iPod touch iPod Touch 3.5 MM socket deteriorating/breaking

[lilaznzoul]

My iPod Touch 3rd Gen 32 gigs 3.5 MM socket is kind of wearing out or something. It's pretty new considering I got it during winter. When i plug my earphones into the iPod, my left earphone doesn't really work or the sound is a lot softer on both ears. To fix this, I have to move the plug around (while plugged) to get the music to sound normal on my earphones. When I plug my earphones into a computer, they're fine, so I know it's not my earphones. Also I can hear/feel tiny clicking when I move my plug around to fix the sound.

Can I fix my 3.5 MM socket? If I can, how much will it cost?

 

[Hayduke60]

A search of Qtip and rubbing alcohol will give you the info needed to fix your phone jack. A little cleaning and you'll be good to go.

 

[lilaznzoul]

Thanks for that tip. I tried it but it didn't work ):
Also when my earphones are plugged in, the plug is a bit more loose than it should be, it's able to move a bit back and forth. (You know how iPod Touch 2nd/3rd Gens have that new design for the socket how it doesn't complete cover the 3.5 mm plug). I have to push downwards on my earphone plug (iPod facing upwards) in order for me the listen to music normally.

Any ideas?

 

[Gerri Shin]

I've had that before, one or two quick shots of compressed air and all is fixed.
(If not, try another set of headphones to check and make sure that it's not the earphones that are going.)

 

[lilaznzoul]

Alright, thanks for the tip, man. I don't know if I can get a bottle of compressed air in China, but I'll be sure to find it.

If that doesn't work, is my best bet to go to an authorized reseller and ask them to replace my 3.5 mm socket? My bro was just telling me that Apple doesn't fix this kind of stuff, instead they just replace your whole iPod if my warranty is still active and such.

 

[lilaznzoul]

I just 100% confirmed that the problem is my freakin iPod. I used 2 different sets of earphones and the plugs were loose.

 

[Yrneh1009]

I've had and currently am having the same problem. The first time, my ipod classic's socket caused the sound in my left headphone to deteriorate until there was no audio whatsoever. Now, I fear that the same is ocurring to my iPod touch and I'm very worried (hince why I'm looking up solutions at 1:00 at night.) I'm trying to figure out what caused it and if there's any way to fix or reverse the problem...

Has anyone tested the compressed air suggestion? Has it worked?

Am I putting too much stress on the socket? That's the only logical conclusion I've come to...

 

[Yrneh1009]

Another possibility. Lila, do you wrap your earphones around your iPod when you're not using it? I fear that this is what I might be doing wrong...

 

[burningbright]

I had a similar problem, and after checking the socket for lint and, I guess, water damage they gave me a new one.

If you bought it in winter they should replace it immediately, for free, wherever you are in the world. Even if it's out of warranty (as my one was) you still may be able to get a free replacement, depending on the consumer laws of the country where you bought it and how long ago you bought it.

If that country is in the EU and it broke within 2 years of purchase then cite Directive 1999/44/EC. If you bought it in the UK then Sale of Goods Act, esp. s. 14, is another friend. You can claim for a defective product up to six years after purchasing it.

Yrneh, the Genius Bar asked me if I had been wrapping my cord around the iPod, so I guess they think it could cause a problem. (I hadn't). If that is the cause of your problem then it's still surely not your fault: it's a mobile music player and it ought to have the build quality to be able to cope with quite a lot of twisting and turning.

 

[Yrneh1009]

Previously before purchasing my current earphones, The Apple headphones broke on me. This was, in all probability, because I wrapped them around my iPod as well. This is strange, though, because instead of the socket breaking and making the audio in the left ear softer, the headphones began breaking; making the left earbud play softer than the right.

If anyone is following this, I think that Apple's headphones don't damage the iPod if you wrap them. Instead, the headphones break. BUT with my brand of headphones, the iPod socket breaks if you wrap it.

Moral of the story: don't wrap.

 

[fernando.kreutz]

A search of Qtip and rubbing alcohol will give you the info needed to fix your phone jack. A little cleaning and you'll be good to go.

GOD! if u do this, you can say goodby to any chance of getting a new one, since when u umidify with alcohol to clean, it will touch the water/umidity sensor inside the earphone jack, it'll get red (was white). This totally voids warranty.
Even if the ipod is out of warranty, apple should fix it for free, since is a bad quality plug.

 

[liamkp]

GOD! if u do this, you can say goodby to any chance of getting a new one, since when u umidify with alcohol to clean, it will touch the water/umidity sensor inside the earphone jack, it'll get red (was white). This totally voids warranty.
Even if the ipod is out of warranty, apple should fix it for free, since is a bad quality plug.

I'll keep that in mind too.