Replacing MacBook Air 11" Mid 2013 I/O Board

Step 1 Lower Case


Tool used on this step:
P5 Pentalobe Screwdriver Retina MacBook Pro and Air
$5.99
Buy
• Shut down and close your computer. Lay it on a soft surface top-side down.
• Remove the following ten screws:
• Two 8 mm 5-point Pentalobe screws
• Eight 2.5 mm 5-point Pentalobe screws
• The special screwdriver needed to remove the 5-point Pentalobe screws can be found here.
Step 2

• Wedge your fingers between the display and the lower case and pull upward to pop the lower case off the Air.
Step 3 Battery Connector
• In this step you will disconnect the battery to help avoid shorting out any components during service.
• Use the flat end of a spudger to pry both short sides of the battery connector upward to disconnect it from its socket on the logic board.
• Bend the battery cable slightly away from the logic board so the connector will not accidentally bend back and make contact with its socket.
Step 4 I/O Board Cable
• Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the left and right I/O board cable connectors up off their respective sockets on the I/O board.
Step 5
• Lift and remove the I/O board cable.
Step 6 Fan
• Use the tip of a spudger to carefully push on each side of the iSight camera cable connector to loosen it out of its socket on the logic board.
• We recommend you gently "walk" the connector out of its socket.
Step 7
• Peel the iSight camera cable up off the adhesive securing it to the fan.
Step 8
• Use the tip of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flap on the fan cable ZIF socket.
• Be sure you are prying up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself.
Step 9
• Remove the following three screws securing the fan to the upper case:
• Two 5.5 mm T5 Torx screws
• One 4.6 mm T5 Torx screw
• In some models this is a 3.6 mm T5 Torx screw.
Step 10
• Lift, but do not remove the fan out of its recess in the upper case.
• Carefully pull the fan ribbon cable out of its socket as you remove the fan from the Air.
Step 11 Battery
• Remove the following five screws securing the battery to the upper case:
• Two 5.2 mm T5 Torx screws
• One 6 mm T5 Torx screw
• Two 2.6 mm T5 Torx screws
Step 12
• When handling the battery, avoid squeezing or touching the six exposed lithium polymer cells.
• Lift the battery from its edge nearest the logic board and remove it from the upper case.
Step 13 I/O Board
• Disconnect the I/O board power cable from the logic board by pulling the cable out of its socket on the logic board.
• Pull the cable parallel to the face of the logic board toward the front edge of the Air.
Step 14
• If necessary, use tweezers to remove any tape covering the microphone cable ZIF connector.
Step 15
• Use the tip of a spudger to carefully flip up the retaining flap on the microphone cable ZIF socket.
• Be sure you are prying up on the retaining flap, not the socket itself.
• Pull the microphone ribbon cable straight out of its socket.
Step 16
• Use the tip of a spudger to pry under the speaker cable near the connector to lift the connector straight up out of its socket.
Step 17
• De-route the cable from its notch in the I/O board.
Step 18
• Remove the small rubber gasket from the corner of the upper case nearest the I/O board.
Step 19
• Remove the single 3.6 mm T5 Torx screw securing the I/O board to the upper case.
Step 20
• Carefully lift the I/O board by its power cable and pull it away from the edge of the case.

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Sam Goldheart

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