Help Proximity sensor issue?

[redrumbstd]

Just got my Optimus Elite -- love it, super fast, feels great, looks great, etc. But I think the proximity sensor is messed up. When I place a call, the screen goes out when I put the phone to my ear, but taking the phone away does not bring the screen back no matter what I try. None of the buttons work, and I have to take the battery out just to get the phone to go back. This is stock without any new apps installed yet. And no, I don't have anything on the front screen either that might interfere with the sensor.

I'm thinking I need to return the phone, but I'm dreading mailing it back and being without a phone for, what, weeks? I haven't found anyone else who's had this problem, so I figured I'd ask the experts to see if it sounds like the proximity sensor's really busted -- and also if anyone has any advice for seamless/speedy exchanges through VM. Thanks, guys.

 

[riggerman1]

The one time I had to return my phone for an exchange, VM sent the replacement first with a prepaid shopping envelope to return the old one. Just call customer service and explain the problem.

 

[axelxbc]

Try Calibrating First. Under Settings>Display Settings>Accelerometer Calibration. See If that helps.

 

[redrumbstd]

Try Calibrating First. Under Settings>Display Settings>Accelerometer Calibration. See If that helps.

I did that, but I'm not sure that has anything to do with the proximity sensor. I'm just a bit confused because the screen does turn off when I put it up to my ear, but it never comes back. That makes me think it's a software issue, but it behaved like this out of the box. Weird.

 

[raysurrx7]

My phone does this as well, I have to press the power button to wake it back up. I know that you can disable the proximity sensor when your on the phone if you check the settings.

 

[totalrecarl]

My phone also does this. It annoys me.

 

[AndyOpie150]

You might see if "Proximity Sensor Off" from the Play Store might help. I know the title doesn't suggest it will, but after looking at the in depth description, it might actually solve or at least be a major workaround for your problem.

 

[VariantVT]

I did that, but I'm not sure that has anything to do with the proximity sensor. I'm just a bit confused because the screen does turn off when I put it up to my ear, but it never comes back. That makes me think it's a software issue, but it behaved like this out of the box. Weird.

Mine did this for the first time yesterday, I've had the phone since 5/21. I cleaned the screen and today it was fine. Could just be an issue that the sensor is sensitive to smudges. I'll keep an eye on it.

 

[dobbs69]

Mine did this for the first time yesterday, I've had the phone since 5/21. I cleaned the screen and today it was fine. Could just be an issue that the sensor is sensitive to smudges. I'll keep an eye on it.

Mine was acting up too, so I tried cleaning the face and bingo, every thing is good and my sensor was acting up bad! All this makes sense. The first couple of days my phone was great then the screen would not come back on after a call. Thanks for the simple fix.lol

 

[vjimmyy]

yeah this happened to me too and i freaked out, looked at my phone and realized it looked all smudgy.

just wipe ur phone down with a clean non scratching cloth , especially the top part on the left of the virgin mobile words (thats where the prox sensor is.

 

[Android311]

same problem with mine, for the screen to come back on i have to wait untill the person im talking to hangs up then the screen will come back up. My old WFS use to do the same thing but worse, i would take literally 1 minute to come back on

 

[vjimmyy]

seems like if my fone is overheating or very hot, even if i try to clean off the screen then it still stays off, wierd =T

 

[redrumbstd]

Yeah, I know smudges can be an issue, but my screen can be totally spotless and this happens. My "fix" is that if I'm not in daylight, if I fog up the proximity sensor with my breath, the screen will come back 70% of the time. This is seriously a joke, and I suppose this is what I get for buying a phone close to its launch date. I'm going to exchange it, but if this is a common problem, I'm gonna be really pissed.

 

[RITed]

We have 3 Optimus Elite phones in our family and they all have the same problem with the screen staying black when you take it away from your ear in a call. Cleaning does help somewhat, but does not eliminate the problem for us. Most of the time, pressing the power button will bring the display back but not always. This is a huge problem with business calls as I can't be sure the call is ended before others nearby start talking to me, possibly saying things my customers shouldn't hear. Hopefully, they can fix this with a software update because I love the phone otherwise.

