Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

11

Time Required

                          15 - 30 minutes

Sections

3

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • Battery
  • 3 steps
  • Trackpad
  • 6 steps

Flags

0

  • BackMacBook Pro 13" Unibody Mid 2009

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Remove the lower case screws
  • Remove the following 10 screws securing the lower case to the MacBook Pro 13" Unibody:
  • Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.
  • Three 13.5 mm Phillips screws.

Remove the following 10 screws securing the lower case to the MacBook Pro 13" Unibody:

Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.

Three 13.5 mm Phillips screws.

1024

Step 2

              Lift the lower case away
  • Slightly lift the lower case and push it toward the rear of the computer to free the mounting tabs.

Slightly lift the lower case and push it toward the rear of the computer to free the mounting tabs.

Step 3

              Battery
  • Remove the following tri-point screws securing the battery to the upper case:
  • One 5.5 mm tri-point screw.
  • One 13.5 mm tri-point screw.

Remove the following tri-point screws securing the battery to the upper case:

One 5.5 mm tri-point screw.

One 13.5 mm tri-point screw.

Step 4

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

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

Step 5

  • Lift the battery out of the upper case.
  • If you’re installing a new battery, you should calibrate it after installation:
  • Charge it to 100%, and then keep charging it for at least 2 more hours. Next, unplug and use it normally to drain the battery. When you see the low battery warning, save your work, and keep your laptop on until it goes to sleep due to low battery. Wait at least 5 hours, then charge your laptop uninterrupted to 100%.
  • If you notice any unusual behavior or problems after installing your new battery, you may need to reset your MacBook’s SMC.

Lift the battery out of the upper case.

If you’re installing a new battery, you should calibrate it after installation:

Charge it to 100%, and then keep charging it for at least 2 more hours. Next, unplug and use it normally to drain the battery. When you see the low battery warning, save your work, and keep your laptop on until it goes to sleep due to low battery. Wait at least 5 hours, then charge your laptop uninterrupted to 100%.

If you notice any unusual behavior or problems after installing your new battery, you may need to reset your MacBook’s SMC.

Step 6

              Trackpad
  • Use the flat end of a spudger to carefully pry the trackpad connector up from its socket on the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to carefully pry the trackpad connector up from its socket on the logic board.

Step 7

  • Open your MacBook Pro and set it on a table as shown.

Open your MacBook Pro and set it on a table as shown.

Step 8

  • While holding the edge of the trackpad closest to the logic board with one hand, remove the four 1.2 mm Phillips screws highlighted in red.

While holding the edge of the trackpad closest to the logic board with one hand, remove the four 1.2 mm Phillips screws highlighted in red.

Step 9

  • If necessary, carefully dislodge the edge of the trackpad closest to the keyboard from its recess in the upper case by pushing it away from the brackets attached to the upper case.
  • Carefully push the trackpad connector and cable down through the slot cut into the upper case.
  • It may be necessary to use a spudger to help get the trackpad connector past the edge of the logic board.
  • Once the cable has been completely pulled through its slot in the upper case, pull the trackpad away from the outer edge of the upper case and remove it from the machine.

If necessary, carefully dislodge the edge of the trackpad closest to the keyboard from its recess in the upper case by pushing it away from the brackets attached to the upper case.

Carefully push the trackpad connector and cable down through the slot cut into the upper case.

It may be necessary to use a spudger to help get the trackpad connector past the edge of the logic board.

Once the cable has been completely pulled through its slot in the upper case, pull the trackpad away from the outer edge of the upper case and remove it from the machine.

Step 10

  • If you are installing a replacement trackpad that didn’t come with the attached flex cable, you’ll need to use the cable from your old trackpad.
  • To remove the flex cable from the old trackpad, first flip open the latch on the ZIF connector, opposite the cable. Then, apply a little heat from a hair dryer or iOpener to soften the adhesive securing the cable to the trackpad, and carefully peel off and remove the cable.
  • When installing your new trackpad, routing the cable through the upper case and past the logic board may be difficult. It is helpful to use the tip of a spudger to guide the connector past the logic board while pushing the cable through its slot in the upper case with your other hand.

If you are installing a replacement trackpad that didn’t come with the attached flex cable, you’ll need to use the cable from your old trackpad.

To remove the flex cable from the old trackpad, first flip open the latch on the ZIF connector, opposite the cable. Then, apply a little heat from a hair dryer or iOpener to soften the adhesive securing the cable to the trackpad, and carefully peel off and remove the cable.

When installing your new trackpad, routing the cable through the upper case and past the logic board may be difficult. It is helpful to use the tip of a spudger to guide the connector past the logic board while pushing the cable through its slot in the upper case with your other hand.

Step 11

  • Next, reinstall the four 1.2 mm Phillips screws along the inner edge of the trackpad.
  • Tighten the screws all the way, then back them out about 1/4 turn.
  • Check the alignment of the trackpad on the keyboard side of the upper case. Once you have centered the trackpad in the upper case, tighten the four Phillips screws all the way.

Next, reinstall the four 1.2 mm Phillips screws along the inner edge of the trackpad.

Tighten the screws all the way, then back them out about 1/4 turn.

Check the alignment of the trackpad on the keyboard side of the upper case. Once you have centered the trackpad in the upper case, tighten the four Phillips screws all the way.

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

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                    Andrew Bookholt

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Fortunato - Sep 12, 2012

Reply

I replaced the trackpad and the new one had a strange behave: the arrow moves, the multi-touch works, but was not possible to click and when the arrow passes on the dock it doesn’t react at all, then I plugged in an external mouse and the behave was the same (in few words it was impossible to use the computer).

Now I putted back the old trackpad and I work with the external mouse.

Did someone experienced something similar?

Did you solve in some way?

Thank you in advance.

will stadler - Nov 2, 2018

Are you sure you pushed the cable in all the way

donato spoltore - Sep 13, 2012

Reply

Hello,

I also had a similar problem. I was told to try to reset the SMC in this way:

  1. Attach the MagSafe power cord

  2. Power off the MacBook Pro

  3. Press the L-Shift/Control/Option and Power button at the same time and hold.

  4. Release them all at the same time

  5. Then power on the MacBook Pro

but didn’t work for me. Any other suggestion?

skiwildcat7 - May 25, 2014

Reply

Anyone have trouble with the trackpad acting wonky after installation? Clicking well, but the right 1/3 side does not track properly. Cursor will start to go all over the place or stop. Also installed an Anker replacement battery as well, took off the foot pads as recommended. Just trying to figure out if it’s software or hardware. (i.e. did I get a faulty replacement trackpad.).

Thanks!

Wolfgang Ehle - Jun 7, 2014

Reply

Thanks for this very precise step-by-step guide! Good old MBP works fine again.

Cost: Track pad from China € 26, ifixit screwdriver set € 25 - compared to the Apple shop’s cost estimate a real big deal!