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Repair information, troubleshooting tips, and guides for the sixth iteration of Apple iPhone, announced on September 12, 2012. Model: A1428, A1429

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No SIM card after waterdamage

Hello,

I dropped my iPhone 5 in the toilet one month ago, picked it up after ½second = water damaged.

Everything works, the sound, the screen, the wifi.. you name it. Except that it cannot see my SIM card and it always keeps on searching even though my SIM card is not in. Therefore cannot make any calls or use 3G. (I tested the SIM card in another phone, and it works perfectly.)

I tried to contact an iPhone repair shop in Copenhagen without succes, and no places cover for water damaged iPhone so my last hope is here.

Im pretty sure is the logic board that is broken somewhere, but I have no idea how to fix it.

If someone here will be able to help me (and other with the same problem) I would be really happy!

Thanks,

Emil

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No SIM After Water dimage.

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Hi Emil,

Thanks for your email.

Your troubleshooting looks like this:

  1. All water damage phones must be cleaned with isopropanol and get a new battery before anything else. Ideally, desolder the EMI shields, clean with ultrasonic cleaner, spot clean with brush. Assuming you've done the best you can on this, then if still a problem...
  2. Connect to WiFi and make sure time/date is current. Toggle airplane mode off/on--this will solve a software problem when phone is searching after battery connect/disconnect due to wrong time/date. If not solved
  3. Check in settings--general to see if phone is showing you its IMEI---if not, then you have a baseband problem....this is a board-level repair that requires desoldering of the SIM tray itself, and then a lot of time testing individual components for loss of continuity/shorts that are part of baseband circuit. (I did one like this and the phone looked pristing after the water damage, but there was still dried coffee when I desoldered the SIM card tray).

Good luck, and post here with your update

jessa

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Thanks Jessa!

1) I got it cleaned by a iphone repair shop here in Copenhagen (For free, I think he felt sorry for me).. is it important to change battery, and why?

2) I tried the airplane mode, and it does not help.

3) Its not showing any IMEI number, so it should be a basebandt problem.

How do I test the different components for loss of continuity/shorts? Im good at computers, and normally I can fix stuff, but iPhone is a complex phone with small components...

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If it shows no IMEI then you have a logic board failure probably due to corrosion under the SIM tray. this requires micro soldering, so it is probably the end of the line for DIY. You could try to desolder the SIM tray and look for corrosion, but it is pretty specialized since the connector is made of plastic.

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Hi Jessa, my iPhone have same problem, similar story as above, but phone is showing IMIE number, please tell next steps to follow

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Something that works for some is heating the logic board alone in an oven at ~180 degrees C (~356 Fahrenheit). No guarantees, and might destroy it can't promise but thought I might mention what works on other forums. I personally dont want to risk it, but its up to you.

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I'm having the same problem just mines shows no network or carrier it show a iem number

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the problem is logig board broken

its tinnny spring wire is water damaged and wire lusted and then disconnect

u need micro scope and soldering system if u wanna fix this problem

not easy fix by ordinary people

iphone 4s and 4 and 5, most located near by bottom side on logic board..

its blue coil tinny u need hot air blower for fix this..

i fixed this prob 2 times..

more details on youtube.. u find it out i don't know..

thks

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My phone just fell into water about 3 hrs ago . It works just fine but it keep reading no sims card I put it in rice so it can dry out still saying the same thing google the problem came on here and saw this comment did what he said (I used a blow dryer) and now it works perfectly fine thank you so much

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Hi there right ok usually when a iPhone says searching and SIM card is out the time and date need to be correct but in the case of water damage then it's unsure what componants the motherboard has damaged there's a woman on here that specialises in board repairs that might give you more info her name is Jessabethany

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I just wrote her an email, hoping that she can help me with my problem.

Thanks for the advice!

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You just can't buy a logic board nobody just sells them..

You will need to buy another phone and take the board from that if you wanted one

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What's her email my phone is doing the same thing and was she able to help

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send me the email address, i have issues with searching & no service, even with no sim. It was working until update. Also water damaged.

