Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

2 year old Macbook Pro destroyed by a very small amount of water

K

Khabbi

macrumors member
Original poster
May 8, 2009
82
48
Hello, I am writing this because of my absolute shock that my 2-year old Macbook pro (Loaded out, $3,000) was exposed to a VERY small amount of water spilling in it- and when I say a small amount, I'm saying just about 2 ounces- and it's completely TOAST. I had my laptop sitting up in my backback, a mostly empty can of soda fell on it, and an ever so little amount of moisture came out and onto the laptop. Not sure if water went into a port, the keyboard, or what, but it wasn't much whatever it was.

Given the circumstances, I am SHOCKED at how fragile my macbook Pro was for this to completely make my macbook inoperable! Never in a million years did I think this tiny exposure would do this.

I am curious to hear what others experiences are. I have to make sure trip into Apple now and I can only imagine what this will cost to fix. If their product is so fragile, I am thinking I need to think about moving to something different.

I am beyond frustrated here... Just WOW.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Sikh
Khabbi said:
Hello, I am writing this because of my absolute shock that my 2-year old Macbook pro (Loaded out, $3,000) was exposed to a VERY small amount of water spilling in it- and when I say a small amount, I'm saying just about 2 ounces- and it's completely TOAST. I had my laptop sitting up in my backback, a mostly empty can of soda fell on it, and an ever so little amount of moisture came out and onto the laptop. Not sure if water went into a port, the keyboard, or what, but it wasn't much whatever it was.

Given the circumstances, I am SHOCKED at how fragile my macbook Pro was for this to completely make my macbook inoperable! Never in a million years did I think this tiny exposure would do this.

I am curious to hear what others experiences are. I have to make sure trip into Apple now and I can only imagine what this will cost to fix. If their product is so fragile, I am thinking I need to think about moving to something different.

I am beyond frustrated here... Just WOW.
Click to expand...
2 ounces is quite a lot. Use a keyboard cover to ensure no liquids inside. Water corrodes all types of connections inside the computer, including IO ports, keyboards, display, motherboard capacitators and causes shorts. All in all, make sure to never spill liquids into electronics. Notebooks are not weather or water proof at all.
 
  • Like
Reactions: smirking
This will kill almost any laptop on the market if it gets into the ports. I’ve spilled half a cup of black coffee onto the centre of the keyboard of my old MacBook Air and it was fine but pretty sure that was pretty good luck.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sikh
Khabbi said:
I am beyond frustrated here... Just WOW.
Click to expand...

I'd be steaming too, but you have nobody to blame for that but yourself and your luck. Sorry that happened to you.

I always drink from lidded cups around my computer to prevent this accident from happening to me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sikh
Khabbi said:
Hello, I am writing this because of my absolute shock that my 2-year old Macbook pro (Loaded out, $3,000) was exposed to a VERY small amount of water spilling in it- and when I say a small amount, I'm saying just about 2 ounces- and it's completely TOAST.
Click to expand...
This is unfortunate, but definitely not unexpected. This may (or may not if you’re lucky) happen to any electronics product that lacks a for the circumstances suitable IP rating.

Don’t worry though, your home insurance should cover a new laptop, just restore from backup.

Khabbi said:
I am thinking I need to think about moving to something different.
Click to expand...

Take a look at a Panasonic Toughbook. It is only IP53, so it may still not be sufficient for your use case, but it is definitely less ”fragile” than a MacBook.

connect.na.panasonic.com

TOUGHBOOK 55

The 14" semi-rugged TOUGHBOOK laptop offers exceptional flexibility with user-removable expansion areas for optical drives, authentication readers and more.
connect.na.panasonic.com connect.na.panasonic.com

(I wouldn’t recommend it though, unless you need to use your laptop in the rain. They’re terrible computers.)

Good luck!
 
Last edited:
  • Haha
Reactions: mansplains
Last year, I spilled a tiny bit of coffee on my work Dell laptop and it died shortly thereafter. Laptops don’t like liquids.
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: kitKAC and Sikh
2 ounces (60 ml) is quite a lot. I remember that years ago IBM advertised a notebook that was supposed to survive "up to 60 ml" of water spills. Soda is even worse than just water. I don't think any notebook on the market right now would survive that and I would assume the MBP dies even with 5% of that amount of soda spilling onto it's keyboard or into ports.

I hope you can get your insurance to cover that. Best of luck.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sikh
Khabbi said:
Hello, I am writing this because of my absolute shock that my 2-year old Macbook pro (Loaded out, $3,000) was exposed to a VERY small amount of water spilling in it- and when I say a small amount, I'm saying just about 2 ounces- and it's completely TOAST. I had my laptop sitting up in my backback, a mostly empty can of soda fell on it, and an ever so little amount of moisture came out and onto the laptop. Not sure if water went into a port, the keyboard, or what, but it wasn't much whatever it was.

Given the circumstances, I am SHOCKED at how fragile my macbook Pro was for this to completely make my macbook inoperable! Never in a million years did I think this tiny exposure would do this.

I am curious to hear what others experiences are. I have to make sure trip into Apple now and I can only imagine what this will cost to fix. If their product is so fragile, I am thinking I need to think about moving to something different.

I am beyond frustrated here... Just WOW.
Click to expand...


You bought Apple Care+ right? It has accidental damage. You'll be cool.

