iphone 3gs lcd + touchscreen problem

[m940700]

Hi all,

I'm having a problem with one of my iphones, and would appreciate your ideas/suggestions to (maybe) fix it.

The problem started one day when the LCD suddenly went white.
I searched the web and one solution was to hard reset it (home + lock button), but after the first hard reset and several others following the LCD stayed black. Only a small light (backlight?) comes on when pressing the home or lock button.
The touchscreen also doesn't work, but the iphone is detected by itunes, and the iphone vibrates when the silent button is switched.
It also rings when I place a call to it, I just can't answer the call because I can't see nothing on the display and the touchscreen doesn't work even though I'm swiping the display around the area where the answer button usually appears.

I then did a couple of restores (DFU mode) but the problem remains the same. I can also activate the iphone and sync it with itunes.

Next I opened the iphone and replaced the top part (display + touchscreen + etc) with the top part of a working iphone but nothing changed on the broken iphone. The top part from the broken iphone works fine on the other iphone.

Next I took out the logic board and left it disconnected from the battery for a full night but that didn't change anything when I put it back together.

Now I'm on the 4th day of doing hard resets. I read on a forum that after several days of doing this the logic board (is it broken?) would detect the display, but I'm starting to get a little frustrated and wanted to get some other idea from someone else so any comments are welcomed.

Regards,
Vitor

 

[ideal.dreams]

I have no clue what could cause that problem. Call Apple or take it to a Genius at an Apple Store. Sounds like a hardware related issue; taking apart your phone probably wasn't smart - if you had a warranty on your phone it would be voided.

 

[narimonk]

Well he pretty much can't take it to an apple store now, the moment you opened that phones your warranty went to hell. and you can tell when it's been opened because there are stickers in there that change when it's opened (a la ps2's anyone??) so sounds like it's time to invest in a new phone. And even if the stickers by some freakish miracle didn't change it'd be easy enough to tell the insides had been moved as they are fitted perfectly at manufacturing.

 

[chargit]

well warranty would not cover his white screen anyway so no biggy. when you put the new lcd/touchscreen assembly in how did you start the phone? you must hold the lock button and the home button to get it to start. sometimes you have to do this twice to get the board to reset. taking the board out has no affect like you tried. that would only shut if off if the phone was left on before you install the new assembly. you can send or take it back to apple for an out of warranty repair for $199. your problem could be an easy fix but it could be something deaper in the board also. the apple guy will not spend the required time to figure this out so they will just want you to go the OOW route. if you can find an independent shop in your area they may be able to figure it out for you. I personally love that type of challenge.

 

[m940700]

Thank you for the replies.

Before disassembling the iphone I took it to the store, but they told me the warranty was void because of several scratches and dents on the case and bezel (I might have drop it a couple of times).
The iphone worked ok for months after the last time I dropped it.

The iphone had the display white until I did the first hard reset. After that it's always black, and it lights up a little when I press the home or lock button.

All the buttons work ok, so I can hard reset it (home + lock button) and turn it on again. I only removed the board because I read it in the forum.
When I turn it on again, if it's connected to the charger, it plays the sound when its finished booting. The silent button also makes the iphone vibrate when switched.

I'm thinking of washing the logic board with Isopropyl alcohol next.
What do you guys think about it?

Regards,
Vitor

 

[m940700]

Hi again,

Just posting an update to my iphone situation.

I've washed the logic board with isoprophyl alcohol (dipped the logic board on a cup for 24 hours and brushed all the connectors with a toothbrush), but unfortunately nothing changed.
Everything seams to work except the display and the touchscreen.

I guess I'm going to give it a rest.

Regards,
Vitor

 

[StefSSU]

Any luck?

Hey, m940700.

After dropping my iPhone 3GS I am having a similar issue. LCD has remained white blank after many hard resets and restore via iTunes. I've opened and checked the connections to the front panel many times, with no change. Digitizer appears not to work as well, as I am unable to unlock the phone, turn it off, or answer a call. Vibration motor works, I can receive calls, I can call people and play music through Voice Control, ans the front speaker is functional as well.

I was wondering if you had any luck with your situation in the time since this thread was last updated. I was considering buying a replacement front panel but your experience seems to indicate that this will not help the situation. Can I ask where you got your information concerning the Logic board, and if you have acquired any new knowledge since?

Thanks.

 

[chargit]

Hey, m940700.

After dropping my iPhone 3GS I am having a similar issue. LCD has remained white blank after many hard resets and restore via iTunes. I've opened and checked the connections to the front panel many times, with no change. Digitizer appears not to work as well, as I am unable to unlock the phone, turn it off, or answer a call. Vibration motor works, I can receive calls, I can call people and play music through Voice Control, ans the front speaker is functional as well.

I was wondering if you had any luck with your situation in the time since this thread was last updated. I was considering buying a replacement front panel but your experience seems to indicate that this will not help the situation. Can I ask where you got your information concerning the Logic board, and if you have acquired any new knowledge since?

Thanks.

you have a different problem than the OP. you need to replace your lcd. it went out when you dropped it.

 

[StefSSU]

you have a different problem than the OP. you need to replace your lcd. it went out when you dropped it.

Thanks for the quick reply. I've sourced an LCD at a shop in my city, and I've left the phone with the guy to test it. Unfortunately he wont sell the LCD to me and let me replace it myself, and wants about $200 for the replacement. Considering where I am (Malawi), I'll probably just pay him that and be done with it if it gets me my phone back in 2 days, even though I know it's a rip off.

I bought an OEM iPhone 4 LCD last week , it only cost me $45 ,if you need them,maybe i can help

Thanks for the offer, but I don't have paypal or any equivalent so paying you would be an issue. Also, as I live in Malawi you'd have to deliver to an P.O Box address, and delivery would likely take weeks. I was looking into buying one from ifixit.com, but again if this guy can fix it in 2 days, I'm willing to pay him. Besides, although the exchange rate puts it at just under $200, the value of the MK25,000 (local currency) he's charging isn't really worth that much here - a new iPhone 4 or iPad go for ≈ MK280,000 here, so it's not a good translation.
That said, if he can't fix it, I may give you a shout. I'm a bit wary of his efforts, the same shop took my friends iPhone with a similar issue a year ago and gave it back to him having stolen and replaced some parts in it (working logic board, antenna, etc) claiming they couldn't fix it. They even had the audacity to try and charge him for their labor during the failed "repair". Subsequently I've taken notes of some of the internals in mine.

 

[chargit]

I bought an OEM iPhone 4 LCD last week , it only cost me $45 ,if you need them,maybe i can help

he is talking about a 3gs not a iPhone 4. and besides you cannot just replace the lcd in an iPhone 4. you have to replace the entire assembly including the screen.

 

[unick]

hello i have the same issue with iphone 4,display went black(no drops,drunks etc) it plays music via voice control,i can restore os but the screen is always black and touchscreen doesn't work

funny thing i put it aside for about 1 month then it started ok,everything seemed to work fine for about 1 hour when it went black again ,I'm thinking it might have something to do with the temp,i installed some apps before it went down and it was getting worm.