Problem with Kindle 3 sliding switch

taksina · 10-30-2010, 04:29 AM

Is anyone having a problem with Kindle 3's sliding switch? Mine's sliding back to the left more slowly by the day and sometime extra force is needed to push it all the way to the right before the green light appears. I suppose the whole process should be snappy and involve minimum force, shouldn't it?

Is there any quick fix for this or should I contact Amazon right away? I hate to part with my Kindle. Besides, I live in Bangkok and it's going to cost me money and much time to get it fixed or replaced

Kumabjorn · 10-30-2010, 04:46 AM

I have the same problem. The power switch takes more than a second to get back to it's original position. I don't need to use any force us off yet, but I can see that it is going in that direction.

avantman42 · 10-30-2010, 05:31 AM

I've been getting a bit concerned that it seems stiffer than it was when it first arrived, thought I'm not sure if I'm just being paranoid. Sounds like I might have the same issue that you have.

duckeedoug · 10-30-2010, 06:06 AM

If you can live with it I would just wait until your warranty has almost expired and then have it and any other issues that may come up resolved. I don't know if the new unit will have another year warranty, but if so that would be great and the way to go (IMO). If you can't live with the issue or beign without your Kindle just see if Amazon will ship you out a new unit with a deposit required for returning the old unit. That way you can transfer all of your content to the new unit before sending your old unit back for a credit. The only down fall is that if you wiat until a year for your warranty to expire you may get a refurbished unit vs. if you have the unit replaced today you are all but guranteed to get a brand spanking new unit fresh off of teh assembly line. I would bet that any exchanges for the next three or so months would net a new unit due to low inventories during the holidays. I think that the K3 is going to be like gaming console shortage a couple of years ago. Everybody is going to want one since they now know what e-ink technology is. Why heck you can hardly find a Kindle in the stores now and it is not even the holidays yet.

mldavis2 · 10-30-2010, 07:35 AM

The power switch uses a little 'hairpin' spring, so there must be some kind of restriction (dirt, hair, ?) that has gotten under the switch. There is a video clip on this forum that shows a disassembled K3. The slide simply passes over a microswitch to wake the unit or power up -- extremely simple and should be foolproof except for dirt impeding the path.
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97266

brewjono · 10-30-2010, 07:41 PM

Mine is getting slower and harder to slide across as well. When I first noticed it I wondered if it had been like that the entire time but my brother just got one and I was playing with his and saw how easy it should be.

desertgrandma · 10-30-2010, 07:49 PM

You can always use this link to contact CS.......use the "contact us" button, then the "call me" feature to get an immediate call back.

Kindle Support Page

SteveEisenberg · 10-30-2010, 10:51 PM

I also get the problem on some days. It's fine right now.

I am also waiting on the theory that it is better to return latter into the warranty period.

ipromesisposi · 10-31-2010, 03:10 AM

Yes, same problem, low'slow

vega07 · 10-31-2010, 03:40 AM

Same here...but the problem disappeared after a while. A long while.

Bill Lumburgh · 10-31-2010, 08:28 AM

The switch on mine is acting up every once in a while as well. And the one on my wife's fairly new Kindle feels stiffer and less wobbly. Oh well, as long as it works...

Francesco · 10-31-2010, 12:37 PM

yeah, mine too... I think it's just grit getting stuck... so I think it's a "problem" that will continuously come and go.

mldavis2 · 10-31-2010, 02:47 PM

If you check the video I posted above, you can see that there really isn't anything that can happen other than dirt or physical damage of the switch itself. The little hairpin spring is so 'soft' and looped that it should never wear out or change tension over the life of the Kindle. It is possible to take the Kindle apart and inspect/clean the switch if you watch the video for proper location of the snaps. Don't break the page-turn switches....

duckeedoug · 10-31-2010, 05:33 PM

Mldavis2...You are correct that the switch is pretty simple and very little can go wrong. However the tolerance in the manufacturing process may be different as the process is more refined. Perhaps the slider is thicker or the case is thicker, it wouldn't take much of a difference and this difference can also be affected by tempature changes. I would suspect that if it is a tolerance issue the switch would be easier to slide in cooler/colder environements.

alsaan · 10-31-2010, 06:04 PM

It happened to mine too, but it resolved itself after a few days.

