Fat Batteries...or...the click wheel that won't be pushed

Mijn probleem

Unbeknownst to me, as batteries age, they can swell and although the iPod still works, for the older 4th generation click wheel iPods, the clicker stops working because the "Fat Battery" that sits immediately behind the click button, prevents the central click button from being depressed.

Mijn oplossing

The fix...put in a new battery. I ordered two of them since we had two 4th generation iPods, one with a click wheel that wouldn't depress and the other, although it still worked, was of the same vintage. The battery repair kits arrived very quickly and then I procrastinated on doing the install of the batteries. When I got around to it, the online instructions were exactly correct, the tools were exactly what I needed (I ordered a 26 Bit Driver Kit, something I know I'll use, to get a T6 Torx) and the installation was effortless. Altogether it took me about 30 minutes total time to dismantle, remove and install batteries on two 4th generation iPods.

Mijn advies

The first iPod with the non-depressable click wheel had a very swollen battery, the still working iPod had a swollen battery and knowing the issue, I realize it was only a matter of time until the click wheel stopped being pushable. This is my second "trip" to ifixit. The first was for an iPhone battery. You people really know how to make thinks easy and simple. For those who have these iPods, noticing that the click wheel is misbehaving suggests that the battery is likely swollen. Replacing it is effortless.

Thanks "ifixit"!