IPhone 15 Pro Max Dead and Not Charging

IPhone 15 Pro Max Dead and Not Charging
Device	iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max
Affects part(s)	Main Logic Board
Needs equipment	Soldering Iron, Multimeter, Thermal Camera, Rosin, Hot Air Station, Microscope
Difficulty	◉◉◉◉ Specialist
Type	Soldering

Problem description

iPhone 15 Pro Max appears dead and will not turn on or charge when on battery. When connected to a DC Power Supply (DCPS), the device consumes 0.105 A of current before prompt to boot and boots normally after prompt. Thermal imaging shows the charging IC heating abnormally.

Figure 1 - iPhone 15 Pro Max DCPS reading before prompt to boot example

Symptoms

• Device appears dead, no response to power button or charger.
• No charging indication on screen.
• Device only boots when connected to DCPS.
• DCPS reading: 0.105 A before prompt to boot.
• Charging IC visibly heats up on a thermal camera.

Diagnostic Steps

1. Connect iPhone to DC Power Supply; check current draw:
   • 0.105 A pre-boot draw indicates boot sequence initiates.
2. Attempt to prompt the phone to boot using power button.
3. Observe thermal camera or use Rosin to detect heat source:
   • Charging IC heating confirms failure.

Figure 2 - Example of charging IC heating up under thermal camera

Repair Steps

1. Disassemble Device:
   • Remove display and disconnect battery.
2. Board-Level Work:
   • Remove motherboard from housing.
   • Split Layers
   • Isolate charging IC area (use thermal shielding).
3. Remove Faulty Charging IC:
   • Use hot air + flux, carefully lift the IC.
4. Clean and Prepare Pads:
   • Wick old solder and inspect for pad damage.
5. Install New Charging IC:
   • Reball, align, and install.
6. Test Booting and Charging:
   • Connect to DCPS, verify normal reading before prompt to boot.
   • Check battery charging functionality.
7. Reassemble Device:
   • Confirm full functionality before sealing.