Andrew

Hi everyone. So I've fixed hundreds of customer phones but I'm actually struggling with my personal phone now. My 5S was...

hey everyone, I've got two dead digitizers now, the first one i noticed had a small tear in the flex cable (not sure how...

Has anyone attempted to replace the metal ring around the finger scanner? I was unable to find any info on this, I'd like...

I can confirm I just had this issue but phone said "too hot". I had loosely assembled the phone without the wireless charger flex installed to test the screen. once I put everything back in place properly it charged as it should. cheers

I've had success using clear cell phone tape. pre-apply the tape so that that it overhangs the edge of the lcd glass, use a VERY sharp exacto blade to trim off the excess. takes patience but provides a good, tight, sticky finish. thanks for reading.

the answer to your problem is to search eBay for "5S style home button". you can get ones that look like the fingerprint scanner (made of glass and aluminum) but don't actually do anything beyond regular iPhone 5 home buttons. I offer these to all my repair clients, they are a really nice improvement on the original plastic buttons. cheers

I haven't done an Air yet but I'm assuming its similar to the problems with iPad mini if you haven't got tape in the proper places along the bottom of the digitizer near the home button. If the digi makes any contact without tape in between it will be wonky. The iFixit guide doesn't make reference to that but its CRUCIAL the new digitizer has tape exactly as the original did. you have to transfer the tape over, it will not come pre installed.

Thanks for your reply Jessa, I found the source of my problem, check out the photo you can see an extra connector pin that was jammed in there. i could not find the source of where it may have come loose, but once i plucked it out the digitizer worked correctly! lesson learned, closely examine new parts before burying them inside a device. i believe this loose extra pin was stuck inside the connector of my first digitizer and it jammed itself into the ipad connector, upon inspection, no connectors were missing a pin.

I'm thinking its the little guy I've circled here in red (under the protective black tape). I don't think the replacement flex connections are as exact as Apple. This part circled holds the corner up from sitting perfectly flat. I've seen this in a few phones now. I've successfully bent the corner of the metal plate on the back side of the flex cable with a set of stiff tweezers but you could damage the connection or cause it to sit worse. UPDATE After getting a couple "white line" replacement screens to work correctly in other phones, I've concluded you must be very careful with the way you fold the flex cables, make it just like the original. if its got too much curve and not enough of a fold it can make the lcd go wonky. I originally tested the screens without fitting them in the frame and they worked but once i fitted them into the frame i got the white lines. i wasn't paying close enough attention to the folds. hope this helps someone UPDATE #2 So I've had this problem again a couple times, and just...

Helpful guide as always! I will note, I get a “SIM Failure” message after completing this repair.. It works properly but the message pops up (multiple times) on a reboot. Potentially a low quality part? I’ve only done this once so I can’t say if this is a common issue.

cheers!

be cautious using a metal “opening tool”, higher risk of damaging the logic board and guaranteed to scratch up the metal frame. having an abundance of plastic tools is better in this case. metal is good to create the initial gap but, plastic is better once you have created a gap.

something to note, not sure if the guy mentions in video (it’s german, I didn't actually watch it) :

If you try and test the new display before you reassembled the mid frame, you will get a temperature warning. reinstall all screws and mid frame then test, should be good.

also, this is the only method you should attempt this repair, as the official samsung screens will come like this, with frame. If not, its not original, don’t waste your time or money on sh!tty parts

this Iso + Heat method makes tough adhesive a thing of the past! just be patient. like the guide says, 2 mins to allow iso to penetrate

I applied the alcohol using a small paint brush, dipped into my iso jar, and “painted” along the battery edges.

roughly 30 seconds with heat gun on the front glass, boom, a freed battery

It should be noted that unlike replacing an iPhone Home Button, you can reprogram a replacement Galaxy Fingerprint scanner.

this phone is essentially future trash. too bad

thanks iFixit for the honest repair score!

its better to peal the white sticker off the battery without damaging it, then use that as a handle to pull the command tape totally loose off the left side. very similar to removing an Apple battery (but actually works). much safer than prying the battery loose with a tool

ya man, just be careful, make sure battery is disconnected before connecting or disconnecting anything

basically you broke the LCD again. Z3C is one of the worst designed phones I've come across. I stopped offering this repair as they simply all break, far too easily. I suggest moving on from this device. life is too short.

After screen replacement I'm having proximity sensor issues. screen is responsive and everything works good but its flashing on and off. disconnecting the proximity sensor fixes the issue but it's also the same connection as lock button so not an option. reinstalling original screen works as normal, new screen is original manufacture and has the same foam gaskets and uv filters as original around the prox sensor...

any thoughts?