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I have seen a few Toshiba Satellite M305 and M305D laptops with exactly the same display problem. When you move the display panel, the image on the screen flickers, some random horizontal lines appear in random places or the image disappears at all. As soon as you stop moving the display, the image ether turns back to normal or the display continue to remain black.
I did some research and found that this problem could be related to the display cable made by CMI.
How can you tell if the display cable was made by CMI? You’ll have to open up the display panel and take a look at the letters and numbers below the barcode on the cable. If first three letters are CMI, the cable was made by CMI.
The following models could have a faulty display cable: Toshiba Satellite M300, M305, M305D and Toshiba Satellite Pro M300.
If you experience a similar problem with your Satellite M305 or M305D laptop, try replacing the display cable first. If the problem still exists, even after replacing the cable, apparently it’s related to the LCD screen.
If the laptop is still under warranty do not open the case or you will lose the warranty. Take your laptop to the authorized repair center.
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September 1st, 2010 at 12:54 am
I’ve got a M300 which someone picked up by the screen and cracked the LCD display. I got an aftermarket LCD display which fitted fine (using the original inverter cable) and worked without any problems for a few months. For the past couple of weeks the display’s been going grey but coming right if a bit of pressure is applied to the top of the screen frame. I wondered if it was the cable or the connection so opened it back up and unplugged the inverter cable from the display. Next thing there’s no power to the laptop at all, won’t turn on with battery or mains, no lights going on the front of laptop. Any ideas? By unplugging the inverter cable could I have stuffed up the power supply to the whole laptop?
August 8th, 2010 at 7:35 am
I’m on my third video cable. The cable brand doesn’t seem to matter. When I talked to someone at Toshiba they wouldn’t admit there is a problem. Bull!
I can’t reward Toshiba’s indifference. I feel I’ve been cheated. I will never by Toshiba again.
August 3rd, 2010 at 7:40 am
I have a M305-S4848…a few weeks ago I noticed if I opened the screen beyond being straight up it would get flickering lines. Now the problem has gotten worse and if I open the screen more than half way the screen goes completely black. I called Toshiba and they gave me the whole out of warranty crap, my warranty expired 12/21/09, told me what was wrong with it and gave me a number for the parts dept. I call the parts dept and am told its an $80 part! I just paid this damn thing off last month and now it needs an $80 part that I am prob gonna need to have installed!!
July 9th, 2010 at 10:29 pm
I Have the same issues only worse the cable sorted out screen and smoked it pretty fryed I talked to toshiba about they agree to look it they bezal looked like it rub all way thought display cable and short out power
it nastyed chared cable I Diffently will be send this site along with that It not safe
Doughboy Says:
March 26th, 2010 at 8:56 am
I have a M305 LCD cable that is not made by CMI. It is faulty as it is shorting out my laptop(only power on for a few seconds). I say call Toshiba @ 800-457-7777 and make a complaint. There is no reason Toshiba owners should put up with their faulty components and let them get away with it. Like all banks PC manufacturers are in a conspiracy to take advantage of the general public…..The modo most to be concerned with, get rich off their money
June 29th, 2010 at 3:36 am
Hey guys,
I have had this problem. I was going to buy new cable, but I decided to open my toshiba m305d and check what is up. I have squeezed and pressed out the video cable and now the problem is gone! The screen doesn’t flicker anymore.
The cable is in left top corner, beside left speaker.
June 24th, 2010 at 11:48 pm
Ken,
Could be bad cable again.
June 24th, 2010 at 5:33 am
I bought my M305 in 08. Within six months of purchase I had the same problem. Paid $120 to get it diagnosed and repaired. Repair people said they’d seen the same problem before. They blamed the brand of cable used by Toshiba. It is 7 months since the repair using another brand of cable. The same damn problem has returned.
Toshiba says there is no known problem. Toshiba is purposely lying. They know about this. I always liked Toshibas, but they are not making this right. They are screwing their customers and they just hope this will all go away. I am now an evangelist against Toshiba.
June 17th, 2010 at 12:58 am
Hi everyone, i have problem with my Toshiba Satellite m300, the screen completely dark. The laptop works and under light i can see that there is content on the LCD but its just not bright. Ive replaced the inverter but it didnt fix the problem. Do you guys think it might be the lcd lamp, or something else, and do you guys know the part number for the lamp if thats the problem. Thanks alot for the help.
June 12th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
Colin,
Call them again and talk to a different representative. Sometimes it helps.
June 12th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
Patrick,
The cable part number is A000029210.
June 8th, 2010 at 11:08 pm
I have a M305D-S4830 which the screen flickers to a blueish green color. I had the screen replaced under warranty for a different type of flicker. Does anyone know which cable I need to replace the connection from the LCD screen to the MB? It is driving me nuts!
