Introduction
Follow this guide to replace a damaged or malfunctioning smart card reader in your Lenovo ThinkPad T16 Gen 3 laptop. You can also use this guide to replace a "dummy" smart card reader with a real one.
If your smart card reader is not being detected or is no longer reading smart cards properly, it may need to be replaced.
The Lenovo part number for the smart card reader is 5C61B41060 or 5C61B41061. This guide features the former, but the process is equivalent for the latter.
What you need
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Completely shut down your laptop (don't just put it in sleep mode) and disconnect all cables.
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Flip the laptop upside-down, and rotate it so the screen hinge faces towards you.
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Use a Phillips screwdriver to fully loosen the seven captive screws securing the base cover.
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Insert your fingernail or an opening pick into the gap between the base cover and keyboard deck, next to one of the screen hinges.
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Pry up the base cover until the clips unfasten.
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Grasp the base cover along the screen hinge edge and lift slowly to unfasten the remaining clips.
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Lift and remove the base cover.
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Use a Phillips screwdriver to fully loosen the two captive screws securing the battery connector.
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Lift the edge of the battery with the connector to disconnect it.
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Remove the battery
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Slide the plastic tabs on the long edge of the battery into their recesses in the frame.
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Lower the battery into place so the connector goes over its socket.
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Use the flat end of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the locking flap on the smart card cable ZIF connector.
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Use your fingers or tweezers to pull the cable straight out of its socket.
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Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the two 2.5 mm‑long screws securing the smart card reader to the frame.
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Slide the smart card reader straight back towards its disconnected ribbon cable, and then pull it straight up to remove it.
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Compare your new replacement part to the original part—you may need to transfer remaining components from the new part before you install it.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our Answers community for help.
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