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Should I replace my 2023 Macbook pro Topcase myself ?

O

OsmokK

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 5, 2023
9
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Hi,
About two weeks ago my cat spilled some fruit juice on my new 13" MacBook Pro. I immediately turned my Mac upside down and started cleaning it. The juice was rather thick and after a repair estimate in an apple certified repairer they advised me to replace the entirety of the Top case.
Here's the thing, the reparation cost is approximately 510$, and the only problem that my mac has are some stuck keys (after I tried to clean them), and some juice residue on my top case and other components ( bottom case, trackpad).
The technician who analyzed my computer himself said that my computer was perfectly fine and in working order.

I really don't want to pay 500+ dollars just to replace a part that I could eventually replace myself on a totally working computer. But I also don't want to lose my guarantee in case of future problems.

Before making my decision I wanted an unbiased external opinion.

Thanks in advance.
 
Did you take this to a brick n mortar Apple Store?
Or... to a 3rd-party service provider?

I would recommend Apple for such a job.

My prediction is that if you try replacing it yourself, the process won't go as planned, and you'll STILL end up paying someone else to do the replacement.
 
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Which part are we considering the "top case"? Technically all macbook pros are unibody since quite a while so there's no such thing as the top case... what exactly would you be replacing? The keyboard? The whole unibody? The keyboard is now part of the unibody or what? Because in that case, you are replacing the whole casing. The bottom is easy to remove and clean, that wouldn't be such a big deal, but the "top" is actually the last thing when dismantling the machine... tough one :( I replaced a keyboard in a macbook pro once and I hated it as it is the very last thing to come out after a million screws and adhesives...
 
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Fishrrman said:
Did you take this to a brick n mortar Apple Store?
Or... to a 3rd-party service provider?

I would recommend Apple for such a job.

My prediction is that if you try replacing it yourself, the process won't go as planned, and you'll STILL end up paying someone else to do the replacement.
Click to expand...
I took it to an apple authorized store not to an apple store.

I will bring it to an apple store for the reparation.
 
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Andreaux said:
Which part are we considering the "top case"? Technically all macbook pros are unibody since quite a while so there's no such thing as the top case... what exactly would you be replacing? The keyboard? The whole unibody? The keyboard is now part of the unibody or what? Because in that case, you are replacing the whole casing. The bottom is easy to remove and clean, that wouldn't be such a big deal, but the "top" is actually the last thing when dismantling the machine... tough one :( I replaced a keyboard in a macbook pro once and I hated it as it is the very last thing to come out after a million screws and adhesives...
Click to expand...
When I'm talking about the top case I include the part gathering the trackpad, keyboard, battery...
I saw that it's the trickiest part to dissemble and replace but I hadn't fully realized what it entailed.
Thank you !
 
OsmokK said:
I took it to an apple authorized store not to an apple store.

I will bring it to an apple store for the reparation.
Click to expand...
Apple will probably be significantly more expensive than the authorized repair facility. They typically charge the highest tier price for liquid damage and for a repair like this on a new computer it will probably be somewhere around $7-900 or more.
 
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kitKAC said:
How would you go about replacing the top case yourself? Is Apple's Self-Repair thing available where you are?
Click to expand...
I was thinking about ordering the piece and doing it at home but the reply on this thread persuaded me not to do so.
 
In all honesty, if the machine is perfectly fine otherwise, depending on where you live, I would go to a non-official repair place who has good reputation and can possibly offer a refurb keyboard (or clean yours in an untrasonic cleaner?), but the thing is, maybe a thorough internal clean is all it needs. An official place will only think in replacing parts and not potentially fixing through cleaning...
 
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Andreaux said:
In all honesty, if the machine is perfectly fine otherwise, depending on where you live, I would go to a non-official repair place who has good reputation and can possibly offer a refurb keyboard (or clean yours in an untrasonic cleaner?), but the thing is, maybe a thorough internal clean is all it needs. An official place will only think in replacing parts and not potentially fixing through cleaning...
Click to expand...
Exactly, originally I wanted just a cleaning not a reparation since there is no damages (strictly speaking) but the apple store I went and the apple authorized store do not offer such services, and I don't know want to go in a bad store where I could lose my guarantee.
I am not a technician but a total replacement seems a little bit excessive in my case, I will search about the ultrasonic cleaning you mentioned thank you.
 
chrfr said:
Apple will probably be significantly more expensive than the authorized repair facility. They typically charge the highest tier price for liquid damage and for a repair like this on a new computer it will probably be somewhere around $7-900 or more.
Click to expand...
Thank you I was unaware of this.
 
Oh, so the macbook pro is under warranty?? Bad news... but in reality, I'm not persuaded you would not lose your warranty anyway at that point. Liquid damage usually invalidates any warranty (officially at least) as the liquid indicators have probably tripped. I don't want to give crappy advice, it's a hard one.
 
