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Rattling Noise by Shaking the iPhone 3G

T

toss002

Suspended
Original poster
Does this happen to your iPhone 3G?

When I shake my phone w/ a little force, I can hear a rattling noise.

With my first iPhone V1, it doesn't make the noise.
 
Yeah i've noticed this on my 3G as well as my first gen iphone. My original i had replaced as the home button felt loose, although that wasn't what was causing the rattle. My 3G also rattles, and rattles horribly when on vibrate. If yours doesn't when on vibrate and your home button seems solid, then i seriously wouldn't worry about it, my previous ipods had a slight rattle to them when i shook them too.
 
My phone rattles when vibrating only when the phone is upright.
It does not rattle [when vibrating] when laying on a flat surface or when upside down.

Will take it to the apple store next week.

Any one else have this issue? Am I crazy?
 
Clyde099 said:
My phone rattles when vibrating only when the phone is upright.
It does not rattle [when vibrating] when laying on a flat surface or when upside down.

Will take it to the apple store next week.

Any one else have this issue? Am I crazy?
Click to expand...

I just noticed it on my 3G last night. Doesn't occur all the time and it hasn't happened since last night so I'm not all that concerned about it yet.
 
You guys might be hearing the accelerometer. If you've ever shaken a Wii Remote or have a Logitech Harmony you can hear a similar rattle.
 
Blackforge said:
You guys might be hearing the accelerometer. If you've ever shaken a Wii Remote or have a Logitech Harmony you can hear a similar rattle.
Click to expand...

My first generation iPhone didn't sound/feel this way.
I compared it to a co-worker's first generation iPhone and it didn't sound/feel the same at all.
 
greenmymac said:
Mine is doing the same thing too. I wonder If apple will just replace it?
Click to expand...

My 16gb black had the "rattle when vibrating, when vertical" problem. Yesterday, I replaced mine at my local Apple store. The Mac genius was nice enough to take the phone in back to listen for the rattle. I had some fit & finish issues that were nice to get rid of as well.

Very smooth transition all-around - Apple is earning some serious points with me...
 
Same problem here.
I wonder if its worth the hassle of exchanging it and getting another screen protector ect.
 
was it a loud rattle or not very loud, i think i have the same problem cause when it vibrates it sounds nothing like my old iPhone
 
I don't think it's the sim tray at all.

I tested by taking out the sim tray, still it makes the rattling noise (not that loud) when shaken from side to side with a little force.

I wanted to return but decided not to, because my phone works fine and no other problem with it.
 
Aside from it being annoying now, because you know.

What situations would you shake your phone in such a way, other than to make sure it didn't make the noise?
 
Nicolecat said:
Aside from it being annoying now, because you know.

What situations would you shake your phone in such a way, other than to make sure it didn't make the noise?
Click to expand...

I should have been more clear sorry... he said it is the Sim tray mechanism that ejects the sim tray that rattles like that
 
toss002 said:
I don't think it's the sim tray at all.

I tested by taking out the sim tray, still it makes the rattling noise (not that loud) when shaken from side to side with a little force.
Click to expand...

You took out the sim tray?! 😕 The actual metal part that holds the sim card in?

I haven't been able to find an iPhone 3G around here yet so I can't say anything as to the iPhones but the sim tray on my temp Moto Q9h makes a rattling noise when I shake it, so that leads me to believe that its the sim tray in the iPhone as well.
 
isn't it the accelerometer? The first generation iphones made sounds when you shook it. Try shaking the display iphones at the apple store and see if they make the same sounds.
 
Ryan.Fork said:
You took out the sim tray?! 😕 The actual metal part that holds the sim card in?

I haven't been able to find an iPhone 3G around here yet so I can't say anything as to the iPhones but the sim tray on my temp Moto Q9h makes a rattling noise when I shake it, so that leads me to believe that its the sim tray in the iPhone as well.
Click to expand...

Yes. It looks like this, though this is not my phone nor a 3G, but it's still the same (got it from a website):

img_2300-small.JPG
 
showtime said:
isn't it the accelerometer? The first generation iphones made sounds when you shook it. Try shaking the display iphones at the apple store and see if they make the same sounds.
Click to expand...

I read somewhere (in this forum or another) that the accelerometer is chip, and it's not a mechanism that has something rolling around inside the phone.

EDIT: I found this, it shows where the accelerometer chip is located.
XiuvbfUecK3GsDUm-large.jpg
 
Mine rattles a little bit, but it's the metal silent/ringer switch sliding around slightly in the plastic backplate.
 
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