Chosen Solution

I recently had an issue with a dropped iPad not being responsive. I assumed it was a LCD issue, it wasn’t. Reseated the the connections and it was fine. I’m new to repair so this was the first time replaced any parts and I replaced the digitizer since it had a fine crack and I was taking it apart anyway. I also damaged the bezel when separating the old digitizer from the housing so put in a new one. Most of it was successful as it all functions well however, there seems to be a gap between the new digitizer and the LCD. It feels and sounds “hollow” beneath the touch screen rather than a solid, uninterrupted unit. Is this a problem due to an incorrectly placed bezel not allowing the new touch screen to sit properly? I recall removing some type of tape from top of the LCD when I thought I’d be replacing it, was this a component that would cause this if missing? Thanks for any ideas!

The glass does in fact sit/float above the LCD. Here are a few explanations and things to check.

  1. The digitizer quality will have an impact on the hollow sound you hear. Cheaper glass is thinner therefore there is more of a gap between it and the LCD.
  2. The bezel replacement may not be to exact specifications in height leading to the hollow sound because there’s more of a gap between the glass and LCD.
  3. I always use replacement parts that are labeled premium or original. They usually are more expensive than your aftermarket variety because of the quality of the glass and digitizer. The price isnt that much of a difference, so always buy original or close to original iPad parts. These parts usually come with adhesive preinstalled. Without getting too deep into it, view the links below for a step by step for iPad repair that may include steps you have missed or have questions about and also for a quality part from iFixit. iPad 4 Wi-Fi Front Panel Replacement iPad 4 Screen Digitizer Assembly