Fix for Failing / Nonworking Keys - Tilt (HW)

[Candanga]

I was looking this morning for a solution for those keys that would require a higher level of pressure in order for them to work (Hardware issue, not ROM-related), and all of them will point me to buy a new keyboard.

So after reading numerous threads I read this phrase "use it or lose it", and it gave me an idea... I decided to EXTRA-USE IT lol :p

Try this:

- open word or one-note or w/e and start pressing the key LIKE HELL (probably some dozen times), pretty fast, not so hard, repeatedly and without harming the phone (make sure you feel its reaching the "end").

- then press the key and move it in circles, like if you were rubbing it against the KB contacts.

If it works for you, you will see the results right away in the screen.

Ive tried this on two Tilts already and seems to work. I don't know if its a temporary fix or if its definite, I just know for sure it works in my case :D

My wild guess is that by doing this you clean the contacts of the aluminum pads, making them work properly. I live in a very humid country (about 90% RH) and next to the ocean, so I guess this would contribute more to the development of this failure.

*NOTE: Please if you have spilled anything over your phone, don't expect this to work as good as if u haven't :)

[BrokenPixel]

I had problems with my U and C key which it was a pain when entering a number u know U is 2 and well it made the whole experience longer and frustrating. after doing this trick (using a chopstick) my c and u keys work perfect... Now I can resume my mobile life... good luck to anyone else! and thanks Candanga!

[spaul]

Thanks for the trick! I'm going to try it if I have problems.

[Aftashok]

good fix man....i've got it to work with all of my keys EXCEPT for the down arrow/PgDn button....but i had been having problems with my u, p, i, s, and v keys, and using ur "fix" they work like new again.....

living in Louisiana, its probably also the humidity affecting my keys....thanks!

[burtcom]

Good method -- thought I wander how long it will last :)

If your phone is out-of-warranty, and your feel adventurous (and want to run the risk of damaging the phone) you might consider taking the keyboard apart and carefully cleaning with some diluted isopropyl alcohol. This would likely give you a long-lasting result, though of course you risk damaging the phone, yada yada.

Another thing to consider is my patented what-the-hell-it-might-work method. WARNING I have not tried this on a Kaiser, it is based on something I did with an older device with a keyboard. (NEC MobilePro 780)

AS USUAL, DO AT YOUR OWN RISK

Turn the phone off by holding down the power button. remove the battery, sim card, storage card, etc. Put some DILUTED isopropyl alcohol in a small spray bottle, then spray it onto the keyboard. (I'd protect the screen and the rest of the phone as much as possible.) Let the alcohol pool up and get into the cracks of the keyboard. Wipe away the excess with a paper towel, then proceed to work each key much as described in previous post.

When you've had it, just let the phone sit for at least 24 hours so the alcohol evaporates completely. Replace the battery etc and see if it will start up, then test the keyboard

WARNING, the alcohol may damage the electronics, mar the finish of the plastic, etc. USE the 70% stuff, NOT the 90%

[motocrossmann]

+1! Good advice. Worked for me.

[bennyzhou]

it really works on my Australian TYTN II

[down1nit]

it really works on my Australian TYTN II

Confirmed on my Tilt I got from a San Francisco ATT store. Jeez. Nice.

I have always hated my G key. I use it plenty, but not often like an a or an e key, often enough that it's always on my mind, the anger that I will have to hit that stupid g key harder because it thinks it's special

No more. It works great. It's not special. I still hate it though, simply because I've always hated it.

Boycott G

[Kai920]

Works great, thanks Candanga! My "s" key was not working unless I pressed it with force, now with your simple fix it's back to normal again.

PS. I too live in a humid environment.

[chuyin_mxli]

Well, this is my first post and hopes this help to the community that has problems while using the Keyboard.

This is my story. I bought a Tilt on ebay and after trying using it some keys did not work correctly. In order to use the keyboard I use a combination of the on screen keyboard and the keyboard. Then I ask myself, why am I doing this? Why am I needed to use a combination of the keyboard? :rolleyes:

Time ago I work in a company that assembly Cellular, so I know the process and when a problem with the keyboard happen most of the time was because dust or fingerprint on the contacts while trying to assemble it.

What I did to solve the problem on my Kaiser was to do a deep clean of the keyboard. I follow the instruction of how to disassembly the phone [/URL]in order to take out the keyboard. Then I put the keyboard in an ultrasonic cleaner with alcohol for 10min. After that I reassembly the phone and try. But guess what, the keyboard gets worst, :eek: before that, there were a couple of keys that did not works but after clean it or try to clean it there were like 10 keys that did not work. Oh... dam it. :mad:

It could not be like this. I decide to give it a second chance to fix it but I did it in a different way. :rolleyes:

The first thing I did was to remove the keypad. It was not so hard because the gum was kind of weak because the alcohol I use with the ultrasonic.

G:\Desktop\Kaiser Phone\Keyboard\DSC00006.JPG

G:\Desktop\Kaiser Phone\Keyboard\DSC00005.JPG


Second, I removed the contact pad with small tweezers being careful to not damage the contact pads.

G:\Desktop\Kaiser Phone\Keyboard\DSC00003.JPG
G:\Desktop\Kaiser Phone\Keyboard\DSC00002.JPG

After letting naked the keyboard I realized that the gum used to stick the contact pads were spread on the flex board and that was the reason of the hard keys or problematic keys.

Third, What I did was to clean the flex board and the contact pad perfectly with alcohol and swaps being careful of clean each contact.

G:\Desktop\Kaiser Phone\Keyboard\DSC00001.JPG


Then I stick the contact pads again to the flex board and checking that it was aligned perfectly.

And last, Stick the keyboard.



Since 4 weeks I have been using the keyboard without problems. :D

My experience is that was not needed to disassemble the phone, just only disassembly the keyboard and clean the contacts.

[Al3xxxinho]

I was looking this morning for a solution for those keys that would require a higher level of pressure in order for them to work (Hardware issue, not ROM-related), and all of them will point me to buy a new keyboard.

So after reading numerous threads I read this phrase "use it or lose it", and it gave me an idea... I decided to EXTRA-USE IT lol :p

Try this:

- open word or one-note or w/e and start pressing the key LIKE HELL (probably some dozen times), pretty fast, not so hard, repeatedly and without harming the phone (make sure you feel its reaching the "end").

- then press the key and move it in circles, like if you were rubbing it against the KB contacts.

If it works for you, you will see the results right away in the screen.

Ive tried this on two Tilts already and seems to work. I don't know if its a temporary fix or if its definite, I just know for sure it works in my case :D

My wild guess is that by doing this you clean the contacts of the aluminum pads, making them work properly. I live in a very humid country (about 90% RH) and next to the ocean, so I guess this would contribute more to the development of this failure.

*NOTE: Please if you have spilled anything over your phone, don't expect this to work as good as if u haven't :)

worked for me :D :D :D

[TiltAtt]

My down arrow was not working. Searching on the web, I got a link for this and I pressed the keys two dozen times before it worked! Thanks!

[dangerzone]

totally works as advertised!

I used the eraser-end of a pencil to do the pushing, and the results are fantastic!