Headphones not functioning with a wired connection; they remain inactive when trying to connect wirelessly.
Headphones not functioning with a wired connection; they remain inactive when trying to connect wirelessly.
I’m not sure this subject fits well on this forum since it’s mainly about PC equipment. I don’t know where else to ask, especially as Reddit doesn’t seem to cover this kind of issue. Anyway, a few days ago I discovered a pair of WH-1000XM3 speakers outside. They appeared to have been thrown over a fence and left there. I spent several days thoroughly cleaning the connections, removing any rust and soaking them in alcohol and contact cleaner. It wasn’t perfect, but I made sure no corroded parts were touching each other. Now it was time to test them—after connecting them to my phone, they performed perfectly at full volume on both sides. The real issue turned out to be: I couldn’t get them to power up without a connection via the AUX cable. When plugged in, the charging indicator stays off. Pressing the power button or the ANC button doesn’t make any difference. The only sound from the right side (with the charging port) is faint when connected, but nothing happens on the left. If I connect them to my PC, a Windows alert appears, but no file appears. First thing I did was swap the battery, which looked severely damaged. Right Side: This side took a heavy hit from moisture. One wire (third from the left) had its colored insulation peeling, while the part below it seemed intact—probably because the solder joint for the ANC mic is still connected, so it shouldn’t affect performance. I’d reattach it once they work. I’m not sure about the other cables’ functions beyond that. Left Side: This side performed much better overall; it’s also where the AUX port is located, but the power button doesn’t do anything. Battery Connector: The right side looks most damaged visually and might be completely cut off. Could this damage be enough to cut power supply? Maybe someone here with more experience can help identify which component is faulty and why wireless operation isn’t working. I feel confident fixing them myself if the fix is just a simple solder job or part replacement. I’ve also emailed Sony asking about warranty, but they suggested sending them in for inspection, which I worry will be too costly if they’re not covered.
With a volt meter, you'd need to take off the circuit boards and check for shorts... it seems like they're shorted out. It's simpler to examine them when they're not attached to the headset.
That occurred during the cleaning process. The issue seems to be with the cable for the ANC Mic, but it shouldn't prevent them from working.
It seems unlikely, but I’d check the underside of those circuit boards. It’s likely a short circuit there.
I removed both circuit boards and inspected them from front to back. If a connection is damaged, it may indicate a permanent issue rather than just a temporary fault. Cleaning the shorted parts might help in some cases, but the outcome depends on the specific condition of each board.
If it's brief, it's "fried"—likely due to moisture indicators. You might swap the chip if you locate the issue.