Nintendo Dsi Upper Lcd Speakers Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Very difficult

Steps

Time Required

                          1 - 2 hours

Sections

Battery
2 steps
Lower Case Assembly
4 steps
Wi-Fi Board
2 steps
Motherboard
7 steps
Lower LCD Assembly
1 step
Upper LCD/Speakers
16 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Battery

Unscrew the two Phillips screws securing the battery cover to the lower case.
The screws remain captive to the battery cover.
Grasp the battery cover and lift out of the lower case.

Unscrew the two Phillips screws securing the battery cover to the lower case.

The screws remain captive to the battery cover.

Grasp the battery cover and lift out of the lower case.

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Step 2

Wedge the edge of a spudger in between the top of the battery and its lower case housing and pry upwards to dislodge the battery.
Grasp the battery and remove it from the DSi.

Wedge the edge of a spudger in between the top of the battery and its lower case housing and pry upwards to dislodge the battery.

Grasp the battery and remove it from the DSi.

Step 3

              Lower Case Assembly

Two screws are hidden underneath two rubber feet highlighted in red.
Use the tip of a spudger to pry the rubber feet out of the lower case.

Two screws are hidden underneath two rubber feet highlighted in red.

Use the tip of a spudger to pry the rubber feet out of the lower case.

Step 4

Remove the following screws securing the lower case to the body of the DSi:
Six 5.2 mm Phillips #00 screws.
One 2.7 mm Phillips #00 screw.

Remove the following screws securing the lower case to the body of the DSi:

Six 5.2 mm Phillips #00 screws.

One 2.7 mm Phillips #00 screw.

Step 5

Insert the spudger in between the lower casing and lower panel near the top right corner of the DSi.
Carefully run the spudger along the edge of the outer casing, creating an opening between the body and the casing.
Continue running the spudger around the body of the DSi until the majority of the lower case has been separated.

Insert the spudger in between the lower casing and lower panel near the top right corner of the DSi.

Carefully run the spudger along the edge of the outer casing, creating an opening between the body and the casing.

Continue running the spudger around the body of the DSi until the majority of the lower case has been separated.

Step 6

Carefully lift the lower casing from its bottom edge.
The lower case is still attached to the motherboard by the volume and SD board cable highlighted in red. Do not try to completely remove the lower case of the DSi yet.
Pry the volume and SD board cable up from its socket on the motherboard using a spudger.
Once the cable is completely removed, then you may take off the entire outer casing.

Carefully lift the lower casing from its bottom edge.

The lower case is still attached to the motherboard by the volume and SD board cable highlighted in red. Do not try to completely remove the lower case of the DSi yet.

Pry the volume and SD board cable up from its socket on the motherboard using a spudger.

Once the cable is completely removed, then you may take off the entire outer casing.

Step 7

              Wi-Fi Board

Pull the Wi-Fi board away from the motherboard by its edge closest to the headphone jack.

Pull the Wi-Fi board away from the motherboard by its edge closest to the headphone jack.

Step 8

Pry the Wi-Fi antenna connector straight up from its socket on the Wi-Fi board.

Pry the Wi-Fi antenna connector straight up from its socket on the Wi-Fi board.

Step 9

              Motherboard

Use the tip of a spudger to pry the power board connector out of its socket on the motherboard.

Use the tip of a spudger to pry the power board connector out of its socket on the motherboard.

Step 10

Use your fingernail or the edge of a plastic opening tool to flip up the retaining flap on the following three ZIF sockets:
Lower touchscreen cable
Lower LCD cable
Power board cable
Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flaps, not the sockets themselves.
After flipping up the locking tabs on all three sockets, use your fingers or a pair of tweezers to gently pull the cables straight out of their sockets.

Use your fingernail or the edge of a plastic opening tool to flip up the retaining flap on the following three ZIF sockets:

Lower touchscreen cable

Lower LCD cable

Power board cable

Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flaps, not the sockets themselves.

After flipping up the locking tabs on all three sockets, use your fingers or a pair of tweezers to gently pull the cables straight out of their sockets.

Step 11

Use your fingernail or the edge of a plastic opening tool to carefully flip up the touchscreen ribbon cable retaining flap.
Make sure you are flipping up the retaining flap, not the socket itself.
Use the tip of a spudger to pull the touchscreen ribbon cable straight out of its socket.

