Calling all iPhone 8 owners: there’s a recall in effect. If you purchased one of the devices between September 2017 and March 2018, there is a chance that your phone could be affected.

In a message on their website, Apple explained that a small number of the iPhone 8s have a defect with their logic boards:

“Apple has determined that a very small percentage of iPhone 8 devices contain logic boards with a manufacturing defect. Affected devices may experience unexpected restarts, a frozen screen, or won’t turn on. Apple will repair eligible devices, free of charge.

Affected units were sold between September 2017 and March 2018 in Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Macau, New Zealand, and the U.S.”

The logic board is essentially the motherboard that runs your phone. Without it, your phone wouldn’t be able to function. But Apple wants people to pump the brakes before sending their phones in for this free recall repair. There is a catch!

It states that if your phone has any other damage to it, it must be fixed before they address the logic board issue. “Other damage” includes a cracked screen which seems to be commonplace with iPhones. Folks aren’t that happy about having to shell out money for cosmetic or other repairs as a condition for the recall, especially a recall that affects the operation of the phone.

Depending on the extent of the damage, it might make it difficult for the repair tech to access the logic board or complete the necessary repairs. Rather than risk it, Apple wants users to cover those costs before doing the free work.

iPhone 8 owners will not have to make the assessment on their own, as the company states that all phones will be examined for eligibility before being serviced. That means that your phone could be rejected for servicing even if it qualifies for the recall.

To have it checked out, you can visit an authorized Apple service provider, an Apple store, or ship it to the company directly via a prepaid shipping box. You will have to contact Apple for the prepaid mailing option.

The first step in finding out if your phone is affected by the recall is to run the serial number. You can do that here. If you want to check it from your phone, go to your “Settings” and choose “General”. You can locate the serial number by clicking on “About”. Just copy and paste the number into Apple’s tool.

Please note that this recall does not apply to iPhone 8 Plus models. Apple’s repair offer is good for three years from the purchase date, so if you’re one of the people who needs to scrape together funds for a cracked back or screen first, you have some wiggle room.

Apple also pointed out that this will not impact the warranty for the phone, so users will not receive an extended term on them. For more details, click on this video!

Do you believe your phone is impacted by the recall? What do you think of Apple’s caveat? If your iPhone 8 has a defect, will you get it fixed?