BQ Aquaris won't turn on: the volume button trick that revived it

A BQ Aquaris that won't turn on or charge revived with two buttons

A phone that won't turn on, won't charge and shows no signs of life. The owner's diagnosis of his BQ Aquaris was the worst possible: completely dead. The solution didn't come from a repair shop or a board swap: holding down the volume and power buttons together for a good while brought the device back to life. It took its time, but it started. The case, which began as a desperate complaint, ended with the brand calling the customer to ask about the phone's condition once the problem had already been solved.

BQ's customer service, the strongest argument

The forced-restart anecdote is just the way in. What is really being debated is whether the Spanish brand's after-sales service justifies buying its products despite the faults. And here the balance clearly tips towards yes. One customer recounts that, faced with a breakdown, **they gave him a replacement phone, collected the faulty one and returned it to his home**. Against that, a Samsung Note with a microUSB port defect that, according to the same account, remains unfixed. The comparison stings: a *thrashing* for Samsung, he says, in BQ's favour.

Another case reinforces the idea. A discontinued model with volume problems ended up replaced with **a superior one** at no cost to the customer. The replacement policy when no repair is possible works as a selling point, even if only in hindsight.

The product: an E5 that wouldn't turn on straight out of the box

The enthusiasm for the service clashes with the hardware's fine print. A buyer of the **BQ E5** describes how his wouldn't turn on or charge out of the box. A problem, he argues, common to that model. He swapped it for another E5 that did start, but the replacement came with worse mobile network and WiFi coverage, apps that freeze, lockups and forced restarts. His conclusion is bitter: a phone that performs worse than the old Aquaris 4 he had before. The only saving grace is the battery: **two days with heavy use**.

The complaint is not an isolated one. A shop that sold the brand reported in the summer of the previous year that the repair service was overwhelmed and turnaround times were stretching. And a handset of **18 months** ended up being sent to the manufacturer to see what was wrong with it. Some simply state that theirs will let them down, as already peine to them with an Aquaris 4.5.

Is buying BQ worth it?

The answer depends on what you value. Four handsets in one family, without a single problem, and a user who repeats without hesitation after two years of use. Against that, the awkward question hanging in the air: if the customer service is that good, maybe it's because it gets used a lot. The brand wins on customer care and loses on product consistency. A balance that, for now, keeps its loyal customers.

The surprising detail: the phone that started all this never needed a repair shop. Just two fingers and patience.