I have a frozen Motorola Edge phone -- is this a lost cause?

Is Steven Waechter's frozen Motorola Edge phone a lost cause? The company has sent him a replacement -- which also has frozen up. What's the fix?

Question

My Motorola Edge phone is defective. It crashes daily and reboots, sometimes several times.

Motorola's tech support says I should just factory reset it or run it in safe mode. I have done that. It doesn't reboot when it's in safe mode. It works fine after being factory reset, which deletes all apps and content.?

I didn't buy this phone to use without apps. It can run apps and that's why I bought it. Motorola has replaced it once, but I'm still having the problem. It's the type of phone apparently. I asked them to replace it with another model (I have had Motorola before with no problem). They have refused to do anything except make me return the phone for replacement.

I wrote to all of the executive contacts on your site but got no response at all. Motorola clearly wants to keep me busy until the warranty expires.?

I bought the phone from Best Buy, but it won't help me either. I need to either get this replaced with another model that does not have these technical problems or return it for a refund so I can buy something else. Can you help me? -- Steven Waechter, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.

Answer

Motorola should have offered you a refund or replaced the phone with a different model, which was still under warranty. So why didn't it?

Motorola gives you 14 days to return your purchase. If you keep it longer, then the device's warranty applies, and the manufacturer can repair, replace, or refund it. And of course, it will always try to repair because that's the least expensive option. (Related: Help! My HP Envy doesn’t work. Can I get a replacement or a refund? )

I have to say, I'm baffled by your case. You're saying that Motorola sent you two non-working phones. Is that possible? (Related: My T-Mobile phone doesn’t work — now what ?)

Yes. A quick online search for Motorola Edge problems suggests this is a known issue. The phones reportedly freeze up and need to be restarted. This is one reason why conducting careful research before buying a phone is essential. I realize you've had a Motorola phone before, but as you note, not all Motorolas are created equally. There are other, more problem-free models. (Related: Help! My phone’s been disconnected !)

And how about Best Buy? It also has a 14-day return policy, but in addition, it charges a $45 return fee for "activatable" devices like your phone. That's not helpful.?

What should you do if your Motorola Edge phone freezes?

The Edge, as I mentioned, has a reputation for freezing. Here are a few steps you can take to unfreeze your device:

Try a soft reset

Press and hold the power button for 10 to 20 seconds. If successful, your phone should restart.

If that doesn't work, move on to these more advanced steps:

Force restart

Press and hold both the power button and volume down button for 10 to 20 seconds. Release when you see the Motorola logo.

Clear the cache partition

Turn off your phone. Press and hold the volume down button and power button simultaneously. When the boot screen appears, use volume buttons to navigate to "Recovery mode."

Check for software updates

Once your phone is responsive, go to Settings > System > Advanced > System updates. Install any available updates.

Uninstall recent apps

If the freeze occurred after installing a new app, try uninstalling it.

And as a last resort ...

Try a factory reset. Don't forget to back up your data first. Then go to Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset)

Most freezes are software-related and you can resolve them without professional help. But not all of them. If these steps don't work, you'll need to contact Motorola support or visit an authorized repair center. Remember to check your warranty status before you call.

But how about your phone?

How to avoid a frozen Motorola Edge phone

Careful research and maybe buying through another online retailer. Amazon.com and most sellers on the platform offer returns for items within 30 days of receipt of shipment. During that window, there's also no restocking fee. One month would have been enough to determine that your Motorola phone was a dud.

You might have appealed your case to an executive at Best Buy. I list the names, numbers, and email addresses of the Best Buy and Motorola customer service executives on this site. (Here's our guide to getting better customer service .)

I see you tried the Motorola contacts but no one responded. That's too bad because they could have prevented this article from being written by simply replying to your message. How hard is that? You say you reached out to Best Buy but its executives brushed you off as well.

Come on.

I contacted Motorola on your behalf. A representative contacted me and said Motorola had been providing "continuous support" since your purchase.?

"We have assigned him a personal technician from our highest level of support as well as an engineer to assist," he added. "We have also offered to upgrade him to a ThinkPhone unit at his request, which he has accepted."

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy , a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers consumers to solve their problems and helps those who can't. He's the author of numerous books on consumer advocacy and writes three nationally syndicated columns. He also publishes the Elliott Report , a news site for consumers, and Elliott Confidential , a critically acclaimed newsletter about customer service. If you have a consumer problem you can't solve, contact him directly through his advocacy website . You can also follow him on Twitter , Facebook , and LinkedIn , or sign up for his daily newsletter .?

This story originally appeared in the Elliott Report under the headline, I have a frozen Motorola Edge phone -- is this a lost cause ?