If you’re an owner of the iPad Pro 11 (2020), you may find yourself facing an unexpected dilemma: your device won’t turn on despite its pristine condition. Announced on March 18, 2020, the iPad Pro has been praised for its exceptional performance and sleek design, but some users have reported sudden failures to boot, leaving them frustrated and searching for solutions. Whether you’ve tried the classic hard reboot by holding down the volume and power buttons without success, or you’re just beginning to investigate this issue, this post will guide you through the troubleshooting steps and potential repair options to get your iPad back up and running.
Phone Details
Model: Apple iPad Pro 11 (2020)
Announced: 2020, March 18
Defect Phenomenon
The iPad was functioning normally but suddenly failed to boot the next day. The user attempted to reboot by pressing the volume button and power button simultaneously for one minute, but the device still did not turn on.
Troubleshooting
1: Initial Inspection
- Place the iPad on a heating pad to soften the adhesive inside.
- After sufficient heating, use a pry piece to carefully separate the screen from the body.
- Protect the cameras with stickers to prevent damage during the repair process.
- Remove the screws holding the motherboard in place.
Visually inspect the motherboard, noting that it appears clean with no signs of water damage or previous repairs.
2: Power Supply Testing
- Remove the shielding cover on the motherboard.
- Jump a wire on the VDD_MAIN rail and connect the motherboard to a DC power supply for testing.
Observe that a large current flows immediately upon connection, indicating a short circuit in the 4V DC power supply rails on the motherboard.
Repair Process
1: Identify the Shorted Component:
- Set the DC power supply voltage to 1.8V.
- Touch the motherboard to feel for any heated areas, or use a thermal imager to locate the hot component.
- Focus on the charging-related components, where heat is detected.
(you can also observe the hot component by thermal imager )
2: Locate the Faulty Component
- Apply rosin to the suspect components on the motherboard.
- Apply voltage again and observe the rosin to identify which component is shorted.
- A small filter-type capacitor is identified when the rosin on it melts.
3: Remove and Replace the Faulty Capacitor
- Carefully remove the defective capacitor using tweezers.
- Clean the area of any remaining rosin.
Test the motherboard again by booting with the DC power supply. This time, there is no current leakage, and the iPad boots normally when the power button is pressed.
4: Reassemble the iPad
- Reapply the sticker on the motherboard and reassemble the iPad.
- Test the iPad once more to ensure it powers on and functions correctly. The issue is resolved by replacing the defective filter-type capacitor.
Tips:
To avoid such issues, always use a qualified charger and cable, avoid using the device while charging, and keep the device in a cool environment during charging.
Sudden boot failures in iPads and iPhones are often caused by damage to filter-type capacitors, which can result from improper charging practices or using poor-quality chargers and cables.
