Trouble replacing keyboard bezel on SL400

[BillRaymond]

Hello all.  I am a new member of this board.  I replaced the power jack and hinge on my wife's ThinkPad SL400 and have encountered a problem when reassembling it:  When I removed the keyboard bezel, following the Lenovo service video, the connector on the mainboard for the volume control came apart. i.e. the little black piece that holds the end of the cable to the white connector body became totally separated.  I'm not sure whether or not this is "normal", but now, in trying to replace the bezel, I can;t seem to reconnect the volume control cable.

The cable is a flat length of plastic ribbon with conductors printed on it (like a long thin narrow circuit board) which inserts into a white female connector and is held in place by a black "wedge" that secures it.  I can't seem to figure out how to get the little black "wedge" thing inserted.  Is it likely I have completely destroyed the connector, or perhaps I am just trying to do it in the wrong manner.  Any suggestions?  Thank you in advance.

[Serge1410]

hey BillRaymond,

welcome to the forums.

I believe this manual can help you out in replacing the bezel >> http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/guides-and-manuals/detail.page?DocID=UM001360

[BillRaymond]

Thank you, Serge, but I have downloaded and consulted the Hardware Maintenance Manual and haven't found a solution to the problem I'm having, which is reconnecting the volume control cable to the mainboard--I can't make the connector function.  Failing a solution, can I simply tape off the end of the cable to prevent short circuiting anything, and reassemble without the volume control connected--I can always use the software volume control if ever I should need to change the volume (usually I just leave the darn thing muted, anyway)?

[andyP Community SuperMod]

Billyraymond, welcome to the forum,

any chance you could upload a photo of the parts you're posting about to somewhere and provide a link here in this thread. It's hard to picture exactly what you have for an issue; sometimes a picture really helps to understand.

Thanks in advance

[BillRaymond]

Good idea.  It had occurred to me, but the connector and the "wedge", especially, is quite small.  However, I'll make an attempt to get a close up photo of the parts, post it and link to it in the next couple days.  Thanks for giving me the push to do so!

[BillRaymond]

Okay, I've taken a few photos:  First, the connector body--

http://s19.postimage.org/m56s4o84j/connector_socket.jpg

Next, a photo of the cable inserted in the connector body-

http://s19.postimage.org/qscu6fvhf/connector_cable.jpg

A photo of what I refer to as the "wedge" for lack of a better term; not well focused, but you can make it out-

http://s19.postimage.org/3s66u3xnn/wedge1.jpg

Last, a clearer photo of the "wedge" from a different angle and in better focus-

http://s19.postimage.org/vtk87t2xv/wedge2.jpg

I can make out from the photos what I was unable to see with the naked eye--that there appear to be several of the "tines" on the "wedge" missing, perhaps broken off?  Also, it appears that I've been inserting the cable beneath the contacts in the connector body, but I can't be sure whether or not that may be my problem.  It doesn't seem that the missing/broken "tines" would cause the "wedge" not to seat and secure the cable in the connector and although I've tried, I can't see any other way to insert the cable above the contacts.

[BillRaymond]

Since no one seems able to give advice, I think I'll just put the thing together without connecting this cable and hope for the best.