Macbook Pro 13 Unibody Early 2011 Fan Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

7

Time Required

                          20 minutes            

Sections

3

• Lower Case
• 2 steps
• Battery Connection
• 2 steps
• Fan
• 3 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Video Overview

Step 1

              Lower Case               

• Remove the following ten screws:
• Three 14.4 mm Phillips #00 screws
• Three 3.5 mm Phillips #00 screws
• Four 3.5 mm shouldered Phillips #00 screws
• When replacing the small screws, align them perpendicular to the slight curvature of the case (they don’t go straight down).

Remove the following ten screws:

Three 14.4 mm Phillips #00 screws

Three 3.5 mm Phillips #00 screws

Four 3.5 mm shouldered Phillips #00 screws

When replacing the small screws, align them perpendicular to the slight curvature of the case (they don’t go straight down).

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Step 2

• Use your fingers to pry the lower case away from the body of the MacBook near the vent.
• Remove the lower case.

Use your fingers to pry the lower case away from the body of the MacBook near the vent.

Remove the lower case.

Step 3

              Battery Connection               

• Use the edge of a spudger to pry the battery connector upwards from its socket on the logic board.
• It is useful to pry upward on both short sides of the connector to “walk” it out of its socket. Be careful with the corners of the connectors, they can be easily broken off.

Use the edge of a spudger to pry the battery connector upwards from its socket on the logic board.

It is useful to pry upward on both short sides of the connector to “walk” it out of its socket. Be careful with the corners of the connectors, they can be easily broken off.

Step 4

• Bend the battery cable slightly away from its socket on the logic board so it does not accidentally connect itself while you work.

Bend the battery cable slightly away from its socket on the logic board so it does not accidentally connect itself while you work.

Step 5

              Fan               

• Use the edge of a spudger to gently pry the fan connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.
• It is useful to twist the spudger axially from beneath the fan cable wires to release the connector.
• The fan socket and the fan connector can be seen in the second and third pictures. Be careful not to break the plastic fan socket off the logic board as you use your spudger to lift the fan connector straight up and out of its socket. The layout of the logic board shown in the second picture may look slightly different than your machine but the fan socket is the same.

Use the edge of a spudger to gently pry the fan connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.

It is useful to twist the spudger axially from beneath the fan cable wires to release the connector.

The fan socket and the fan connector can be seen in the second and third pictures. Be careful not to break the plastic fan socket off the logic board as you use your spudger to lift the fan connector straight up and out of its socket. The layout of the logic board shown in the second picture may look slightly different than your machine but the fan socket is the same.

Step 6

• Remove the following three screws securing the fan to the logic board:
• One 7.2 mm T6 Torx screw
• Two 5.3 mm T6 Torx screws

Remove the following three screws securing the fan to the logic board:

One 7.2 mm T6 Torx screw

Two 5.3 mm T6 Torx screws

Step 7

• Lift the fan out of its recess in the logic board, minding its cable that may get caught.

Lift the fan out of its recess in the logic board, minding its cable that may get caught.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order. (Always a good idea to first blow the dust out, wipe the inside cover, etc.)

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                    Andrew Bookholt                     

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Mitesh - Feb 18, 2015

Reply

Hi I did this and now my Mac won’t turn on. When connecting the power supply the green light is on but absolutely nothing firing up. No fan no screen nada! HELP!

Nichi Ottolino - Mar 13, 2016

Reopen the MacBook Pro and disconnect the battery cable, after 30 secs reconnect it.

This solution worked for me.

Don Dine - Mar 11, 2016

Reply

This is a simple and easy repair if you follow the directions in the guide. The spudger is a good tool to have in your tool kit. Buy one if you don’t have it.

Steinar Hilmarsson - Dec 19, 2016

Reply

I broke the plastic fan socket of the logic board, is my computer ruined?

Troy Weakland - Dec 19, 2016

No, But it will need to be repaired by an competent repair person. I charge $100 for this repair.