge is through the bottom apple connector. By putting whatever current through the headphone jack you most certainly fried something (the amp).

I hate to say it, but it sounds like its user error, and not the seller's fault whatsoever. I think it'd be unethical to try to get a refund.

 

[xxChrisxx]

This conclusion is based on what?

The symptoms you describe fit a fried amp, amps don't like taking charge they aren't designed to take. So the symptom and cause fit.
It's by no means conclusive, but it is a distinct possibility you've cooked them.

I've looked and can't find any warnings about it from Apple. Don't you think that would be something to warn consumers about?

You'd think so. But 2nd gen and 3rd gen shuffle chargers aren't compatible, so it's not surprising that it's not compatible with a nano.

http://store.apple.com/uk/product/M...e43a438fd72ae275bef092dad352f4dc5bddea1935be0
It also does clearly say:

Compatibility Information

The Apple iPod shuffle USB cable is compatible only with iPod shuffle (3rd and 4th generation)

Now you may say that isn't warning enough, and I agree.

 

[sixholdens]

Search "iPod-Nano-Repair" and pay to have it fixed. Or eat the loss.

 

[leroyjenkens]

By putting whatever current through the headphone jack you most certainly fried something (the amp).

1) The only thing that doesn't work properly is the headphone jack. Everything else works fine.
2) The most common, and really the only problem ipods have is the headphone jack going out from wear and tear.
3) My ipod shuffle has the exact same problem and does the exact same thing.
4) Apple doesn't say anything about it potentially damaging the ipod. It just says it's not compatible, which, from my experience, always just means "it doesn't work."
And a warning IS necessary if someone has only owned an ipod shuffle before, which is extremely likely because they're the cheapest and one of the most common. If you charged your ipod shuffle through the headphone jack for years, and then got another ipod, you'd be likely to think it would charge in the same way. They're both ipods, so why not?
5) The guy said no refunds, which is pretty suspicious right there. He also emailed me before I even received the item asking me to leave feedback.

With all this in mind, you're going to tell me I "most certainly" fried something?

What's most certain is you don't put any care into making sure you're right about something before stating something is absolutely true.

I admit there's a possibility that I did the damage, but given all the reasons I gave above, chances are it was like that when I got it.

Search "iPod-Nano-Repair" and pay to have it fixed. Or eat the loss.

I'm buying the headphone jack for this one and my ipod shuffle, it's only like 4 dollars. I'm going to fix them both. Even if ebay sides with me, I'm just going to keep it because I can't find another 5th gen nano for under 40$, even with a broken headphone jack.