Motorola v3m display problems - SOLVED

[coiley]

My friends call my phone Frankenstein. It is made out of parts from 7 different v3-ish phones.

I have been having a HELL of a time with the display (both) for months. The outside display seldom worked at all. If it did occasionally work, it was often upside-down. Then, the inside display, upon opening the phone, would usually respond with a full-white screen. If I flipped it open 10 or 20 times, it might finally show a normal screen - but then it would white-out right in the middle of whatever I was trying to do.

I have finally found the problem. I had to rebuild ANOTHER whole phone (donated by a friend who upgraded) to learn this lesson. When the "new" WORKING donated phone exhibited the same problematic display symptoms EVEN AFTER I TRADED THROUGH THREE DIFFERENT SCREENS, I realized that there was a consistency.

This is the answer to Motorola v3 display problems:

The problem is in securing the the display plug positively on to the main board. The display plug is inside, right under the microSD (v3m) slot. My solution was to roll up 1.5 inches of black tape (sticky-side-out) and stick it to the back of the display plug. When you go to put the two screws (below, left, and right of the bottom of the battery) back in, the tape wad is pressuring the case open - and pressing hard on the display plug (and the other plug below it - if you want). Screw it shut, and the tape wad will force the display plug FIRMLY in to it's socket on the main board.

With this tape-wad-behind-the-display-plug method I fixed my newly donated phone, AND the previous phone I thought I had to replace due to display problems.

Darn it if solutions are not usually simple or basic.

Hope it helps.


-- coiley

[P.S. - If you need pictures, you should not attempt this solution.]

[P.P.S. - I would not be surprised if this was the solution to side-button problems too.]

[P.P.P.S. - My mom has never bought me a cell phone. I don't know where that comes from.]

[coiley]

Remove battery. Remove two torx screws.

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Pry locking plastic tabs. There are four tabs. Start with a side one.

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The display plug and keypad plugs are likely to pop out of their sockets when you open the cover. Notice that the VERY IMPORTANT white sticker has been removed from the battery area - uncovering and relieving the display plug ribbon cable. You do not have to remove the whole sticker. The sticker has a perforation that will allow you to relieve the ribbon cable - while preserving the ID barcodes. Or you can cut around the ribbon cable with a razor blade - now that you know exactly where the ribbon cable is.

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Plug the display and keypad plugs in to their sockets (or make sure that they are still plugged in).

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Roll about 1.5" of black tape - sticky-side-out - into a tube. Press the tube against the back of the display (and keyboard) plug(s) - flattening the tape somewhat.

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Carefully observe, as you close the case, that neither of the plugs falls out of it's socket. Snap the four plastic clips back together. The tape should be stressing the case open slightly... good. Use the two torx screws to secure the case closed. The pressure (from the tape roll) that was holding the case slightly open is now holding the plugs firmly in their sockets.

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This procedure has resolved all of my display (internal & external) problems, and all of my side-button problems - in the Motorola v3 (&m).

-- coiley

[wrfaas]

The use of 1.5" of electrical tape completely solved my distorted display problem that had been a problem for over year since dropping the phone just after getting a replacement phone and canceling insurance. Display distortion became more of an issue when the phone was dropped again recently dropped in it leather case. Even replacing the LCD flex cable with 4 folds of paper under the socket connector (per another internet tip) did not solve the distortion problem, but the tape did. Razr V3M would power up with a normal display, but as one would navigate through the menus, display would become distorted.