Galaxy S4: Major problem - SIM card not detected

[dilshad wahid]

Latest fix after failing in all the tips and tricks is to update the phone to I9505XXUHOJ2_I9505OXAHOJ2_DBT.zip Just install it via odin and
Factory reset .
Download firmware from sammobile com and select mobile device . Select country GERMANY

 

[dilshad wahid]

Just try and let me know ... Thanks

 

[kunpifagor]

It is true direction to find hardware solution.
One guy made this operation and has a success to solve sim-problem:

He made the connection between capacitor 933 and capacitor on the sim-slot (marked on the picture).
Then, he took the soldering station and he was soldering every pin of NFC-chip (marked as light-green on the picture) with flux.
And during few weeks sim-card works correctly.
There must be 1.8 or 3 volts on sim power-connector, so it must be 1.8 or 3 volts on capacitor connectors at the certain time. If there are 1.5 or 2.5 volts - sim falls.
At Monday I was made all this operations, except capasitors connection. There were two errors since monday. I think, I need to connect capacitors to take full effect.
Sorry for my bad English! I want to find good solution together.

 

[Dawid Lazar]

This has worked for me, and it's been over a month. I used a piece of hard plastic instead of the tape. I tried every other fix, and this is the only one that worked. Thank you!!!!!!

It's my pleasure

Questions for all
1. Who did the software update to lolipop version before sim card error?
2. How old is your device?

 

[paolagashaila67]

It is true direction to find hardware solution.
One guy made this operation and has a success to solve sim-problem:
View attachment 205553
He made the connection between capacitor 933 and capacitor on the sim-slot (marked on the picture).
Then, he took the soldering station and he was soldering every pin of NFC-chip (marked as light-green on the picture) with flux.
And during few weeks sim-card works correctly.
There must be 1.8 or 3 volts on sim power-connector, so it must be 1.8 or 3 volts on capacitor connectors at the certain time. If there are 1.5 or 2.5 volts - sim falls.
At Monday I was made all this operations, except capasitors connection. There were two errors since monday. I think, I need to connect capacitors to take full effect.
Sorry for my bad English! I want to find good solution together.

I have 2.6V in this points. Between two capacitors already has connection is 1 Ohm. And what i can do else?

 

[iambjeanc]

I've noticed that my problem would start whenever I had to activate mobile data. It seems (or perhaps seemed) to have something to do with 4G...
I tried everything but removing the screws. Will do that as soon as I find something to help me with that. If that solves the problem, I edit this post letting you know, but I really doubt it.
In my opinion, the best sollution is getting rid of this phone and purchasing another one. Anything but Samsung again, please!

EDIT- Ok, it didn't work. =/

 

[iambjeanc]

Right. I had sent my phone to the technical assistance a couple of days ago. The problem had been solved for some hours, but it had happened again. For some reason it would happen whenever I turned mobile data on as I told before.
Ok. Until yesterday the problem was terribly insistent. It came to a point where I couldn't solve it anymore. I tried almost everything (including attempting to throw it against the wall). No fix.
So I sent to the techs again today and they unplugged and replugged the SIM card reader and it seemed to "kind of fix", because the issue is no longer insistent like it was before. It's been over two hours since that and I had the error message once in that period. I also tried turning the data on and it still worked fine. The message only came when I got home and turned wifi on, but I rebooted my phone and it's working so far with no error messages.
So for those who want to open their phones and replug the SIM card reader it might work as fine as it did for me. But so far we can only be sure that there is no permanent fix. Unfortunately I have got to buy another phone, once I need my telephone functions.
--
EDIT: Well, I am really surprised. In over 13 hours the problem only ocurred 3 times. Since the last time (6 hours ago) I got no error messages AT ALL. I know it will happen again eventually, but it's working really good for me.
=D

 

[iambjeanc]

It's my pleasure

Questions for all
1. Who did the software update to lolipop version before sim card error?
2. How old is your device?

1. me. The error happened some months after the update. Maybe two or three.
2. one year old.

 

[Dawid Lazar]

1. me. The error happened some months after the update. Maybe two or three.

Hmm... Me just the same.
We all remember the Galaxy S3 had a similar story.
Maybe this new system destroys the phone?

 

[iambjeanc]

Yea, I thought about that too. But some people tried downgrading to KitKat and the problem continued.

