Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

23

Time Required

                          1 - 2 hours

Sections

6

  • Back Cover
  • 6 steps
  • Motherboard Cover
  • 4 steps
  • Battery Disconnect
  • 1 step
  • Loudspeaker
  • 3 steps
  • Daughterboard Removal
  • 6 steps
  • Vibration Motor
  • 3 steps

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  • BackMotorola Moto G Play (2021)

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Introduction

Note: Additional adhesive may be required to install a new vibration motor.

What you need

Step 1

              Heat the left edge
  • Discharge your battery to 25% or lower and power off your phone before you begin.
  • Heat an iOpener and apply it to the left edge of the cover for two minutes.
  • A hair dryer or heat gun may also be used, but be careful not to overheat the phone—the display and internal battery are both susceptible to heat damage.

Discharge your battery to 25% or lower and power off your phone before you begin.

Heat an iOpener and apply it to the left edge of the cover for two minutes.

A hair dryer or heat gun may also be used, but be careful not to overheat the phone—the display and internal battery are both susceptible to heat damage.

1024

Step 2

              Insert an opening pick
  • Apply a suction cup to the back cover, as close to the center of the left edge as possible.
  • Pull up on the suction cup with strong, steady force to create a gap between the cover and the frame.
  • Insert an opening pick into the gap.

Apply a suction cup to the back cover, as close to the center of the left edge as possible.

Pull up on the suction cup with strong, steady force to create a gap between the cover and the frame.

Insert an opening pick into the gap.

Step 3

              Slice the right adhesive
  • Slide your opening pick back and forth along the left edge to slice through the adhesive.
  • Leave the pick in at the bottom left corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Slide your opening pick back and forth along the left edge to slice through the adhesive.

Leave the pick in at the bottom left corner to prevent the adhesive from resealing.

Step 4

              Slice the bottom adhesive
  • Insert and slide a second opening pick to the bottom right corner to slice through the adhesive.
  • Leave the pick inserted to prevent the bottom edge from resealing.
  • Repeat this process for the right and top edges of the cover.

Insert and slide a second opening pick to the bottom right corner to slice through the adhesive.

Leave the pick inserted to prevent the bottom edge from resealing.

Repeat this process for the right and top edges of the cover.

Step 5

              Dislodge the fingerprint reader
  • The fingerprint reader is connected to the motherboard by a fragile cable. You must free it before pulling the cover off.
  • Grab and lift the bottom edge of the cover.
  • As you lift the back cover, press and unstick the fingerprint reader from it.

The fingerprint reader is connected to the motherboard by a fragile cable. You must free it before pulling the cover off.

Grab and lift the bottom edge of the cover.

As you lift the back cover, press and unstick the fingerprint reader from it.

Step 6

              Remove the back cover
  • Grab and remove the back cover.
  • If your back cover is still sticking to the frame, slide the pick around the edges of the phone to slice through any remaining adhesive.
  • Reassembly notes:
  • This is a good point to test your phone before sealing it up. Follow this guide to perform a hardware test. Be sure to power your phone back down completely before you continue working.
  • To adhere the back cover with custom-cut adhesives, follow this guide.
  • To adhere the back cover with tape, follow this guide.

Grab and remove the back cover.

If your back cover is still sticking to the frame, slide the pick around the edges of the phone to slice through any remaining adhesive.

Reassembly notes:

This is a good point to test your phone before sealing it up. Follow this guide to perform a hardware test. Be sure to power your phone back down completely before you continue working.

To adhere the back cover with custom-cut adhesives, follow this guide.

To adhere the back cover with tape, follow this guide.

Step 7

              Reposition the fingerprint reader
  • Flip the fingerprint reader to the left, away from the phone.
  • Don’t fold or sharply bend the ribbon cable.

Flip the fingerprint reader to the left, away from the phone.

Don’t fold or sharply bend the ribbon cable.

Step 8

              Unfasten the motherboard cover
  • Use your Phillips screwdriver to remove the twelve 3.9 mm-long screws securing the motherboard cover.

Use your Phillips screwdriver to remove the twelve 3.9 mm-long screws securing the motherboard cover.

Step 9

              Pry the motherboard cover
  • Insert the pointed end of a spudger between the bottom right corner of the motherboard cover and the frame.
  • Pry the cover upward until you can grab it with your fingers.

Insert the pointed end of a spudger between the bottom right corner of the motherboard cover and the frame.

Pry the cover upward until you can grab it with your fingers.

Step 10

              Remove the motherboard cover
  • Grab the bottom edge of the motherboard cover and remove it from the frame.

Grab the bottom edge of the motherboard cover and remove it from the frame.

