Very Poor Service Backup from Samsung.

I have a Samsung S22 Ultra phone. The screen starting showing lines and I took it to Samsung Brand Store Gateway on 14 April 2025. They said that the screen needed to be replaced. I authorized the repair at the cost of R6500.00. I picked the phone up on 24 April 2025.

Two weeks later the screen again went blank and on the 9 May 2025 I took the phone back to Samsung. The technician, Lucky, called me to say that the phone had water damage and that it required a new screen. I asked him if it was only the screen as if the problem was water damage then it was likely that the motherboard was also damaged. I told him that if it was damaged by water then I may as well replace it. He assured me that the motherboard was absolutely fine and that it was only the screen that required replacement. I authorized the second replacement of the screen at a discounted price of R3000.00 and fetched the phone on 12 May 2025.

After picking it up I immediately noticed that the phone screen was not rotating to landscape mode and that photos were showing in portrait even though shot in landscape.

I tried resetting all the settings and then did a full factory reset to try and resolve this, thinking it was just a setting.

After many attempts to resolve the problem myself I called Samsung Gateway on the 23 May 2025. They told me that Lucky had left and that I must take the phone to the Samsung Customer Service Centre behind Gateway at number 31 Solstice Road, Umhlanga Ridge. I did so and their diagnostics indicated that the motherboard was damaged and that it required replacing at the cost of R12500.00.

I proposed to Samsung Gateway that I would accept a refund of the R3000.00 against the purchase of a new entry level phone as I no longer trusted the waterproof rating of the S Series. They have agreed a refund against the purchase of the new Samsung S25 only. I am not happy to purchase another S Series Samsung phone.

I do not believe the technician checked the motherboard and as such should not have repaired the phone. I believe that at the very least Samsung should refund me the R3000.00 spent to replace the screen. The reason is that I would not have done the repair if we had known that the motherboard was damaged, as spending another R15500.00 on a phone you can buy new for R17000.00 would not have been worthwhile.

I must note here that during this entire process Samsung staff were very helpful, particularly Suhail.