 

[Spiker90910]

So hopefully this is a (permanent) fix, but I have had luck with a combination of things;

Before any of this happened, I had a case on my phone - an ottterbox defender. When the error started happening, I took it off (since at the time, it was thought that this was the cause). Ever since then, I have had a variety of success with other methods to fix the problem. The one that help the most was a combination of pressure on the inner cable (I used a piece of foamboard) and pressure on both the SIM card tray and the SD card with foam, all secured under the battery back panel (with the SAMSUNG logo). While this didn't get rid of the problem, it did reduce it severely, but after some time, the back cracked and the error began to come back more frequently.

Fast forward to today, after getting a new battery cover, and putting on my Otterbox, I haven't gotten the error in 8 days - which is a record for me. In addition to this, I realized that sometimes when I got the error before, I would have to wipe my CACHE and my DALVIK-CACHE for it to read the SIM card again. So hopefully this will help someone.

TL;DR - Putting pressure on the cable, SIM tray, and SD card tray possibly fixes error - with the help of added pressure from DEFENDER case.

 

[Dawid Lazar]

Yea, I thought about that too. But some people tried downgrading to KitKat and the problem continued.

A friend update the software in less than two months ago and I already have reports that the phone starts freaking out. I look forward to continued.

 

[kunpifagor]

I have 2.6V in this points. Between two capacitors already has connection is 1 Ohm. And what i can do else?

So, there must be 3 V, not 2.6 V. I did the connection and problem not solved. But I didn't measureing voltage. I think I need to take voltage from other electrical parts in phone, may be from battery with adding resistor.
I bought new pnone (ASUS). But I will repair S4 by my hands)

 

[771Steve771]

I am having the same issue with my S4. The phone first required just a restart every few days to fix the problem and then progressed to being every day, then every few hours, until a restart would not long be requested by the phone and nothing would get the phone to detect it again (restart, power off then on).

I then tried replacing the sim card which worked.... for a day or so and then the same issues began. I have however found a solution that does not require a new sim card and gives you service back but only for a day or so to get you by until you figure out what you want to do (get a new phone at the end or your contract or whatever).

The steps I took are:

1. Turn off phone
2. Remove battery and sim card
3. Wait 2 minutes or so
4. Replace battery (Do NOT replace sim card)
5. Power on phone
6. After phone is fully booted and is showing the "No Sim Card" notice at the top, power off phone.
7. Remove battery, replace sim card, replace battery
8. Power on phone

You should now have your service back. At least it has worked for me several times so far.

Hope this helps!

 

[Dawid Lazar]

Ehh our problems are diffrent :/
i havent notice at the top "No Sim Card". i have no one notice. :/

 

[paolagashaila67]

There are four mobile operators in Moscow. For two of them work very well, for other don`t work. My operator one of no work ( It depends from manufacturer of sim card and that circuit power it have. Because it is only hardware problem, and it requires hand repair. (( I can do this, but I don`t know what. Only Samsung engineers can answer to this question, but they are silent, because it is official position, S4 has not this problem. Fu***ng Samsung!

 

[ristraman]

I was having the same type issue (progressively more frequent SIM card not detected - press OK to restart errors) and decreasing battery life that I could not seem to correct no what I tried. A couple of days ago I went to ATT and got a new SIM card. So far, no more errors and my battery life seems to be better (no more cases where the phone got hot just sitting in my pocket. Not sure if the SIM card was faulty and causing some communications errors / excessive battery drain but it is almost like having a new phone again (so far). I will come back later with an update if the problems are entirely gone. Before I replaced the SIM card, I was getting multiple errors per day. And my battery would almost never make it through a work day. I would like to say; Hey Samsung / Google - How about restarting the phone automatically and giving me the error afterwards since there is no choice other than restart the phone anyway? I don't know how many times I carried around my phone in my pocket not getting any calls / messages because it was waiting for me to press OK to restart.

 

[xrko]

I have the sim card error, and it started just after my warranty ran out. I tried new sim and updating to lollypop and still have the problem. No more Samsungs for me.

edit: Samsung tech sup is working with me to resolve this. They asked me for my invoice today and hopefully an RMA will be next. It appears that it is still under warranty.

 

[fourstar]

FWIW, I have been having the same "SIM card not detected" problems for several months. I tried all of the "fixes" including hard reset, new SIM card, booting in safe mode, clearing cache, etc. Nothing worked. I finally broke down and ordered a new slot, but decided to try the "thin piece of foam on the connector" fix before doing the install. I removed the inside cover (9 screws) and placed the foam as directed. This is probably the kiss of death for the fix, but so far I am going on a week without one recurrence. My thanks to everyone here for posting their experiences with this frustrating problem!!

 

[Ujini]

I've had the same problem as well, tried a piece of tape over the ribbon connector to no avail. The only thing that worked for me was taking out the back cover and putting a piece of paper to hold the sim tray down into the mainboard.