Samsung Galaxy S4 - " Sim card not detected - reboot "

[Justin5609]

Has anyone else had an issue with their Galaxy S4 constantly coming up as the sim card not being detected and having to reboot?

My phone started doing it on the very odd occasion, but now it seems to do it 12+ times a day, sometimes 4 or 5 times in a row on a bad day. Sim card isn't loose. Works fine after a reboot (most of the time, sometimes keeps having to reboot).

Seems to happen more often since I upgraded to KitKat, but might be irrelevant. Google doesn't seem to help besides sending it off for repair which I'm pretty close to doing. Has anyone found any solutions besides?

 

[Ola222]

Found the solution to this issue as I was having it also and it worked like a charm.

I take no credit for it and am only passing it along.

"applying pressure where the SIM/SD Card reader RIBBON is what makes the fix work, not the SIM card tray itself...

It doesn't really matter what you use, however I used a cut up piece of foam (earplug) to apply pressure to the area with the ribbon. My foam was about 0.4cm thick. See the below photo and please note that it was taken with a webcam so the orientation is reversed to what it really looks like."

http/forums.androidcentral.com/attachments/samsung-galaxy-s4/160714d1422254921-galaxy-s4-major-problem-sim-card-not-detected-1-25-2015-1-09-38-pm.png

The cheap soft foam earplugs work great because they apply even pressure to the right spot. Also it can be cut over thick and it still compresses perfectly to just the right size.

http/www.cvs.com/shop/personal-care/ear-care/ear-plugs/cvs-soft-foam-earplugs-skuid-694929

 

[pxkxb]

Has anyone else had an issue with their Galaxy S4 constantly coming up as the sim card not being detected and having to reboot?

My phone started doing it on the very odd occasion, but now it seems to do it 12+ times a day, sometimes 4 or 5 times in a row on a bad day. Sim card isn't loose. Works fine after a reboot (most of the time, sometimes keeps having to reboot).

Seems to happen more often since I upgraded to KitKat, but might be irrelevant. Google doesn't seem to help besides sending it off for repair which I'm pretty close to doing. Has anyone found any solutions besides?

I have researched this issue for days. I have tried the following fixes:

-clear cache from recovery
-tried 3 different Sims
-factory reset

None of the above worked.

What did WORK was the following:

-I folded a small piece of paper multiple times And placed it to the left of the flash on the back of the phone then put the cover on. This creates pressure on that spot.

I have not had the issue for 2 days now, compared to 5 times daily.

This is definitely a hardware issue

 

[Valentino Grubelic]

Hi guys ...had my S4 for two years and no problem until i recently installed a bunch of games on my SD card..now i went through all the solutions people have posted no success. .so i got to thinking cabout what i have read ..some people say its hardware and some say its software. .well im here to say that both are right...how i fixed mine was to remove the latest install from my SD card to the device drive and bingo no more sim card errors. .conclusion is because sim card reader and SD card reader are combined and in a state of decline wether its a voltage issue or a deteriorating cable issue the draw of the SD card reade under certain applications is making the sim card reader fail.. So just remove currently installed Apps that you have put on your SD card and see if that works or remove SD card altogether. This is not saying that at some point you will not have to get the whole component changed.

 

[AlainLetzebuerg]

Hi,

I had the same problem and tried everything (inserted a new sim, cleaned the partition cache, read endless posts, etc...)
Now I have installed this free App called "Bluetooth connect & Play"

(I'm not related to this App in any way) and since then, I don't get any reboots

My guess is that there is something wrong with the Bluetooth software in the S4.

Please let me know if that helped you out.

 

[kassinlevy]

Has anyone else had an issue with their Galaxy S4 constantly coming up as the sim card not being detected and having to reboot?

My phone started doing it on the very odd occasion, but now it seems to do it 12+ times a day, sometimes 4 or 5 times in a row on a bad day. Sim card isn't loose. Works fine after a reboot (most of the time, sometimes keeps having to reboot).

Seems to happen more often since I upgraded to KitKat, but might be irrelevant. Google doesn't seem to help besides sending it off for repair which I'm pretty close to doing. Has anyone found any solutions besides?

Having the very same issue. Have you resolved this issue with your phone and, if so, how...? Thanks in advance.

 

[mrcramac]

In removing the light gray bezel inside the back cover, I noted there were several modular plugs with scores of tiny connectors beneath. (it should be noted that chrome outer bezel around perimeter of phone disconnects from the rest of the phone by snapping off as a part of the gray internal bezel) I got my hands on some electronics contact cleaner (typically freon) and lightly sprayed each connector after I carefully pried each individually loose. I gently re-pressed each one - one at a time - back into place, and repeated several times while the contact cleaner was still wet and present and not yet evaporated. This should have shined up each contact and it's corresponding socket receptor. There were 5 or 6 of these ribbon cable terminal contacts all over the mother board and I repeated the process for each. They look somewhat like a centipede when you pull them up with all the tiny legs hanging down. Be very careful not to bend them when re-inserting. Press evenly across the terminal contacts surface to re-plug cable into socket. Thus far, and it's been 3 hours since having done this, no issues with SIM card again. And, it WAS losing it about every 20 minutes prior to my DNC (Dust-n-Cleaning) procedure.
Hope that helps everyone else.
- Craig -

 

[hogan773]

DANGIT!

Getting this error on my GS4 that I just got on Ebay. Generally once or twice a day.

I did the "foam mounting tape right on top of the SIM cable connector" trick and it seems to have cut down on the occurences, although I got one yesterday after taking from my pocket. I thought it was due to bending etc from being in pocket.

