Google Pixel 4a battery replacement program turned out to be a royal mess following update

Update 27/01/25 – 05:15 pm (IST): It seems like Google doesn’t want Pixel 4a users to roll back to older builds after the new battery update. The company has now removed all previous builds from its official repository, leaving only the new Android 13 battery patch (TQ3A.230805.001.S2) available. This was spotted by users on Reddit who’ve shared their frustration about the situation.

Original article published on January 15, 2025, follows:

Google Pixel 4a users are dealing with chaos after a recent update drained their phone batteries and left many scrambling for replacements. Google promised a free battery replacement for eligible devices under a special program. However, users report that the process has turned into a frustrating mess.

The trouble began when the update hit. Users noticed their phone battery life dropping drastically, some saying their phones barely lasted an hour before shutting down. Naturally, many turned to Google’s support channels, hoping to get their batteries replaced quickly and smoothly.

Instead, they hit roadblocks. Multiple Pixel 4a owners reported receiving a message that their devices had “already received an appeasement” when verifying eligibility, despite having no record of receiving compensation. Many users were left wondering if updates, like Android 13, counted as appeasement or if battery replacements were unnecessary for their devices. Responding to the complaints, a product expert said they’ve escalated it to the community manager team for review.

Furthermore, Google had advised users to visit local repair centers like EE in the UK. But there seems to be a major problem here too. These repair centers had no idea the replacement program even existed. Some users spent hours on calls with support agents only to be told to go back to EE, creating a frustrating loop of miscommunication.

One Pixel 4a owner shared that he couldn’t get through to anyone at Google who could help. Even managers at EE repair centers were clueless about the replacement program. Another user said the replacement page labeled their Pixel 4a as “not a Pixel device,” adding to the confusion.

Despite Google’s assurances, some repair centers are refusing to service affected phones. Others simply haven’t received any communication from Google about the program. The lack of coordination has left many users feeling abandoned.

A handful of users are also unable to get past entering the device’s IMEI number because the webpage keeps throwing a “Something went wrong” error. A product expert noted that the team is looking into the issue.

Then there’s another concerning problem highlighted by a Redditor. They reported replacing their battery at a local repair store for €45 after being eligible for a €49 refund. Despite the replacement, the exclamation warning mark remained, and the battery still drained rapidly, raising concerns about whether the issue truly lies with the battery or another component.

“What bothers me is that I have no idea of knowing if my original battery was faulty or not and if the replacement truly fixed the issue or not. I did guesswork while considering the repair and I’m still doing guesswork now,” they said. “If I wasn’t eligible for the payout I probably would have left things as is. Gods, if there is an actual hazard they ought to communicate it better.”

To make matters worse, users who opted for Google’s $50 or $100 compensation offers encountered more headaches. One user warned that Google’s payment provider, Payoneer, charges fees that cut into the compensation amount, leaving them with even less money.

In short, what should have been a smooth process, has turned out to be a complete disaster. Not only has the update ruined the battery life on some of these Pixel 4a devices, but it has also left affected users frustrated having to deal with the unorganized battery replacement process in service centers.

Google hasn’t yet addressed any of these concerns publicly. So we’ll just have to wait and see how things pan out in the coming days or weeks.