MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Mid 2012 Left Speaker Replacement

Hey everyone, here's the very best way to PERFECTLY organize your screws AND keep track of the order of the procedure: Get a piece of plain corrugated cardboard and a pen (I like using a Sharpie). For EACH step of the disassembly, draw a simple diagram of the layout of the computer on the piece of cardboard, with dots or Xs where the screws are located. Right after you remove each screw from the computer, poke a hole in the cardboard in its corresponding diagram position with your screwdriver and place the screw in that hole. If there are other non-screw related parts to be removed, you can add notes below each step diagram to remind you of where they go or how they should be placed. This cardboard method is great not only because your screws will not go flying or get mixed up by accident if bumped, but each screw goes EXACTLY back where it came from and you can keep the cardboard as a template for future use if necessary!

- zerø K

a video of these steps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SS9is40C...

These instructions worked great for me. I ordered a replacement battery from Key Power (on Amazon) for my 15" Macbook Pro (mid-2010). Cost was $74 shipped.

Battery came with 3 different screwdrivers to help with installation. I just needed the one size though, since my 2010 seemed to use all the same size screws.

Thanks!

During re-assembling (put the screws back in), it is important to note that the 3mm threaded holes are not completely vertical, but bent a little bit such that the hole direction is rectangular to the tapered surface. The force of the screwdriver must point towards the direction of the hole. Otherwise the screw gets jammed

Worked like a charm! Took less than 20 minutes.

It's Oct. 2015, and the fan cost me about $10. it was the same brand/model...

SUNON MG62090V1-Q020-S99 .

SOME TRICKS -

1- no T6 screwdriver- was careful using needle nose players to loosen 2 screws protruding up, then use a small phillips to push real hard into the T6 slots, SLOWLY turn , also used a small flat head screwdriver (for eye glass repair) was able to grab thread on T6's, made a small mark with screw driver across the top so I could see when it started to turn.

2- no spudger -made one; cut a little strip 1/2" x 1 1/2" of plastic. couldn't get it to slide under plug, there's an edge where plug fits. so lifted old fan out, pulled upward on the plug it popped right out with very little effort. I used my home made spudger to push the new plug into place.

3- download free "Macs Fan Control" This is how I was alerted to the fan not working in the first place. Program shows temperature of all key components in the computer.

cheers- Durango CO!

I will be buying a battery from you and using your instructions. I just installed a new CD/DVD using your instructions and 1) I feel like I owe you something and 2) Although more expensive, I have the confidence your battery will work. My current battery is the original with 1399 cycles in 7.2 yrs. A tech buddy had bought me a replacement and I installed it. I had just installed a new OS and the kernel_task went going nuts, using 90% of the CPU. Hours on the phone with Apple did not resolve the issue. On a whim, I put the old battery back in and Voila! But I cannot risk my battery swelling and going south on me. I am also going to buy your installation tools. Yeah, I already have them. But you can never have enough tools…or beer. And you don’t sell beer.

To keep track of screws, I used the suggestions above by taping a photo of the lower case to a piece of corrugated cardboard and inserting/taping the screws in place. Also, as some have noted, the screws go back in at a slight angle; they are angled toward the center of the unit.

If your vision, like mine, is getting too fuzzy to be able to distinguish between a tiny Phillips screwdriver and a tiny Tri screwdriver, there’s an easy way. With a Phillips (or a Pozidrive) you can get two opposite wings to reflect the light from a lamp or window straight towards your eye at the same time. With a Tri (or Penta) you can only get one wing to reflect at a time, however much you twiddle it.

After reading this page on iFixit several times, I just could not face all the work of replacing the Logic Boards on two MacBookPro 2011s even if I was prepared to pay approx 400 USD (which I wasn’t). Then I read the reviews of a couple of folks who’d stripped down their machines and put their logic boards in the oven and, it worked! I wondered, if I just used my new Steinel Hot Air Tool (heat gun in my language) recently delivered from iFixit, on the logic board in-situ, without removing it? So I removed the battery, hard drive, and RAM and unplugged all the leads I could see WITHOUT removing anything else physically. Then using the 500 degrees set on the gun (setting 2) I ‘played’ the gun over the logic board for about 60 seconds on machine one with the restart problem (plus latterly, not completing start-up). Long story short… it worked! I spent a long time getting the s/w to load, but the commentary is too short to let me relate that part… ping me if I can help you do the same! blackaye@gmail.com

Excellent guide, it was as easy as a breeze to replace my battery. I can't believe I nearly followed Apple in their saying that this part was not user replaceable. Great job for this description, and many thanks. iFixIt is THE reference for Mac owners.

Patrick.

My battery connector pulled off parallel to the board surface

I tried spudging the corner closer to the wires which was probably a bad idea. The corner broke off! I can't believe it was that brittle. So be careful. If it did it again, I'd aim for the corners AWAY from the wires or the sides themselves, though I seem to recall there not being much of a lip.

I used the spudger to gently ease the battery connector out. I then placed a q-tip between the connector and it’s socket to avoid making an accidental connection. A toothpick or some other soft stick might also work.

My battery connector had a shiny metal cover over it like a male USB plug. I had to take the 3 peace symbol screws oit and remove the battery before I could access thr plug properly. My battery plug also came off parallel to the board by walking the black plastic part off the metal part towards the battery. It required quite a bit of force to walk it off the connector. I broke a spudger trying. Something nonconductive but strong like a wittled down bamboo chopstick could work well.

Translate to Spanish:

Para ciertas reparaciones (por ejemplo, el disco duro), no es necesario desconectar el conector de la batería, pero evita cualquier cortocircuito accidental de la electrónica en la placa base. Si no desconecta el conector de la batería, tenga cuidado ya que partes de la placa base pueden estar electrificadas.

Use el borde de un spudger para levantar el conector de la batería hacia arriba desde su zócalo en la placa lógica.

Es útil hacer palanca hacia arriba en ambos lados cortos del conector para "sacarlo" de su zócalo.

The BATTERY MUST BE DISCONNECTED - it is NOT OPTIONAL if you are going to remove the logic board.

These instructions are for Removing The Logic Board, so if that is what you are going to do the battery MUST be disconnected.

The informational item beginning with the words “For certain repairs (e.g. hard drive), disconnecting the battery connector is not necessary … “ is NOT applicable to a set of instructions on removing a logic board and it should be deleted from this otherwise excellent set of instructions.

In my opinion the RAM should be removed first - i.e., before the battery is removed.

The RAM DIMMS are just in the way if they are left in their sockets on the logic board until step 33.

I cannot see any useful reason to not remove them very early in the sequence.

I disconnected the battery because it is an opportunity to reset the SMC (which is how the SMC has to be reset in some older Macs.)

Can I get it work with PH#00?

I was able to skip this step, along with 16, 17, & 18, and complete the repair successfully. Instead of fully removing the logic board as described in step 22, I lifted the left edge and then wiggled it left until I could lift it from the hinge edge; this gave me plenty of room to see what I was doing while removing and replacing the DC-in board.

@Sarah Dunlap. Yes, I did the same, it entirely possible ( although fiddly ) to complete this repair without fully removing the Logic board and instead lifting it out of the way taking care not to put too much tension on the keyboard ribbon cable.

I used the J000 bit (I think this is a JIS bit, not Phillips) for these screws and they seemed like a much better fit. It seems like the screws aren’t actually Phillips (ie. with the curved, cam-out corners) but are squared off.

On mine the small black piece of plastic directly south of the plate we just removed that is connected to the aluminum frame underneath by two screws was broken in the middle. Can’t find what this piece is called or what its purpose is. It swings open from the screws like a door because it is broken in the middle but it doesn’t seem to have intrinsic value other than filling up space and seems that it would be held in place by the battery and the plate and the logic board once assembled.

I ended stripping one of the screws with Phillips #00 and just bent the metal piece carefully up instead so I could disconnect the two connectors underneath it. These screws are awful!

Aaron. The small black piece of plastic is one of two clips. The other is to the left of the one you mention. On the inside of the bottom case there are two small metal tabs that slip into these two black plastic clips.

