Tablet · Apple · iPad Air 2
Apple iPad Air 2 Water Damage Repair
Water Damage Repair guide for the Apple iPad Air 2
Before you begin
Tools
- Heat gun or hair dryer
- Suction cups
- Guitar picks for prying
- Plastic prying tools
- Precision screwdriver set
- Tweezers
- Soft brush
- Anti-static wrist strap
Parts / materials
- Isopropyl alcohol (99%)
- Compressed air
- Lint-free wipes
- Display adhesive strips
Safety
- Wear eye protection when using compressed air and high-purity isopropyl alcohol.
- Work in a well-ventilated area away from open flames due to alcohol fumes.
- Wear an anti-static wrist strap to prevent electrostatic damage to logic board components.
Overview
Step-by-step
- 1
Power Down Device
1 minTurn off the iPad immediately to reduce the risk of short-circuiting liquid-damaged components.
- 2
Heat Display Perimeter
3 minUse a heat gun around the glass edges for two minutes to soften the strong perimeter adhesive.
- 3
Apply Suction Cup
2 minAttach a suction cup near the bottom edge of the screen and pull upward to create a small gap.
- 4
Slice Screen Adhesive
5 minInsert a guitar pick into the gap and slide it along the edges, avoiding the lower right side flex cables.
- 5
Open Display Assembly
2 minGently swing the glass panel open from left to right like a book cover.
- 6
Remove Display Bracket Screws
3 minUnscrew the four Phillips #00 screws securing the display cable metal bracket.
- 7
Lift Off Cable Shield
1 minUse tweezers to lift the metal shield out of the rear casing.
- 8
Disconnect Display Connectors
3 minPry up the three display flex connectors from the logic board using a plastic spudger.
- 9
Isolate Battery Power
2 minRemove the battery screw and slip a plastic pick between the battery contact and logic board.
- 10
Disconnect Internal Cables
4 minUnplug the camera, speaker, antenna, and lightning port connectors from the logic board.
- 11
Unscrew Logic Board
4 minRemove all remaining retaining screws holding the logic board to the aluminum housing.
- 12
Remove Logic Board
3 minCarefully pry up and lift the logic board out of the chassis.
- 13
Scrub Board with Isopropyl
10 minSubmerge or generously wet the logic board with 99% isopropyl alcohol and scrub corrosion with a soft brush.
- 14
Clean Under EMI Shields
5 minGently pop off exposed metal EMI shields and brush away liquid corrosion on surface chips.
- 15
Dry Board with Compressed Air
3 minBlow compressed air across the logic board to flush out trapped liquid and residue from under ICs.
- 16
Clean Chassis Interior
5 minWipe down the inside of the aluminum casing and battery tray using alcohol-soaked lint-free wipes.
- 17
Reinstall Logic Board
4 minPlace the dried logic board back into position and secure all retaining screws.
- 18
Reconnect Display and Power
5 minPlug in all flex connectors, pull out the battery insulator pick, and reinstall the cable bracket.
- 19
Reseal Display Assembly
5 minApply new perimeter adhesive strips and press the display firmly down into the chassis.
After your Apple iPad Air 2 water damage repair
Power the iPad Air 2 back on and test the water damage repair function before you put every screw away. Check touch/display response, charging, cameras, buttons, and wireless as relevant to this repair. If something fails after closing the device, reopen carefully and reseat the connectors for this Apple iPad Air 2 job before assuming the part is defective. Keep leftover adhesive and screws labeled in case you need a second pass.
Keep learning
Explore more Apple iPad Air 2 repair context in the encyclopedia, or open related DIY guides.
