IPod 5.5G Video, 30GB, No Sound Audio, Play/Pause Won't Shut Down, etc.

Question

Even though I have marked this topic as a question, it is more of a heads up for those having problems with Sound and Audio on the 5th Gen (Video) iPods.
I was having audio problems like many others are describing and took it upon myself to look into the cause. I found that there is a problem with a flat ribbon cable that connects to the main board of the iPod. The issue is that there are very thin, gold plated traces of copper on a somewhat thin plastic backing which fits into a ZIF (i.e. Zero-Insertion-Force) connector.
At issue is the amount of bending of the plastic cable when a clip on this ZIF connector is 'locked'. It seems that on some of these plastic ribbon cables, these small gold plated copper traces will crack and break, causing sound to come only from one channel or the other, or for scratchy sound, and even possible problems with the Hold switch. (I removed my Hold/Headphone Jack cable assembly and confirmed this under a microscope.)
I don't know if the cracking is immediate upon the connector being locked, or if there is some length of time before cracking will occur. I also cannot say if this is truly a problem with the ZIF connector force, or the copper on the ribbon cable. There are different problems if the copper is too thin or too thick. Other problems can cause the copper to break, have problems adhering to the plastic 'ribbon', etc.
Since this cable not only includes Left/Right Audio, but the Hold switch, units with this problem may not only have audio problems, but apparently have problem with the Hold switch not functioning properly and issues with Holding down the Play/Pause part of the Click-Wheel to power down an iPod. Another issue appears to be that the 'Clicking' noise of the Click-Wheel either becomes quiet or disappears altogether.
Ok, here's the question part...
Apple, do you have any knowledge of this issue? Is it systemic, or just several isolated units? Since the 5.5G is not in production, is it out of the question to hope to get a discounted repair or replacement part? What would your typical response be?
(Note: I had an AppleCare contract that apparently doesn't run out until October of this year, but because I took it upon myself to open the unit I understand that this is now voided.)
At this point I am thinking of buying a replacement Hold/Audio ribbon cable to install myself, but am very concerned that the part I purchase may also have these issues.
Sincerely,
Nobuo

Answer 1

After all my worry, concern, and consternation, I took my own advice and went to see the Genius Bar at the local Apple store this afternoon on my way home from work, just to see if they knew about this issue. At least I was expecting they would tell me I was out of luck for opening the iPod, at most I thought they would take it in for service and then let me know they found I had opened it and that I'd have to either pay for service, buy a new one, or that they'd simply be returning it as is. Instead they offered to replace my iPod.
I don't know if this was because I was starting to make other customers nervous (talking loud is a habit when I get anxious), and they said they don't work in individual parts like the flex ribbon cable which I told them in detail was defective - I even mentioned that I had tried to fix it by applying solder to fill in the breaks in the gold traces. But after 20 minutes of them listening to me and continually offering to exchange the iPod (not one, but two Genius' at the Genius Bar were offering me an exchange) - I gave in.
I have to say parting with it was a bit of an emotional thing - I still had all my podcasts, songs, photos, etc, on the iPod (I would have wiped it, but I really didn't expect much - I don't know what I was expecting). Maybe I was thinking of all the Smart Playlists I would loose (again), and have to recreate (again), or maybe it wasn't wanting to part with it because I figured it would be my mod-ing unit (I had seen what some did to add 32GB Compact Flash to their iPods and was tempted to do this myself). It was a very lonely 30 min drive back home.
I am still a bit gob-smacked with a 'New' 5.5Gen Video iPod. Part of me wants to thank Apple, and part of me wants to cry at loosing an old friend. (And I am sure there is a part that is sad that it wasn't me that fixed it.) I was also pretty well put in my place by the Genius when she said not to open the replacement. (If you've ever seen those TV shows where the actor becomes smaller and smaller when being scolded, that was me in the store.)
The moral of my story is - *do not hesitate to take your product to Apple if you think it needs to be fixed!* It all definitely made me feel like Apple employees really do understand the value of 'Customer Service', even when the customer isn't always right. I hope others will learn from my mistakes.
Sincerely,
Nobuo