Lightning port too loose?

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iPhone 7 Plus

Released September 16, 2016. Models A1661, A1784, and A1785. Available in 32, 128, or 256 GB configurations in Rose gold, gold, silver, black, jet black, and (Product)Red.

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scottbernardis @scottbernardis

Rep: 388

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Posted: 03/27/2018

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Lightning port too loose?

Looking for suggestions or similar symptoms to diagnose.

Lightning cables will just not stay in this phone if either is even shifted to the slightest. Unscientific measure; I used to be able to pick up the dropped phone by the cord alone without disconnect. Now ANY pull or pressure and the cord comes out. I don't see any debris in port, but my eyes aren't perfect. I can't tell if there are pressure levers or contacts that I see inside on left and right, and maybe one is bad?

YES, it still connects to laptop.

YES, it still charges fine.

YES, i tried original cable.

YES, i tried a NEW original cable.

YES, the cables 'pop' in/ fully seat.

NO, there is no case.

YES, i tried with a passthrough case.

help?

Answered! View the answer I have this problem too

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Worked for me. Thank you. I found that the lightning port was about 25% packed with lint. Pulled it out and now it works.

12/10/2018 by Tim Stander

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Prateek Kalra @prateek89

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Posted: 10/24/2018

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Okay, I had been facing the same issue since the past couple of months with my more than 2 yrs old 6s. Today, just moments back & out of curiosity & boredom combined, I took a tooth pick & started scraping the inside of the phone’s charging port. To my surprise, a shitload of debris started dropping out. After about some ten minutes of ‘not so careful’ scraping, the port looked clean. Post which I checked for charging, & the “lose port” problem disappeared. Contrary to my belief as per which, more the debris inside the port, tighter should the connection with the cable upon plugging in become, cleaning gave that rock solid port-cable grip back. Apparently, the base of the port starts getting deposited with debris, & hence, the cable does not fully go in, which results in a fragile connection. Do give it a shot!

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I will try on my iPhone 4. this sounds logical

11/13/2018 by anniebnutz61

I thought I posted this myself long ago, but I was wrong. I scoped it, no dirt. I brushed it, no dirt, i aircanned, no dirt. Then one day a massive hunk of micro-debris, pitch black, came out on its own. I had checked for exactly this and never saw it. 3 pickings and 2 phones later, same method fixed all. Not sure what tool i would recommend to do this. do they still make those flat wooden toothpicks (NOT round)? plastic floss stick?

12/03/2018 by scottbernardis

Yes ! this worked

12/05/2018 by Andrew Jones

Worked for me. Thank you. I found that the lightning port was about 25% packed with lint. Pulled it out and now it works.

12/10/2018 by Tim Stander

Just tried this. Worked like a charm!

January 4 by bonayemi

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Worked for me. Thank you. I found that the lightning port was about 25% packed with lint. Pulled it out and now it works. — Tim Stander
I thought I posted this myself long ago, but I was wrong. I scoped it, no dirt. I brushed it, no dirt, i aircanned, no dirt. Then one day a massive hunk of micro-debris, pitch black, came out on its own. I had checked for exactly this and never saw it. 3 pickings and 2 phones later, same method fixed all. Not sure what tool i would recommend to do this. do they still make those flat wooden toothpicks (NOT round)? plastic floss stick? — scottbernardis
Worked for me. Thank you. I found that the lightning port was about 25% packed with lint. Pulled it out and now it works. — Tim Stander

score 2 · Answer 1 · 2018-03-27T09:16:04-07:00

Minho @refectio

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Refectio - Micro-Soldering & Data Recovery

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Posted: 03/27/2018

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The Lightning connector should fully insert into the dock. Only then will the side clips hold the connector in. If the connector isn't fully inserting, then there is definitely some debris in there. You will need to use a flashlight and some magnification to get a proper look.

The other possibility is that if the Lightning cable is not an Apple original cable, it may have just softened up and become damaged over time.

Otherwise, you could consider replacing the dock. It is a fairly straightforward repair and you could even test the strength of the connection before installing it in the phone.

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This is a manufacturing design fault with these new design blade charging cables. We never had the issues with the old design as the pin type was the best and solid design that you could not open the port hold. This new blade charging tip has no support or guide to ensure you place the charging blade in straight. So over time the blade is actually opening the hole until it’s so large it is impossible to charge. I have now a 6plus iPhone that will not charge due to the hole is to big and now a 7plus the same it’s only a year old.

It stinks that we have to pay for replacing the charging ports on iPhones when these should be a life time workable item. If not then don’t build phones!!

07/21/2018 by Antonio

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Tim Stander @timstander Rep: 25 2 · Answer 2 · 2018-12-10T08:10:52-07:00

Tim Stander @timstander

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Posted: 12/10/2018

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This is what I removed from the lightning port (not the dime)

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Scott Rep: 7k 14 13 1 · Answer 3 · 2018-03-27T10:04:12-07:00

Scott

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id start with a dental pick or needle point tweezers, in order to pick out poket lint, which is the number one cause of this. (taking it to a repair shop, they will charge a benching fee for some time, and do it properly.)

further down the road, if picking out the lint doesnt fix the issue you would need to look into the quality of the cable, and replacing the component.

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rex.vk3pk Rep: 1 · Answer 4 · 2018-12-13T01:15:40-07:00

IMHO after 50 years of being involved with electronics, the lightning port is not a really good design in the service for which it is intended.

- picking up fluff/grit and hiding it (yes I have had this)

- very little tension on the eight very small contacts

-quite large forces can be applied to the contacts in the charging port by the connector being pushed up & down or from side to side, damaging the innards of the port.

-leads are replaced by after market leads which may not meet the mechanical requirements causing insufficient contact tension ( some after market leads that I have had, have little or no gold plating)

All this will lead to non charging and or the “may not be supported” message.

Solutions.

Do NOT buy the cheapest replacement leads. They will fail early & give you nothing but trouble.

Do NOT put pressure on the leads. Preferably do NOT use the phone when you are charging it.

See if some enterprising manufacturer in China will come up with a after marked rubber bung that blocks the charging port when not in use.

If a new, good brand replacement still gives you a problem, change the charging port (easy & not expensive if you do it yourself).

Lee

Good advice, always stick to reputable brand leads that have the MFi certification which is the made for iPhone iPad iPod logo certification on the packaging of the charging cable.

These cables have gone through testing through apple and have the proper surge protection unlike the aftermarket cheap charging leads which can damage your phone as they don't provide protection against power surges which happens a lot with car chargers. — Ben

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