As a couple of others have mentioned (above), I too had trouble getting these two screws out too. My problem was that they had corroded and locked into their threaded sockets. Also, the corrosion had rotted out the inside shape of the Phillips slots so that no screwdriver would fit properly.

I had to cut the cover down the middle and bend it up and out of the way.

Hey I’m trying to find the screws for this step online through ebay or amazon. But I can’t find it.

Is the screws the same as the one used on the trackpad, or the keyboard (ebay selling 100 pieces set)?

Can anyone check?

REINSERTING THIS CABLE WAS ABSOLUTELY THE MOST DIFFICULT STEP IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS!

Key points:

•Make sure that it's inserted evenly. It's tempting to get one edge in, and then the other, but that approach will prevent it from seating properly.

•The cable goes all the way in. There is maybe 1/16" of the little grooves showing, but not much more.

•Once the cable is properly seated, use a piece of tape to pull it all the way in, and keep the tension on the tape as you use a sprudger to flip down the retaining flap.

•It's a fragile connection, and if you break the cable it's a top-case or keyboard replacement, which is either expensive or a PITA, so patience is key.

It's very easy to do this step incorrectly. Make sure to use your fingernail and pry gently. This was the only step I felt didn't have a great explanation and damaging the part could easily happen.

Thank you to everyone who commented about this step. I did not have any trouble doing this but I could have. Also for all the excellent clarification especially the tips on reinserting the ribbon cable which I have yet to do after I hopefully fix the logic board

When they say "pull" the cable, they mean to "slide" it. Do not lift and pull.

Attaching a small piece of tape and pulling parallel to motherboard did the trick.

I had trouble getting the cable out (let alone back in!) In the end, sliding a toothpick in behind the ribbon and gently pulling from both sides of the toothpick did the trick.

On reassembly, I realise why it was so hard to get out—I had not lifted the retaining flap, thinking they just meant the flap of tape. Not well illustrated in the photo. The retaining flap is the long bit of plastic opposite the ribbon (closer to the fans).

I acquired a macbook pro with a cut trackpad wire and no battery. In looking at this layout my concern is… what if the connection is pulled from the hinge and the hinge to hold it into place is completely missing?

The most difficult part was putting it back in. I read the comments and I used a piece of tape to help push it back in. Make sure it’s all the way in or else you wont be able to turn your mac on. About a hairline of the grooves were

The comment Kal left about lifting the retaining flap is key during reassembly!

I, too, totally missed that there is a plastic “bar” covering the end of the pins. Without that lifted up, it’s %#*@ near impossible to push the connector in since the flap/bar is putting pressure downwards.

With the retaining flap down, it comes out without too much effort. But putting it back in is a whole different story. Be sure to lift it up!

For reinserting, just be patient, lining up the ribbon, keeping a good hold on the tab, and applying even pressure along the ribbon, slowly, firmly reinserting. If the power button doesn’t work when you put everything back together, you will know the ribbon needs better connection. I promise you can do it!

Even with the warning, I tried to flip up the socket. It looks unusual, not a standard zif socket. Try gently pulling (not lifting!) the cable to see where the cable ends and the socket begins. There is more socket there and less cable then it looks!

I found it easiest to grab the connector where the hinged metal piece connected to the body.

Replacing this connector was a bit fiddly, as you have to make sure it's lined up exactly before pushing it in, and because pushing it in requires a bit of force.

"Pull the cable straight" means to slide the connector out, do not lift and pull. Also, check for a square locking clip attached to the plug, if it won't come out.

I really advise you to remove the cable retainer (one 8.6 phillips, you can see a photo in the display replacement tutorial) BEFORE unplugging the cable, to have more freedom of movement (to plug it in back it's even more important). Those are REALLY flimsy (i just broke one without being brutal and believe me you don't want to change it).

I found it helpful to remove the bracket for the display cable to allow more movement of the cable when attempting to reassemble

This is indeed a tricky step. First time, after following all the steps and reassembling I had no screen, which freaked me out. Luckily, another go at the connector did the trick and now I’m a happy owner of a macbook with a new trackpad. Thanks!

