Unresponsive click wheel

I just got a my old ipod replaced after almost 2 years of use. The old one had a back light probelm. So after about a week without an ipod my "new" aka refurbished unit came in. Not even one day into using it, the click wheel is messed up. I can get a response (the backlight comes on) from switching the hold switch on and back off but the click wheel doesn't work. Sometimes it will work fine and just stop. It will stop working for days at a time. I live a good distance from the apple store and hence the genius bar and im sick of wasting gas driving there and back, so if anyone knows how to fix this problem please share.
I know it's the click wheel because it responds through the bottom port thing. (I can plug it in my iHome and play it through that and use the remote to the iHome on it)
What I have tried:
soft reset
charge (short and long times)
plugging into computer
updating ipod software
updating itunes
cleaning the wheel
My suggestion to people with minor problems is just keep your old ipod because apple obviously gives you a piece of junk for a replacement ipod.

I have a very similar problem. When listening to a song i can't immediately change the volume, I have to press a button to "wake it up." It does the same thing in the menus and won't even allow me to play the music quiz game. I plan on taking it to the Apple store to talk to a Mac genius because the site doesn't offer much help.. and neither do I sorry good luck though, I know how you feel.
eMac   Mac OS X (10.2.x)  

Similar Messages

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    Message was edited by: gatonegro123

    If you just got that nano under a year ago, say goodbye to your warranty before opening it up. You can also take it to an Apple Store to see if the Genius Bar can do something.
    Message was edited by: andlabs

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    B. Try another FireWire or USB through Dock Connector cable.
    C. Try another FireWire or USB port on your computer .
    D. Try to disconnect all devices from your computer's FireWire and USB ports.
    E. Try to download and install the latest version of iPod software and iTunes
    http://www.apple.com/ipod/download/
    http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/
    F. Try these five steps (known as the five Rs) and it would conquer most iPod issues.
    http://www.apple.com/support/ipod/five_rs/
    G. Try to put the iPod into Disk Mode if it fails to appear on the desktop
    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93651
    If none of these steps address the issue, you may need to go to Intermediate level listed below in logical order. Check from the top of the lists to see if that is what keeping iPod from appearing on your computer in order for doing the Restore.
    Intermediate Level
    A. Try to connect your iPod with another computer with the iPod updater pre-installed.
    B. Still can’t see your iPod, put it in Disk Mode and connect with a computer, instead of doing a Restore on iPod Updater. Go and format the iPod instead.
    For Mac computer
    1. Open the disk utility, hope your iPod appears there (left hand side), highlight it
    2. Go to Tab “Partition”, click either “Delete” or “Partition”, if fails, skip this step and go to 3
    3. Go to Tab “Erase” , choose Volume Format as “MAC OS Extended (Journaled), and click Erase, again if fails, skip it and go to 4
    4. Same as step 3, but open the “Security Options....” and choose “Zero Out Data” before click Erase. It will take 1 to 2 hours to complete.
    5. Eject your iPod and do a Reset
    6. Open the iPod Updater and click “Restore”
    For Window computer
    Go to folder “My Computer”
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    Now select “Format”
    Eject your iPod and do a Reset
    Open the iPod Updater and click “Restore”
    In case you do not manage to do a “Format” on a window computer, try to use some 3rd party disk utility software, e.g.“Partition Magic”.
    C. Windows users having trouble with their iPods should locate a Mac user. In many cases when an iPod won't show up on a PC that it will show up on the Mac. Then it can be restored. When the PC user returns to his computer the iPod will be recognized by the PC, reformatted for the PC, and usable again. By the way, it works in reverse too. A Mac user often can get his iPod back by connecting it to a PC and restoring it.
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    b. It is not a difficult issue for a Mac user to find a window base computer, for a PC user, if they can’t find any Mac user, they can go to a nearest Apple Shop for a favor.
    c. You may need to switch around the PC and Mac, try to do several attempts between “Format” and “Restore”
    Advance Level
    A. Diagnostic mode solution
    If you have tried trouble shooting your iPod to no avail after all the steps above, chances are your iPod has a hardware problem. The iPod's built-in Diagnostic Mode is a quick and easy way to determine if you have a "bad" iPod.
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    iPod 4G+ (includes Photo, Nano, Video, and Mini): "Menu" and "Select"
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    iPod 4G+ (includes Photo, Nano, Video, and Mini): "Back" and "Select"
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    Or visit your local Apple Retail Store http://www.apple.com/retail/
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    Your iPod warranty is expired
    You don’t want to pay any service charges
    You are prepared to buy a new one
    You can’t accept the re-sell value of your broken iPod
    Rather than leave your iPod as paper-weight or throw it away.
    You can try the following, but again, only do it as your last resort and at your own risk.
    Warning ! – It may or may not manage to solve your problem, and with a risk that you may further damage your iPod, which end up as an expensive paper weight or you need to pay more higher repairing cost. Therefore, please re-consider again whether you want to try the next level
    Last Resort Level
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    http://www.kokopellimusic.us/KM_instructions.htm
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    What should I do with my iPod? Send it or keep it?
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=469080&tstart=0
    Strange error on iPod (probably death)
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=435160&start=0&tstart=0
    Sad Face on iPod for no apparent reason
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=336342&start=0&tstart=0
    Meeting the Sad iPod icon
    http://askpang.typepad.com/relevanthistory/2004/11/meeting_thesad.html#comment-10519524
    Sad faced iPod, but my computer won’t recognize it?
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2236095#2236095
    iPod Photo: unhappy icon + warranty question
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2233746#2233746
    4th Gen iPod Users - are we all having the same problem?
    http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=2235623#2235623
    Low Battery, and clicking sounds
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2237714#2237714
    Sad faced iPod, but my computer won’t recognize it
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2242018#2242018
    Sad iPod solution
    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=412033&tstart=0
    I am not suggesting that you should follow as well, but just read them as your reference. You are the person to make the call.

  • Lower click wheel unresponsive, reqind button is touch sensitive

    I recently bought a 16GB nano from a guy i found on a local classified ad. I thought everything was good, until i started listening to music, and i could only use the upper side of the click wheel to turn up the volume, the lower side is unresponsive. also, when i was trying to turn up the volume, moving by the rewind button would restart the song... its like the rewind button is touch sensitive. the ipod is in warranty, so is it possible for me to go to the apple store and replace it?

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  • Click Wheel is Unresponsive

    Exact same problem as all others in this thread - http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2232235&tstart=100
    Ipod charges, is recognized in iTunes, restores, wakes by turning hold button off . . . but I cannot select 'English' on the language screen as the click wheel is not working at all.
    Is there any information or fix for this issue, or is Apple completely ignoring it?
    Thanks.

    @ Stuart
    I came across this while looking for a fix. I haven't tried it myself yet since I can't find anything small enough, but apparently it's worked for a few people.
    Read page 4 and the comments.
    http://blog.davidkaspar.com/archives/2005/11/fix-ipod-click-wheel-problem-is-not -working.php?page=4

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