S4 Proximity sensor issue

jmm74

Member
Aug 15, 2012
7
0
0
Visit site
YES! I had the exact same issue and the good news is the fix is simple. I posted about the same problem here before I found an answer on another forum:
http://forums.androidcentral.com/sa...ty-sensors-activates-but-doesnt-turn-off.html

TL;DR version is that the proximity sensor collects dust and you need to shoot the earpiece (which the sensor is connected to) with a can of compressed air. $5 for the air and 30 seconds and it should work good as new.

I had the same issue. Called Samsung, and they recommended blowing on it as hard as I could. No Joke! I didn't believe it, but it worked. I think the compressed can of air is a smarter solution! He said pocket lint gets into the sensor. I am sure this will continue to happen. I don't like the idea of continuing to push more debris into the phone.
 

Nick F1

New member
Jan 25, 2014
1
0
0
Visit site
Hello. I have an S4 clone from China and i have the same problem. Maybe if i remove the screen protector and put some air in it will get falright or not?
 

Zarlof

New member
Jan 27, 2014
1
0
0
Visit site
YES! I had the exact same issue and the good news is the fix is simple. I posted about the same problem here before I found an answer on another forum:
http://forums.androidcentral.com/sa...ty-sensors-activates-but-doesnt-turn-off.html

TL;DR version is that the proximity sensor collects dust and you need to shoot the earpiece (which the sensor is connected to) with a can of compressed air. $5 for the air and 30 seconds and it should work good as new.

Thanks sent Bearda. I was also surprised and skeptical. Sorry to see others blasted you before testing this. Hopefully, they will learn something.

Zar
 

heckseeds@gmail.com

New member
Feb 4, 2014
1
0
0
Visit site
Thanks to all those that posted on this issue. You took me down the path I needed to find the best solution.

The earpiece and the proximity sensor are in fact right next to each other, but they are not actually related except that dust can get in through the earpiece and collect between the screen and the proximity sensor (located just to the right of the earpiece). While blowing compressed air into the grill of the earpiece might work for some or for a while, it did not work for me. I even ran the *#0*# test which, while interesting, only gave me a false sense that my prox sensor was working correctly.
The best fix for your phone is this... Google "Samsung S4 disassembly" and pick one of the many excellent videos on disassembling the back of your phone. I used this one...

Galaxy S4 Disassembly & Assembly Teardown - Screen & Case Replacement - YouTube

Don't sweat it... it is not crazy difficult. Just find a large clean area where you won't lose any of the small screws that you need to remove. Getting into the proximity sensor should take you about 5-15 minutes depending on your skill level. Ultimately you need to flip up the prox sensor from the back and use a slightly moist lint free cloth (or possibly air) to clean the sensor and the back of your screen. Then reassemble everything and you will have a working phone... at least you will until you manage to get too much dust in there again. :)

If you don't want to do this yourself, I am sure that an local phone repair shop can get you up and running again using this method. Hopefully you find this before you go through the hard reset advice! Losing all your programs sucks...
 

lauriej

New member
Feb 12, 2014
3
0
0
Visit site
just wanted to say thank you for this was also having problem of screen staying black when moving phone away from ear and after call ended. was about to return phone for replacement. straw and blowing threw earpiece speaker seems to have worked.
 

Hermann Yepdjio

New member
Mar 28, 2014
1
0
0
Visit site
Hey. just got the same issue and blew the earpiece with an compressed air but nothing happened. then I tried to blow it with my mouth and guess. it works fine now. just blow as much as you can with yr mouth and the issue will be solved
 

Blood Less

New member
May 30, 2014
1
0
0
Visit site
I have the same issue that seemed to only happen after the last mini-update to the S4.

In any event, blowing hard into the earpiece did not work.
I looked at the sensor, and it looked fine.

I then dialed *#0*# to get to the diagnostic mode, and clicked on SENSOR.
I then watched the sensor value change from around 75 (with nothing near it) to 255 (max) when I had my hand up to it.

SO, this leads me to believe that the sensor DOES in fact work - it SEES my HAND.
Did the last mini-SW-update screw something up ?

