Motorola Moto G 3rd Generation SIM/SD Card PCB Replacement

Written By: James Copeland

Comments: 27

Motorola Moto G 3rd Generation SIM/SD Card PCB Replacement

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

1 hour

Introduction

This guide will show you how to replace the SIM/SD card reader of your Motorola Moto G 3rd Generation. Replacing this part requires disassembling much of the phone.

Tools

Step 1

Use your fingernail to pry under the notch on the bottom of the phone and remove the back cover.
Make sure to fully power off the phone before you begin disassembly.

This repair is much, much more difficult than it appears. The LCD connection and the battery connection are borderline impossible. Everything else is simple or nearly simple. The glue is about a tenth as tough as Samsung phones.

Thomas Hayes - 15/08/20

Step 2

Use a heat gun or an iOpener as a heating tool. This guide explains how to use the iOpener.
Evenly apply heat to the edges of the touchscreen to loosen the adhesive. Continue to Step 3 once the edge of the screen is warm to the touch.
Do not let the iOpener/heat gun remain on one spot for too long. Excess heat can damage the phone.
When reassembling the phone, use the iOpener/heat gun to help the adhesive fuse to the new screen. Heat the screen edges, apply pressure to the screen, and hold the screen in place until it is secure.

I kept my phone on the radiator for 10min and loosened it enough to open (felt safer than a heat gun).

Stephen Hodge - 13/02/19

Step 3

As the adhesive loosens, pry up an edge of the screen with a plastic opening tool or an opening pick. A suction cup may also be useful here.
Use an opening pick to hold that edge in place and continue this process around the entire screen, applying more heat as necessary.
Avoid damaging the LCD screen connector while prying along the screen edges. It is located on the left edge of the phone, across from the volume controls.
During reassembly, new adhesive may need to be applied over the old adhesive to properly secure the screen.

You may need to remove the mouthpiece and earpiece gauzes from the screen to fit to the replacement screen

Mark - 24/05/16

Be careful not to damage the adhesive tape on the old screen as you may need to reuse it along with the two gauzes on the replacement screen

bee - 19/01/17

which adhesive tape?

MotoG Fan - 05/02/17

What width of adhesive is appropriate to buy to replace the existing one? I can see 1mm, 2mm etc for sale

Avi Silver - 24/01/17

The width of the adhesive tape that goes around the rim is 2mm. But rather than buying generic 2mm tape, which won't seal well at the corners because it would be bent pretty sharply, it's best to get a precut adhesive that is made for this specific phone and that comes with the corners (and everything else) already pre-shaped: it's cut into a phone-shaped sheet, most of which you'll be discarding. Such sheets are available on ebay.

Norman Yarvin - 24/07/17

I did not need to use any new adhesive strips to get my screen securely back in place. After placing the screen back, just heat the edges of the phone as before and press tightly (though not too hard, of course) until cooled.

mkonings - 29/07/17

I would suggest that there is NO need for screen and MB removal on this phone as the charging port and assembly come out as one piece after removing screws and applying gentle heat to soften the adhesive holding the port in place.

Pete B - 05/01/21

Step 4

Use a plastic opening tool to flip up the lock on the display cable ZIF connector.
Pull the display cable from its socket on the motherboard.
When installing a new display, carefully remove all remaining adhesive from the phone, and clean the adhered areas with isopropyl alcohol (90% or greater) and a lint-free cloth. Install the display using pre-cut adhesive or a strong double-sided tape such as Tesa 61395. Turn your phone on and test your repair before sealing the display in place.

This part was actually the trickiest of the whole (replacing battery) process. Putting it back together here is tough… well would have been better had I not left my glasses in work.

Stephen Hodge - 13/02/19

[English below]

Wer das Gerät während des Displaywechsels eingeschaltet lässt, sollte es dennoch einmal neustarten, wenn es fest verklebt wurde. Wie ich auf die harte Tour herausfand, kalibriert sich der Annäherungssensor erst bei einem Neustart neu und geht nach einem Wechsel (Display abgenommen = niedrigerer Wert) davon aus, dass das Handy dauerhaft in der Tasche/am Ohr ist.

Ein kurzer Neustart verschafft Abhilfe.

[English]

For those not powering off the device while changing the display (i.e. to test the functionality) I recommend to restart the device after the repair is done and the display is glued in.

As I found out the hard way, the proximity sensor recalibrates at the restart and without the display it sets lower values as a minimum (since there are no obstacles in the way). After the display change it will think that the phone is in your pocket or at your ear all the time.

A restart solves that problem.

SchattengestaIt - 21/12/19

I am using a Moto G3 phone as my backup phone and it’s screen is cracked but it is working fine. After watching your video I removed the screen carefully, bought a new digitized screen and fixed it. Now I am in a big trouble because the touch pad doesn't work. Even I couldn't switch off it. I complained the seller and he gave me another screen thinking the previous is having an issue. Unfortunately after fixing it the problem remains. How to solve the touch pad issue please?

globalcomkandy - 15/05/20

I agree this is extremely tough, to take off or put on. Taking it off is hard enough ( the lever is tiny and opens up). Connecting it back up is tough because the position is so awkward.

Thomas Hayes - 15/08/20

Step 5

Remove the ten 2.4 mm T4 screws from the sides of the motherboard.
Remove the four 4.5 mm T4 screws from the top and bottom of the motherboard.

Can you telll motherboard price and like plzzz

Sandy Santhosh - 19/07/17

These are T5 screws

geoffakien - 13/10/18

They were all T4 for me.

Eric Harrison - 09/04/21

Step 6

If adhesive residue is holding the motherboard in place, use a Jimmy to cut the adhesive between the motherboard and the back of the phone.
Carefully lift the right edge of the motherboard from the phone.
Avoid pulling on the battery wires, which connect the left underside of the motherboard to the battery.

When taken battery out I took it out wrong and now the new battery plugging into old area is not possible is there a repair part where the battery connects to the logic board Mahalo.

jeremy roberts - 12/04/19

Step 7

Use a plastic opening tool to disconnect the battery wires from the motherboard.

troquei a bateria e o cellular não liga mais..

biankasa79 - 10/05/20

Replacing this battery connection is the single hardest connection I have done on any phone or laptop in my experience! The border walls break very easily and the connection itself breaks off the board very easily. I am still not sure how to slide the plug into place without breaking off a border wall.

Thomas Hayes - 15/08/20

Yup, this is where it ended for me. I appears some connectors broke of (I’d say 1/2 mm by 1/2mm small) which I have nor tools nor knowledge to repair. I did have to use some force to get break the connection but I think I was well within margins. (This was the first phone I tried to repair however)

Roelof Pieter - 12/12/20

Step 8

Remove the three 2.4 mm T4 screws from the right side and bottom of the SIM/SD card panel.

Step 9

Pry off the SIM/SD card panel using a plastic opening tool.
There may be adhesive securing the SIM/SD card panel to the motherboard. Exercise caution when prying it off.
Replace the adhesive when inserting a new card panel.