Does Broken Lock Switch Cable Affect Sound?

iPod model: 2005 5.5 Generation A1136 Classic (Model MA444LL)

I bought this iPod used from a hock shop 12 years ago, and have only used it to play MP3’s in my car. About 18 months ago it started acting up and eventually would not respond when I attached it to my PC (Itunes). So from online troubleshooting I decided to install a new battery first.

When I had it apart and went to pull up the battery it wasn’t moving. Ended up with some sort of pry tool and it finally popped up. There was some transparent sticky crap under it as if someone had glued the battery down. And there was also the smallest ribbon cable I’ve yet seen under the battery that connects to the Hold Switch. This cable broke when the sticky crap on the battery lifted it up as well.

Instead of a proper repair, I just butted the ribbon cable ends against each other and that adhesive still in the case seemed to be holding them in place. After the new battery was installed and it was back together it turned right on. That didn’t last long though. Within a month it was no longer turning on as usual when I started the car. I suspected it must have something to do with that broken ribbon cable, and just left it in the car until 3 days ago when I wanted my MP3 tunes working again.

When I had it apart this second time, I noticed that the broken ribbon cable ends were not butted up against each other, so this time as I was holding them as best I could I put a drop of clear glue at the joint, and held them for quite a while. After testing for movement and found none, I added a small piece of tape on top. When I put it back together it started right up to the menu screen and all my tunes were still on the HD.

So then I decided I should probably give it a good charge and plugged it into a wall charger. (I’m not very experienced with iPods). After a few minutes it dawned on me that I didn’t even try to look at a battery indicator. After I hit the center select button it turned on again and the battery icon was solid green with a little 2 prong plug in the middle of it, which the docs say indicates a fully charged battery. Cool.

So now I go to plug it into my computer and use Itunes to add newly collected songs. It won’t turn on. (tried several USB ports that I know are good) Windows and Itunes won’t detect the added device. After unplugging it from the computer, it won’t turn on as it had right after I reassembled it. Plugged it back into the wall charger and it turns on again. I can also start playing a song, even though I can’t hear a thing in the ear buds (which I had previously never attached). While on the wall charger I also got into the settings and adjusted the date/time, but the next time I turned it on the setting reverted back to Jan. 1st 2000.

After leaving it on the wall charger all night, I took it out to my car. Had to hold the select button for probably 5 seconds and it turned on, but it wouldn’t come up as a device on the stereo control as normal. I went through the menu on the Ipod again and started playing a song, but it shut down instantly after trying this a few times.

So now I need an iPod guru to suggest what I need to check next, and maybe fix this thing.

Does the small broken ribbon cable matter at all since it’s only connected to that Lock switch? (the lock switch seems to be working fine).

Since it won’t hold time/date setting, does this mean the battery is dead even though the icon display says it’s full?

Do iPods need to have a battery in them at all if they’re constantly hooked up to a USB Audio/power source?

****************************************************************************************

UPDATE: I have now installed a new battery, and I was immediately able to turn the Ipod on, connect to my PC, and add new tunes collected over the past 2 years.

Everything seemed to be going great until I tried listening to any music. No sound after using ear buds, or plugging the Ipod into my car. On the screen a song is playing, and the volume is turned up. Also, as I recall long ago there was a clicking sound when moving my thumb over the selection wheel, which is silent now as well.

After reading various online posts, and trying to apply pressure to the lower Rt. corner of the device nothing helped.

The lock switch no longer seems to be working as I can access the controls no matter which position the switch in at.

Does that broken Lock Switch cable also prevent all sounds from working?

Thanks,

Wolf