[Nexus 5 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] lifeinpictures:
Let me provide and update and go on a rant here for a bit. For anyone who cares to listen.

It took me 1 chat, 1 failed supervisor call back, and 3 consequent phone calls ultimately escalating to a supervisor to get LG to understand they made a mistake and send me a shipping label so they can get the factory test OS removed.

Here is a copy/paste from my first uncanny chat with an LG representative:

Mariangie: Unfortunately the OS they tested is the way they use to repair the phone and since it was not responding on that mode (service mode) that's when the phone is deemed unrepairable

Mariangie: and regretfully no it cant be put back into normal (customer) OS

lifeinpictures: that makes no sense

Mariangie: My sincere apologies

lifeinpictures: controls work just fine

lifeinpictures: it worked fine before I sent it

lifeinpictures: and controls and touch work just fine now

lifeinpictures: you cannot tell me that you guys purposely send items back with a testing operating system, meant for techs and not users

lifeinpictures: at the least, I should be able to get my product in the same state I sent it in

lifeinpictures: not WORSE

Mariangie: I truly apologize again for the inconvenience this may caused, I personally understand your position. I will certainly forward your comments and dissatisfaction about this matter.

lifeinpictures: I don't need you to forward anything, I need you to fix it.

lifeinpictures: you broke it

lifeinpictures: therefore you should fix it

Mariangie: I wish i have other options available, unfortunately the phone cant be put back into normal OS. It seems to have a physical damage that result in internal part not working

Mariangie: techs try to putting the phone into service OS but it is not working

Mariangie: making it not possible to have it repair

Mariangie: and no way to put back on normal mode

lifeinpictures: Mariange, I really doubt you know enough about the testing hammerhead OS to know what you're talking about

Mariangie: My sincere apologies

raul takahashi: an OS is not reliant on physical, operating parts

lifeinpictures: I understand, you feel upset about this

lifeinpictures: I truly apologize again for the inconvenience this represent

lifeinpictures: And again I wish i could have other options to supply you with

lifeinpictures: I'm afraid no other options to provide you with

Mariangie: Sorry Mr. LifeinPictures.

lifeinpictures: this is pretty much against the law Mariange

lifeinpictures: this is like giving you my car to repair a cracked window

lifeinpictures: and you give it back to me with a broken engine, which wasn't broken before

Mariangie: My sincere apologies, Again I wish i could have other options to supply you with, I'm afraid no other options to provide you with.

:rolleyes:

It took me all evening, but I finally reached a supervisor to resolve (interestingly, it's the exact same supervisor I had escalated to just 2 weeks ago. read below if interested. He immediately accepted the mistake, and finally offered a ship label to get the phone shipped back and fixed.

I have lost complete faith in LG as a company and will do everything I can to avoid them.

Previous history, copied and pasted from Google forum thread about cracked screen:

To quickly recap my history and experience with Nexus 5.

1. Buy Nexus 5.

2. Drop it on carpet from coffee table 2 feet tall, screen completely shattered. 4 months after purchase. (Owned 12 phones in my life, all handled way more abuse)

3. Pay LG $140 to repair.

4. LG sends me refurbished unit, not my original one repaired. I'm ok with this.

5. Buy heavy duty case because apparently this thing is fragile.

6. Lunch in an outside restaurant patio. Sunny day. Table is warm to the touch, but nothing anyone notices or cares about as they eat. I put my phone face down, glass on table. Pick up phone to leave, there is a crack from side to side of the phone. Just great. Can't even handle everyday situations, less severe than a hot car (for example).

7. Crack very soon start expanding to the rest of the phone. Now entire screen cracked.

8. Send to LG for repair, again.*

9. Phone comes back as unrepairable due to "epoxy crack". (B.S. this was less severe than my 1st one and phone is fully functional, electronically and mechanically. Research proves many recent attempts by other Nexus 5 owners sending cracked phones for repair have been denied)

10. Phone comes back worse than it was when sent, with testing factory OS instead of user OS. Unable to update from.

*=Customer service: 4 days go by since LG has possession of my phone. I call to ask for status, rep says "wait until we call your or email you". Next day, I get a UPS notice that phone is being shipped back. I call to find out why, speak to 3 reps, none can tell me anything other than "it's not repairable". 4th call reaches supervisor, who tells me it's due to "damaged electronics". It's a lie, but I give up.

(My theory on these newfound lack of willingness to replace screens:

LG / Google is aware they skimped on glass quality to keep the price low. They made a (decent) business decision to first do "whatever it takes" to keep customers happy and loyal. This includes fixing screens "outside of warranty" (since they know it's impossible for customers to prove a cracked screen is manufacturer fault) for a very reasonable cost of $140 which is close to cost (parts + labor) or potentially at a loss. This keeps the majority of owners at bay. Now, Nexus 6 is on the horizon and the loss or lack of revenue from these Nexus 5 screen repairs has surpassed expectation so they have advised their repair stations to deny them. They've done their part with an acceptable level of damage control and soon everyone will get a Nexus 6, move on, and forget the Nexus 5 was a debacle.)​