About seven months ago the Sleep/wake button on my iPhone 5 stopped working, after a quick search on Google I saw that this problem seemed to be a fairly well known problem for iPhone users.
Now Apple has finally acknowledged that the problem is affecting too many users and they have decided to initiate a recall of some iPhone 5 models because the Sleep/Wake button may “stop working or work intermittently”. In order to determine whether an iPhone is eligible or not, the company has created a special support website. All you need to do there is enter your iPhone Serial Number and the site will automatically tell you whether or not your iPhone is affected.
According to the website:
Replacement of the sleep/wake button mechanism is done at an Apple Repair Center. There are two ways to send your iPhone to the repair center—carry-in or mail-in. See below for details. The replacement process takes approximately 4-6 days from the time your iPhone is received at the repair center until it is returned to you. Your iPhone will be examined prior to any service to verify that it is eligible for this program and is otherwise in working order. Before sending your iPhone to Apple for service, you will need to back up all your data and erase all your content and settings.
Furthermore if you believe you paid for a replacement button then you can contact Apple regarding a refund. The company does however not that the program is only effective for two years after the initial retail purchase of the iPhone 5, while this may sound unfair, it means if you bought the iPhone the day it was released you still have at least five more months to get your iPhone fixed.
Apple requires that any phone that receives a sleep/wake button replacement under the program be upgraded to iOS 7.