Crud! My headphone jack stopped working!

[SallyC]

The phone wasn't dropped or anything - the headphone jack just stopped working. I've tried three different ones and the sound comes out the speaker no matter what. I've also rebooted and tried turning it off and then on with the phones in - no joy.

So I guess my next step is the dreaded factory reset, after I get done with a backup, unless anyone has other ideas? I've looked in there and don't see anything unusual.

I'm wondering if this is the kind of thing that they will replace the phone over too. It seems like it should be covered as the warranty says "against defects in materials and workmanship, under normal consumer use.."

But I'd really rather just have it start working again.

 

[greeky510]

Sally, did you try cleaning any lint that might have gotten in there? I had the same issue and I used an insulated paperclip to fish the lint out.

 

[SallyC]

Sally, did you try cleaning any lint that might have gotten in there? I had the same issue and I used an insulated paperclip to fish the lint out.

Hmm, I just looked down there with a flashlight and it's got a white bottom. I don't know if that's normal, as I've not inspected it before, but you might be on to something. I think rather than trying to insulate a paperclip and see if I can dig it out (with my luck, I'd jam it in), I'll email my husband about it. He has a lot of nifty tool toys and I think this is just the sort of thing he'd love to take a crack at!

Thanks for the suggestion, greeky510. I'll let you know how it works out and hold off on the reset for now.

 

[FoxKat]

Hmm, I just looked down there with a flashlight and it's got a white bottom. I don't know if that's normal, as I've not inspected it before, but you might be on to something. I think rather than trying to insulate a paperclip and see if I can dig it out (with my luck, I'd jam it in), I'll email my husband about it. He has a lot of nifty tool toys and I think this is just the sort of thing he'd love to take a crack at!

Thanks for the suggestion, greeky510. I'll let you know how it works out and hold off on the reset for now.

SallyC, from what I know, the contacts are only electrical contacts and not also switches as most other headphone contacts are. When you insert the plug in, the phone actually detects a change in the resistance between the contacts due to the headphone speaker coils, and electronically changes from internal speaker to the jack for output.

If the plug is dirty, it may not make a good electrical contact and may not trigger the change-over. You may first wish to clean the plug with a solvent that leaves no residue. Denatured alcohol is good, contact cleaner is best. You can also safely spray contact cleaner into the jack., but when you do go with very short bursts and while the phone is upside down, jack facing the floor.

I would normally warn against inserting anything other than the headphone plug into the jack since the contacts are very small, short, rather weak, and spring loaded. Any tiny amount of excess pressure or off-angle pressure could bend the contacts or reduce the spring of the contacts and reduce their effectiveness.

As you know, the issues you are experiencing can unfortunately also be due to software problems but before going the route of factory reset I'd try the cleaning.

Just for your benefit, I looked into my jack and it's black at the bottom.


Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

 

[SallyC]

SallyC, from what I know, the contacts are only electrical contacts and not also switches as most other headphone contacts are. When you insert the plug in, the phone actually detects a change in the resistance between the contacts due to the headphone speaker coils, and electronically changes from internal speaker to the jack for output.

If the plug is dirty, it may not make a good electrical contact and may not trigger the change-over. You may first wish to clean the plug with a solvent that leaves no residue. Denatured alcohol is good, contact cleaner is best. You can also safely spray contact cleaner into the jack., but when you do go with very short bursts and while the phone is upside down, jack facing the floor.

I would normally warn against inserting anything other than the headphone plug into the jack since the contacts are very small, short, rather weak, and spring loaded. Any tiny amount of excess pressure or off-angle pressure could bend the contacts or reduce the spring of the contacts and reduce their effectiveness.

As you know, the issues you are experiencing can unfortunately also be due to software problems but before going the route of factory reset I'd try the cleaning.

Just for your benefit, I looked into my jack and it's black at the bottom.


Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

Thanks, FoxKat. I read this to my husband and he says we do have some cleaner so we will definitely try that. Thanks for looking in yours - since it's black, I'd say it looks like I have something in there. Now it's just a matter of fishing it out.

 

[SallyC]

:icon_ lala:WOOT!!!! It's fixed!!!:icon_ lala:

Thanks so much for your help and ideas! You were right, greeky510, it was a piece of lint or something! My husband took an extremely fine drill bit (hand held, not in a drill :icon_eek and twirled it gently to get it out. It just sort of wrapped around it I guess. What a relief!