 

[detector19]

We have 3 Optimus Elite phones in our family and they all have the same problem with the screen staying black when you take it away from your ear in a call. Cleaning does help somewhat, but does not eliminate the problem for us. Most of the time, pressing the power button will bring the display back but not always. This is a huge problem with business calls as I can't be sure the call is ended before others nearby start talking to me, possibly saying things my customers shouldn't hear. Hopefully, they can fix this with a software update because I love the phone otherwise.

It is the same with my Elite some times it only comes back on when the person on the other end of he line hangs up.

 

[dobbs69]

I finally have up on the sensor and turned it off in settings. However,I now have to manually hit the power button to turn screen on and off during a call.

 

[Android311]

It is the same with my Elite some times it only comes back on when the person on the other end of he line hangs up.

That's my biggest pet peve when it comes down to phones, that and low call volume

 

[superfandroid]

same problem with mine, for the screen to come back on i have to wait untill the person im talking to hangs up then the screen will come back up. My old WFS use to do the same thing but worse, i would take literally 1 minute to come back on

HI I had this problem too until I read this thread. Cleaning the screen, especially around the proximity sensor (upper left) did the trick for me. Works everytime! Thanks VJimmyy!

 

[superfandroid]

It is the same with my Elite some times it only comes back on when the person on the other end of he line hangs up.

Just clean your screen on your shirt or whatever, the proximity sensor is sensitive to smudges and fingerprints etc. Just clean the whole screen and pay attention to the upper left (where the sensor lives), I have an android elite too, had the same problem but when I clean the screen it works every time. After you clean the screen move the phone like you were going to make a call then return to the 1st position. Voila!

 

[teh chem]

I don't think this is a smudge issue for everyone--I think it's a bug in the OS that, my suspicions would indicate, VM is trying a little to fix. Reason why I think this is that before the early-August OTA update, my phone's proximity sensor functioned flawlessly. But after the update, I noticed what all you people are mentioning. Odd thing is that it coincided exactly with the install of the OTA update. I wonder how many people who had this problem before the update don't anymore, and how many people who didn't before do now. I can clean my sensor impeccably and I always run into this problem for calls I receive now. Never had a problem before.

 

[VariantVT]

I don't think this is a smudge issue for everyone--I think it's a bug in the OS that, my suspicions would indicate, VM is trying a little to fix. Reason why I think this is that before the early-August OTA update, my phone's proximity sensor functioned flawlessly. But after the update, I noticed what all you people are mentioning. Odd thing is that it coincided exactly with the install of the OTA update. I wonder how many people who had this problem before the update don't anymore, and how many people who didn't before do now. I can clean my sensor impeccably and I always run into this problem for calls I receive now. Never had a problem before.

I occasionally had this issue before, but it hasn't happened since installing the ZV5 update, FWIW. I was wondering if they sneaked in a fix for that with the update.

 

[teh chem]

I occasionally had this issue before, but it hasn't happened since installing the ZV5 update, FWIW. I was wondering if they sneaked in a fix for that with the update.

Interesting. Yeah, I wonder if they were trying to fix it. I just ended up turning off the proximity sensor for calls--don't have much of a problem with hitting buttons while I'm talking on the phone, so I guess that's my workaround. :/

 

[giantpune]

I think LG may have tried to address this issue in new phones. On the model I got back in April, you could not see anything on the outside of the phone having to do with a proximity sensor. It is just a flat black area at the top of the face with the "Virgin Mobile" logo and the sensor is hidden underneath.

On new devices, the sensor is still in the same spot, but there is a clear area over the sensor. It almost looks like a tiny front-facing-camera. Maybe LG made the plastic a little thinner there? Maybe they decided that a layer of paint was enough to screw with the sensor? Or maybe they thought it looked cooler this way. Whatever the reason, they did invest some effort into changing the phone in the proximity sensor area. The new model still reports hardware version 1.1.

 

[jayneedoe]

My cellphone repair guy "Bill" in Florida @ Metropcs fixes the issue by replacing the touchscreen. The LG Optimus was having the same issue . . . Screen blacking out when a phone call was made and then never returning. He tried replacing the sensor to no avail, then replace the inside (no help), then replace the touchscreen thus working like new.

 

[Dq383500]

First off glad i found this site, new to the whole smartphone thing.Lots of good info here. My oe has the same problem, being new I took the suggestion to turn off prox. sensor, now i can end calls/message. I miss nothing as never had it before lol Thanx guys & gals