THIS MORNING MY PHONE HAS BEEN SITTING QUIETLY ON MY DESK, NO MOVEMENT, and I just picked it up to find the SIM error. WTF????? I feel like this could be a software-based issue. How could I get the error when the phone was sitting quietly on a desk?

 

[WinstonMaculai]

Do not waste your time it is a hardware issue

I tried everything... from the stupid pushing the connectors with a pen solution, installing the weird BT utility... nothing worked

On the other hand I replaced the SIM card holder, tried the folded piece of paper solution... nothing worked more than 3 days

Finally I got a motherboard replacement and intalled it. SOLVED.

Hope this helps

--
Winston Maculai

 

[4PrincessLexi]

It is called planned / designed obsolescence.

 

[bob_152]

I had this problem several times a day.. What I did notice was that it would show apps update notifications every time I received the Sim card error. Saw this in the notification tab at the top of the screen..
The problem was fixed when I disabled auto updates and update notifications in playstore. I haven't seen the error since. FIXED

All GREAT.. After week 1

All GREAT.. After week 2

Wonderful.. After week 3
I consider it FIXED

 

[Aberardo]

You can try to use another SIM card.

Another sim card wont work. I just put a new 32 gb in and it still does it. Im gonna send it to samsung and let them deal w/it..

 

[dfuller12]

I have had this problem with my galaxy s4 and I only had it for 3 months. Constantly my phone would restart all day to the point when I would cut my phone back on it would only say no sim card emergency calls only. 2 things I did was
1: before cutting the phone back on regular I would hold the power button and the volume button until a blue message pops up in the left corner than I would clear partition cache and than reboot the system that would work for two days and than It would mess up again.
2. I would cut the phone off , cut it back on , while the phone was cutting on I would non stop press on the home screen button until the phone goes in safe mode when the phone is on I would go to settings , home screen mode and click on easy mode than I would immediate restart the phone and that worked very well for weeks. When my phone started acting up again I completely got a new Sims card. When the new Sims card was acting up in the phone I realized the card wasn't the problem it was the phone. I called AT&T they said it was a system hardware problem and the sent a new s4 out and the old Sims card been working perfectly fine with the new phone.

 

[Sprock Er]

Hello
It's a hardware issue not the sim card. Use your warranty and get the phone replaced or fixed. Might also be caused by excess heat from gaming. I noticed it happens to my phone when Im playing some high paced game apps.

 

[ddiz]

There is a bad batch of s4's out there that are known to have this issue. Talking to the warranty department of your carrier they can identify if your imei falls in the range of this batch and get you a new one. It had nothing to do with the sim card, it's a hardware issue.

 

[VO Knows]

I have T-Mobile. Tried a new SIM didnt work. Had them send me a "new" Phone and used the new sim. Still giving me crap. I think it may be a problem with the latest Update.

 

[VO Knows]

There is a bad batch of s4's out there that are known to have this issue. Talking to the warranty department of your carrier they can identify if your imei falls in the range of this batch and get you a new one. It had nothing to do with the sim card, it's a hardware issue.

You're right if the last 6 of your IMEI number falls in the following range you're at Risk.
000001-585557

 

[danocarroll24]

same problem last few days except mine wont wwork at all now brought it to repair shop and they don't know what to do have you solved it yet?

 

[Bluna]

Has anyone else had an issue with their Galaxy S4 constantly coming up as the sim card not being detected and having to reboot?

My phone started doing it on the very odd occasion, but now it seems to do it 12+ times a day, sometimes 4 or 5 times in a row on a bad day. Sim card isn't loose. Works fine after a reboot (most of the time, sometimes keeps having to reboot).

Seems to happen more often since I upgraded to KitKat, but might be irrelevant. Google doesn't seem to help besides sending it off for repair which I'm pretty close to doing. Has anyone found any solutions besides?

I have researched this issue for days. I have tried the following fixes:

-clear cache from recovery
-tried 3 different Sims
-factory reset

None of the above worked.

What did WORK was the following:

-I folded a small piece of paper multiple times And placed it to the left of the flash on the back of the phone then put the cover on. This creates pressure on that spot.

I have not had the issue for 2 days now, compared to 5 times daily.

This is definitely a hardware issue

^THIS IS THE BEST ANSWER, THANK YOU!

I tried all the software recommendations and multiple sim cards but it's definitely a hardware issue. I folded a small piece of paper 3 times to resemble a square and placed it on top of the sim card slot.

You have to hold it down in place as you put your phone cover back on so it stays directly on top. The pressure of the cover does the rest, as soon as I turned on my phone again I got my mobile service back. Thank you!!

 

[Dwebster]

This has been working for me.

Samsung support will not do anything about the issue if your phone is past its year warranty.

Found the solution to this issue as I was having it also and it worked like a charm.

I take no credit for it and am only passing it along.

"applying pressure where the SIM/SD Card reader RIBBON is what makes the fix work, not the SIM card tray itself...

It doesn't really matter what you use, however I used a cut up piece of foam (earplug) to apply pressure to the area with the ribbon. My foam was about 0.4cm thick. See the below photo and please note that it was taken with a webcam so the orientation is reversed to what it really looks like."

http/forums.androidcentral.com/attachments/samsung-galaxy-s4/160714d1422254921-galaxy-s4-major-problem-sim-card-not-detected-1-25-2015-1-09-38-pm.png

The cheap soft foam earplugs work great because they apply even pressure to the right spot. Also it can be cut over thick and it still compresses perfectly to just the right size.

http/www.cvs.com/shop/personal-care/ear-care/ear-plugs/cvs-soft-foam-earplugs-skuid-694929