Macbook Air 13 Retina Display Late 2018 Fan Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          10 - 30 minutes

Sections

Lower Case
2 steps
Battery Disconnect
2 steps
Audio Board
7 steps
Fan
5 steps

Flags

BackMacBook Air 13” Retina Late 2018
Full Screen
Options
History
Save to Favorites
Download PDF
Edit
Translate
Get Shareable Link
Embed This Guide
Notify Me of Changes
Stop Notifications

Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Remove the screws securing the lower case

Before starting this procedure, you should disable your Mac’s Auto Boot feature. Auto Boot powers on your Mac when you open the lid, and may be accidentally triggered during disassembly. Use this guide to disable Auto Boot.
If your MacBook is running Big Sur v11.1 or later, disabling Auto Boot may not work. You can proceed normally, but make sure to disconnect the battery as soon as you’re inside.
Completely power off and unplug your MacBook Air before you start. Close the display and flip the entire laptop upside-down.
Use a P5 driver to remove the following screws:
Two 7.9 mm screws
Two 7.1 mm screws
Six 2.6 mm screws

Before starting this procedure, you should disable your Mac’s Auto Boot feature. Auto Boot powers on your Mac when you open the lid, and may be accidentally triggered during disassembly. Use this guide to disable Auto Boot.

If your MacBook is running Big Sur v11.1 or later, disabling Auto Boot may not work. You can proceed normally, but make sure to disconnect the battery as soon as you’re inside.

Completely power off and unplug your MacBook Air before you start. Close the display and flip the entire laptop upside-down.

Use a P5 driver to remove the following screws:

Two 7.9 mm screws

Two 7.1 mm screws

Six 2.6 mm screws

1024

Step 2

              Remove the lower case

Wedge your fingers between the display and the lower case and pull upward to pop the lower case off the Air.
Remove the lower case.

Wedge your fingers between the display and the lower case and pull upward to pop the lower case off the Air.

Remove the lower case.

Step 3

              Disconnect the battery

Peel back the tape covering the battery connector enough to reveal the connector underneath.

Peel back the tape covering the battery connector enough to reveal the connector underneath.

Step 4

Use a spudger to slide the battery connector parallel to the logic board and out of its socket on the logic board.

Use a spudger to slide the battery connector parallel to the logic board and out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 5

              Disconnect the right speaker

Slide the tip of a spudger underneath the speaker cable and pry straight up to disconnect the speaker.

Slide the tip of a spudger underneath the speaker cable and pry straight up to disconnect the speaker.

Step 6

              Disconnect the audio board

Use a T4 Torx driver to remove the three 1.4 mm screws securing the audio board cable bracket.
Remove the cable bracket.

Use a T4 Torx driver to remove the three 1.4 mm screws securing the audio board cable bracket.

Remove the cable bracket.

Step 7

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the audio board connector straight up and disconnect it.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the audio board connector straight up and disconnect it.

Step 8

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the Touch ID sensor connector straight up and disconnect it.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the Touch ID sensor connector straight up and disconnect it.

Step 9

              Remove the audio board

Remove the following screws:
Two 4.3 mm, T5 Torx screws
One 2.4 mm, T4 Torx screw

Remove the following screws:

Two 4.3 mm, T5 Torx screws

One 2.4 mm, T4 Torx screw

Step 10

Slide the flat end of a spudger underneath the Touch ID sensor cable to slice through the adhesive securing it to the audio board.

Slide the flat end of a spudger underneath the Touch ID sensor cable to slice through the adhesive securing it to the audio board.

Step 11

Remove the audio board.

Remove the audio board.

Step 12

              Disconnect the fan

Peel back the black tape covering the fan cable connector.

Peel back the black tape covering the fan cable connector.

Step 13

Use the tip of a spudger to lift up the locking flap on the fan cable’s ZIF connector.
Slide the fan cable out of the ZIF connector.

Use the tip of a spudger to lift up the locking flap on the fan cable’s ZIF connector.

Slide the fan cable out of the ZIF connector.

Step 14

              Separate the audio board cable

Slide an opening pick under the audio board cable to slice through the adhesive securing it to the fan.

Slide an opening pick under the audio board cable to slice through the adhesive securing it to the fan.

Step 15

              Remove the fan

Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the three 2.7 mm screws securing the fan.

Use a T5 Torx driver to remove the three 2.7 mm screws securing the fan.

Step 16

Lift the fan out of the case and remove it.

Lift the fan out of the case and remove it.

Compare your new replacement part to the original part—you may need to transfer remaining components or remove adhesive backings from the new part before installing.

To reassemble your device, follow the above steps in reverse order.

Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.

Repair didn’t go as planned? Check out our Answers community for troubleshooting help.

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      One other person completed this guide.

Author

                    Adam O'Camb

Member since: 04/11/2015

173,479 Reputation

                                      418 Guides authored                  



                       Badges:
                       39







                                                        +36 more badges

Introduction#

What you need#

Introduction

What you need