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MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Mid 2010 Left Fan Replacement

What you need

  1. MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Mid 2010 Left Fan Replacement, Lower Case: step 1, image 1 of 1
    • Remove the following ten screws securing the lower case to the upper case:

    • Three 13.5 mm (14.1 mm) Phillips screws.

    • Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.

    • When removing these screws, note how they come out at a slight angle. They must be reinstalled the same way.

  2. MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Mid 2010 Left Fan Replacement: step 2, image 1 of 1
    • Using both hands, lift the lower case near the vent to pop it off two clips securing it to the upper case.

    • Remove the lower case and set it aside.

  3. MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Mid 2010 Left Fan Replacement, Left Fan: step 3, image 1 of 1
    • Remove the three 3.4 mm T6 Torx screws securing the left fan to the logic board.

    • In some models, these T6 Torx screws may be 3.1 mm long.

  4. MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Mid 2010 Left Fan Replacement: step 4, image 1 of 3 MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Mid 2010 Left Fan Replacement: step 4, image 2 of 3 MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Mid 2010 Left Fan Replacement: step 4, image 3 of 3
    • Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the left fan connector from 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.

  5. MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Mid 2010 Left Fan Replacement: step 5, image 1 of 1
    • Lift the left fan out of the upper case.

Conclusion

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

94 other people completed this guide.

7 Comments

The left fan was making hideous growling and screeching noises and the unit was overheating. Replacement was pretty easy with the right tools, which I had already purchased from iFixit. New fan works great and the unit now runs VERY much cooler...!

heuristic77 - Reply

After I had finished installing a new left fan, my mac (for whatever reason) refused to boot up. After turning on, the screen would just show the white background with the grey apple logo, and the pinwheel cursor spinning. After resetting the SMC and NVRAM, however, I booted up right away. Thanks, iFixIt! This was my first time for a DIY Mac repair and you couldn't have made it any easier.

cmay123 - Reply

Just did this replacement. My left fan was totally shot, making the grinding noise etc even after cleaning it with compressed air. My computer is running almost 50 degrees celsius cooler. Its AWESOME

the only tricky bit is the sprudger / re attaching the fan's connector. So worth it. Thanks!

maxornstein - Reply

Consulta.. cambie la pasta termina del disipador estaba re seca fue fácil, peroooo cuando desconecté el cable del cooler se salió entero el conector la ficha de la placa madre, se ve q con tanto calor q tiraba la compu estaban ambas partes plásticas soldadas y se salió todo de una, a otros les paso lo mismo por eso apenas hice fuerza se desoldo de la placa

En una MacBook Pro 2010 eso se puede soldar si compro esa punta finita estación de soldado? Cómo se arregla tengo un único cooler..

Te agradezco mucho

Saludos

astrosdharma -

Just cleaned the dust from my Macbook and fans. Made a sprudger with some bamboo from an old kitchen utensil in my shop. I did precisely as you directed removed the fans, blew them clean as well as the heat sinks and voila it’s all good again. Thank you so much.

René Beaudry - Reply

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