View attachment 48279When something is wrong with my Razr, something is wrong with me!View attachment 48279

 

[FoxKat]

:icon_ lala:WOOT!!!! It's fixed!!!:icon_ lala:

Thanks so much for your help and ideas! You were right, greeky510, it was a piece of lint or something! My husband took an extremely fine drill bit (hand held, not in a drill :icon_eek and twirled it gently to get it out. It just sort of wrapped around it I guess. What a relief!

View attachment 48279When something is wrong with my Razr, something is wrong with me!View attachment 48279

So the white at the bottom revealed the issue! Great! I am glad that your husband with nerves of steel (and a very good bit of common sense) was able to accomplish this task. Truth be known, I was already sure he could, but my warnings were more for the general population o).

I hope this success story helps others, but of course, credit goes to greeky510... Three cheers for the the Hellenes!!! :icon_ banana::icon_ banana::icon_ banana:

 

[SallyC]

So the white at the bottom revealed the issue! Great! I am glad that your husband with nerves of steel (and a very good bit of common sense) was able to accomplish this task. Truth be known, I was already sure he could, but my warnings were more for the general population o).

I hope this success story helps others, but of course, credit goes to greeky510... Three cheers for the the Hellenes!!! :icon_ banana::icon_ banana::icon_ banana:

When I called and read him your description of the headset jack he said it sounds like the same sort of connectors in an electric guitar jack and also didn't like the idea of sticking something down there like a paperclip. It could either ram it in like a muzzle loader or maybe damage the sensitive components, as you said. His twirling drill bit was perfect! Sort of acts like a roto rooter - grabbed it and twirled it right up where he could lift the drill bit and bring the lint with it.

Thanks to greeky510 for the lint idea and to you for telling me your headset jack was black. Then I knew I'd managed to get some pocket litter in there.

If someone else has this problem, I would definitely recommend this approach - but with a cautious and light touch.

 

[greeky510]

:icon_ lala:WOOT!!!! It's fixed!!!:icon_ lala:

Thanks so much for your help and ideas! You were right, greeky510, it was a piece of lint or something! My husband took an extremely fine drill bit (hand held, not in a drill :icon_eek and twirled it gently to get it out. It just sort of wrapped around it I guess. What a relief!

View attachment 48279When something is wrong with my Razr, something is wrong with me!View attachment 48279

I'm glad it worked :biggrin:

 

[bateradrums]

Eureka!!!

I'm glad it worked :biggrin:

:biggrin: EXCELLENT!
Thanks in my name too!! I just followed your threads and the fix worked for my RAZOR too!!!
All The Best!!

 

[mapd00d]

hmm, it happened to me twice. manufacturer warranty covered it both times.

glad to hear you found an easier resolution.

 

[robert0]

Hi, I've got the same issue on my RAZR MAXX after only 3 days of using. It sounds so strange to me it could be lint as the phone is brand new. BTW I'd follow your suggestion but I don't understand exactly what a drill bit is. Can you explain me better?
Sorry for my english.

EDIT:
Solved!!! Thanks a lot for you help.
It was black at the bottom but, using a toothpick, I managed to remove the lint and now the earphone works again.
I'll use a cap to avoid the same problem in the future.
Thanks again

Rob

 

[SallyC]

Glad it's fixed!

A drill is a type of tool ( http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drill ) and a bit is a thin piece of metal that it uses to do its work.

The cap is a good idea. Glad it's working now.

 

[bateradrums]

Cap for headphone jack

Hi, I've got the same issue on my RAZR MAXX after only 3 days of using. It sounds so strange to me it could be lint as the phone is brand new. BTW I'd follow your suggestion but I don't understand exactly what a drill bit is. Can you explain me better?
Sorry for my english.

EDIT:
Solved!!! Thanks a lot for you help.
It was black at the bottom but, using a toothpick, I managed to remove the lint and now the earphone works again.
I'll use a cap to avoid the same problem in the future.
Thanks again

Rob

Your English is pretty good!
Just my curiosity, what are you going to use to cap the jack hole? I need to cap my one too and I don't want to use tape.
Take Care

 

[robert0]

Just my curiosity, what are you going to use to cap the jack hole? I need to cap my one too and I don't want to use tape.

Actually I don't know. A simple rubber cup should be too much easy to lose when you remove it to use the earphone... I'm wondering if it's not better to remove lint whenever it goes inside...