• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Help S3 battery level bounces from low to full and back down, even with new battery

Mesheppy

Lurker
Jun 22, 2013
8
0
Hi, I'm new to the forum so I'm sorry if this is a common issue or located in the wrong area on the forum. I've been to my dealer with this issue several times and they aren't interested in helping me out..

I have a galaxy S3, unrooted, with all the current updates from manufacturer.

A month or so ago my phone began to charge very slowly. If I plugged it in and tried to use it for something, the charge on the phone would actually go down.

There were several times I plugged my phone in before bed and in the morning it still was not fully charged, or it would say 100% but then 5 minutes later it would say 27%.

When I plugged my phone in last night it was at 15%, this morning it was only at 26%, then 6 minutes later it said 92%, I re-started it and it said 25%...

I also have a brand new battery less than a week old. I am still under warranty so the dealer swapped the battery in an effort to fix my problem.

Once I'm actually at 100% my battery will last all day so I don't think it's a drain issue...
 
It sounds as though the battery meter on the phones requires calibrating. How I used to calibrate the battery on my GT-I9000 was to jump through a few hoops that involved discharging, re-charging and deleting the battery stats file but the phone had to be rooted to be able to delete that file.

I'm not sure if the same process applies to the S3 but you can try the non-root way of completely discharging the battery then charging it again fully but without turning the phone on. You should try charging the phone via a computers USB port too because the charging rate is slower and the battery will store more current in its cells more efficiently.

Failing that you may need to carry out a factory reset of the phone. Please back up any important data first before factory resetting the phone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mesheppy
Upvote 0
Rayhipkiss, Thanks so much I think you're very right.
I am wondering if I have two problems, maybe one causing another..

You are right that the phone will charge better with the computer. I hadn't tried it sooner because the computer is usually the slowest charge so I didn't think it would accomplish much.
BUT the only charge I could get at all today was through the computer, in 8 hours I got up to 40% (from 18%)...

I only connected it to the computer to try to back it up before I try a factory reset, and I noticed during the back up (or million attempted back ups) that the phone connects and disconnects constantly. I've tried my husbands cord (his phone is identical to mine) and my problem is the same, so I am assuming I have a bad connection on my phones side. Would that cause my battery or the stats file to get glitchy?

The only way I managed to back up successfully was with the aid of a rubber band contraption holding the plug tightly into the phone...
 
Upvote 0
8 hours is a very long time to get a partial charge and from the additional information you've given it sounds like there may be a physical fault with the USB/charging socket on the phone.

I'd suggest taking it back and getting the USB port looked at and hopefully they will either repair your handset or offer a replacement.

Good luck.
 
Upvote 0
I'm under warranty so it's covered, but I was hoping it was an issue I could address without losing my phone for a month. I didn't realize it was constantly disconnecting until I connected it to the computer!
Thanks so much for your feedback, at least now I know how to get a partial charge until my loaner phone comes. :)
 
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones