Macbook Pro 17 Unibody Left Speaker Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Difficult

Steps

Time Required

                          1 - 2 hours

Sections

Lower Case
2 steps
Battery
1 step
Right Fan
3 steps
Logic Board
17 steps
Left Speaker Assembly
2 steps
Left Speaker
1 step

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Lower Case

Remove the following ten screws securing the lower case to the upper case:
Three 13.5 mm Phillips screws.
Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.

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

Three 13.5 mm Phillips screws.

Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.

1024

Step 2

Wedge your fingers between the lower case and the vent, and lift upward to release the two clips holding the lower case to the upper case.
During reassembly, carefully align the lower case and then press it firmly until both clips engage.
Remove the lower case.

Wedge your fingers between the lower case and the vent, and lift upward to release the two clips holding the lower case to the upper case.

During reassembly, carefully align the lower case and then press it firmly until both clips engage.

Remove the lower case.

Step 3

              Battery

Whenever working near the logic board, it is always wise to first disconnect the battery to avoid short circuits.
If present, grab the plastic tab attached to the battery connector and pull it toward the front edge of the device. For Late-2011 models the battery connector will not have a tab and is simply a plug that inserts straight down into the motherboard–to remove pry the plug straight up.
If the plastic tab is missing, use a spudger to pry the connector up from its socket.
Pull the tab parallel to the face of the logic board.

Whenever working near the logic board, it is always wise to first disconnect the battery to avoid short circuits.

If present, grab the plastic tab attached to the battery connector and pull it toward the front edge of the device. For Late-2011 models the battery connector will not have a tab and is simply a plug that inserts straight down into the motherboard–to remove pry the plug straight up.

If the plastic tab is missing, use a spudger to pry the connector up from its socket.

Pull the tab parallel to the face of the logic board.

Step 4

              Right Fan

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the right fan connector 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 flat end of a spudger to lift the right fan connector 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 5

Remove the three 3.1 mm Phillips screws securing the right fan to the logic board.
In the Late 2011 MacBook Pro 17" Unibody these screws will be T6 Torx.

Remove the three 3.1 mm Phillips screws securing the right fan to the logic board.

In the Late 2011 MacBook Pro 17" Unibody these screws will be T6 Torx.

Step 6

Remove the right fan from the upper case, minding its cable that may get caught.

Remove the right fan from the upper case, minding its cable that may get caught.

Step 7

              Logic Board

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the left fan connector 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.

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

Step 8

Remove the three 3.1 mm Phillips screws securing the left fan to the logic board.
Remove the left fan from the upper case, minding its cable that may get caught.

Remove the three 3.1 mm Phillips screws securing the left fan to the logic board.

Remove the left fan from the upper case, minding its cable that may get caught.

Step 9

Use the tip of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the keyboard backlight ribbon cable.
Be sure you are prying up on the retaining flap, not the socket itself.
Pull the keyboard backlight ribbon cable out of its socket.

Use the tip of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the keyboard backlight ribbon cable.

Be sure you are prying up on the retaining flap, not the socket itself.

Pull the keyboard backlight ribbon cable out of its socket.

Step 10

Before disconnecting the camera cable, a small plastic retainer stuck to the logic board must first be moved out of the way.
Use the tip of a spudger to push the small plastic cable retainer away from the camera cable socket for enough clearance to remove the camera cable.

Before disconnecting the camera cable, a small plastic retainer stuck to the logic board must first be moved out of the way.

Use the tip of a spudger to push the small plastic cable retainer away from the camera cable socket for enough clearance to remove the camera cable.

Step 11

Pull the camera cable toward the optical drive opening to disconnect it from the logic board.
The camera cable socket is very fragile. Do not apply any upward force to this socket, as it may break off the logic board. Pull the camera cable parallel to the face of the logic board.

Pull the camera cable toward the optical drive opening to disconnect it from the logic board.

The camera cable socket is very fragile. Do not apply any upward force to this socket, as it may break off the logic board. Pull the camera cable parallel to the face of the logic board.

Step 12

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the optical drive connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the optical drive connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 13

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the subwoofer & right speaker connector out of its socket on the logic board.
Pry up from beneath the wires.

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the subwoofer & right speaker connector out of its socket on the logic board.

Pry up from beneath the wires.

Step 14

Use the tip of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the IR sensor ribbon cable socket.
Be sure you are prying up on the retaining flap, not the socket itself.
Pull the IR sensor ribbon cable out of its socket.

Use the tip of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the IR sensor ribbon cable socket.

Pull the IR sensor ribbon cable out of its socket.

Step 15

Remove the following four screws:
Two 3.5 mm Phillips screws
These may be T5 Torx screws in the Early 2011 model
Two 1.6 mm Phillips screws
Remove both connector shields from the logic board.

Remove the following four screws:

Two 3.5 mm Phillips screws

These may be T5 Torx screws in the Early 2011 model

Two 1.6 mm Phillips screws

Remove both connector shields from the logic board.

Step 16

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

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

Step 17

Use your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the keyboard ribbon cable socket.
Be sure you are prying up on the retaining flap, not the socket itself.
Pull the keyboard ribbon cable out of its socket.
For reassembly, it can be helpful to put a small piece of tape on the keyboard ribbon cable (being careful not to stick any to the contacts), to create a small handle. Align the cable with the socket and gently pull with the tape to fully seat it.

Use your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the keyboard ribbon cable socket.

Pull the keyboard ribbon cable out of its socket.

For reassembly, it can be helpful to put a small piece of tape on the keyboard ribbon cable (being careful not to stick any to the contacts), to create a small handle. Align the cable with the socket and gently pull with the tape to fully seat it.

Step 18

Use your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the express card cage ribbon cable socket.
Be sure you are prying up on the retaining flap, not the socket itself.
Pull the express card cage ribbon cable out of its socket.

Use your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the express card cage ribbon cable socket.

Pull the express card cage ribbon cable out of its socket.

Step 19

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the hard drive cable connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the hard drive cable connector up and out of its socket on the logic board.

Step 20

Use the tip of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the battery indicator cable socket.
Be sure you are prying up on the retaining flap, not the socket itself.
Pull the battery indicator ribbon cable out of its socket.

Use the tip of a spudger or your fingernail to flip up the retaining flap on the battery indicator cable socket.

Pull the battery indicator ribbon cable out of its socket.

Step 21

Lift the black plastic flap attached to the display data cable retainer and rotate it toward the DC-In side of the MacBook.
Pull the display data cable out of its socket.
The display data cable socket is very fragile. Do not lift the connector upward as you disconnect it, as the socket may break off the logic board. Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board.

Lift the black plastic flap attached to the display data cable retainer and rotate it toward the DC-In side of the MacBook.

Pull the display data cable out of its socket.

The display data cable socket is very fragile. Do not lift the connector upward as you disconnect it, as the socket may break off the logic board. Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board.

Step 22

Remove the following eight screws securing the logic board and DC-In board to the upper case:
Six 3.2 mm Phillips screws
These may be T6 Torx screws on the Early 2011 model.
Two 7.6 mm Phillips screws

Remove the following eight screws securing the logic board and DC-In board to the upper case:

Six 3.2 mm Phillips screws

These may be T6 Torx screws on the Early 2011 model.

Two 7.6 mm Phillips screws

Step 23

Handle the logic board assembly by its edges only.
Lift the logic board assembly from the side nearest the optical drive and lift it away from the upper case.
Note that you’ll be removing the logic board and DC-in board together.
Carefully pull the ports and DC-In board away from the side of the upper case and remove the logic board assembly, minding any cables that may get caught.

Handle the logic board assembly by its edges only.

Lift the logic board assembly from the side nearest the optical drive and lift it away from the upper case.

Note that you’ll be removing the logic board and DC-in board together.

Carefully pull the ports and DC-In board away from the side of the upper case and remove the logic board assembly, minding any cables that may get caught.

Step 24

              Left Speaker Assembly

Remove the two 7.9 mm Phillips screws securing the left speaker assembly to the logic board.

Remove the two 7.9 mm Phillips screws securing the left speaker assembly to the logic board.

Step 25

Slightly lift the left speaker assembly off the logic board.
Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the microphone and left speaker connectors out of their sockets on the logic board.
Pry up from beneath the wires.
Remove the left speaker assembly from the logic board.

Slightly lift the left speaker assembly off the logic board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to lift the microphone and left speaker connectors out of their sockets on the logic board.

Remove the left speaker assembly from the logic board.

Step 26

              Left Speaker

De-route the microphone cable from the channel molded into the left speaker enclosure.
Use the tip of a spudger to lift the microphone out of the left speaker enclosure.
Left speaker remains.

De-route the microphone cable from the channel molded into the left speaker enclosure.

Use the tip of a spudger to lift the microphone out of the left speaker enclosure.

Left speaker remains.

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

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                    Andrew Bookholt

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Introduction#

What you need#

Introduction

What you need