Lenovo ThinkPad T16 Gen 3 Speakers Replacement

Written By: Nick Schultz

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Lenovo ThinkPad T16 Gen 3 Speakers Replacement

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

45 minutes - 1 hour

Introduction

Follow this guide to replace the speakers in your Lenovo ThinkPad T16 Gen 3 laptop.

You may need to replace the speakers if they produce distorted sound, crackling noises, or no sound at all. The speakers are not designed to be replaced individually as they are connected by a wire.

The Lenovo part number for the speakers is 5SB1M76544 or 5SB1M76545, depending on the model. This guide features the former, but the process is identical for the latter.

Tools

Step 1

For your safety, discharge your battery below 25% before disassembling your laptop. A charged battery may catch fire if damaged. If your battery is swollen, take appropriate precautions.
Completely shut down your laptop (don't just put it in sleep mode) and disconnect all cables.
Flip the laptop upside-down, and rotate it so the screen hinge faces towards you.

Step 2

Use a Phillips screwdriver to fully loosen the seven captive screws securing the base cover.

Step 3

Insert your fingernail or an opening pick into the gap between the base cover and keyboard deck, next to one of the screen hinges.
Pry up the base cover until the clips unfasten.

Step 4

Grasp the base cover along the screen hinge edge and lift slowly to unfasten the remaining clips.
Lift and remove the base cover.
During reassembly, lay the base cover into the frame, inserting it into the tabs along the battery edge. Press down firmly around the perimeter to reengage all the clips.

Step 5

Because of the battery connector's design, the only way to disconnect the battery is by physically removing it.
Use a Phillips screwdriver to fully loosen the two captive screws securing the battery connector.

Step 6

Lift the edge of the battery with the connector to disconnect it.
You may feel a little resistance from the battery connector as it disconnects—that's normal.
Remove the battery
During reassembly:
Slide the plastic tabs on the long edge of the battery into their recesses in the frame.
Lower the battery into place so the connector goes over its socket.

Step 7

Use your fingernails to grip the right speaker connector by the lip near the back and gently pull the connector out of its socket (labeled "JSPK1").
Alternatively, you can use the point of a spudger to push on alternating sides of the connector to walk it out of the socket.

Step 8

Use your fingernails to grip the WWAN antenna connector by the lip near the back and gently pull the connector out of its socket (labeled "JPSEN2").
Alternatively, you can use the point of a spudger to push on alternating sides of the connector to walk it out of the socket.

Step 9

Use your fingernails to grip the CMOS battery connector by the lip near the back and gently pull the connector out of its socket (labeled "JRTC1").
Alternatively, you can use the point of a spudger to push on alternating sides of the connector to walk it out of the socket.

Step 10

Use a clean fingernail or the flat end of a spudger to flip up the locking flap on the NFC interconnect cable connector, labeled "JNFC1."
Use tweezers or your fingers to grip the cable's plastic pull tab and gently pull the cable out of its socket.

Step 11

Use a clean fingernail or the flat end of a spudger to flip up the locking flap on the trackpad interconnect cable connector, labeled "JCP1."
Use tweezers or your fingers to grip the cable's plastic pull tab and gently pull the cable out of its socket.

Step 12

Use a clean fingernail or the flat end of a spudger to flip up the locking flap on the smart card reader interconnect cable connector, labeled "JSC1."
Use tweezers or your fingers to gently pull the cable by its pull tab out of its socket.

Step 13

Insert one arm of your angled tweezers under the metal neck of one of the antenna coaxial connectors on the WWAN card and lift straight up to disconnect it.

Step 14

Repeat the process to disconnect the remaining antenna cables from the WWAN card.
During reassembly, use tweezers to hold each connector in place over its socket and gently press down with your finger or a spudger—the connector should "snap" into place. If you're having trouble, reposition the head instead of using more force.

Step 15

Hold all the antenna cables together and weave them out of the clips holding it to the chassis.

Step 16

Use your fingernails to grab on the lip located at the back of the WWAN antenna connector labeled "JPSEN1."
Alternatively, you can use the point of a spudger to push on alternating sides of the connector to walk it out of the socket.
Unplug the connector from the motherboard.
Many of these connectors have a small marking that shows which side of the connector should be facing up. To reconnect, align the connector and use a spudger or clean fingernail to push it fully into the socket.

Step 17

Use your fingers to guide the JPSEN1 cable out of its clips on the chassis.

Step 18

Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the two 3 mm‑long screws securing the speakers (one in each).

Step 19

Lift one of the speakers off its post and guide the speaker cable out of its clips in the center of the laptop.
Once the cable is unclipped, remove the other speaker.
During reassembly, make sure your replacement speakers have rubber grommets installed on the top, middle, and bottom edges. If they don't, transfer them from your old speakers.