Step 11

              Disconnect the battery
  • Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the battery’s press connector.
  • To re-attach press connectors, carefully align and press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Don’t press down on the middle. If the connector is misaligned, the pins can bend and cause permanent damage.

Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the battery’s press connector.

To re-attach press connectors, carefully align and press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Don’t press down on the middle. If the connector is misaligned, the pins can bend and cause permanent damage.

Step 12

              Unfasten the loudspeaker
  • Use your Phillips screwdriver to remove the eight 3.8 mm-long screws securing the loudspeaker.

Use your Phillips screwdriver to remove the eight 3.8 mm-long screws securing the loudspeaker.

Step 13

              Pry the loudspeaker
  • Insert your spudger between the top right corner of the loudspeaker and the frame.
  • Pry up to release the loudspeaker.

Insert your spudger between the top right corner of the loudspeaker and the frame.

Pry up to release the loudspeaker.

Step 14

              Remove the loudspeaker
  • Grab the loudspeaker with your fingers and remove it.

Grab the loudspeaker with your fingers and remove it.

Step 15

              Disconnect the board cable
  • Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the board cable’s press connector.
  • To re-attach press connectors, carefully align and press down on one side until it clicks into place, then repeat on the other side. Don’t press down on the middle. If the connector is misaligned, the pins can bend and cause permanent damage.

Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the board cable’s press connector.

Step 16

              Disconnect the antenna cables
  • Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the gray antenna cable.
  • Pry on only the metal head of the connector. Avoid lifting the cable itself as much as possible.
  • Free the cable from the retaining clip.
  • During reassembly, these can be tricky to reconnect. Hold the connector in place over its socket and press down with the flat end of a spudger. The connector should snap into place.
  • During reassembly, be sure to secure the cable to the clip in the daughterboard.

Use the pointed end of your spudger to pry and disconnect the gray antenna cable.

Pry on only the metal head of the connector. Avoid lifting the cable itself as much as possible.

Free the cable from the retaining clip.

During reassembly, these can be tricky to reconnect. Hold the connector in place over its socket and press down with the flat end of a spudger. The connector should snap into place.

During reassembly, be sure to secure the cable to the clip in the daughterboard.

Step 17

  • Repeat the previous step for the black antenna cable.

Repeat the previous step for the black antenna cable.

Step 18

              Unfasten the daughterboard
  • Use your Phillips screwdriver to remove the 2.5 mm-long screw securing the daughterboard.

Use your Phillips screwdriver to remove the 2.5 mm-long screw securing the daughterboard.

Step 19

              Reposition the antenna cables
  • Move the black and gray antenna cables away from the daughterboard.

Move the black and gray antenna cables away from the daughterboard.

Step 20

              Remove the daughterboard
  • Grip the top edge of the daughterboard.
  • Lift and remove the daughterboard from its recess.
  • Be sure not to catch on any loose cables.

Grip the top edge of the daughterboard.

Lift and remove the daughterboard from its recess.

Be sure not to catch on any loose cables.

Step 21

              Soften the adhesive
  • Apply highly-concentrated isopropyl alcohol (over 90%) to the vibration motor’s flex cable.
  • Alternatively, use a heated iOpener, hair dryer, or heat gun to soften the adhesive.
  • Use caution to not overheat the battery or surrounding components.

Apply highly-concentrated isopropyl alcohol (over 90%) to the vibration motor’s flex cable.

Alternatively, use a heated iOpener, hair dryer, or heat gun to soften the adhesive.

Use caution to not overheat the battery or surrounding components.

Step 22

              Reposition the vibration motor
  • Insert the point of your spudger between the motor counterweight and the frame.
  • Pry the motor out of its recess and flip it over.
  • Don’t fold the flex cable.

Insert the point of your spudger between the motor counterweight and the frame.

Pry the motor out of its recess and flip it over.

Don’t fold the flex cable.

Step 23

              Remove the vibration motor
  • The vibration motor’s flex cable is very fragile. Work slowly to prevent tearing the cable.
  • Use tweezers to grab and peel the base of the flex cable from the frame.
  • If the cable feels stuck or re-adheres, apply more isopropyl alcohol or heat.
  • Remove the vibration motor from the frame.

The vibration motor’s flex cable is very fragile. Work slowly to prevent tearing the cable.

Use tweezers to grab and peel the base of the flex cable from the frame.

If the cable feels stuck or re-adheres, apply more isopropyl alcohol or heat.

Remove the vibration motor from the frame.

Compare your new replacement part to the original part—be sure to transfer remaining components and remove adhesive backings from the new part before installing.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Answers community for help.

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Author

                    Clay Eickemeyer

Member since: 09/19/2022

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