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Andreaux said:
Oh, so the macbook pro is under warranty?? Bad news... but in reality, I'm not persuaded you would not lose your warranty anyway at that point. Liquid damage usually invalidates any warranty (officially at least) as the liquid indicators have probably tripped. I don't want to give crappy advice, it's a hard one.
Click to expand...
Thank you for everything, I will search if my guarantie is still valid, if you know where I could find this information I would with pleasure.
 
I have recently disassembled my 2016 13 Inch Macbook Pro, which should be rather close to your model except for the touch bar and with my experience from repairing some iPhone SE1 (and several different screwdrivers from iFixit), I'd say it was manageable but I would only do it if really necessary, not for some stuck keys and sticky stuff in the gap around the trackpad. Of course, I don't know how bad your top case looks but it would cost you hundreds if you get the repair part and tools from Apple's self repair program (if they offer these parts, I don't know, I CAN'T CHECK THE STORE WITHOUT A SERIAL, APPLE WTF), I'm afraid.
But you wouldn't need to replace the top case, anyway, would you? If you want it really clean, just take it apart, put the top case without battery in a bath of cleaning alcohol and let it soak a bit, then use a tooth brush for the little stuff? You will lose those isolating pads on the inside of the top case and would have to deal with the trackpad separately, but I think that would be the most logical process.
I have never done any of that, though, so take it with a grain of salt, I'm just theorising.
Hope it helps, anyway 🤝
 
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OsmokK said:
Thank you for everything, I will search if my guarantie is still valid, if you know where I could find this information I would with pleasure.
Click to expand...
The warranty is voided in case of liquid damage, but you can always try to ask Apple Service directly anyway, no?
 
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Andreaux said:
In all honesty, if the machine is perfectly fine otherwise, depending on where you live, I would go to a non-official repair place who has good reputation and can possibly offer a refurb keyboard (or clean yours in an untrasonic cleaner?), but the thing is, maybe a thorough internal clean is all it needs. An official place will only think in replacing parts and not potentially fixing through cleaning.
Click to expand...
This. A substantial amount of work by someone is required, so you need to decide who expends all that time and effort. Time costs money.

And if you try the cleaning route (which does sound most logical) you still need to be aware that after the disassembly/cleaning/reassembly work has been expended the device still may not work without full-on parts replacement available only from a certified repair entity.
 
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Never Again said:
I have recently disassembled my 2016 13 Inch Macbook Pro, which should be rather close to your model except for the touch bar and with my experience from repairing some iPhone SE1 (and several different screwdrivers from iFixit), I'd say it was manageable but I would only do it if really necessary, not for some stuck keys and sticky stuff in the gap around the trackpad. Of course, I don't know how bad your top case looks but it would cost you hundreds if you get the repair part and tools from Apple's self repair program (if they offer these parts, I don't know, I CAN'T CHECK THE STORE WITHOUT A SERIAL, APPLE WTF), I'm afraid.
But you wouldn't need to replace the top case, anyway, would you? If you want it really clean, just take it apart, put the top case without battery in a bath of cleaning alcohol and let it soak a bit, then use a tooth brush for the little stuff? You will lose those isolating pads on the inside of the top case and would have to deal with the trackpad separately, but I think that would be the most logical process.
I have never done any of that, though, so take it with a grain of salt, I'm just theorising.
Hope it helps, anyway 🤝
Click to expand...
Thank you for the help and advice, cleaning seems the most logical option even if I would then lose my warranty.
 
OsmokK said:
Exactly, originally I wanted just a cleaning not a reparation since there is no damages (strictly speaking) but the apple store I went and the apple authorized store do not offer such services, and I don't know want to go in a bad store where I could lose my guarantee.
I am not a technician but a total replacement seems a little bit excessive in my case, I will search about the ultrasonic cleaning you mentioned thank you.
Click to expand...
Apple cleaned under my keys after ice cream was spilled on my keyboard. Glasgow Buchanan Street in the UK.
 
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While it may be more expensive, I would honestly recommend taking it into an Apple Store. You will know for sure that they will use genuine parts.
 
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Flash1420 said:
While it may be more expensive, I would honestly recommend taking it into an Apple Store. You will know for sure that they will use genuine parts.
Click to expand...
IF and this is a very big IF... If he's losing his warranty anyway because it's liquid damage (if!!), then I would go for the cheapest solution out there (out of the acceptable options of course). A genuine part is only worth it at apple store price as long as that part is considerably worse if not a genuine part is used (e.g. a screen on a phone, a battery, etc). A keyboard could be one of these instances of course (especially butterfly keyboards) since it's a very hardly exchangeable part if you're typing a lot on there. IF the warranty can be saved, then I would definitely go for the Apple Store route as well (but how to be sure... if the OP has an issue later and they'll refuse to help him because of "prior liquid damage"?? :D).
 
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