Sony Xperia Z Motherboard Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          30 - 35 minutes

Sections

Battery
7 steps
Camera
2 steps
Rear Facing Camera
1 step
Front Facing Camera
1 step
SIM Card
2 steps
Motherboard
4 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Battery

Turn hair dryer to medium heat.
Slowly move the hair dryer along the seams on the back of the phone. Keep the dryer a few inches away from the case.
Circulate the dryer for a full minute to soften the adhesive binding the phone together.

Turn hair dryer to medium heat.

Slowly move the hair dryer along the seams on the back of the phone. Keep the dryer a few inches away from the case.

Circulate the dryer for a full minute to soften the adhesive binding the phone together.

1024

Step 2

Once the adhesive is loosened, stick the suction cup to the top-center of the back of your phone and gently pull back.
Gently pull back just enough to create a small gap.

Once the adhesive is loosened, stick the suction cup to the top-center of the back of your phone and gently pull back.

Gently pull back just enough to create a small gap.

Step 3

Once you’ve opened a small space with the back cover, stick the plastic opening tool into the seam of the phone.
Move the tool along the seam to loosen the adhesive.

Once you’ve opened a small space with the back cover, stick the plastic opening tool into the seam of the phone.

Move the tool along the seam to loosen the adhesive.

Step 4

Caution: Pulling too vigorously or quickly on the suction cup could snap the back of the phone.
Once the adhesive has been adequately loosened, pull back slowly on the suction cup to remove the back panel of the phone.
The remaining adhesive should be strong enough to hold the phone together tightly upon reassembly. However, once opened the water resistance of your phone has been compromised.

Caution: Pulling too vigorously or quickly on the suction cup could snap the back of the phone.

Once the adhesive has been adequately loosened, pull back slowly on the suction cup to remove the back panel of the phone.

The remaining adhesive should be strong enough to hold the phone together tightly upon reassembly. However, once opened the water resistance of your phone has been compromised.

Step 5

Now that the back is removed, the battery is visible. You now have access to the battery and its connecting components.
With the plastic opening tool, gently remove the connector from the motherboard.
Use your fingers to peel the rest of the adhesive away from the phone.

Now that the back is removed, the battery is visible. You now have access to the battery and its connecting components.

With the plastic opening tool, gently remove the connector from the motherboard.

Use your fingers to peel the rest of the adhesive away from the phone.

Step 6

With the plastic opening tool, carefully peel the white adhesive tape up from the bottom of the battery.
Use your fingers to peel back the rest of the adhesive tape away from the battery.

With the plastic opening tool, carefully peel the white adhesive tape up from the bottom of the battery.

Use your fingers to peel back the rest of the adhesive tape away from the battery.

Step 7

Slide the spudger firmly along the right side of the battery, loosening the adhesive between the casing and battery.
Flex cables run vertically down the phone underneath the battery and can be damaged easily. Make sure to only place the spudger in the indicated area.
Insert the spudger in the bottom-center to further loosen the adhesive. Carefully separate the battery from the phone by sliding the spudger vertically underneath the battery and prying up. This may take some time and work as the adhesive is very strong.

Slide the spudger firmly along the right side of the battery, loosening the adhesive between the casing and battery.

Flex cables run vertically down the phone underneath the battery and can be damaged easily. Make sure to only place the spudger in the indicated area.

Insert the spudger in the bottom-center to further loosen the adhesive. Carefully separate the battery from the phone by sliding the spudger vertically underneath the battery and prying up. This may take some time and work as the adhesive is very strong.

Step 8

              Camera

Remove the one 3 mm screw with the Phillips #000 screwdriver. The screw is located at the top right corner of the motherboard. The motherboard is the green/silver circuit board at the top of the phone.

Remove the one 3 mm screw with the Phillips #000 screwdriver. The screw is located at the top right corner of the motherboard. The motherboard is the green/silver circuit board at the top of the phone.

Step 9

Using with the plastic opening tool, pry up firmly from the bottom and top of the plastic housing. The housing is black and located at the top right corner of the phone.
Release the charging cover, located on the right side of the phone at the top. This should cause the housing piece to pop out effortlessly.
Getting the black housing off of the phone can be tricky. Just keep prying and pulling up on the housing to get it out.

Using with the plastic opening tool, pry up firmly from the bottom and top of the plastic housing. The housing is black and located at the top right corner of the phone.

Release the charging cover, located on the right side of the phone at the top. This should cause the housing piece to pop out effortlessly.

Getting the black housing off of the phone can be tricky. Just keep prying and pulling up on the housing to get it out.

