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DIY Fixing dodgy headphone socket

Hey guys,
I think some of us have a problem with our headphone sockets where over time, slight bumps to the connection causes the audio to slightly cut out which can be annoying if you're listening to music with your phone in your pocket through headphones/earphones.
Now I've found a guide to disassemble the phone which i'll leave at the bottom as not to ruin the continuity, but I'm struggling to find a suitable replacement part for the output socket on the phone. You have to remember that the socket also needs metal contacts inside it for the microphone input. I plan to shoot motorola's technical team an email about it but I'm wondering if there are any other people keen on fixing the problem or if they themselves have tried addressing it.
Cheers,
Ed
Disassemble your droid/milestone:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE81IaQHEHc
Something which is close but not quite what i'm looking for:
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=PS0133

seems interesting.
I've had to send my phone in twice because of this.
Might have this problem fixed now though as i've gotten angled headphones that are really close to the socket. This way there won't be as much pressure on the socket when i've got the phone in my pocket whilst cycling.

hmm... been a long time since I´ve tinkered with any jack-sockets (last time on one of my bass guitars), but shouldn´t you just be able to -probably more of a temporary fix- bend the contact-latches inside the socket a bit so they press "harder" against the headphone jack when it is plugged in?
that way, they should allow for more movement of the jack (which is the problem you are describing) without losing contact.
the only problem is, repeated usage of the socket will eventually wear the contact latches out again over time...

Through the course of my research I've actually found a really simple and easy quick fix which works really well.
Spray a bit of WD40 into the socket and abrakadabra! it works!

kreat1ve said:
Through the course of my research I've actually found a really simple and easy quick fix which works really well.
Spray a bit of WD40 into the socket and abrakadabra! it works!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? Why does this work? Does the WD40 conduct the signal? How often do you need to do this?

kreat1ve said:
Through the course of my research I've actually found a really simple and easy quick fix which works really well.
Spray a bit of WD40 into the socket and abrakadabra! it works!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bad idea. Don't use WD40. It will eat away at the plastic and circuit board. It also will attract dust and dirt. Electrical contact cleaner is a better idea. It's safe for circuit boards and plastics.

mightybrick said:
Bad idea. Don't use WD40. It will eat away at the plastic and circuit board. It also will attract dust and dirt. Electrical contact cleaner is a better idea. It's safe for circuit boards and plastics.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to know...
Where do we get this stuff? My current milestone is fine...but for how long? My first unit's headphone jack was very bad after a few months.
Sent from my Milestone using Tapatalk

Caz666 said:
Good to know...
Where do we get this stuff? My current milestone is fine...but for how long? My first unit's headphone jack was very bad after a few months.
Sent from my Milestone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any hardware or electronics store should have it; Radio Shack, Walmart, etc.

kreat1ve said:
Hey guys,
I think some of us have a problem with our headphone sockets where over time, slight bumps to the connection causes the audio to slightly cut out which can be annoying if you're listening to music with your phone in your pocket through headphones/earphones.
Now I've found a guide to disassemble the phone which i'll leave at the bottom as not to ruin the continuity, but I'm struggling to find a suitable replacement part for the output socket on the phone. You have to remember that the socket also needs metal contacts inside it for the microphone input. I plan to shoot motorola's technical team an email about it but I'm wondering if there are any other people keen on fixing the problem or if they themselves have tried addressing it.
Cheers,
Ed
In China, that part (original) is about 2RMB - say $0.30 US - but shipping it will cost far more than that...
The Motorola P/N is 0976622A01, and googling it seems to produce a few hits:
You will need to find the links yourself, since the board prohibited me from postiing them...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

the board is prohibiting links??? or only certain links?
however, i would appreciate some more hints on that disassembly-guide you were pointing at, since i cannot find that, either.

xenosapien213 said:
the board is prohibiting links??? or only certain links?
however, i would appreciate some more hints on that disassembly-guide you were pointing at, since i cannot find that, either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried the electrical contact cleaner post yet? Someone says WD-40 works (Which is a terrible idea, hence trying electrical contact cleaner). They aren't cheap and it's worth a shot before taking your phone apart!

