Dell Laptop Lid Close Sensor

Steve C said:

It seems after testing with a magnet the problem is the dodgy video cable again. I'll leave that for a rainy day to take the laptop to pieces gain!

Steve,

It might simply be that the sensor cable has worked itself a bit loose and is generating false signals.
The sensor cable is, if it's like my Dell, held in place by a connector & a bit of sticky tape which you disturbed when you replaced the display cable.
The sensor itself might be fine.

I've replaced Dell display cables three times and manually patched up defective ones three times as well as I sought to avoid replacement. It wasn't too bad on the older ones [2005] but the newer one [2016] meant I had a line-up of every side-plate & bowl in the house as I sought to keep all the bits from step 1 together then all the bits from step 2 together etc so it would not be a single confusing heap when I came to put it back together afterwards.
But I did manage to remember the obligatory overtightening of several screws so I could crack the screw housings in the normal manner.


The very best of luck to you,
Denis

Try3 said:

Steve,

It might simply be that the sensor cable has worked itself a bit loose and is generating false signals.
The sensor cable is, if it's like my Dell, held in place by a connector & a bit of sticky tape which you disturbed when you replaced the display cable.
The sensor itself might be fine.

I've replaced Dell display cables three times and manually patched up defective ones three times as well as I sought to avoid replacement. It wasn't too bad on the older ones [2005] but the newer one [2016] meant I had a line-up of every side-plate & bowl in the house as I sought to keep all the bits from step 1 together then all the bits from step 2 together etc so it would not be a single confusing heap when I came to put it back together afterwards.
But I did manage to remember the obligatory overtightening of several screws so I could crack the screw housings in the normal manner.


The very best of luck to you,
Denis

That indeed was the problem. The GPU cable was working loose at the motherboard connector so I secured that with some extra sticky tape. I noticed there are two wrapped GPU cables which pass close to the hinge which flex when you open the lid. I strengthened those by tying strong twine around the two cables. I also discovered it's possible to remove the screen in situ if you are careful whereas the Dell manual says to completely remove the screen assembly. I have a spare GPU cable in reserve in case that flexing adjacent to the hinge causes more problems. This laptop is a poor design since there should be a straight cable path from the motherboard to display with adquare flexure allowed in the cable for opening / closing the lid.

Steve,

All my Dell laptops over the years [2005, 2010, 2016] have had that same risky design involving the display cable being quite tightly wrapped through their hinges.
I've had to replace those display cables three or maybe four times because they did get damaged by their hinge.

The WiFi antenna also passes across into the display assembly close to a hinge but I've never noticed that being damaged.


All the best,
Denis