10-30-2010, 04:29 AM	#1
taksina Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Bangkok Device: Kindle 3	Problem with Kindle 3 sliding switch Is anyone having a problem with Kindle 3's sliding switch? Mine's sliding back to the left more slowly by the day and sometime extra force is needed to push it all the way to the right before the green light appears. I suppose the whole process should be snappy and involve minimum force, shouldn't it? Is there any quick fix for this or should I contact Amazon right away? I hate to part with my Kindle. Besides, I live in Bangkok and it's going to cost me money and much time to get it fixed or replaced

10-30-2010, 07:35 AM	#5
mldavis2 Coffee Nut Posts: 410 Karma: 298350 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Missouri Device: Kindle 3; K4PC; Calibre	The power switch uses a little 'hairpin' spring, so there must be some kind of restriction (dirt, hair, ?) that has gotten under the switch. There is a video clip on this forum that shows a disassembled K3. The slide simply passes over a microswitch to wake the unit or power up -- extremely simple and should be foolproof except for dirt impeding the path. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97266 Last edited by mldavis2; 10-30-2010 at 07:40 AM. Reason: Added link to video

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10-30-2010, 04:46 AM	#2
Kumabjorn Basculocolpic Posts: 4,356 Karma: 20181319 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sweden Device: Kindle 3 WiFi, Kindle 4SO, Kindle for Android, Sony PRS-350 and PRS-T1	I have the same problem. The power switch takes more than a second to get back to it's original position. I don't need to use any force us off yet, but I can see that it is going in that direction.

10-30-2010, 05:31 AM	#3
avantman42 Wizard Posts: 1,090 Karma: 6058305 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite	I've been getting a bit concerned that it seems stiffer than it was when it first arrived, thought I'm not sure if I'm just being paranoid. Sounds like I might have the same issue that you have.

10-30-2010, 06:06 AM	#4
duckeedoug Zealot Posts: 122 Karma: 160 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Sony PRS 505	If you can live with it I would just wait until your warranty has almost expired and then have it and any other issues that may come up resolved. I don't know if the new unit will have another year warranty, but if so that would be great and the way to go (IMO). If you can't live with the issue or beign without your Kindle just see if Amazon will ship you out a new unit with a deposit required for returning the old unit. That way you can transfer all of your content to the new unit before sending your old unit back for a credit. The only down fall is that if you wiat until a year for your warranty to expire you may get a refurbished unit vs. if you have the unit replaced today you are all but guranteed to get a brand spanking new unit fresh off of teh assembly line. I would bet that any exchanges for the next three or so months would net a new unit due to low inventories during the holidays. I think that the K3 is going to be like gaming console shortage a couple of years ago. Everybody is going to want one since they now know what e-ink technology is. Why heck you can hardly find a Kindle in the stores now and it is not even the holidays yet.

10-30-2010, 07:41 PM	#6
brewjono Zealot Posts: 106 Karma: 501816 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Australia Device: K3, K4, KPW	Mine is getting slower and harder to slide across as well. When I first noticed it I wondered if it had been like that the entire time but my brother just got one and I was playing with his and saw how easy it should be.

10-30-2010, 07:49 PM	#7
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462841 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	You can always use this link to contact CS.......use the "contact us" button, then the "call me" feature to get an immediate call back. Kindle Support Page

10-30-2010, 10:51 PM	#8
SteveEisenberg Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,032 Karma: 39379388 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: near Philadelphia USA Device: Kindle Kids Edition, Fire HD 10 (11th generation)	I also get the problem on some days. It's fine right now. I am also waiting on the theory that it is better to return latter into the warranty period.

10-31-2010, 03:10 AM	#9
ipromesisposi Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Spain, reino de taifas Device: Kindle III	Yes, same problem, low'slow

10-31-2010, 03:40 AM	#10
vega07 Enthusiast Posts: 48 Karma: 50 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kindle 2	Same here...but the problem disappeared after a while. A long while.

10-31-2010, 08:28 AM	#11
Bill Lumburgh Enthusiast Posts: 31 Karma: 8132 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: K3	The switch on mine is acting up every once in a while as well. And the one on my wife's fairly new Kindle feels stiffer and less wobbly. Oh well, as long as it works...

10-31-2010, 12:37 PM	#12
Francesco Aficionado Posts: 391 Karma: 710 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Denver, CO, USA Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Touch	yeah, mine too... I think it's just grit getting stuck... so I think it's a "problem" that will continuously come and go.

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10-31-2010, 02:47 PM	#13
mldavis2 Coffee Nut Posts: 410 Karma: 298350 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Missouri Device: Kindle 3; K4PC; Calibre	If you check the video I posted above, you can see that there really isn't anything that can happen other than dirt or physical damage of the switch itself. The little hairpin spring is so 'soft' and looped that it should never wear out or change tension over the life of the Kindle. It is possible to take the Kindle apart and inspect/clean the switch if you watch the video for proper location of the snaps. Don't break the page-turn switches....

10-31-2010, 05:33 PM	#14
duckeedoug Zealot Posts: 122 Karma: 160 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Sony PRS 505	Mldavis2...You are correct that the switch is pretty simple and very little can go wrong. However the tolerance in the manufacturing process may be different as the process is more refined. Perhaps the slider is thicker or the case is thicker, it wouldn't take much of a difference and this difference can also be affected by tempature changes. I would suspect that if it is a tolerance issue the switch would be easier to slide in cooler/colder environements.

10-31-2010, 06:04 PM	#15
alsaan Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 2000 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 2 & Kindle 3	It happened to mine too, but it resolved itself after a few days.