iPhone 3GS Home button not working

[shoota]

OK I'm trying figure which part is not functioning in this 3GS. I'm under the impression that the Home button completes the circuit between the prongs and the gold contacts when pushed; now if this is correct then shouldn't jumping the two gold contacts on ribbon cable 4 trigger a Home button press?
When I do this it still doesn't work. I've tried bending the contact fingers up a little, blowing in compressed air, and tapping the bottom portion of the phone; nothing is working. I just want to be able to trigger a home press so i can isolate which part I need to replace. Ideas?

 

[aususer]

How about going the other way - put a multimeter on the gold contacts of the home button and see if you get contiuity when you press the button!..
if you don't- then your button or ribbon are probably cactus..

I just recently put a new home button contact in because the ribbon was ripped (along with a smashed screen).

I just paid $5 for a replacement in 10 days delivery from China to Australia via ebay! (very quick and very easy!) but you'll need to pull the screen off (heat and adhesive repair) to put a new button in properly.

I did use a screwdriver to test-short the pads - it does work - be very careful not to damage any of the tracks on the PCB... you will have a brick if you break/damage any of those! (and there are a few down there)

mind you - I'm no expert... in my case I was in a "no-loss" scenario...

 

[awadeee]

If the contacts on the underside of the screen are touching the receptors on the dock, then it is likely a ribbon cable failure. To replace the ribbon cable you need to use a heat gun or hair dryer to heat the screen to the point of where it's much too hot to touch and then remove the digitizer which is a difficult removal because the glue is so strong. You will then have access to the home button where you can feed the new cable through. To re-attach the digitizer, I find that 3M double sided tape works well, but you can also buy adhesive strips cut to fit the iPhone (they are both made from the same double sided tape though ).

 

[shoota]

Ok so jumping the contacts doesn't do anything, the prongs are making contact with the gold contacts, that means its the ribbon cable for the Home button itself. That sucks since it's the most detailed work. Thanks for helping me narrow it down!

 

[ylerT]

Ok so jumping the contacts doesn't do anything, the prongs are making contact with the gold contacts, that means its the ribbon cable for the Home button itself. That sucks since it's the most detailed work. Thanks for helping me narrow it down!

I would recommend trying a new dock connector before pulling the glass off. Use a screwdriver and "jump" from the gold contacts on the dock to the silver bezel around the phone. If that doesn't simulate a home button press, it's the dock. That particular issue would have nothing to do with the ribbon cable on the button itself.

 

[shoota]

How do you get a screwdriver to touch both at the same time? the silver metal is on the outside of the case.. i think i might not fully understand what you're saying but i want to try it.

 

[ylerT]

How do you get a screwdriver to touch both at the same time? the silver metal is on the outside of the case.. i think i might not fully understand what you're saying but i want to try it.

I've attached a picture. It doesn't have to touch both contacts either. Just make a quick connection like in the picture. If it doesn't work, the dock is most likely bad.

 

[shoota]

oh ok i see. but why wouldn't jumping the two gold contacts together not be the same thing?

edit: doesn't work, and I've noticed that the voice control app likes to come up every so often for no apparent reason..

 

[ylerT]

oh ok i see. but why wouldn't jumping the two gold contacts together not be the same thing?

edit: doesn't work, and I've noticed that the voice control app likes to come up every so often for no apparent reason..

Well the voice control comes up when you hold the home button for a few seconds. I'd say there's some kind of short and the dock needs to be replaced.

 

[shoota]

Is the dock separate from the ribbon cable? Know of a good guide for this procedure?

edit: i found it on ifixit. This seems like it will replace the ribbon cable too correct? So if jumping the gold contacts doesn't work then you're SURE that its not the home button/cable right?

Does this look right?
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Dock-Charge...396860?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item5ade86403c

 

[ylerT]

Is the dock separate from the ribbon cable? Know of a good guide for this procedure?

edit: i found it on ifixit. This seems like it will replace the ribbon cable too correct? So if jumping the gold contacts doesn't work then you're SURE that its not the home button/cable right?

Does this look right?
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Dock-Charge...396860?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item5ade86403c

Yes, I'm 100% sure and yes, that's the part you neeed. If you can't simulate a home button press then the dock has a problem. Unless you have water damage or something else major with the phone, you'll be good to go with that dock assembly.

 

[shoota]

Dude thank you so freaking much. I'm gonna order it.

 

[shoota]

Well I have good news, it worked! Thank you again so much. Out of all the researching I did nowhere did I find replacing the dock connector as a solution, I'm so glad I signed up and you posted

 

[kjkf100]

Thanks for the grounding trick! hopefully saving me some time, as I was going to go buy a home button... wasn't sure what was going on, but your trick solved the quandary... will let you know if it worked!

 

[smithy111]

Any helpp?

I've got a 3gs that the home button does not work, I've tried 3 dock connectors (fully working) and still the home button does not work, also tried a different home button (tried tested in another 3gs working) still no luck?

So I'm thinking motherboard? But don't know what to do

 

[Crystal-RX]

I've got a 3gs that the home button does not work, I've tried 3 dock connectors (fully working) and still the home button does not work, also tried a different home button (tried tested in another 3gs working) still no luck?

So I'm thinking motherboard? But don't know what to do

Motherboard has nothing to do with this. Replace the home button flex.

 

[smithy111]

Motherboard has nothing to do with this. Replace the home button flex.

So the actual home button yes? I have already tried a whole front comple LCD from my working 3GS (home button working) and still it does not work

 

[mikepaterson]

Motherboard has nothing to do with this. Replace the home button flex.

Hi,
Please can you explain why?

I have an iphone with home button not working.

If I take the motherboard out and replace it with one from another phone then the phone works.

There must therefore be something on the motherboard that has failed and I am trying to findo out what it could be - the connector perhaps or some other component.

Any ideas please?