Help USB cable will charge but not connect to PC

[tblock1984]

Hi guys! Long time lurker, first time poster.

The USB port on my Indulge seems a bit loose. When I plug it in, the cable has a few degrees of play on both sides. It doesn't feel as solid as when I first got it almost two weeks ago. Whenever I touch or wiggle the cable, it will make the "Charging" noise again. That doesn't seem to affect charging, but it seems now I can't connect to a PC in Mass Storage Mode any more... Curious.

I remember having this issue on my old Moto Slvr, but I have never had this problem on any of my other Samsungs. I would place my old Finesse under my pillow at night while charging and listen to music/have an alarm right next to my head, and I never had an issue like this. I am afraid that placing my phone under my pillow might have weakened the USB port somehow (I tend to be a heavy sleeper, tossing and turning, etc.). If that is the case, then it seems like they just don't make them like they used to...

Has anyone else had this issue?

 

[ccnemrod]

I had this issue when i first bought my phone the pc never recogized my phone but would charge it. Mine however was a programmin issue within the phone. Make sure u use the samsung cable i tried using the cable from my optimus and it charges it but no pc connection. You can also remove the card and reinstall it.

 

[tblock1984]

Yeah, I am using the default cable. This is definitely a hardware issue, though. I have connected to this computer before (and my other two at home), and even got Android App inventor to connect to it and run my app live through debug mode without installing the .apk It was a glorious few days.

But now (almost 2 weeks later), I am having major issues. All I need to do is tap the cable ever so gently, and it will chirp again. I hear the Win 7 USB chime do the same thing. Wiggle, disconnect, wiggle, connect, wiggle, disconnect, wiggle, connect, etc.

I should also mention that my wife has the same phone, bought at the same time, does not sleep with it under her pillow, and does not have this issue. Needless to say, i have stopped putting it under my pillow...

I have a total of 5 chargers:
My Indulge data/charger
My wife's Indulge data/charger
My uncle's old Craft data/charger (identical to the one I got with my Indulge)
Samsung bluetooth charger wall wort
Third party car charger

I get this issue with all first party charging cables. My third party car charger doesn't wiggle, and is immune to this behavior. It feels very solid, and does not wiggle. Too bad it isn't a data cable...

I am just a little / that I spend almost $1000 on our phones and accessories, and the damn thing has a cracker jack USB connection.

I am still curious if anyone else has had this problem, or if there might be a way to "fix it"

 

[tblock1984]

I get this issue with all first party charging cables. My third party car charger doesn't wiggle, and is immune to this behavior. It feels very solid, and does not wiggle. Too bad it isn't a data cable...

I think I see what I did there. The third party one might have expanded the USB
port because it is slightly larger...

 

[tblock1984]

I playerd with my wife's phone last night, and she has the loose USB as well, and her phone has never touched my car charger. Well, there goes my theory...

We are going in to the Metro Store tomorrow, let's see what kind of shenanigans they will put on this time...

 

[tblock1984]

Well, I figured out what the issue was... The USB port was fried by using my Samsung Bluetooth charger... There is physical, visible damage to the port on the phone (it looks corroded and charred), as well as on the charger. Appearently, the continued use of the charger first affected the data connection capability, then slowly wreaked havoc on the charging capability.

This is the same charger a Metro employee said should be fine...

Waiting for Wednesday to get my new phone.