June 8th, 2010 at 10:30 am
I have a M305 and I tried calling Toshiba and get sent to their customer relations. The lady said that there isn’t a known issue with the screen flickering and said because I was out of warranty, I will have to pay for it myself. Is there a way we can make this use known and recall this crap. I getting tired of Toshiba…
May 25th, 2010 at 7:20 pm
I am trying to fix my cousin’s Toshiba’s M305-S4910 laptop and it has the same flickering problem. I have bought an “advertised as new” display cable. Replaced it and still have the same flickering problem. I realized that the cable I used was missing a webcam connection, so I ended up getting a replacement for the right cable. I replaced it again and the flickering still persists. I can’t seem to figure out what’s wrong at this time and it’s annoying as hell.
Original Cable: MECDD0TE1LC000090321. 03/21/09
Replacement: MECDD0TE1LC000080811. 08/11/08
Replacement w/o webcam: MECDD0TE1LC100080417. 04/17/08
May 2nd, 2010 at 12:31 am
UPDATE: Well after I replaced the inverter it would not work and then I pulled the tiny wire plug out of the left end of the inverted and replugged it one more time it worked. Then for good measure I clamped the both pluggs together for good measure at it went black for good. I investigated and found the the green wife in the back of that plug was broken loose. Wow that plug and wires are so tiny I can hardly see them well enough to fix and my fingers are just too large. Even tweezers might be too large for the wires. How do you pull the rubber coating off of wires that tiny?
April 25th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
I am in the middle of fixing mine. You tube videos seem to track it down to 4 main problems.
1) The monitor screen’s back light which is a small flourescent light inside bottom of inner screen case. If going bad the white parts of the screen should get pinkish before turning white at start up.
2) The back light inverter located below the screen in the center. It has two wire plugs at each end. When replacing you can slide it out of the transparent sleave and the new one back in the same way.
3) This seems to be the most likely as I was wiggling wires and watching the screen flicker because of it. The Plugs that connect the wires seem to be loose. Either the plugs slide apart or some of the individual wires float in and out too loosely to make a good contact. One video showed that the main rounded black cloth coated cable bundle that goes from the screen or laptop lid into the base of the computer has a larger white plug after a couple inches and that it comes partially unplugged as the moving of the lid on the hinges moves the cable slightly. He wedged a wad of tissue against the wire bundle near the hinge and solved this problem.
4) A capacitor could be faulty inside the computer. If this is the problem perhaps the cost to repair it is more than the value of the computer.
April 21st, 2010 at 7:45 pm
brad,
Can you temporarily fix the image if you move or torque the screen? If the video goes back to normal when you move the screen but slowly fades to white as soon as you stop touching it, most likely this is the LCD screen failure.
April 21st, 2010 at 5:41 pm
my toshiba M305D-S4829 screen just goes completely white. sometimes you are able to see what is on the screen but it slowly fades back to white. any suggestions before i start ordering parts?
April 9th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Larry,
Call Toshiba and explain what’s going on. Most likely you’ll get a free repair even though the laptop is out of warranty.
This is a known issue with this model.
April 9th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
M305-S4848 monitor flicker so bad and goes blank for several long seconds that it interferes with my work. It has increasingly gotten worse immediately the PC went out of warranty. It appears the problemis systemic and should be fixed by the manufacturer.
1. Has anyone been able to get Toshiba to fix the problem at no cost?
2. Does anyone know of a class-action suit I can be a part of?
April 7th, 2010 at 9:19 pm
Same problem here!!
I bought my computer in Aug 2008 and not even a year after started having these problems, but did not think they would get worse…of course, they did. Pressing down near the Toshiba logo does help, but only sometimes. This is the SECOND Toshiba in as many years to have screen problems. I would NOT recommend Toshiba to ANYone unless I hated them – seriously.
DO. NOT. BUY. TOSHIBA.
March 31st, 2010 at 11:15 am
bob,
I doubt that you can fix the faulty video harness. You’ll have to buy a new one.
Or try calling Toshiba and explain what’s going on. Most likely they will replace the cable at no charge even though the laptop is out of warranty. This is a known issue and not your fault.
Try calling Toshiba first.
March 27th, 2010 at 8:01 pm
I have same problem . anybody know how to repair the cable by yourself.Anyway I lost my money. I donot want buy toshiba again.
March 26th, 2010 at 8:56 am
I have a M305 LCD cable that is not made by CMI. It is faulty as it is shorting out my laptop(only power on for a few seconds). I say call Toshiba @ 800-457-7777 and make a complaint. There is no reason Toshiba owners should put up with their faulty components and let them get away with it. Like all banks PC manufacturers are in a conspiracy to take advantage of the general public…..The modo most to be concerned with, get rich off their money.
March 2nd, 2010 at 10:15 pm
Someone on another forum said that everytime they pushed 2 inches left of toshibas name on bottom of screen, the problem would go away. The power cord for the screen is locted right at that spot(2 in Left of Toshiba Name). Everytime i have this problem with mine, i pop the cover off the screen area and wiggle some wires and miraculously it quits. Probably a wire conact problem right there. If you open it up, it is the plug in going straight into the small curcuit board right under neath the screen.
February 15th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
please tell me, where should i buy lcd cable for my toshiba satellite m305d-s4840, i have the same problem with lcd flicker and turn out black some time, any help would be appreciated, i have display cable was made by CMI, thanks