Anybody else get a faulty call mic?

[BAMM]

I've had my Xperia Ion for about 3 months now or since it released in the U.S., and so far it's been an awesome phone EXCEPT for the actual "phone" capabilities just until recently. Whenever I am on the phone with people now, my mic muffles, decreases the volume, or totally mutes audio on the other end of the call, so no one can really understand me, unless I'm on speaker phone which even sometimes doesnt work unless I speak really loudly and I can't always do that because I'm in college and often times in public. Was wondering if any of the other Xperia Ion owners experienced this and if you have, were you able to remedy it yourself?

I asked Sony Support about this and they said I would need to send it in for repair. I really want to avoid this because there would be just TOO many settings, backgrounds, apps, and app settings to readjust if I sent my phone in and got it formatted and repaired. If I do unfortuantly have to do this, how can I smoothly and most efficiently backup my phone's internal contents? And also how do I go about sending my phone into Sony?

[1sonicsfan]

I am on my second xperia ION and both of the ions that i have had the mic has conked out after about 3 months. I am just glad to see that it is not just me. Everytime i call the tech support people they act like it must be user error. I tried re-pluging the sim card ro no avail. At this point i am beyond frustrated. I love the phone, its just when the mic doesn't work it really isn't a phone, its just a speaker.

[error303]

Easiest way to check if its your mic or not is to enter the service menu by entering *#*#7378423#*#* in your keypad and running the primary microphone check. When I did that my primary mic was clearly garbled and almost entirely silent, while the secondary mic (i.e. speakerphone) worked just fine.

I was just really annoyed at Sony's decision to make me ship them my phone at my own cost, take two weeks to repair it, and send it back, while AT&T literally sent me a new phone via FedEx overnight with a return package, shipment already paid.

AT&Ts customer service on this was wonderful and while the mic problem was annoying, I really do love the phone itself and hope this doesn't happen again. I feel like Sony's RMA process lags far behind what AT&T did for me, or what Apple has done for me on previous iPhones.

[Joeynator321]

Hi, this is my second ion. The first one the actual external speaker went out and I went into Sony Store in Beverly Center (Los Angeles) and they replaced it with this one. Ive had it for a good 2 months now and a week ago the mic that calls out is not working. Well now I am in Florida and there is not a local Sony Store in my area where they can just swap it out... Please let me know if there is any other way to fix this problem besides sending it out for the warranty. Because one, I would hate to pay for something that was not my fault and two, I would not like to be without my phone for 2-3 weeks. 😞 HELP!!!

[leonapuli87]

quick fix? not really a fix but you can pick up a headset. but, that'll only help pick up your voice during a call but not for video recording.

to really fix it without waiting for shipping and repair, you have to have tools to open up the phone. it is really a simple fix. don't need to disconnect anything. just need to removed the backplate to access the area around the microphone array on the bottom of the phone (follow the microphone hole from the outside). if memory serves, i believe the gasket responsible is at the bottom of the backplate you have to remove. usually the gasket keeps the array from moving, covers up the hole to the array (looks like a stack of small, thin sheet metal). others have said you can toss that gasket, but static noise gets picked up a lot more than usual, especially if your moving. you can use an adhesive to glue the gasket back on to the backplate. just make sure the glue can handle high heat temps so it doesn't move that gasket again.

[Joeynator321]

Okay, I have an iPhone head set that seems to be able to pick up my calling voice.

As far as the bottom of the phone, what tools do you recommend using to open it??? Or how even? Its easy for me to open the top where the sim goes, but I seem to be having trouble pressing and pushing out the bottom plate.

So basically find the gasket (the stack of thin metal sheets) and glue it back on to the plate? Im thinking time, temp and movement most likely knocked it off the balance and now the sound is muffled?

THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH Leona... I will try tomorrow and see if it works!!! YOU ARE A GODSEND!

