SaferProducts incident

Failure type

Fire / ignition

Incident narrative

SaferProducts.gov consumer incident report 20251118-B6878-2147326276. Severity: No Incident, No Injury. Product: iPhone iPhone 16 Plus (iPhone 16 Plus, White). Incident: What Happened: I own an iPhone that is approximately 60 days out of warranty. Recently, the internal battery began to swell significantly, causing the back glass of the phone to separate and lift away from the frame. The device has never been dropped, damaged, opened, or exposed to any unusual conditions. It has only been used under normal, everyday circumstances. I took the device to an Apple Store. The Apple technician examined the phone and told me it is unsafe to use due to the swollen lithium-ion battery. However, Apple refused to cover the repair or replacement, even though this is clearly a safety-related failure, not normal wear. They stated that something happened internally that we caused, without any evidence and despite the fact that we did nothing to damage the device. This leaves me with an unsafe product that Apple acknowledges poses a safety hazard, yet they are requiring me to pay for the repair out of pocket. Lithium-ion battery swelling can lead to rupture, fire, or thermal runaway. I am filing this report because I believe this is a product safety defect that Apple is not appropriately addressing. Why I'm Reporting: A lithium-ion battery expanding to the point of pushing the phone apart is a significant fire and safety risk. Apples refusal to take responsibility for a dangerous defect outside the warranty period is concerning. I am reporting this incident so the CPSC is aware of a potential safety issue. Product: Apple iPhone Hazard: Swollen lithium-ion battery causing device separation and potential fire risk.