Fairphone 3 display malfunction - not usable anymore

The display of my Fairphone 3 has a malfunction after a fall from a height of about 50cm (bumper was attached) and it continued to work properly for about 20 minutes. The issue manifests itself in coloured stripes and pixels. The phone still reacts to touch when the interference is weaker and you can recognize something, but it also recognizes touches where there are none. The display can still be switched on and off. Due to the lack of display control, the Fairphone can’t be turned off. I have never opened the Fairphone before, it is only a few weeks old. But now I’ve opened it in the hope that it’s a contact error that I can fix by reassembling it. However, the fault has not improved, even after cleaning the contacts. I would be very grateful about help to solve this issue at home because sending it back might be problematic these days. This is a photo of my lockscreen with the issue:
2020-03-29

Under normal circumstances, I would suggest to – if possible – get in touch with another Fairphone 3 owner to swap displays in order to make sure this is definitely a display malfunction (and not core module). However, it seems quite likely to me that the display itself is the most likely cause of this here. You will probably need to order a new display in Fairphone’s spare parts shop:

https://shop.fairphone.com/en/spare-parts

2 Likes

Bummer. Just use warranty and use your spare phone(which you should have).

p.s. looks like bumpers do not help much. My philosophy in life is if protection is not sufficient don’t use it altogether, good thing I took it off first day. Yea I’m one of those kooks who don’t wear a helmet when cycling in traffic (only when mountain biking).

Do you think it is still in-warranty although I dropped it?

Good question. I think the fact that the screen has not shattered is a proof that the fall was not serious. These things happen. The screen going faulty after the impact without visible damage is really a sign of an inferior design.

I have FP3 but I’m not afraid of criticising it, I’m not biased in any way. One thing is ethics another thing is quality which should be fair as this is not charity, if we’re trying to create a revolution here the subpar quality will not do it justice.

This is my opinion. You can try voice it to the fairphone team and see what they decide in your particular case.

p.s. It’s a good thing you have posted here, if more people will have same issue, then it would be obvious the phone has a flaw in design.

Hey Anni_N
How did the issue get resolved? I have the same issue and I’m wondering whether a new screen will do the trick or whether the problem lies deeper.
Did your phone work again afterwards? Did you get warranty?
Best
Thomas

@thomi92
I’m surprised at the responses above, but they are a bit old:) as I have noticed other responses that suggest the contacts have become slightly moved and a reassembly may sort it. I will try and find posts to that effect and get back here.

UPDATE: Please see

and

1 Like

Hi thomi92,

after some calls with the support center, I was told to send in my phone and they said they would check if they could repair it within warranty or not. If it is in warranty, they said, they’ll just repair it and send it back and otherwise they would send me the cost and ask if I would like to have it repaired or the display module exchanged by a new one for a certain price. I waited for some time and got it back with a new display module without paying anything so they seem to have found a reason to repair it in warranty.

Hope it helps.
Best regards
Anni

3 Likes

Thanks the two of you. Unfortunately the recommendations did not help with my phone. I submitted a ticket with Fairphone support. Let’s see what they say.

1 Like

Hello,

I had had a simular Problem but with another Pattern on the display caused bei the fether-contacts between mainboard and display. Solution:
Follow

to step 5
On the tird picture the fether-contacts are markes red. Above an below the fether-contacts at the display there are two little cylinders to put the screws in.
I took a file an made them smaler, just so much, that the black lack disapears. I held it upside down while doing this, so the little metal-pieces would not fall inside.
My theorie:
When these little cylinders are al little bit to high the fether-contacts between display an mainboard have no propper contact even more when its warm. So you it helps to bow an press but my solution seems to be more long lasting.
I don’t give any guarantees, I apologize for my poor english and whish evereyone success.
(Its the firs time in my live that I add a solution to a formum. I’m a little bit proud.)
Yours Uniquehorn

  • oben
3 Likes

Welcome to the forum and thanks for your insight :slight_smile: