Shattered back repair - idea of cost? - Xperia Z3 Compact Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi
My phone fell on concrete and landed on the corner closest to the rear camera. It's damaged it quite badly, with most of the area closest to impact now cracked into small fragments, and the cracked lines extend all across the rear of the phone. Thankfully the front is not damaged and the camera and flash still work fine.
Does anyone have a rough idea of what it would cost to repair the back? I'm considering sending it to Sony UK, but would be interested in knowing about any others that offer authorised repairs. My warranty is due to run out in December, so I may look into 3rd party specialists who can guarantee a repair that would maintain waterproof features of the phone.
Cheers

It would probably run you around below 100 dollars. When the back panel is broken and according to you dropping it on a concrete ground, the whole back panel needs to be replaced, my price estimate could also increase alot if the camera sensor is damaged as well.
If you decide to bring it to "after market" fixers, you could get it repaired cheaper but chances are they don't have the sealant used to restore waterproofing after the back panel has been opened.

Amazon
Hi, just look for Amazon products, my back glass broke 1 month ago and i fixed it myself and it's quite easy, u just have to buy the replacement from amazon, mine cost 15€ (10$) and it's original, i just unsticked the old one and replaced with the spare part, it's 5 minutes work, good luck :good:

Sony can't/won't give me a quote for replacing the back without sending my phone back in, something I won't do just to get a quote, so opted to try my luck with OEM parts from other sources. From eBay, I bought an OEM rear glass with adhesive, suction cups and some guitar picks, for grand total of £15. I've seen some videos online and it seems very simple. Next up, sourcing a hair dryer to soften the glue
@stanciuvlad11: How's the waterproofness holding up, did you test it?

As stanciuvlad11 mentions it is very easy to do it yourself. Just buy on eBay the back glass (some $10) and the sticking tape (some $3) and look any of the several video tutorials.
At the end you can check that the device still hermetic by typing *#*#7378423#*#* then tap on Service Tests > Pressure Sensor and press in the middle of the front screen to see if the milibar increases

Should the pressure change or not when waterproof?

The pressure increases when it is waterproof. The rationale is that when you apply pressure in the center of the screen the air within the phone cannot escape (it is hermetic) so the pressure increases. You can observe up to some 20-30milibar increase.
If you open one of the tabs or simply the phone is not properly sealed the milibar displayed does not show any movement with your finger pressuring the screen.

Related

Front Bezel chips & flaking

So I have had the Z3 Compact since first week of release and from day 1, it had a tiny chip (could call it a nic) on the leading edge of the front bezel just above the magnetic port. I decided to keep it, but the number of these indentations has increased to 12.
One of these nics has flaked further to almost 2mm diameter by the top left corner.
All of the marks are on the front leading long bezel, both sides.
I always put my phone in a pocket without other items
I always lie my phone face up.
I don't use any kind of stands or holders in the car
No other phone (Moto X, Nexus 5, Nexus 4, Razr I) has ever suffered anything like this.
There are no marks on the back or front faces (cheap screen protectors on both, which usually scratch/mark easily)
I suspect its poor adhesion of the top black paint layer on the bezel, but cannot prove it obviously.
I can send it back to Sony, but they may say its not manufacturing fault and thus charge me £25 for sending it back without repairing (I find this disgraceful)
I have little experience with Sony customer service or care so it's a risk I don't really want to take.
Question, has anyone elses phone suffered in a similar way?
Or have positive (or negative) experience with Sony UK?
Thanks in advance.
You can send it back to Sony, most of the times they charge you with shipping costs yup.
Manufacturing error or not, but also try to look from their side, if it were easy to get your device repaired without costs or even replaced, more people would do it, even if it was their mistake.
So in the end they can't just believe everyone.
They will repair it when you send them, but thy might ask for repairing fees.
I'm noticing the same thing. I keep the phone in my pocket as well, but I do keep it with a leather keyholder (pretty soft leather), so I'm surprised that there are any chips/nicks at all. I actually have 3 right now, first one in just about the same place as you (above the magnetic charging port), a smaller one above the power button, and the last one in the bottom right corner of the phone.
I always assumed the metal bezels on these phones was powder-coated aluminum, which is pretty tough. Anyone know what is actually is?
Dsteppa said:
You can send it back to Sony, most of the times they charge you with shipping costs yup.
Manufacturing error or not, but also try to look from their side, if it were easy to get your device repaired without costs or even replaced, more people would do it, even if it was their mistake.
So in the end they can't just believe everyone.
They will repair it when you send them, but thy might ask for repairing fees.
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Click to collapse
Yes I understand that, but I know that these ever increasing faults are not of my doing, but I cannot prove it.. Therefore, it is possible (maybe probable) that Sony will offer an expensive repair or simply send it back with the total cost to me being close to £30.
pipspeak said:
I always assumed the metal bezels on these phones was powder-coated aluminum, which is pretty tough. Anyone know what is actually is?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe they are painted plastic but I might be wrong.
I've said before that this is one of the few annoyances I have with the build quality of this phone. The Z3 doesn't have the front and back plastic bezels as the metal frame attaches directly to the front and back glass. I don't mind the transparent plastic on the sides of the Z3C but I don't like that they needed to use plastic front and back bezels.
To answer the OP's question, i also have light scuffs and small chips on the front plastic bezel of my Z3C but the back is near perfect at the moment. If I'd have known the build quality in these areas was lacking I'd have waited until I had a case before i used it but it's too late now.
I've decided to return the phone for repair (hopefully under warranty) and have ordered several cases (I usually do this once I am satisfied that the phone is a keeper). Will keep you posted.