This is very annoying, as whenever I make a call, the screen immediately turns off.
I have to click the center button to turn on the display to enter digits, end the call, etc.
The proximity sensor won't function properly in a call.

I then googled this issue some more and came across this link:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2684507

The ONE thing that made me consider what was suggested in the post was to install a FREE app called "Proximity Sensor Finder".
Even though the diagnostics I ran (*#0*#) seemed to show that the sensor was indeed seeing my hand moving closer/away from it - this APP showed me that it was in fact NOT working properly.
(The app will show you an 8.0 when nothing is in front of it, then 0.0 when sensor is covered - BUT, it should go immediately BACK to 8.0 when you remove your finger from the sensor. My S4 did not go back to 8.0, it actually stayed at 0.0.)
This, and only this convinced me that I really needed to take the phone apart and "clean" the proximity sensor and lens holes.

Basically, if you follow the link - it explained how to disassemble the S4, and how to clean out the sensor, and the chassis/body of the proximity sensor.
I was hesitant to do this - not being comfortable taking apart such a delicate piece of technology, but the instructions, (and video) were extremely helpful and made it easy. (thanks Internet and Youtube !)

In any event, once I had it all apart, and I had the sensor out - I looked at it and it honestly looked clean, but I cleaned it with a Q-tip and blew air on it just in case.
The real issue was the (inside) of the chassis / display lens holes for the sensor, etc.
I did not see any dust or debris, but what I DID see looked like a waxy film which was coating the inside of the lens holes of the display.
I could not see that when the phone was assembled (it honestly looked clean to me from the outside).
This explains why simply blowing air into the earphone (with the phone still assembled) did NOT work for me.
It wasn't dust/debris, but some dirty "coating" that would (never) be able to be removed by just blowing air on it.

So, I cleaned all that with the Q-tip, put it all back together and fired it up.
Low and behold, it now WORKS like it used to !!!
I am SO glad I found that link (see above) and followed the instructions and had the guts to take the phone apart - since blowing air into it would never have worked.

I write this in the hope that it may convince others with this issue to take the leap and take the phone apart to clean the affected parts - as there will be NO other way to fix it other than this.

What bothers me the most about this is the fact that this can even happen in the first place, and that I'll probably have to do it again when it gets "gummed up" in there in a few weeks/months, etc...
I would not have thought that the proximity sensor would be THAT sensitive/finicky that a bit of dirt, dust, film, whatever would cause it to not work properly.

Perhaps the most recent update that Samsung did to the phone changed a sensitivity parameter - basically making the proximity sensor not work as originally engineered. I say this because I could swear that this problem ONLY happened after doing the last system update about a month ago.
Model sgh-i337m
Android version 4.4.2
Kernel version 3.4.0-1529758 thu may 1 23:08:25 KST 2014
Build Number K0T49H.i337mvlufne1
 
Last edited:

Tracey Egerton

New member
Nov 20, 2014
1
0
0
Visit site
Hello can anyone help me please. My partner brought me a Samsung s4. When a call or message comes through should there be a light on front to show you this message. Thank you. Tracey.
 

hajbujo

New member
Dec 3, 2014
1
0
0
Visit site
Hi I have registered to thank you all for the great ideas and great fixes . I had the same proximity sensor issue on my galaxy s5 mini .The problem was the glass screen protector ,as soon as I took it off it worked like a charm. I guess Im going back to the good old plastic screen protector .
 

Spurtz

New member
Aug 9, 2013
3
0
0
Visit site
This is an older thread, but I'll add my experience: same issue with my S4, where the screen would turn off fine during a call, but would not wake up upon removing it from my ear - I had to press the home key to re-activate the screen. So, I tried the compressed air, no dice. Cleaned the phone, still nothing. BUT...then I noticed it worked just after I wiped it down. Not because of dirt but because it wasn't in the case any longer!

I have mine in an Otterbox Defender, and the cutout at the top of the phone is evidently too narrow and it interferes with the sensor. 100% success without the case, and 0% success with it.

Who woulda thunk it?
 

Members online

Trending Posts

Forum statistics

Threads
942,113
Messages
6,912,527
Members
3,158,239
Latest member
khalio1234