Use your fingernail or the edge of a plastic opening tool to carefully flip up the touchscreen ribbon cable retaining flap.

Make sure you are flipping up the retaining flap, not the socket itself.

Use the tip of a spudger to pull the touchscreen ribbon cable straight out of its socket.

Step 12

Use your fingernail or the edge of a plastic opening tool to carefully flip up the dual camera ribbon cable retaining flap.
Make sure you are flipping up the retaining flap, not the socket itself.
Use the tip of a spudger to pull the dual camera ribbon cable straight out of its socket.

Use your fingernail or the edge of a plastic opening tool to carefully flip up the dual camera ribbon cable retaining flap.

Use the tip of a spudger to pull the dual camera ribbon cable straight out of its socket.

Step 13

With the tip of a spudger, Pry the microphone antenna up off its socket on the motherboard.

With the tip of a spudger, Pry the microphone antenna up off its socket on the motherboard.

Step 14

Remove the following four Phillips screws securing the motherboard to the DSi framework.
Three longer screws.
One short screw.
Pull the microphone and Wi-Fi antenna cables out of the notch cut into the motherboard near the headphone jack.

Remove the following four Phillips screws securing the motherboard to the DSi framework.

Three longer screws.

One short screw.

Pull the microphone and Wi-Fi antenna cables out of the notch cut into the motherboard near the headphone jack.

Step 15

Slightly lift the motherboard upwards to reveal the upper LCD ribbon cable above the ABXY buttons .
Use your fingernail or the edge of a plastic opening tool to carefully flip up the upper LCD ribbon cable retaining flap.
Make sure you are flipping up the retaining flap, not the socket itself.
Remove the motherboard from the DSi.

Slightly lift the motherboard upwards to reveal the upper LCD ribbon cable above the ABXY buttons .

Use your fingernail or the edge of a plastic opening tool to carefully flip up the upper LCD ribbon cable retaining flap.

Remove the motherboard from the DSi.

Step 16

              Lower LCD Assembly

Use the tip of a spudger to pry the metal backing of the lower LCD up from the DSi’s framework.
Lift the lower LCD assembly out of the DSi.

Use the tip of a spudger to pry the metal backing of the lower LCD up from the DSi’s framework.

Lift the lower LCD assembly out of the DSi.

Step 17

              Upper LCD/Speakers

Use a pushpin to remove the four plastic screw covers on the front bezel.

Use a pushpin to remove the four plastic screw covers on the front bezel.

Step 18

Remove the four Phillips screws securing the rear bezel to the front bezel.

Remove the four Phillips screws securing the rear bezel to the front bezel.

Step 19

Using two hands, gently slide the rear bezel upwards.
The rear bezel will move only about 2 mm.
Slightly close the case of the DSi and lift the rear bezel straight up out of the DSi.

Using two hands, gently slide the rear bezel upwards.

The rear bezel will move only about 2 mm.

Slightly close the case of the DSi and lift the rear bezel straight up out of the DSi.

Step 20

Continue de-routing the microphone and Wi-Fi antenna cables through the opening located on the bottom DSi’s framework.

Continue de-routing the microphone and Wi-Fi antenna cables through the opening located on the bottom DSi’s framework.

Step 21

Remove the five Phillips screws securing the power board to the DSi’s framework.
Lift and remove the power board from the DSi.

Remove the five Phillips screws securing the power board to the DSi’s framework.

Lift and remove the power board from the DSi.

Step 22

Push the metal hinge pin inward on the D-pad side of the front lower panel with the tip of a spudger.
The pin should move about 3 mm and stop. It is not necessary to try to completely remove the pin.

Push the metal hinge pin inward on the D-pad side of the front lower panel with the tip of a spudger.

The pin should move about 3 mm and stop. It is not necessary to try to completely remove the pin.

Step 23

Slightly detach the lower and upper halves of the DSi.
Do not completely separate both halves yet. There are several ribbon cables that remain threaded through both panels.
De-route the upper LCD and dual camera ribbon cables through the slit near the ABXY side of the front lower panel.
Separate the lower and upper halves from each other.

Slightly detach the lower and upper halves of the DSi.