This step is really unclear! After grabbing what I thought was the “plastic pull tab” and having it come off in my hand, I was clueless about how to proceed. After puzzling over it for about 15 minutes, I saw the actual “plastic pull tab”, which was against the mother board near the fan. Pulling this upward unlocked the metal hinge and everything else was obvious after that.

ummm, yeah, this was an intimidating 2-STEP step. sounds easy, lift the latch then pull back on the cable connector, but it took me several minutes (felt like an hour) to figure it out.. reinserting was worse, i couldnʻt figure out how to relatch the connection, lots of attempts, and i finally got it in. tested it gingerly, and i think itʻs ok. at least, the screen is working, so iʻll take that as a good sign.

Fortunately, the step was easy for me thanks to all the great comments above. It could have been a disaster otherwise.

Step 19 :

First remove the cable clamp, one screw in center behind the connector. Lift the plastic tab upwards and rotating back over the connector. Slide connector out by pulling gently on bend in the wire harness. To reconnect, slide connector into place by pushing on back of bend in wire harness, do not push hard. Use small flat blade at each corner to make final connection. Swing locking hinge down. Reinstall cable clamp.

When putting the logic board back in, remember to move this cable out of the way first. (Otherwise you may find it underneath, and have to take out all the screws again. Not that this happened to me of course.)

I had a 2011 fully speced, Macbook pro 15 and for one day it died in like late 2017, I had asked a repair shop and they said dead GPU but looking at the gpu now I see no damage and also even if it was dead the CPUs internal graphics would allow it to boot anyway. Can someone help me?

Another great save by good comments. Thank you, thank you. :)

When I did this step the microphone was REALLY STUCK to the upper case, it actually stayed stuck to it and disconnect "itself" from the mother board while I was lifting up everything.

Finally, there was no damage : I separated the microphone from the upper case while reassembling, then connected it back to the mother board and put it on its housing.

Count the number of connectors as you remove the board, so that when you put it back one does not get lost under the board and you can't figure out why it won't go in. You should do this.

If you laptop was getting hot when charging then be extra careful in this step because the foam pad under the logic board my have started to fuse to the casing. If the pad seems stuck then use a knife to gently pry it up.

I wish I'd read the comment on the items being stuck to the surface below

I have the same case with Joseph Sikorski - it's hard to pull out the mother board because the speaker is glued that I thought their are remaining screws that hook in to it. Better use flat spudger to pry the right side that is stuck when you pull the left upward first.

Repairing a friend’s laptop… I wonder if the “glue” between the speaker and case is actually juice or soda, lol

This part was highly stressful. The microphone/left speaker assembly are fused to the underside of the logic board. As you are facing the project according to the layout in these photos, the mike assembly is on the right side of the logic board, towards the top end. It is fused to the logic board but it also has adhesive sticking it to the upper case. As you lift, you have to insert a long spudger flat end down into that corner and move it back and forth between the mike assembly and the upper case, and it will release. Be very patient, focused, and slow. The spare part I bought from iFixIt had an extra speaker there in case I messed up, but I did not need it.

Hallelujah! There is a God!…Been sitting here for the past 2 hours, eyeballing the rubber whatever it is ”My New Moto”..When I’m stuck…”READ THE COMMENTS!…Thanks to all of you!!!!

For reinserting the logic board, it helps to have a second person helping hold connection points to the side so you do not accidentally lay the logic board on top. Just go slowly, being mindful of all connections. (best to start by properly seating the DC power unit in the upper right corner)

This step need a better picture of how the speaker and microphone looked from beneath the board, so people can understand where they should pry with the stick tool to wiggle the adhesive. In my case, it was the microphone that stucked, luckily the connector of the mic itself wigle off when i pull the board sideway. N fortunately the connector wasnt torned.

For any of you have difficulty in this step i would suggest to actually disconnect the socket of the mic from the board first, and then only pull the mic itself from the upper case.

When you put in back, remember there’s 11 connectors-wires