iPhone 4 volume changing on it's own

Misseev · Oct 26, 2013

So I've had my iPhone 4 coming 3 years now and I've never had any issues with it until these last couple months. The latest problem is to do with the volume. I noticed this just a few days ago, I listen to my music fairly loud and incase it's relevant I have a pair of skull candy headphones, anyways, as I was listening to music my volume would cut in and out and end up at different volumes ... Or skip to different volumes (would be a better description) the volume bar thingy just jumps to different places and the volume changes along with it. I've also noticed that when I stop playing music and am just navigating around my phone, pressing buttons, typing, etc, there's a weird crackly ticking noise in my head phones. when I stand still, music plays normally, but the second I start moving the volume starts jumping around again and this problem only occurs with headphones in. Music plays normally through the phones speakers. I have cleaned the headphone jack, reset my phone, restored my phone, cleaned the USB jack so I'm honestly out of ideas, has anyone else had similar problems? Or have any suggestions on how I could fix this? If it boils down to having dropped my phone a few too many times and me having to go in and fix my phone I would like to know bdvUse at that point I think id just replace my phone. Along with this issue my phone has been having so many other pronlems lately I think it would be more worthwhile to just replace it unless it's solve able at home :/

Thomasjtsi · Oct 27, 2013

Sounds to me like a bit of damage has occured to the ribbon cable, and/or connector, that connects your headphone jack and volume controls to the logic board. Considering you've already reset, restored, and then cleaned connections... opening your phone up and checking this connection and it's cable would be the next plan of attack. I should mention, however, that this is a somewhat difficul process that involves full disassembly of your iPhone. Here's a step by step how to... iPhone 4 Headphone Jack & Volume Control Cable Replacement - iFixit.

Step 17 on page 3 shows the connector for the Headphone Jack & Volume Control Cable... I'd start w/ disconnecting that, checking for damage, reconnect it, then test. If my memory serves me correct... you can removed the EMI shield and disconnect the said connector without disassembling the phone. It is a good idea to disconnect the battery, though, before starting any disconnects or repairs.

Misseev · Oct 27, 2013

Hi, thank you for getting back to me so quickly!
No, not the cable, I should've mentioned, I've plugged the cable into an iPod as well as the computer and it works properly, it's just on my phone, which made me suspect there was something else going on.
I've had damaged cables in the past and usually it means the sound crackles or cuts out, it has never made the actual volume on my phone change, so I know it's not the earbuds that are the problem

Thomasjtsi · Oct 28, 2013

Misseev said:
Hi, thank you for getting back to me so quickly!
No, not the cable, I should've mentioned, I've plugged the cable into an iPod as well as the computer and it works properly, it's just on my phone, which made me suspect there was something else going on.
I've had damaged cables in the past and usually it means the sound crackles or cuts out, it has never made the actual volume on my phone change, so I know it's not the earbuds that are the problem

I don't mean the headphone cable or your charging cable... but the ribbon cable inside your iPhone that connects the headphone jack & volume bottons to the logic board. You need to check that cable AND it's connectors.