:smileylaugh::smileyhappy::smileygrin:

[leonapuli87]

the bottom trim is easiest to take off from the camera button side and try to flip it open like the hdmi/charging port cover.

peel off the product sticker.

off the top of my head, i believe it just need torx bits and philips bits. i don't remember the sizes. torx use a T3? and the philips is think is a #1 or #0? don't quote me on the bit sizes.

just take off the screws under the top and bottom trims, there are also side screws under those trims.

the backplate should come off easily. becareful, the side buttons and covers might come off. just remember to put them back if they do drop off during removal.

at the bottom of the backplate, that you just removed, is where the hole for the microphone from the outside ports to the microphone array on the mainboard.

do not over torque the screws when putting everything back together. you will damage, or increase the amount of microphone feedback/static noise, the microphone array if the screws are tightened too much.

the ion is an lte phone so it can run hot, especially if it spends quite a lot of time in our pockets. my guess is that original adhesive for the gasket failed and moved it just enough to cover up most of the microphone port to the array.

i used a headset in the beginning to deal with the microphone problem, but didn't work all the time because i would forget to bring my headset with me always. also, found out that even with the headset on, it would not record audio for video recording or taking audio notes. it only worked for calls.

since no real guide is out there to breakdown this phone for repairs, had to go in blind and take it step by step. when i realized everything i needed to "adjust" was on the back of the backplate, it was pretty simple. probably opened up the phone almost half a dozen times in an hour, testing it after i put everything back then adjusting it.

others say you can just throw away that gasket but i personally say to put the gasket back. i had less hardware interference with the gasket back on than with the gasket off. this is also when i found out about over tightening the screws.

good luck to you.

[Joeynator321]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Ive been busy with Mardi Gras season, so i have not have time to fix it yet... Once I get back from New Orleans I will do it and post on my results! You have been extremely helpful... does doing this tamper with the warranty at all? Thanks again!

[leonapuli87]

taking anything apart voids the any warranty. just try not to tear the sticker under the bottom trim when removing it and try to put it back the same way. so if you bring it your phone, comestically, it'll look like you didn't open it up.

[Joeynator321]

Hey Leona! GREAT NEWS!!! I took the back panel off and did it very carefully so I didnt rip the sticker or anything. I was unable to locate the gasket but it didnt matter because I used the microphone tester without the back on and it worked!!! So I screwed the back panel on to see if it would work with it on and it did! So now it is put back together and looks just as good as new and i also tested it and everything is great again!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH! you are a lifesaver... there was no way I would have survived without my phone for 2-3 weeks and It was getting very cumbersome using the headphone...

LOVE MY SONY XPERIA ION! CANT WAIT FOR TEH XPERIA Z!!!

:smileyhappy::smileylaugh::smileywink::smileygrin::smileycool:

[ashmeet_908]

Hey guys, here is what I did on my Xperia Ion. Thanks to Leonapuli87 for this, I couldnt have done it alone! I found there are RUBBER gaskets about 3x4mm behind the mic opening and mesh screen, visible slightly when u remove the lower plastic trim, and another above the mic on the mainboard inside. The sound is reflected 90 degrees down through a box onto the mic which is soldered the board. The first gasket forms a seal with the outer opening and sound box. The second gasket form a seal between sound box and mic. The second inner gasket had gotten in the way and when I pried it with a s*rew driver and adjusted it, it worked fine! To know that this is the cause type this code *#*#7378423#*#* using the onscreen numpad on the phone, enter service tests, test the primary and secondary mic. Try blowing air into the opening or using a hair drier (not directly at the phone at full, hot blast) to see if the mic registers at least some noise. Then open it, try it again. If the sound increases noticeably, then your mic is fine and the gaskets need to be adjusted. Read the above posts on how to open your phone, but also be sure watch a video online BEFORE you do this, and have Torx T3 and philips 00 s*rewdrivers handy. Pry open the lower plastic trim by inserting your nail from the camera button side and flipping it open. Do not use a s*rew driver on the metal bezel you might end up scratching ur phone. Do not apply pressure on the bezel you will dent the paint. Be sure to remove your sim card before proceeding with the next step! It might get in the way and cause accidental restarts as comes and goes out of contact. In the same way pry open the back plate. There is a lock above the camera. Insert a s*rew driver abover and to  side of the camera and and push forward and out. Same for the other side. Use s*rew driver to remove the the plastic underneath the backplate by inserting it at strategic points where you fit the s*rew driver and pry it open. Remember the speaker is attached to this plastic, and so is the vibation motor so u wont be able to test the mic. Test it after removing the metal backplate. Mine worked immediately after removing it buit i still needed to adust the gaskets. Put everything back together carefully, esp the power/lock button, u might need to keep adjusting it as you it back together to ensure a snug fit. Again, Thanks to Leonapuli87 for helping me fix my phone!