Flex ribbon repair. (Now with instructions)

[Knight302]

Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone could help me out with a little advice and instruction on how to swap out the flex ribbon. I tried looking around youtube, but couldn't find any video's on the flex ribbon. Thanks!

[Micky]

I have been meaning to put a guide together for sometime now, but just haven't had the time. It's an easy enough process, as long as you are very careful, everything should go to plan.

You will need the following tools...

1 x Nylon Opening tool
1 x T5 Good Quality Torx Screwdriver.
1 x T6 Good Quality Torx Screwdriver
4 x T5 Replacement Front Fascia Screws
6 x T6 Replacement Side Rail Retaining Screws
1 x Genuine Nokia OEM N95-1 Flexi Ribbon Connector

Once you have all of the above, then we can start talking you through what you need to do, and in what order to carry the processes out.

Have you opened up your N95 previously?

[Knight302]

I've all the tools you've listed, and I've had the back casing off, and the LCD screen out while I was looking for the problem. It's still currently disassembled.

[Micky]

Remove the 6 x rail T6 screws, unless yours are cross head, then once you do this, your N95 will be in two pieces, be careful as to not damage the plug.

Once rail screws removed, locate the plug which plugs into the pcb, and gently prise it off with the Nylon tool.

Let me know when you have done this.

[Knight302]

It's the cross head, which I do not have. I'll let you know when I do, thanks for the help so far!

[jay_uk]

It's better to use new screws - I faced a problem with my N96 as half screw got stuck inside & upper part broke lol

[Knight302]

I've removed The rails, and the phone is now in two pieces. You'll Have to forgive me, but I"m not sure what the PBC plug is.

[Micky]

PCB = Printed Circuit Board

Gently prise the plug off from the PCB, it should pop off once you start prising it away.

[Knight302]

Hey, The PCB was torturous to get loose, but I did. What next?

[Micky]

Ok, once you have unplugeed the ribbon connector, remove the LCD, then carefully prise away the thin PCB away from the LCD backplate using the nylon prising tool

Start off at the top left, working your way across to the ambient light sensor, and secondary camera. Then slowly work your way down the central part until you get down to the area where the lcd socket is.

Then start to do the same, gently prising the pcd away from the lcd socket end, working your way across to the larger, cured area by the hole in which the flat PCD goes through the back plate.

Once removed from the backing plate, you can then gently pull the flexi through the hole.

Let me know when you have done this.

The new OEM replacement felxi should have a peel away back sticky retaining pads. These will help you relocate the new one in the old ones place. Before sticking in down in place, feed the flexi and connector through the hole the same was the old one was removed.