[Q] How to attach Xperia z back panel

Previously I had made a post about hard bricking the Xperia Z. I have recovered the phone using testmode, but that required opening the back. I live in India, and rounded or parts4repair are asking for quite a lot in terms of shipping cost with tracking. I had purchased a local back cover, but the 2nd mic cover is cloth, the area on top of camera is somehow moving, and the glue is not sticking. Not to mdntion it has no NFC antenna. I have the original back, but need some method of sticking it in a waterproof way with possibility of reopening it in future if necessary. Sony service center said they don't have the glue. What am I supposed to do? Throw the phone away?
you need to source a reasonably priced one of these:
http://www.parts4repair.com/back-cover-adhesive-for-sony-xperia-z-l36h/
I'd buy two or three just in case as they are no good for re-use in my experience.
In addition to making sure that the surfaces are really clean with nothing greasy to ruin the effectiveness of the glue, you need to ensure good pressure around the edges of the back plate directly over where the adhesive is. The Xperia Z repair manual states a pressure of 600 Newtons (adjusted to 490 Newtons if you were to use a press like the one Sony do, to take into account the press itself) for 10 seconds, 600 N is equivalent to about 61 Kilograms-force. Make sure you are not applying the pressure to the fibreglass frame which sits slightly higher than the back plate.

Sending an opened phone back to Sony for repair...