Step 10

              Rear Facing Camera

Do not remove all the copper tape. Only remove the copper tape attached to the silver part of the motherboard.
Release the copper tape located at the top middle of the phone with a plastic opening tool. This will take some force since the adhesive is rather strong.
With the plastic opening tool, release the pop connector, by lifting up to release it. The pop connector should still be attached to the copper tape.
Pull up gently on the copper tape and pop connector to remove the back camera. It should pop out easily.

Do not remove all the copper tape. Only remove the copper tape attached to the silver part of the motherboard.

Release the copper tape located at the top middle of the phone with a plastic opening tool. This will take some force since the adhesive is rather strong.

With the plastic opening tool, release the pop connector, by lifting up to release it. The pop connector should still be attached to the copper tape.

Pull up gently on the copper tape and pop connector to remove the back camera. It should pop out easily.

Step 11

              Front Facing Camera

With the plastic opening tool, gently pry the red tape away from motherboard. This pop connector is located at the top right corner of the phone.
Using your fingers, gently pull up on the pop connector to remove the front camera. The front camera piece should lift out effortlessly.

With the plastic opening tool, gently pry the red tape away from motherboard. This pop connector is located at the top right corner of the phone.

Using your fingers, gently pull up on the pop connector to remove the front camera. The front camera piece should lift out effortlessly.

Step 12

              SIM Card

The SIM card of the Xperia Z is located in the unlabeled slot above the power button.
Gently open the cover by pushing it to the left.
Some photos in this guide show the back cover of the phone removed. If you are only removing the SIM card, removing the case is not necessary.

The SIM card of the Xperia Z is located in the unlabeled slot above the power button.

Gently open the cover by pushing it to the left.

Some photos in this guide show the back cover of the phone removed. If you are only removing the SIM card, removing the case is not necessary.

Step 13

To avoid damage to the SIM card, be careful when removing and handling it.
Carefully pull the SIM card and SIM card tray out of the phone

To avoid damage to the SIM card, be careful when removing and handling it.

Carefully pull the SIM card and SIM card tray out of the phone

Step 14

              Motherboard

Remove the two 3mm Phillips #000 screws located at the middle left and lower right of motherboard.

Remove the two 3mm Phillips #000 screws located at the middle left and lower right of motherboard.

Step 15

Gently pry the three flex cables away from the motherboard. They are located on the bottom right, bottom left, and top left corners of the motherboard.
Leave the three flex cable flaps up and away from the motherboard. Be careful not to tear the flex cables.

Gently pry the three flex cables away from the motherboard. They are located on the bottom right, bottom left, and top left corners of the motherboard.

Leave the three flex cable flaps up and away from the motherboard. Be careful not to tear the flex cables.

Step 16

With the plastic opening tool pry up the antenna located at the bottom right of the motherboard.
Leave the antenna up and away from the motherboard.

With the plastic opening tool pry up the antenna located at the bottom right of the motherboard.

Leave the antenna up and away from the motherboard.

Step 17

With the plastic opening tool, firmly pry the motherboard up out of the phone case. Pry from the right side of the motherboard where the back camera was previously located.
Firmly lift the section up where the silver part of the motherboard comes to the edge of the green base board.
The motherboard has a lot of adhesive connecting it to the phone, so it will require some force to remove it.

With the plastic opening tool, firmly pry the motherboard up out of the phone case. Pry from the right side of the motherboard where the back camera was previously located.

Firmly lift the section up where the silver part of the motherboard comes to the edge of the green base board.

The motherboard has a lot of adhesive connecting it to the phone, so it will require some force to remove it.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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                    Emily Holland

Member since: 02/02/2014

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                                            25 Guides authored

cwhittingham60 - Jun 3, 2015

Where can you get a motherboard from need on asap

cashish00 - Oct 28, 2015

what is on the back glass panel Wight chip (inner part )

i broke 1 of 2 pins connecting 2 them is it necessary

can i repair it,,?

phil no - Feb 22, 2016

the “white chip” is the nfc antenna, and no its not required for the device to function unless you desire a working nfc device..

i would also like to know where to purchase a master logic board for the c6603 xperia z

sunnybhambra - Apr 29, 2016

My xperia has wrong negtive postive cnection while charging and now device is not power on and apso not charging can you help me to repair it what is the salution

Eric Wong - Dec 5, 2016

Do I need to reinstall the operating system after replacing the motherboard? And how to install?

Featured Student Guide#

Introduction#

What you need#

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Featured Student Guide

Introduction

What you need

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