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Vibration Motor: Mobile Phone Spares
The vibration motor provides haptic feedback — the physical vibration used for incoming calls, message notifications, and on premium phones, the precise tactile responses tied to UI interactions. Motor failure is a recognisable problem: the phone stops vibrating for notifications, or the vibration sound changes from a clean hum to a rattling buzz.
Two Motor Technologies
Budget and mid-range Android phones use an ERM (Eccentric Rotating Mass) motor — a small cylinder motor with an off-centre weight that vibrates as it spins. These are inexpensive and widely available but produce a relatively coarse, buzzy vibration with limited intensity control. Premium phones, including iPhones and flagship Samsung devices, use LRA (Linear Resonant Actuator) motors — a voice-coil and mass system that vibrates linearly at a precise resonant frequency, enabling the sharp, clean haptic taps used for keyboard feedback and UI responses.
Failure Patterns
ERM motors fail when the motor bearings wear out or the eccentric weight detaches, producing no vibration or a rattling sound. LRA motors can lose their tuned response when the voice coil is damaged, or stop entirely when the driver circuit is not supplying the correct drive frequency. Debris entering the motor housing through wear causes rattling at specific vibration intensities.
Replacement in Nairobi
ERM motor replacements for budget Android phones are widely stocked and inexpensive: KES 200 to KES 500 for the part, KES 300 to KES 600 labour. LRA motors for iPhone and premium Android require model-specific parts and are priced higher: KES 800 to KES 2,500. The iPhone's Taptic Engine assembly (KES 2,000 to KES 5,000) is a more complex LRA unit and must match the specific iPhone model.
