Xperia 5 restarting, no support.

[Dmitrijs_M]

I have bought the phone in the middle of April 2020 from the authorized dealer in Latvia. From the beginning it was restarting. The first time was during the language selection on the first boot. I have tried to return the phone to the shop. They have sent it to an authorized Sony service. Service has found nothing, so the shop has refused to replace the phone or refund. I've contacted Latvian Sony support. They have asked to perform a lot of stuff - resets, software repairs, tests in the safe mode - nothing helped. They have asked to send the phone to the service again. I had managed to film the problem. I've send the phone to service with detailed description, with videos and with the claim. They have found nothing again. No one have seen my videos, I've never received an answer to my claim. But the phone continued to restart 3-4 times a day. I even didn't need to do something with it. I was just trying to unlock it with the finger print, but couldn't, because you have to enter a password after a restart.

Approximately in the middle of June Sony support have told me, that the are starting an "investigation" of my case. I was waiting nearly for a month for an answer. The answer was to update the phone with the latest firmware update. I was waiting for another month for this update to be available in my region. The update has changed nothing. Sony support is telling me to send the phone to the service again. As if it will not be the same as it was 2 times before.

At this point about 4 months have passed, since I reached Sony support and asked for help. At this point with no results. The phone is still restarting on random occasions. I hope to find some answers here.

https://youtu.be/Fs1MxO0-TLo - the video, no one from Sony support have seen.

Can anyone help me?

P.S. It is not a problem with the SIM card. I've started to use the phone without SIM card, while I was waiting for a nanoSIM from my operator.

[Krinandez]

I am really sorry to hear about the lack of support you are getting.

I will be returning mine to Sony support this week, at the local shopping mall.  So far they have been very friendly.

I have done some research digging online under "Android 10 Xperia 1 (5)" problems and it seems that there might be a flaw of design issue with Android 10 that the Sony OS has a hard time with managing.

https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/02/10/sony-suspended-android-10-xperia-xz3-xz2/
https://9to5google.com/2019/12/05/xperia-1-android-10-xperia-5/
https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/science-technology/1241453/Sony-Xperia-Android-10-update-bug-pr...

Granted, the Sony Android 10 OS has gone through some updates, but something must still be amiss with the devices under certain conditions.  I have read that an issue may involve Gestures, but I'm not a tech guy. I only know the basics. Regardless, Sony knows of the issue. There's already documentation on the web via these old articles. I would show some of these as evidence of the reality to the problem.  Android 10 might have some issues too.  It seems that it's glitchy, and certainly rolled out that way.
I really love my Xperia 5, but I paid a ton for it and won't settle for random rebooting and a power key that locks up and becomes "dead".

[Dmitrijs_M]

@Krinandez 

Due to our stupid laws I can return the phone only if the service will approve, that it is faulty. And with our service it looks like I will have no luck. I have sent them videos with precise description of the problem - and no one have seen those videos. The only hope for me is android 11. AFAIK Xperia 5 will get a new android 11.

[Krinandez]

Perhaps you can show the Sony Service at a store location, Do you have one of those?  I also believe the chat line via the Sony website can log an official complaint for you. You can save the chat as proof that you talked to a representative.

[Dmitrijs_M]

@Krinandez 

The problem is, that the shop and service is not one company. And the service itself is not in the Latvia. We have only a pick-up point and then the device is sent to Lithuania.

But I will try a chat with Sony and, perhaps, global Sony support.

[Jess.09]

Hi, I found this article I think it could be helpful: https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/mobile-phones-tablets-mobile-phones/articles/SX024701

[Krinandez]

Thank you for the link.  These are good steps to try. 

I have tested the SIM card via Xperia Assist in my phone. Plus, I have had zero trouble with my Sony Xperia XZ1 compact running on Android 9.   

It is also confusing why my POWER KEY will often fail to operate. The phone can be sitting and suddenly I cannot put to sleep, power off, restart, or take a screenshot.  But, via the Google Accessibility Tab, I can restart the device, and everything returns to normal 100% of the time.   That to me sounds like a software issue since if the power key had been damaged, it would stay damaged. 

I paid almost 3000 Polish "bucks" for my phone so what's happening now is unacceptable. 

[Jess.09]

I totally understand your frustration, but I believe the best option in this case is either to send the device to the service center or to your dealer to check alternative options. 

[Dmitrijs_M]

@Jess.09 

I did it. I've returned the phone the next working day, after I've bought it. They have sent it to service. Service have found nothing.

I've sent it to service myself. They have found nothing again. There is no authorized service in Latvia. The closest is in Lithuania and I cant show the problem to engineer in the service.

[CosmicTomato]

Yikes! I believe your only option left is to return the device man.

[Krinandez]

I had to take my XPERIA 5 to service twice. The first time, the battery was replaced.  No results, with the same issues happening.  After taking it again, Sony Service replaced the entire Motherboard.  This seems to have been the solution.  I have only had my device back less than 48 hours, but so far things seem good.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that it is now fixed.  If not, I will just return it to the store, showing my paper trail of repairs. 

I think we might have "sister" devices since our regions are near each other, and our problems also match.  Please recommend this solution to your Sony rep.