Thanks! This is great!

xenosapien213 said:
hmm... been a long time since I´ve tinkered with any jack-sockets (last time on one of my bass guitars), but shouldn´t you just be able to -probably more of a temporary fix- bend the contact-latches inside the socket a bit so they press "harder" against the headphone jack when it is plugged in?
that way, they should allow for more movement of the jack (which is the problem you are describing) without losing contact.
the only problem is, repeated usage of the socket will eventually wear the contact latches out again over time...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this may work, but I have found on the portable devices it is normally more the circuit board it is connected to. The solder joint fails and really needs to be re-soldered. The connection is only supported by the solder, not a good thing, but all the electronics manufacturers only care if they last past the initial warranty. Often all it needs is a hit with a low power solder gun to re-flow the joint, other times you need to clean off the old solder, and put on some new. the joint will often look fine to the naked eye, but if you look with magnification you will see the joint has cracks. A friend of mine is an electronics repair geek, and he can see it just by glancing. I need some magnification, funny thing is he wears glasses that are almost an inch thick, so it is more experience at looking at them.

Thanks for the links. My audio jack has been bad for some time and it is only a matter of time until the frustration will drive me to take the phone apart. It is better now I have some instructions for when that time comes
I tried contact cleaner which unfortunatly didn't have any effect. It 'feels' like a bad solder joint but obviously I can't tell for sure until it is apart.

D4 headphone jack too short?

this might be the most rediculous question I have ever asked but is there something special about this phone's headphone input? I've tried 3 different 3.5mm sets on it and none of the plugs go in all the way. They stick out a little less than quarter of the way and sometimes have poor sound quality. Wondering if this is some kind of design flaw or if i have to take it back to the store? thx!
Sent from my XT894 using xda premium

its normal for the phone cuz of the curved edge

myfishbear said:
its normal for the phone cuz of the curved edge
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? So this is a design flaw Moto overlooked and not just my phone?
Guess this isn't a deal breaker for me, but can anyone recommend some headphones that go all the way and fits snug?

RastaPasta said:
Really? So this is a design flaw Moto overlooked and not just my phone?
Guess this isn't a deal breaker for me, but can anyone recommend some headphones that go all the way and fits snug?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It isn't a design flaw -- it is a styling thing, nothing more. That portion of the plug is not (technically) necessary.
Your issue is either with your particular set of headphones, or your telephone. Using my phone to listen to music right now. The end does stick out, but the sound quality is perfect.

podspi said:
It isn't a design flaw -- it is a styling thing, nothing more. That portion of the plug is not (technically) necessary.
Your issue is either with your particular set of headphones, or your telephone. Using my phone to listen to music right now. The end does stick out, but the sound quality is perfect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here. Actually, I have been very impressed with the D4 sound quality.
Sent from my DROID4 using XDA

On a slightly related note, I've tried plugging my phone into the AUX input of my car stereo. I find that this is pretty terrible; there's all sorts of radio interference on top of the audio. Something is not properly shielded somewhere, and I think it's the phone. (Probably, now that you mention it, because the plug doesn't fit all the way into the jack...) Have no problems like this using other audio devices...

Was your phone plugged into a charger when you tried plugging it in in the car?
Sent from my DROID4 using XDA

Nope. Would that have helped or hurt?
Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk

I noticed this too. Some 3 ring jacks (usually for microphone equipped devices) don't seem to sound right, but I haven't tested the mic at all. So far though, aux seems to work fine, and as has been said, it's just because the phone is curved. I agree, though, a bunch of the cable bit sticking out seems like it's asking for interference, but no issues for me yet.

Headphones don't connect firmly

Hey all,
After a few months of owning this phone my headphones no longer connect firmly to the headphone jack. So when I put my phone in my pocket they easily come loose with the slightest movement, making it impossible to listen to music. There is no more click when I connect them and they're very easy to pull out of the headphone jack.
Is there anything I can do? I don't see how they can become this loose.
Thanks.
Verstuurd van mijn Nexus 7 met Tapatalk

I Can only Suggest to, but the Jack must Have some kind of springs in it and you must kinda broke it somehow. I think - if you got the skills - to replace the Jack. If not... well **** happens to all of us but maybe a Rubber Band will help.

Maybe the jack has pocket lint at the bottom, and the plug does not go all the way in?

Robin2 said:
Hey all,
After a few months of owning this phone my headphones no longer connect firmly to the headphone jack. So when I put my phone in my pocket they easily come loose with the slightest movement, making it impossible to listen to music. There is no more click when I connect them and they're very easy to pull out of the headphone jack.
Is there anything I can do? I don't see how they can become this loose.
Thanks.
Verstuurd van mijn Nexus 7 met Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
_kankea said:
Maybe the jack has pocket lint at the bottom, and the plug does not go all the way in?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well than give your phone an Fine Blowjob and find it out:silly: or try it with a needle... but die you hear sound? is the sound stereo or?