My Z3 compact used to be waterproof and I used it several times under water, but it went back for a replacement button a while back and recently I dunked it to take a photo and within hours a dead strip appeared on the touch screen, and when plugging a jack into the headphone port results in the volume control fluctuating and music randomly pausing/starting etc.
There is a tiny, tiny chip on the rear screen which I assumed would mean Sony would reject any warranty claim, but having opened the phone, the chip was so tiny it was still outside/on the adhesive. Inside the phone there is no sign of water ingress, but for good measure its left open and sealed in a bag with large desiccant sachets for 72 hours, no improvement.
So, my dilemma is, if I reclose the phone with the replacement back cover I have from ReplaceBase, will Sony be any the wiser that its been cracked open?
(I could buy the LCD and digitiser for £70 but as the headphone port is a different component, I'm wary that this will not resolve the issues Also looking at 'spares or repair' phones on eBay, it seems plenty of them have replacement screens that have lifted or remain proud of the chassis...perhaps this is just lack of care during the replacement but its put me off...)
Spooky_b329 said:
My Z3 compact used to be waterproof and I used it several times under water, but it went back for a replacement button a while back and recently I dunked it to take a photo and within hours a dead strip appeared on the touch screen, and when plugging a jack into the headphone port results in the volume control fluctuating and music randomly pausing/starting etc.
There is a tiny, tiny chip on the rear screen which I assumed would mean Sony would reject any warranty claim, but having opened the phone, the chip was so tiny it was still outside/on the adhesive. Inside the phone there is no sign of water ingress, but for good measure its left open and sealed in a bag with large desiccant sachets for 72 hours, no improvement.
So, my dilemma is, if I reclose the phone with the replacement back cover I have from ReplaceBase, will Sony be any the wiser that its been cracked open?
(I could buy the LCD and digitiser for £70 but as the headphone port is a different component, I'm wary that this will not resolve the issues Also looking at 'spares or repair' phones on eBay, it seems plenty of them have replacement screens that have lifted or remain proud of the chassis...perhaps this is just lack of care during the replacement but its put me off...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you could probably have got away with sending it back with the screen chipped, it's just wear and tear, the issue was the waterproof feature had failed.
Now you've opened it I think it seems unlikely that you'll get it into a service centre unnoticed, but you won't know until you try. The obvious thing to do would be to put a genuine Sony back cover on the phone rather than a clone. If the service centre spot it then the worst thing that will happen is that they'll ask you for some horrendous amount of money to fix it, to which you'll decline, then they'll send it back.
It will cost you the postage to find out.
Otherwise there's dozens of how to videos on youtube and support from the threads here
Edit: a genuine Sony screen is expensive, but it comes with the double sided gasket that sticks the screen in place. This is the important part of the kit that makes sure it won't lift out. Sometimes it's worth paying the extra for original parts.
Very late update, tried it, it got repaired free and back very quickly, they even refitted the aftermarket rear cover!!
Sony's may be fragile, but my experience for two returns is very positive! Lesson - don't bother trying to fix it yourself until Sony have taken a look!
Spooky_b329 said:
Very late update, tried it, it got repaired free and back very quickly, they even refitted the aftermarket rear cover!!
Sony's may be fragile, but my experience for two returns is very positive! Lesson - don't bother trying to fix it yourself until Sony have taken a look!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What country?
bookworth said:
What country?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, would be helpful to know which country... as I am having a hard time with the UK repair people.
They received my phone on 16th Sept. Week later get notified its delayed due to awaiting part. And yet they keep saying the same story everytime I ask and that it is escalated to know why the delay. 5 days since escalation but their support yet gives the sad response of awaiting part.
It was the UK...in my case the fix was prompt. Got be honest, I'd be getting frustrated at that length of delay...
It went back in June so maybe things have changed
It finally left the repair centre on 10th Oct. Says screen and case replaced. Seems fine. KK or Marshmallow is the decision to make now

