Macbook Pro 13 Retina Display Late 2013 I O Board Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

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Sections

Lower Case
3 steps
Battery Connector
3 steps
Heat Sink
4 steps
Fan
5 steps
I/O Board
8 steps

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BackMacBook Pro 13" Retina Display Late 2013
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Introduction

This guide requires the removal of the heat sink. Don’t forget to follow our thermal paste application guide before you reinstall your heat sink.

What you need

Step 1

              Lower Case

Remove the following ten screws securing the lower case to the upper case:
Two 2.3 mm P5 Pentalobe screws
Eight 3.0 mm P5 Pentalobe screws
Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from to avoid damaging your device.

Remove the following ten screws securing the lower case to the upper case:

Two 2.3 mm P5 Pentalobe screws

Eight 3.0 mm P5 Pentalobe screws

Throughout this repair, keep track of each screw and make sure it goes back exactly where it came from to avoid damaging your device.

1024

Step 2

Wedge your fingers between the upper case and the lower case.
Gently pull the lower case away from the upper case to remove it.

Wedge your fingers between the upper case and the lower case.

Gently pull the lower case away from the upper case to remove it.

Step 3

The lower case is connected to the upper case with two plastic clips near its center.
During reassembly, gently push down the center of the lower case to reattach the two plastic clips.

The lower case is connected to the upper case with two plastic clips near its center.

During reassembly, gently push down the center of the lower case to reattach the two plastic clips.

Step 4

              Battery Connector

If necessary, remove the plastic cover adhered to the battery contact board.

If necessary, remove the plastic cover adhered to the battery contact board.

Step 5

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the battery connector straight up out of its socket on the logic board.
Be sure you lift up only on the connector itself, not the socket, or you risk permanent damage to the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the battery connector straight up out of its socket on the logic board.

Be sure you lift up only on the connector itself, not the socket, or you risk permanent damage to the logic board.

Step 6

Bend the battery connector up out of the way to prevent accidental contact with its socket during your repair.

Bend the battery connector up out of the way to prevent accidental contact with its socket during your repair.

Step 7

              Heat Sink

Carefully remove the rubber fan bumper from the edge of the heat sink.
The fan bumper wraps around the heat sink and fits into slots in the fan duct. During reassembly, be sure to fit the tabs into the notches in the fan duct.

Carefully remove the rubber fan bumper from the edge of the heat sink.

The fan bumper wraps around the heat sink and fits into slots in the fan duct. During reassembly, be sure to fit the tabs into the notches in the fan duct.

Step 8

Use the flat end of a spudger to peel the four foam stickers off of the heat sink screws.

Use the flat end of a spudger to peel the four foam stickers off of the heat sink screws.

Step 9

Remove the following screws securing the heat sink to the logic board:
Four 2.6 mm T5 screws
One 2.4 mm Phillips #000 screw

Remove the following screws securing the heat sink to the logic board:

Four 2.6 mm T5 screws

One 2.4 mm Phillips #000 screw

Step 10

Remove the heat sink from the laptop.
When reassembling your computer, follow our thermal paste application guide to reapply the thermal paste.

Remove the heat sink from the laptop.

When reassembling your computer, follow our thermal paste application guide to reapply the thermal paste.

Step 11

Fan

Use the tip of a spudger to push on either side of the the iSight camera cable connector to walk it out of its socket on the logic board.

Use the tip of a spudger to push on either side of the the iSight camera cable connector to walk it out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 12

Peel the iSight camera cable off the fan housing to fold it out of the way.

Peel the iSight camera cable off the fan housing to fold it out of the way.

Step 13

Use the tip of a spudger to flip the tab on the fan’s ZIF connector.
Carefully pull the fan cable straight out of its socket.

Use the tip of a spudger to flip the tab on the fan’s ZIF connector.

Carefully pull the fan cable straight out of its socket.

Step 14

Remove the following screws securing the fan to the upper case:
One 5.0 mm T5 Torx screw
Two 3.6 mm T5 Torx screws

Remove the following screws securing the fan to the upper case:

One 5.0 mm T5 Torx screw

Two 3.6 mm T5 Torx screws

Step 15

Lift the end of the fan closest to the display hinge and remove the fan from the upper case.

Lift the end of the fan closest to the display hinge and remove the fan from the upper case.

Step 16

              I/O Board

Insert the tip of a spudger under each of the antenna cables near their connectors and pry up to disconnect them from the AirPort board.
The three cables are coded with black sleeves of different lengths. During reassembly:
Connect the long-sleeved cable to the center socket.
The short-sleeved cable connects next to the screw.
The remaining cable has no sleeve, and connects in the last empty socket, next to the fan.

Insert the tip of a spudger under each of the antenna cables near their connectors and pry up to disconnect them from the AirPort board.

The three cables are coded with black sleeves of different lengths. During reassembly:

Connect the long-sleeved cable to the center socket.

The short-sleeved cable connects next to the screw.

The remaining cable has no sleeve, and connects in the last empty socket, next to the fan.

Step 17

Remove the two 2.1 mm T5 Torx screws securing the I/O board cable bracket.
Remove the I/O board cable bracket.

Remove the two 2.1 mm T5 Torx screws securing the I/O board cable bracket.

Remove the I/O board cable bracket.

Step 18

Use the flat end of a spudger to pop the I/O board connector straight up off its socket on the I/O board.
Be careful to only pry up on the cable connector, not on the socket itself or you risk damaging your I/O board.
Push the I/O board cable up to bend it out of the way.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pop the I/O board connector straight up off its socket on the I/O board.

Be careful to only pry up on the cable connector, not on the socket itself or you risk damaging your I/O board.

Push the I/O board cable up to bend it out of the way.

Step 19

Use the tip of a spudger to push on either side of the I/O board connector to walk it out of its socket on the logic board.

Use the tip of a spudger to push on either side of the I/O board connector to walk it out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 20

Remove the following screws securing the I/O board to the upper case:
One 3.5 mm T8 Torx standoff screw
One 3.5 mm T5 Torx screw

Remove the following screws securing the I/O board to the upper case:

One 3.5 mm T8 Torx standoff screw

One 3.5 mm T5 Torx screw

Step 21

Lift the I/O board cable end of the I/O board and pull toward the logic board to free the ports from the upper case.
Remove the I/O board.

Lift the I/O board cable end of the I/O board and pull toward the logic board to free the ports from the upper case.

Remove the I/O board.

Step 22

Remove the single 2.7 mm T5 Torx screw securing the AirPort board to the I/O board.

Remove the single 2.7 mm T5 Torx screw securing the AirPort board to the I/O board.

Step 23

Lift the free end of the AirPort board up slightly and pull it straight out of its socket on the I/O board.

Lift the free end of the AirPort board up slightly and pull it straight out of its socket on the I/O board.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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                    Sam Goldheart

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winterchristian - Nov 7, 2020

Thank you! My Macbook was not starting anymore and I saw that it will boot without the IO board. I got a new part, exchanged it and it is now working flawlessly.

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