Darkmind82 said:
Well than give your phone an Fine Blowjob and find it out:silly: or try it with a needle... but die you hear sound? is the sound stereo or?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I suggest not to swallow :cyclops:

_kankea said:
Maybe the jack has pocket lint at the bottom, and the plug does not go all the way in?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I checked and yeah there was some pocket lint in it. Removed it, but not much improvement. Sound through headphones is fine btw. No problems there.
Sent from my LG-P990 using xda premium

AW: Headphones don't connect firmly
Robin2 said:
I checked and yeah there was some pocket lint in it. Removed it, but not much improvement. Sound through headphones is fine btw. No problems there.
Sent from my LG-P990 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well then the springs are busted
Sent from my LG-P990 using xda premium

[Q] Headphone jack broken?

Hey, recently my headphones would be recognized and then not recognized if I move the wire or from just simply walking. At first, I thought my headphones broke, but from experimenting with several pairs, I've come to the conclusion that it is my jack that Is broken. I tried lifting the metal piece that detects headphones, however it did not work as the problem still arises...Any way I could get this working again?

torch2424 said:
Hey, recently my headphones would be recognized and then not recognized if I move the wire or from just simply walking. At first, I thought my headphones broke, but from experimenting with several pairs, I've come to the conclusion that it is my jack that Is broken. I tried lifting the metal piece that detects headphones, however it did not work as the problem still arises...Any way I could get this working again?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Take apart the phone, buy a replacement from eBay and put it in but don't rip any flex ribbon cables. Or if you are under warranty just have T-Mobile replace it
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

I think Im out of warranty. And I'm terrilb ewith hardware fixes. thanks for the reply though

torch2424 said:
I think Im out of warranty. And I'm terrilb ewith hardware fixes. thanks for the reply though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can try Samsung direct. They are pretty good about standing behind devices but cost will be about 50.00 and shipped at your expense to their Texas location.
Sent from my SGH-T679 using xda premium

Hmmm I might consider that...Thank you!

This happened to my laptop's headphone jack. Someone said that the jack may have oxidized. The fix was to take a cotton swab and dip it in rubbing alcohol and then kinda scrub the jack.

Careful if trying alcohol with cotton qtip. The alcohol will remove corrosive build up but also does drying of parts it comes in contact with. There is a contact cleaner that's cheep enough for this at most electronic stores and certianly all radio shacks.
Sent from my SGH-T679 using xda premium

[Q] Retro phone

Hi, i've bought the retro phone style to use with my phone. And I got a problem, whenever i try to plug it in, my sgn2 it recognizes it as headphones, and when i try to call with it i only get the speaker sound, but the microphone is dead, does anyone know what to do?

Links would help people understand what you're talking about.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda premium

This?
http://img.b2bage.com/photo/product...with-microphone-pop-phone-for-iphone-ipad.jpg

Yeah, need a link for an exact thing. I assume its a connection through headphone jack, just like any headphones with built in mic/remote. In theory it should be the same thing just a fancy replacement of headphone with some analog style retro phone?!? I would suggest to check your 3.5mm connector. Typically those will be partitioned into headphone/mic/control sections. The section for speaker on that connector is working ok, while the one for mic is not. Probably ask for a replacement? Also, if you have stock headphones or any other headphones with mic to pickup calls, test it out with your phone to make sure its not your phone connector problem.

When were you gonna review this particular item? Lol
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda app-developers app

LittleRedDot said:
When were you gonna review this particular item? Lol
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You know, I have my standards too Don't worry, have S4 cases coming my way for review, then some external batteries, wireless kbd, and some new stuff from monoprice I'm an accessory junkie. You happy now? first step is always admitting it

badanas said:
This?
yes this is the exact one.
I tried connecting my stock headphones and i tried the microphone and it works prefectly
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I would never buy that cheap thing. There are too many stand/speaker combos to waste your money on this novel junk.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2

LittleRedDot said:
I would never buy that cheap thing. There are too many stand/speaker combos to waste your money on this novel junk.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
I have one ( a different brand in black) that is pretty well made. It was cheap and its fun.
Nobody needs a music player shaped like a Victrola, or like an old vacuum tube radio, or shaped like a Wurlitzer Juke Box. None the less all of those sell.
There has always been a market for nostalgia.

People also wear Skinny jeans.
A crime against humanity....

apallohadas said:
People also wear Skinny jeans.
A crime against humanity....
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Click to collapse
That one depends on the sex and shape of the wearer.
Is it a person from "Maxim" or a person from "People of Walmart"?

Phogg said:
That one depends on the sex and shape of the wearer.
Is it a person from "Maxim" or a person from "People of Walmart"?
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Click to collapse
Only pardonable if Salma Hayek is the booty in the pants. Otherwise?.....