Do not completely separate both halves yet. There are several ribbon cables that remain threaded through both panels.

De-route the upper LCD and dual camera ribbon cables through the slit near the ABXY side of the front lower panel.

Separate the lower and upper halves from each other.

Step 24

Using your fingers, grasp the microphone cable and de-route it through the hinge.
The microphone will likely pop out of its housing, so it is probably easier to completely remove it at this point.
De-route the Wi-Fi cable through the hinge.

Using your fingers, grasp the microphone cable and de-route it through the hinge.

The microphone will likely pop out of its housing, so it is probably easier to completely remove it at this point.

De-route the Wi-Fi cable through the hinge.

Step 25

Tightly coil the display and dual camera ribbon cables enough to push them through the steel hinge tube.
Remove the steel hinge tube.
Carefully push both coiled ribbon cables through the tube molded into the front upper panel.

Tightly coil the display and dual camera ribbon cables enough to push them through the steel hinge tube.

Remove the steel hinge tube.

Carefully push both coiled ribbon cables through the tube molded into the front upper panel.

Step 26

Pry the front-facing camera straight up out of its housing in the front bezel.

Pry the front-facing camera straight up out of its housing in the front bezel.

Step 27

Lift the rear-facing camera out of its housing in the front bezel.
Remove the dual camera cable assembly from the DSi.

Lift the rear-facing camera out of its housing in the front bezel.

Remove the dual camera cable assembly from the DSi.

Step 28

De-route the Wi-Fi antenna cable from its channel in the front bezel.
Lift the Wi-Fi antenna board straight up and remove it from the DSi.

De-route the Wi-Fi antenna cable from its channel in the front bezel.

Lift the Wi-Fi antenna board straight up and remove it from the DSi.

Step 29

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the right speaker straight up and out of its housing in the front upper panel.
Lift the right speaker and set it on top of the upper LCD.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the right speaker straight up and out of its housing in the front upper panel.

Lift the right speaker and set it on top of the upper LCD.

Step 30

In the same manner as previously described, remove the left speaker.
De-route the left speaker cables from underneath the upper LCD.
Lay the left speaker on top of the upper LCD.

In the same manner as previously described, remove the left speaker.

De-route the left speaker cables from underneath the upper LCD.

Lay the left speaker on top of the upper LCD.

Step 31

Cautiously wedge the flat end of spudger underneath the upper LCD.
Loosen the adhesive by running the spudger along the perimeter of the upper LCD.
Lift the upper LCD by its upper right corner and remove it from the front upper panel.

Cautiously wedge the flat end of spudger underneath the upper LCD.

Loosen the adhesive by running the spudger along the perimeter of the upper LCD.

Lift the upper LCD by its upper right corner and remove it from the front upper panel.

Step 32

Desolder the speakers from the upper LCD by heating up the solder joints with a soldering iron and simultaneously using a pair of tweezers to pull the speaker wires away from the logic board.
If you have never soldered before, we have a guide that makes it easy.

Desolder the speakers from the upper LCD by heating up the solder joints with a soldering iron and simultaneously using a pair of tweezers to pull the speaker wires away from the logic board.

If you have never soldered before, we have a guide that makes it easy.

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

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                                                                                      28 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 7 other contributors

                    Walter Galan

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Damian - Oct 14, 2011

The tricky part is getting the upper screen and black ribbon through the hinge. I found that curling them and pushing them through a drinking straw that was cut short first and then pushing the straw through the hinge hole made it a whole lot easier.

Brendan Smith - Apr 18, 2019

So true. I just broke my second ribbon cable while replacing the case. While most repairs on the dsi are relatively easy, this ribbon cable makes any repairs that involve it a nightmare.

Tplan - Sep 7, 2019

I curled the larger (new) cable the same way the smaller one was already curled. Just spend some time doing that until it was shaped that way and it was a lot easier to get both through the molded tube and ring.

Bompa - Oct 26, 2011

I used this guide for change the cover broken by my son.

Thank you

Bompa (Italy)

Ruben Colon - Dec 24, 2015

While doing this I accident messed something up. When I power on the DSi, the bottom screen just flashes and the DS turns off. What did I do wrong?

Introduction#

What you need#

Introduction

What you need