Lenovo ThinkPad T16 Gen 3 I/O Board Replacement

ID: 174367

Description: Follow this guide to replace the I/O...

Steps:

1. For your safety, discharge your battery below 25% before disassembling your laptop. A charged battery may catch fire if damaged. If your battery is swollen, take appropriate precautions.
2. Completely shut down your laptop (don't just put it in sleep mode) and disconnect all cables.
3. Flip the laptop upside-down, and rotate it so the screen hinge faces towards you.

4. Use a Phillips screwdriver to fully loosen the seven captive screws securing the base cover.

5. Insert your fingernail or an opening pick into the gap between the base cover and keyboard deck, next to one of the screen hinges.
6. Pry up the base cover until the clips unfasten.

7. Grasp the base cover along the screen hinge edge and lift slowly to unfasten the remaining clips.
8. Lift and remove the base cover.
9. During reassembly, lay the base cover into the frame, inserting it into the tabs along the battery edge. Press down firmly around the perimeter to reengage all the clips.

10. Because of the battery connector's design, the only way to disconnect the battery is by physically removing it.
11. Use a Phillips screwdriver to fully loosen the two captive screws securing the battery connector.

12. Lift the edge of the battery with the connector to disconnect it.
13. You may feel a little resistance from the battery connector as it disconnects—that's normal.
14. Remove the battery
15. During reassembly:
16. Slide the plastic tabs on the long edge of the battery into their recesses in the frame.
17. Lower the battery into place so the connector goes over its socket.

18. Insert a SIM card eject tool, bit, or a straightened paperclip into the hole on the SIM tray, located next to the USB and ethernet ports.
19. Press in firmly until the tray ejects.
20. Use your fingers to remove the tray.

21. Use a clean fingernail or the flat end of a spudger to flip up the locking flap on the interconnect cable ZIF connector, located on the I/O board.
22. Use tweezers or your fingers to grip the cable's plastic pull tab and gently pull the cable out of its socket.

23. Insert the flat end of a spudger under a short edge of the interconnect cable press connector located on the motherboard and pry up to disconnect it.
24. Remove the interconnect ribbon cable from your laptop.

25. Use your fingernail or the flat end of a spudger to flip up the locking flap on the fingerprint cable ZIF connector, located on the I/O board.
26. Use tweezers or your fingers to grip the cable's plastic pull tab and pull the cable out of its socket.

27. Slide the flat end of a spudger under the PCB on the fingerprint reader cable and pry up to separate the adhesive securing it.
28. If you're having a hard time separating the adhesive, use an iOpener or hair dryer to lightly heat the PCB.
29. Don't pull on the cable or pry on the connector itself—only insert your tool under the board.
30. During reassembly, if the adhesive is still sticky you can reuse it. Otherwise, replace it with a strip of thin, double-sided tape.

31. Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the two 8 mm‑long screws securing the ethernet flap.
32. Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the 4 mm‑long screw securing the ethernet flap and I/O board.

33. Grasp the ethernet flap and remove it from the laptop.

34. Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the 4 mm‑long screw securing the I/O board.

35. Grasp the I/O board by its edges and pull it straight up to remove it from the laptop.
36. During reassembly, use the three plastic posts on the frame to align the I/O board.