[keptin]

As an out of warranty Bold 9000 owner suffering from the dreaded dead or dying speakphone and mute/unlock button, I've had to do my fair share of janky fixes to finally come to lasting solutions that I'd like to share since I still see recent posts about these problems. Note: I'm currently using 5.0.0.681, which has been great aside from the non-optional use of the mute button to unlock the phone from standby as with all of the v5.0 software I've used.

Speakerphone fix: I first removed the back cover and gently pulled the gray plate [which houses the LED-flash] up a bit while playing music to restore the volume to normal levels. Then, to keep the back cover of the phone from depressing the plate, I cut and stacked squares of a vinyl sticker (any bumper sticker will do) and layered them around the plate as seen below. This has lasted longer than any of the other suggested fixes to date. Ghetto mod, but it works.


Mute Button fix: I found some desperate fixes from people that disassembled the button, cleaned it and re-soldered it. Apparently, the contacts inside the button can get corroded and make bad contact. I ended up taking the phone apart and using a drop of a mil-spec avionics penetrating lubricant called ACF-50.

Wham bam boom. The button is now fully functional with every click. Unfortunately, ACF-50 isn't exactly a store brand. I'm not sure what a good comparable product would be since ACF-50 is designed to be safe for microelectronics & PCBs and WD-40 and such is not, but it's worth giving it a go with something if your next step is buying a new phone or even worse, downgrading to v4.0 *gasp*. Maybe someone will chime in with a more available electronics-safe anti-corrosion suggestion. Please note: disassembling your phone will void the warranty and should only be done as an out-of-warranty repair, otherwise, return your phone for a replacement.

Good luck Bold 9000 owners, keep those phones alive!

[lukynk2bb]

Originally Posted by keptin

As an out of warranty Bold 9000 owner suffering from the dreaded dead or dying speakphone and mute/unlock button, I've had to do my fair share of janky fixes to finally come to lasting solutions that I'd like to share since I still see recent posts about these problems. Note: I'm currently using 5.0.0.681, which has been great aside from the non-optional use of the mute button to unlock the phone from standby as with all of the v5.0 software I've used.

Speakerphone fix: I first removed the back cover and gently pulled the gray plate [which houses the LED-flash] up a bit while playing music to restore the volume to normal levels. Then, to keep the back cover of the phone from depressing the plate, I cut and stacked squares of a vinyl sticker (any bumper sticker will do) and layered them around the plate as seen below. This has lasted longer than any of the other suggested fixes to date. Ghetto mod, but it works.


Mute Button fix: I found some desperate fixes from people that disassembled the button, cleaned it and re-soldered it. Apparently, the contacts inside the button can get corroded and make bad contact. I ended up taking the phone apart and using a drop of a mil-spec avionics penetrating lubricant called ACF-50.

Wham bam boom. The button is now fully functional with every click. Unfortunately, ACF-50 isn't exactly a store brand. I'm not sure what a good comparable product would be since ACF-50 is designed to be safe for microelectronics & PCBs and WD-40 and such is not, but it's worth giving it a go with something if your next step is buying a new phone or even worse, downgrading to v4.0 *gasp*. Maybe someone will chime in with a more available electronics-safe anti-corrosion suggestion. Please note: disassembling your phone will void the warranty and should only be done as an out-of-warranty repair, otherwise, return your phone for a replacement.

Good luck Bold 9000 owners, keep those phones alive!

nice, thanks for your post, I had problem with speakerphone, I have fixed it, now I would like to fix the mute button problem some other way than taking the phone apart like you ( I am not so good in handy things and I am affraid that I wont take my blackberry back

[keptin]

If your mute button suddenly stopped working, it may be a software issue and you could try to pull the battery and reset the phone. If it's intermittently functioning, then you may have the corrosion problem that seems to be fairly common on the Bold 9000.

If your button contacts are corroded and you can't return the phone for a replacement, then you have a few options: Live with the problem; downgrade to OS v4.x; pay for an out of warranty repair; buy a new phone; or attempt to repair it yourself.

[omkhar]

Originally Posted by keptin

If your button contacts are corroded and you can't return the phone for a replacement, then you have a few options: Live with the problem; downgrade to OS v4.x; pay for an out of warranty repair; buy a new phone; or attempt to repair it yourself.

How would downgrading to OS v4x fix a corroded contact?

[keptin]

Originally Posted by omkhar

How would downgrading to OS v4x fix a corroded contact?

It wouldn't, but it would alleviate the problem by returning the "unlock from standby" to * + Call keys instead of using the mute key. In the year I had my phone I don't think I used the mute key once, then OS v5.x came around.

[omkhar]

Originally Posted by keptin

It wouldn't, but it would alleviate the problem by returning the "unlock from standby" to * + Call keys instead of using the mute key. In the year I had my phone I don't think I used the mute key once, then OS v5.x came around.

I see, thanks

[360Challenge]

Did you re-solder the contacts before or after using ACF-50?

[NavFargozi]

My mute key just died too (slowly over 2 weeks). I never used it until the 5.0 update as well. what i did to fix it was I set up a password. you dont need to hit the Mute key to get to the password screen. try this.. its a bit of an annoyance but better than disecting your BB.

[palomartian]

Originally Posted by keptin

It wouldn't, but it would alleviate the problem by returning the "unlock from standby" to * + Call keys instead of using the mute key. In the year I had my phone I don't think I used the mute key once, then OS v5.x came around.

5.0.0.411 and earlier versions of 5.0 will do this as well.

[joshn2255]

Thanks!!..i fixed it with ur help.