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I damaged my I phone in water. Everything working except it's searching for network so I can't make calls. Everything else is ok ie date, Bluetooth apps etc.

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If you disconnected the battery the time and date will go to 1970 and sim card function will not work, it's worth checking

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I am having a similar issue with an IPhone 5s. The only difference is that my phone IS showing the IMEI address. Says no sim even when there is one in place but everything else works fine.

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sim try has been rust n need clean by tooth brush and careful every answer is right. but , beginner is can't do nothing for above ,this is solution for, cleaning sim card tray inside, if u hav micro scope or magifier, u can see inside clean up and fallow above answer.. good luck

another one , keep searching siganl? wifi signal diode was damage or broken its located need by battery connection area.. iphone 4,4s, 5,5s..

good luck

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Hi,

Same problem here, I took it to the Iphone shop in Manchesterand they said the cable that connects to the SIM card holder has corroded and there was no point in fixing it.

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Hi , I droped my iPhone5 in the toliet and after that it just says searching ,then the other day it started working it worked till the next morning and i turned my phone off and it stopped working .... please help!

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I dropped beer on my iPhone -_-'

By the time I realised it and lifted it up, I saw the screen discolouring from the top right corner.

The geek in me reacted even after 5 beers down and I powered it down.

Then I washed the beer off, dried it using a towel and then using a blow dryer.

After I powered it on everything worked until this morning!!

It show "No Sim" even when there is one inside!

I have removed the sim and blow dried it for 4 minutes with baking gloves on!

Its cooling down now.

Let's see if it worked...

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Well, so I repeated the blow drying and cooling thrice now. Takes about 30 minutes for one drying-cooling round. Then I start the phone with the sim inside. Seems like the sim connection is back!! And the discolouration on the edge of the screen reduces in size every time I repeat one round of drying-cooling. I'm really amazed at the resilience of the electronics they've used to make the phone.

Next I'm planning to charge the phone - something I'm really nervous about. Let's see what happens...

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My I phone5s is sim not valid

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Hi,

My partners phone got wet running in the rain. Everything still works except for cannot find the sim / network, just says searching. Date and time are correct. Flight mode didn't fix it. And imei is displaying in settings. Any idea if it is likely to work with more time to dry out (been 48 hours) or what it's likely to be? It's a new phone

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And if not then a recommendation for an affordable reputable repairer would be appreciated

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My son had his in his pocket when he jumped in the pool. He realized what he had done and got back out quickly. The case was water resistant but the rubber charge port protector had tore off. I left the phone in rice while I waited for tools and a battery I had ordered. At this point the phone would only turn hooked to the charger, but eventually quit completely. I replaced the battery but while it worked fine as an iPod it had no IMIE and no Simm card response. I took it back apart, took out the battery, and sprayed the top of the logic board including the Simm tray. I then sprayed in the Simm tray opening. You should use a dedicated cleaner that's safe for sensitive electronics and any plastics it contacts. I used Blue Works industrial grade contact cleaner. The phone is now 100 percent operational with all the missing parameters such as IMIE showing . This procedure rids the contacts of all the chlorine and any other solids in the water. It worked for me.

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I just had the same problem with my iPhone 7. I went to the beach and got wet and when i got home my phone said no SIM. I simply removed the sim tray and used a hand dryer to blow heat into the SIM port for 5 min. I inserted the SIM back and turned on the phone and voila … the SIM is working again. So happy

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I had same problem. Dropped iPhone 6 in very small puddle. Was wonky for bit but worked then stopped. Said No SIM. Used blow dryer on SIM port for five minutes. Works again!

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Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I had barely gotten mine wet in a kayak. But mine did the same —- wasn’t reading SIM. I removed my case and noticed some water, but found it really strange that it could have gotten wet inside at all . (iphone XR ) . But after spending 2.5 hours on chat with Sprint to no avail while they continued to try to send my phone updates, I removed my SIM tray/card out all day and did blow dryer a few minutes as some suggested, and just now tried card again. It works! With mine IMEI was still showing, and wifi was working still. But I’m so grateful that it has service now. Thank you!

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Emil will be eternally grateful.
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