Macbook Pro 13 Unibody Mid 2012 Fan Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          15 - 45 minutes

Sections

Lower Case
2 steps
Battery Connection
2 steps
Fan
3 steps

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BackMacBook Pro 13" Unibody Mid 2012
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Introduction

What you need

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).

1024

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.

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Author

                                      with 5 other contributors

                    Andrew Optimus Goldheart

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Paul Lukabyo - Jan 10, 2018

Repair done as presented. The fan connection was a little tricky to get out but apart from that non eventful. New fan working nicely.

Maja - Apr 12, 2020

Hi! Thank you for very understandable and good guides!

After successfully changing the fan and battery in my Mac, the screen light changes from time to time, sometimes it is more yellow and sometimes it is more blue. Have I accidentally changed some cable, or what it is that could have happened?

Many thanks,

Maja

Beowulf Grendel - Jan 28, 2021

You described the colors very well, and that leads me to believe that your display preferences in the System Preferences Control Panel may simply have switched to automatic. It changes the hues to what they think are easier on the eyes for day and night. Go to

“Apple Menu”

“System Preferences” (it’s also in the Dock by default)

“Displays”

“Night Shift”

and adjust it the way you like. BTW, if it seems to be happening at times other than Sunrise and Sunset, make sure the Time Zone is set for your local area and proper Daylight Savings (if applicable) or Standard Time.

Good Luck,

Beowulf

Ahmed Mahran - Mar 17, 2021

Thanks, job done nicely

A S - May 15, 2022

my fan wont work with the back cover installed, i replaced, and again it doesnt stay working, if i tap the case sometimes it starts when using macs fan control full blast

Introduction#

What you need#

Team#

Introduction

What you need

Team