Nokia E71x 3/y key won't work

[BW86]

I've had the E71x close to a year now without any problem until this morning. I picked up my phone today to text someone and my 3/y key doesn't work, just out of the blue.

I didn't drop it, get it wet, update it or install anything new. If I keep tapping the 3/y key about a minute later it will start spitting it out. But even after that, if I try to press the 3/y key again, nothing happens.

I tried turning it off and turning it back on - took the battery out - blew it out with compressed air....I don't know what else to try.

I searched on other forums but I can't find a resolution. Thanks in advance.

 

[rudeguy]

my guess is condensation under the keypad.

 

[shortylickens]

Shame. I had one and it was awesome. Didnt know about any real hardware problems. Maybe you got a bad unit. Send it to Nokia or AT&T.

 

[BW86]

Yeah, it's weird. I thought about condensation, but every single key works fine other than the 3/y which is in the middle.

Ugh.

EDIT: Now sometimes when I hit the key it acts like its stuck pressed down and just keeps typing 3333333333333.

 

[rudeguy]

Yeah, it's weird. I thought about condensation, but every single key works fine other than the 3/y which is in the middle.

Ugh.

EDIT: Now sometimes when I hit the key it acts like its stuck pressed down and just keeps typing 3333333333333.

yep

you can try putting a new keypad on or going through warranty. Kind of a bummer since there's not really anything you did wrong.

 

[BW86]

yep

you can try putting a new keypad on or going through warranty. Kind of a bummer since there's not really anything you did wrong.

yeah, I'm probably going to call AT&T in a few days if it doesn't "fix" itself.

 

[rudeguy]

my professional opinion would be to give it the "bang" fix.

Try banging it on its edges firmly against a table. Sometimes you can jar things back into place if you do it just right.

 

[BW86]

ITS ALIVE!!!

lol, I don't know how you knew that would work but it did - hahaha

Thats crazy. Thanks!

 

[rudeguy]

First 2 things you always do to try to fix something like that:
1. Take the battery out and put it back in
2. Bang on it

I can't tell you how many hundreds (thousands?) of phones I have fixed by doing those 2 simple things.