Yes, laptops and liquid are a TERRIBLE mix.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Sikh
Khabbi said:
Hello, I am writing this because of my absolute shock that my 2-year old Macbook pro (Loaded out, $3,000) was exposed to a VERY small amount of water spilling in it- and when I say a small amount, I'm saying just about 2 ounces- and it's completely TOAST. I had my laptop sitting up in my backback, a mostly empty can of soda fell on it, and an ever so little amount of moisture came out and onto the laptop. Not sure if water went into a port, the keyboard, or what, but it wasn't much whatever it was.

Given the circumstances, I am SHOCKED at how fragile my macbook Pro was for this to completely make my macbook inoperable! Never in a million years did I think this tiny exposure would do this.

I am curious to hear what others experiences are. I have to make sure trip into Apple now and I can only imagine what this will cost to fix. If their product is so fragile, I am thinking I need to think about moving to something different.

I am beyond frustrated here... Just WOW.
Click to expand...
a laptop is fragile when it comes to water exposure?
There are no electronics that like water ...
and 2 ounces is quite a lot, much less could have done the same damage.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sikh
Khabbi said:
Hello, I am writing this because of my absolute shock that my 2-year old Macbook pro (Loaded out, $3,000) was exposed to a VERY small amount of water spilling in it- and when I say a small amount, I'm saying just about 2 ounces- and it's completely TOAST. I had my laptop sitting up in my backback, a mostly empty can of soda fell on it, and an ever so little amount of moisture came out and onto the laptop. Not sure if water went into a port, the keyboard, or what, but it wasn't much whatever it was.

Given the circumstances, I am SHOCKED at how fragile my macbook Pro was for this to completely make my macbook inoperable! Never in a million years did I think this tiny exposure would do this.

I am curious to hear what others experiences are. I have to make sure trip into Apple now and I can only imagine what this will cost to fix. If their product is so fragile, I am thinking I need to think about moving to something different.

I am beyond frustrated here... Just WOW.
Click to expand...

That has nothing to do with your perceived fragility of the MBP and everything to do with liquids and electronics not playing well together. Windows laptops will be just as susceptible to liquid damage as that Macbook, and it doesn't take a lot of water to damage a laptop - 2-3 drops in the right spot will kill a laptop just as quickly as 2 ounces will. The two biggest reasons laptops (both Mac and Windows) are brought in for repair are physical and liquid damage, and this has been the case as long as laptops have been around.

The only real alternative to a Macbook that would have any level of water resistance would be the Panasonic Toughbook, but you would be paying significantly more and getting less performance in return.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Arctic Moose, Superrenz and Sikh
Khabbi said:
. . . a VERY small amount of water spilling in it . . . a mostly empty can of soda fell on it . . . Not sure if water went into a port . . .
Click to expand...

I mean I know some people call soda "sugar water," but was it actual water or was it soda? I'm confused lol

But as others have said, that's not Apple's fault. Hope you did indeed have AppleCare. To me, that's a non-negotiable with any Macbook you plan to take on the go.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dmccloud, Superrenz and Sikh
Hasn't happened to me yet, but this is exactly why I have AppleCare+ and daily backups...
The motherboard is right there under the keyboard, and even a couple of drops can cause a short that results in permanent damage.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dmccloud, Superrenz and Sikh
There is a pretty big difference between spilling a soda on a laptop and spilling water. Plus, it sounds like you can't really be sure of how much liquid got into the machine.

Also, I am curious, when you removed the laptop from your bag and discovered the problem. Did you open it and try to use it or did you take it in to a shop and try to have someone open it up and clean it before use?

In any event, from what you described, calling the laptop fragile seems misguided to me IMHO.

-kp
 
  • Like
Reactions: dmccloud, Arctic Moose, Superrenz and 1 other person
Soda with all that sugar will take a computer out. Also 2 oz? That's a shot glass.
 
I had this happen about 10 years ago with my first MacBook Pro. One of those flimsy styrofoam cups filled with Dr. Pepper broke and leaked all over the keyboard while the unit was off. I quickly wiped it down and took the battery out and hair dried. A couple days later I tried it, and the keys were sticking. I was advised that this was a fatal occurrence and diet Dr. Pepper with less sugar would have been better. It lasted for about 3 weeks before it was no longer working.
 
  • Like
Reactions: StoneJack
Actually, it was diet soda lol! When I say fragile, it's because it was like raindrops that got on it. I know it's hard to quantify in words, but when I say a little, I mean a little moisture. Probably less than 2 ounces like I said at first. Picture this- a can where you have drank everything out of it but there is a very small amount that remains in the bottom, and it gets knocked off a coffee table and onto your macbook sitting in a chair, closed. That's it.

It's going into Apple tomorrow, wish me luck!
 
We once had a laptop come back to the depot for service that had red scorch marks on the motherboard. Turns out it was red wine that was accidentally spilled into the laptop keyboard area. Since the guy was a wine buyer at a wine expo event, the transgression was dismissed as "work related". ;-)
 
  • Haha
Reactions: poncho167
Khabbi said:
Actually, it was diet soda lol! When I say fragile, it's because it was like raindrops that got on it. I know it's hard to quantify in words, but when I say a little, I mean a little moisture. Probably less than 2 ounces like I said at first. Picture this- a can where you have drank everything out of it but there is a very small amount that remains in the bottom, and it gets knocked off a coffee table and onto your macbook sitting in a chair, closed. That's it.

It's going into Apple tomorrow, wish me luck!
Click to expand...
Oof, this happened to me many years ago with the MBP 15 unibody. Apple deemed it total failure because my luck tripped the one water damage sensor.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back