Kobo Clara Colour (N367) Motherboard Replacement

ID: 170848

Description: Use this guide to replace the motherboard in...

Steps:

1. Drain your eReader's battery as much as possible before starting your repair. Ideally, it should be fully discharged.
2. Optionally, to drain the battery faster, navigate to More → Settings → Energy saving and privacy and set Automatically go to sleep after and Automatically power off after to Never.
3. When working on or near the battery, don't use sharp metal tools to avoid puncturing and shorting the battery.
4. Unplug all cables and fully shut down your eReader.
5. Your screen should be black and say Powered off.

6. Lay your eReader down so the back cover is facing up.
7. Insert the flat edge of an opening pick between the frame and the bottom left corner of the back cover.
8. Push the pick downwards at a slight angle until it slides under the back cover.

9. Slide the pick toward the bottom right corner to release the clips along the bottom edge.

10. Remove the pick and reinsert it under the bottom left corner.
11. Angle the pick flat under the back cover and rotate it around the bottom left corner to release its clips.
12. If you're having trouble, try twisting the pick to lift the corner clips out of their slots.

13. Slide the pick toward the top left corner to release the clips along the left edge.

14. At this point, you should be able to grip the back cover and release its remaining clips. If not, slide a pick under the perimeter of the back cover until you can grip an edge.
15. Grip the left edge of the back cover and lift it away from the eReader to release the remaining clips.
16. Remove the back cover.
17. During reassembly, align the back cover over the eReader and press along the perimeter until all its clips snap back into place.

18. The entire surface of the eReader's internals is covered in a thin, plastic-like waterproof coating. Keep the following in mind as you continue disassembly:
19. While this won't hurt your device, removing the coating compromises the device to potential water damage.
20. The coating is brittle and can flake into many small pieces. Heating the coating helps, but working with it is still a time-consuming process.
21. The ZIF connector locking tabs are coated in a gel that can jam the hinge and keep the locking tab from completely unlocking. Make sure the tabs are completely upright before disconnecting any cables.
22. Depending on your repair, you might have to remove the coating from ZIF connectors and their cables.

23. Heat an iOpener and lay it on the battery connector for 90 seconds to soften the coating.
24. Alternatively, you can use a hair dryer or a heat gun.

25. Use the tip of a spudger to scrape up the coating along the white battery connector head—enough so you can grab clumps of it with pointed tweezers.

26. Use pointed tweezers to peel off all of the coating around the battery connector head and its socket.
27. If the coating becomes too brittle and hard to peel off, reheat the connector and try again.
28. This is a meticulous process! Failure to remove enough of the coating could damage the plastic head during disconnection, so take your time!

29. Insert the point of a spudger under the edge of the battery connector head opposite of the cable.
30. There's a surface-mounted component close to the connector. Be careful not to touch it with your spudger!
31. Lift up the connector with the spudger to separate the rest of the coating and disconnect the battery.
32. During reassembly:
33. Inspect the connector head and its socket for any remaining coating that could prevent a good connection.
34. Peel off the coating, heating the area when the coating becomes too brittle.
35. It doesn't have to look pretty! You just need to remove enough coating so the connector head sits properly in its socket.

36. There are surface-mounted components next to the power button ZIF connector. Follow the instructions carefully to avoid dislodging them.
37. Insert the tip of a spudger under the right side of the ZIF connector's black locking tab.
38. Lift up the locking tab with the spudger to unlock it.
39. The locking tab should be nearly vertical when unlocked. If not, gently push the tab forward to compress the gel and completely unlock the tab.

40. Apply a heated iOpener to the power button ZIF connector for 90 seconds to soften the coating.
41. Alternatively, you can use a hair dryer or a heat gun.

42. Because of the awkward angle, the next two steps requires some patience to avoid tearing the cable. Work slowly and apply heat regularly.
43. Use blunt nose tweezers to grip the power button cable close to the head
44. Twist the tweezers toward the top of the eReader to separate enough coating for the cable head to be angled above the battery.
45. Give your tweezers enough room so you don't puncture the battery as you twist them.
46. Gripping the tweezers closer to the tip can help you get a tighter hold on the cable.

