Introduction
This repair guide was authored by the iFixit staff and hasn’t been endorsed by Google. Learn more about our repair guides here.
Follow this guide to remove and replace a damaged USB-C port for the Pixel 3a. The USB-C port is completely modular and simple to replace.
The Pixel 3a’s unreinforced display panel is fragile. If you are reusing the screen, be sure to pay special attention to the warnings in the opening procedure.
The trickiest part of the procedure is re-attaching the proximity sensor connector, which requires some patience and finesse.
Tools
Parts
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Take note of the two seams on the phone:
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Screen seam: This seam separates the screen from the rest of the phone. This is where you should pry.
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Frame seam: This is where the plastic frame meets the back cover. It is held in place by screws. Do not pry at this seam.
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Before you begin prying, note the following areas on the screen:
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Screen flex cable: Do not pry deeper than instructed, or you risk damaging this cable.
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Adhesive perimeter: Prying beyond the narrow perimeter without angling the pick will damage the display panel.
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Place a suction cup near the right edge of the screen.
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Pull on the suction cup with strong steady force.
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Insert the pick into the gap, no more than 1 mm.
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With the pick 1 mm in the gap, pivot the pick upwards to a steep angle.
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At this angle, carefully push the pick into the gap about 1/4" (6 mm). The pick should slide in below the OLED panel.
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Slide the pick along the right edge, slicing through the adhesive.
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Leave a pick in place to prevent the adhesive from resealing.
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Slide the pick around the bottom right corner to slice through the adhesive.
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Continue slicing along the bottom edge of the phone and around the left corner.
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Slice through the left edge of the phone, making sure to properly angle the pick below the OLED panel and insert it in no more than 1/4" (6 mm).
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To angle the pick below the OLED panel, insert the point of the pick no more than 1 mm in, angle the pick upwards, and then slowly push the pick in 1/4".
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With all of the edges cut, carefully hinge open the right edge of the screen.
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Use an opening pick to carefully cut through any remaining adhesive.
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With all of the adhesives cut, flip the attached screen glass side down and rest it on top of the phone. The screen flex cable should be loosely arched.
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Carefully peel the black tape covering the screen connector bracket.
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Remove the two 4.4 mm long T3 screws securing the screen connector bracket.
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Remove the screen connector bracket.
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Remove the screen.
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Carefully compare your replacement screen with your original part. You may need to transfer additional components (such as the speaker mesh) to the new part.
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Follow this guide if you are using custom-cut adhesives.
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If you are using double-sided tape such as Tesa tape, follow this guide.
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Remove the fourteen T3 screws of the following lengths securing the plastic midframe:
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Twelve 4.3 mm silver T3 screws
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Two 4.3 mm black T3 screws
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Insert an opening pick into frame seam at the bottom of the phone. This seam sits between the plastic midframe and the back cover.
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Slide the pick along the seam to release the clips holding the plastic midframe.
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Slide the opening pick along the left and right edges of the phone to release the midframe clips.
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Lift the bottom edge of the plastic midframe up but do not remove the midframe. The midframe is still tethered to the phone by the fragile proximity sensor cable at the top edge.
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Use the point of a spudger to carefully pry up and disconnect the proximity sensor connector from the motherboard.
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Remove the plastic midframe.
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Align the top edge of the plastic midframe with the phone.
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Use the point of a spudger to carefully align and push the proximity sensor connector onto the motherboard socket.
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This takes a bit of patience and finesse. Once you have the connector in place, you can also use a finger to gently press the connector onto the socket.
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Use the point of a spudger to carefully pry the proximity sensor out of its recess on the midframe. The sensor is lightly adhered to the midframe.
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Remove the sensor from the midframe. Attach the sensor connector onto its motherboard socket.
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Thread the sensor cable through the midframe and reposition the sensor in the recess. Press down with your finger to adhere the sensor back onto the midframe.
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Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the battery connector from its motherboard socket.
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Bend the battery flex cable slightly so that it will not accidentally make contact with the socket.
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Use the point of a spudger to pry up and disconnect the USB-C port connector from the daughterboard.
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Remove the USB-C port module.
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To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Check out our Google Pixel 3a Answers community for troubleshooting help.
10 comments
There was moister in the tip of my USB C cable when I plugged it into my phone to charge. A warning popped up on my screen to unplug. I did right away and the cord smoked…. My charging port is charged… the rest of the phone seems to work fine. The case did not feel hot afterward. Do you think my battery might be damaged too?
Hi Desmond,
It sounds like moisture may have shorted some contacts at the USB port. That normally shouldn’t damage the battery. It’s possible the charging circuitry may be damaged.
Where is the part for this? I can't find the USB C port for the 3a!
Just did this. A few notes:
* There’s a lot, like a lot, of adhesive up by the front camera. Lacking an iOpener, I used a washcloth soaked in hot water and sealed in a plastic bag to soften the adhesive.
* My ifixit kit is old and didn’t have a pick, but I used the knife to shave down the corner of an old gift card so it was thinner, and that worked fine. I found it easiest to get the screen off by placing several old gift cards under the edges to keep them from sticking down as I pried at other areas.
* I got my replacement port from an eBay listing entitled “Charging Port Flex Cable for Google Pixel 3a G020A G020E G020B 5.6” and it works fine.
* I forgot to buy extra tape for sticking the screen back on, so to keep it from falling off while the tape is in the mail, I’ve applied clear cellophane tape around the outside edges of the screen and back where there are no ports or buttons. It works ok.
* I found that the T4 bit worked better than the T3 for all of the screws involved in this process.
Power is off, but does the battery need to be disconnect to safely do this replacement?
mplishka -