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My daughter dropped her iPhone 5s into the toilet. We pulled it out and read how to properly dry it. The instructions said to open the device to pat out water with soft cloth. In opening the case the touch ID cable separated. I have read many questions about replacing this with a new cable (which doesn’t work) but I don’t know if I can put it back together. Does the separation of the cable amount to breaking it? If I don’t put the cable back together will the only feature I lose be the touch sensor?
Hello, TOUCH ID: The Touch ID cable starts at the Home Button, on the back and bottom of the screen. If it broke there, you’ll have to replace it to restore Home Button function, but Touch ID function will be lost. The cable plugs in the bottom end of the phone, into the “charging dock / lightning assembly.” At this point, the connector is covered by a small metal clip that helps hold the cable in place. If the Touch ID cable separated at this point, it is not broken. You can plug it back in. LIQUID DAMAGE: However, the Touch ID cable should be the least of your concerns right now. You have to unplug the battery, and preferably send it out to someone who can perform professional liquid damage treatment, which basically amount to the following:
- Remove the shields from the iPhone logic board;
- Displace the water and residue with isopropyl alcohol (rinse and brush with IPA; that’s a minimum);
- Better yet: clean the board in an pro ultrasonic cleaner then rinse in IPA.
- Dry, install in the phone, and test. Further steps could be required such as reflowing/re-soldering components, reballing chips, etc. At this point the repair cost becomes high and could easily exceed the value of the used phone. Also, all cables that connect to the board should be examined at the tip of the cables for corrosion; they also need to be rinsed with IPA and cleaned if needed.