47. Grip the power button cable close to the head and pull it away from its ZIF connector slowly and steadily to separate the coating.
48. If the coating feels stubborn, reheat the connector and try again.
49. Keep pulling on the cable until it comes completely out of its socket.
50. During reassembly:
51. Inspect the head of the cable and the ZIF connector for any remaining coating that could prevent a good connection.
52. Peel off the coating—heating the cable and the ZIF connector when the coating becomes too brittle.
53. It doesn't have to look pretty! You just need to remove enough coating to have the cable sit properly in its connector.

54. Use the flat end of a spudger to lift up the locking tab on the digitizer cable ZIF connector.
55. The locking tab should be nearly vertical when unlocked. If not, gently push the tab forward to compress the gel and completely unlock the tab.

56. Apply a heated iOpener to the digitizer cable ZIF connector for 90 seconds to soften the coating.
57. Alternatively, you can use a hair dryer or a heat gun.

58. Use blunt nose tweezers to grip the digitizer cable close to the head and pull it away from its ZIF connector slowly and steadily to separate the coating.
59. If the coating feels stubborn, reheat the connector and try again.
60. Keep pulling on the cable until it comes completely out of its socket.
61. During reassembly:
62. Inspect the head of the cable and the ZIF connector for any remaining coating that could prevent a good connection.
63. Peel off the coating—heating the cable and the ZIF connector when the coating becomes too brittle.
64. It doesn't have to look pretty! You just need to remove enough coating to have the cable sit properly in its connector.

65. There are surface-mounted components next to the display ZIF connector. Follow the instructions carefully to avoid dislodging them.
66. Insert the flat end of a spudger under the right side of the ZIF connector's black locking tab.
67. Lift up the locking tab with the spudger to unlock it.
68. The locking tab should be nearly vertical when unlocked. If not, gently push the tab forward to compress the gel and completely unlock the tab.

69. Apply a heated iOpener to the display connector for 90 seconds to soften the coating.
70. Alternatively, you can use a hair dryer or a heat gun.

71. Use blunt nose tweezers to grip the corner of the display cable closest to the charging port.
72. Pull the cable away from the ZIF connector slowly and steadily at a level angle to separate the coating at the corner.
73. If you're having trouble, try rocking the cable side-to-side while pulling.
74. Gripping the tweezers closer to the tip can help with getting a tighter hold on the cable.

75. Repeat the previous step for the other corner until the the cable comes completely out of its socket.

76. Lift up the display cable and peel off any remaining coating holding it to the motherboard.
77. During reassembly:
78. Inspect the head of the cable and the ZIF connectors for any remaining coating that could prevent a good connection.
79. Peel off the coating—heating the cable and the ZIF connector when the coating becomes too brittle.
80. It doesn't have to look pretty! You just need to remove enough coating to have the cable sit properly in the connector.

81. Lift the display cable out of the way of the backlight cable underneath.
82. Use the point of a spudger to lift up the blue locking tab on the backlight cable ZIF connector.
83. The locking tab should be nearly vertical when unlocked. If not, gently push the tab forward to compress the gel and completely unlock the tab.

84. Apply a heated iOpener to the backlight connector for 90 seconds to soften the coating.
85. Alternatively, you can use a hair dryer or a heat gun.

86. Use blunt nose tweezers to grip the backlight cable close to its head and pull it away from its ZIF connector slowly and steadily to separate the coating.
87. If the coating feels stubborn, reheat the connector and try again.
88. Keep pulling on the cable until it comes completely out of its socket.
89. During reassembly:
90. Inspect the head of the cable and the ZIF connector for any remaining coating that could prevent a good connection.
91. Peel off the coating—heating the cable and the ZIF connector when the coating becomes too brittle.
92. It doesn't have to look pretty! You just need to remove enough coating to have the cable sit properly in its connector.

93. Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the four 2.4 mm‑long screws securing the motherboard.

94. Slide an opening pick under the top left corner of the motherboard and lift it up enough to grip the motherboard with your fingers.

95. Lift the top edge of the motherboard and pull it toward the top of the eReader to remove it.
96. During reassembly, perform the following:
97. Slide the charging port into its slot at a slight downward angle before pressing the motherboard flat to the frame.
98. Follow this guide to update the VCOM number on your eReader to match your screen.