My Z3 compact screen is falling out

So I like just about everything about the Sony Z compact line of phones but durability wise I have been unlucky. My first Z3 compact died from water damage and my 2nd one has a screen that is ready to fall off the device.
I choose to buy a HTC U11 to replace my Z3 compact as I have never owned a HTC phone before and thought I would try something different.
What I would like to ask here though is it worth trying to fix the Z3 compact to sell or not?
The only way to protect this phone:
The phone bends 0.1mm causes the phone screen to start opening. So it's not suitable for jeans pockets.
I remedied this by using an anodized aluminium bumper and tempered glass both sides.
Sony does a very bad repair of it's phones, and the issues will return, and their parts are expensive.
It is better to do it yourself and use B7000 glue, use plenty, easily removable for future repairs, no heat, clothes pegs, wait 48 hours before removing pegs or turning on the phone. And look for the best grade of screen with frame, Sony uses two manufacturers for its screens.
My Z3C has a screen that is lifting. This thread and others seem to indicate that fixing the screen is not hard but hardware is not my thing at all...
Would a phone repair place (in a shopping centre) be able to do this kind of repair? Is the phone much different to other phones that people would take in for screen replacements?
I don't care about the loss of waterproofing. The screen isn't even falling out, just lifted in the corner. I don't want to send the phone anywhere and be without it, or have it come back changed in unexpected ways...
a1291762 said:
My Z3C has a screen that is lifting. This thread and others seem to indicate that fixing the screen is not hard but hardware is not my thing at all...
Would a phone repair place (in a shopping centre) be able to do this kind of repair? Is the phone much different to other phones that people would take in for screen replacements?
I don't care about the loss of waterproofing. The screen isn't even falling out, just lifted in the corner. I don't want to send the phone anywhere and be without it, or have it come back changed in unexpected ways...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Phone shops including Sony themselves have difficulty in repairing this particular phone, I think any phone shop can do this repair, but, they must use the B7000 glue or similar, or silicone, and not the red tape they usually use, it's useless, as this phone can heat up, or the blue z3c ready cut tape is not so good either. And if you get the wrong screen (clone), the colours will not be as good.
Many phone repairers have the clone screens that are thicker than the original.
The screen sometimes is actually bent, along with the body, check on a flat surface.
Always buy a good screen together attached with the body, and never by itself.
So armed with this knowledge and or hardware, you could go talk with a phone repairer... The first 3 times, shop, but maybe the fourth repair, try doing it yourself, it's as easy as opening a PC, just smaller, just follow z3c repair guides and youtube, when you're ready. When attempting to repair the phone, for the very first time, do it over hours, maybe over the weekend, and not one sitting.
If you start loosing patience, leave it for a while etc.
[emoji12]
I got so comfortable with opening my phone, I put extra 0.3mm copper plates on the processor and gpu with Cooler Master Extreme Fusion paste etc. Lol.
But it's good to have an already damaged motherboard to work on.
Z3C LOS Omni Oreo
My screen is still working fine. Just lifting.
I do have some old phones I could practice on, assuming they have the same glass sandwich construction.
I will go look for some videos...
a1291762 said:
My screen is still working fine. Just lifting.
I do have some old phones I could practice on, assuming they have the same glass sandwich construction.
I will go look for some videos...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
?
Z3C LOS Omni Oreo
I put up with my screen for a long time but eventually the glue gave out and I had no choice. It was good, then bad, but ultimately ok.
I didn't have any trouble taking the glass off the first time because the glue was barely hanging on. I had a look and noticed that the headphone jack's glue was also failing. Probably why it was becoming unreliable. I glued that and reseated the screen cable and it worked fine while sitting there so I glued everything on again.
It was a poor first attempt. I had both too much glue (blobs that leaked out) and not enough to actually seal around much of the screen. No problem. I took the glass off again and glued it again. This time I followed the instructions closer and glued the front screen before connecting the ribbon.
The second gluing was good but something with the ribbon was wrong because it only worked when I pressed on the lower part of the screen. Sigh.
Taking the glass off after a good glue was much harder. I finally got the spudger under the glass but I moved it sideways before removing the suction thing. It was too much pressure for the glass. The good news is that it was the rear glass and only the bottom half shattered. I got the rest off and started on the front.
Now that I knew to be more careful, I got the front off OK. Reseat. Test and working. I glued the front on first again, without disconnecting the cable. Tested and working. I glued the half back I had on (covers the camera).
Its working!
I use a case so the back isn't even a problem, but I ordered a new back from China (cheap). The headphone Jack seems better. I put a new screen protector on. In some ways the phone is rejuvenated.
I was apparently not careful enough when taking off the screen though. I appear to have some marks on my screen now. It's minor, probably won't notice during normal use, but there if you look.
I'm so glad to have my phone back. I've been using an iPhone for the last 3 weeks.
Thanks for the tips.
Edit: The hands free speaker works again too. Bonus

cracked screen

So the screen got cracked to many flat surface. Drops I think. But it also started getting pretty hot. Anyways I'm wanting to replace it. But not gonna send it in to repair it. Seen to many horror stories there weeks without a phone.
So has anyone replaced there screen? and the only place I can even find a replacement is alibaba. I am experienced in screen replacement. So it's crazy that only on alibaba can I find one. Any help would be great.
Screen is not hard to replace at all.
Nubia charges $119 when they got them in stock. Screen only.
Alibaba sells them for about $145 with the frame. Just get one with the frame for an even easyer install.
You will need a metal pry tool. Be very careful not to hit the antenna contacts on the bottom of the frame when prying. There is light adhesive but nothing to strong. It's a tight fit. Just make sure you don't scratch your frame or break any of the contacts. If you do just relax they can be replaced or just resoldered I fixed a few broken ones from people not looking at pictures prior to jamming a pry tool in.
I contacted them to see if they wanna partner with a repair shop my buddy owns here in Georgia and make him a us based authorized warranty repair center. He's got a bunch of certs but that would help cut down on repair times for them. I know his repairs are typically out within 24 hours of it coming in.
Ya Nubia doesn't have any screens available for sale. Contacting support they want 165 dollars. Plus the screen cost. I can do the repair. It's not hard. But was just wanting to order it to repair
Yeah just order it with the frame. It's not a hard fix at all.
So you transplant everything into the new frame? Battery and motherboard?

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