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MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement

Introduction

Replacing a defective fan is pretty easy and will keep your laptop running cool.

What you need

  1. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement, Battery: step 1, image 1 of 1

    • Use your fingers to push both battery release tabs away from the battery and lift the battery out of the computer.

    Edit

  2. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement, RAM Shield: step 2, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the four identical Phillips 3.4 mm screws from the memory door. These screws have 4 mm diameter heads rather than the 3 mm heads on the body screws.

    Edit

  3. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement: step 3, image 1 of 1

    • Lift the memory door up enough to get a grip on it, and slide it toward you, pulling it away from the casing.

    Edit

  4. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement, Upper Case: step 4, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the three Phillips screws in the battery compartment near the latch. Apple was nice enough to tilt these screws at a slight angle to make them easier to remove. On the A1261 these screws have 4 mm diameter heads rather than the 3 mm heads on the body screws.

    Edit

  5. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement: step 5, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the following six screws:

    • Two 14.5 mm T6 Torx screws on either side of the RAM slot.

    • Four 3.4 mm Phillips screws along the hinge.

    Edit

  6. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement: step 6, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the four 3.4 mm Phillips screws on the port side of the computer.

    Edit

  7. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement: step 7, image 1 of 1

    • Rotate the computer 90 degrees and remove the two Phillips screws from the rear of the computer.

    Edit

  9. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement: step 8, image 1 of 1

    • Rotate the computer 90 degrees again and remove the four Phillips screws from the side of the computer.

    Edit

  10. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement: step 9, image 1 of 1

    • Do not yank the upper case off quickly. The case is attached to the logic board via a ribbon cable.

    • Lift up the back of the case and work your fingers along the sides, freeing the case as you go. Once you have freed the sides, you may need to rock the case up and down to free the front of the upper case.

    Edit

  11. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement: step 10, image 1 of 1

    • Disconnect the trackpad and keyboard ribbon cable from the logic board.

    • Remove the upper case.

    Edit

  12. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement, AirPort Extreme: step 11, image 1 of 3 MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement, AirPort Extreme: step 11, image 2 of 3 MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement, AirPort Extreme: step 11, image 3 of 3

    • Disconnect the two antenna cables attached to the AirPort Extreme card.

    • The cable with the gray shielding attaches to the left side connector, while the cable with the white shielding attaches to the right side.

    • If you have a MacBook Pro 17" Model A1229 or A1212, there are three antenna cables attached to the AirPort Extreme card instead of two.

    • If you have a MacBook Pro 17” Model A1261 the cable with the black shielding attaches to the left side of the connector, while the cable with blue shielding attaches to the right side.

    Edit

  13. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement: step 12, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the single black T6 Torx screw from the top right corner of the AirPort Extreme card.

    Edit

  14. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement: step 13, image 1 of 1

    • Lift the AirPort Extreme card up and slide it out of its connector.

    • Note the position of the grounding clip attached to the left side of the card. On some models, the clip is mounted on the upper surface of the airport Extreme card to make contact with the upper case. On other models, the clip is mounted on the underside and makes contact with the headphone connector body.

    Edit

  15. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement, Left Fan: step 14, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the two silver T6 Torx screws from the top left and bottom right corners of the left speaker assembly.

    • The magnet in the MagSafe connector may pull the upper screw towards it after the screw has been freed.

    Edit

  16. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement: step 15, image 1 of 1

    • Lift up the left speaker assembly with one hand and deroute the inverter cable from the top right corner of the speaker assembly.

    • On model A1261 the speaker can be carefully pivoted by derouting the inverter cable.

    Edit

  17. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement: step 16, image 1 of 1

    • Disconnect the pink and black left speaker assembly cable from the left I/O board. Be sure to pull only on the white connector and not on the speaker wires.

    • Disconnect the microphone cable connector from the left I/O board.

    • Remove the left speaker/microphone assembly from the lower case.

    Edit

  18. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement: step 17, image 1 of 3 MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement: step 17, image 2 of 3 MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement: step 17, image 3 of 3

    • Disconnect the iSight, inverter, and left fan cables from the left side of the logic board.

    • Take care not to dislodge the EMI gasket on the silver iSight connector.

    • If you have a MacBook Pro 17" Model A1229, the iSight, inverter, and left fan cables have different composures and locations.

    • For model A1261, the fan cable is located in the same location as the model A1229, 5 o'clock to the fan. The iSight and inverter can remain connected. Lift the tape from the top of the fan and make sure to check the connections afterward.

    Edit

  19. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement: step 18, image 1 of 1

    • Peel up the iSight and inverter cables which are attached with a mild adhesive above the left fan.

    • The iSight and inverter cable can optionally remain connected.

    Edit

  20. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement: step 19, image 1 of 1

    • Remove the two silver T6 Torx screws securing the left fan to the lower case.

    Edit

  21. MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement: step 20, image 1 of 2 MacBook Pro 17" Models A1151 A1212 A1229 and A1261 Left Fan Replacement: step 20, image 2 of 2

    • Lift the left fan and its metal bracket out of the computer.

    • The tape that covers the top of the fan can be reused if the fan is removed carefully. Pivot the fan towards the screen and very slowly pull bottom of the fan away from the tape from left to right. It should peel off without stretching if done slowly. Then slide the new fan under the tape and press the tape back on the top of the fan.

    Edit
Conclusion

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

81 other people completed this guide.

Author

with 6 other contributors

iRobot

Member since: 09/24/09

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636 Guides authored

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6 Guide Comments

incredibly difficult. easy times unscrewing things but no guide as to "disconnecting.. cables..". used a jewelers loop & a flash light to see "push" on the connector, but that's it. Push down to connect? ..or up to disconnect.. slide it out- squeeze the something. nothing. I ended up breaking it off the logic board accidentally, rendering my computer irreparable, unless i could solder the wires to the board. yeah right. My advise do do it.

digruntalTech - Reply

Sorry to hear that, I made almost the same experience as you. I was lucky to find out by my own, how to disconnect the cables on my A1212 and added a comment to step 17.

MBPTom -

Instead of replacing the fans completly, you may be able to repair them.

Once you removed the fan, there is a screw that you not yet have to touch. Unscrew it and carefuly open the housing. After that, you can pull the fan wheel with the shaft out. Clean everything (avoid water), including the hole that holds the shaft. Put a drop of oil (10W-40 syntetic motoroil works pretty well) on a piece of tissue and oil the shaft. Reasseble the whole thing and check that it moves.

This may not work if the mechanical damage is too extensive or when the electronic is broken. If it works, you spared 50 bucks, otherwise the nice folks at ifix can help you out ... I did this to both of the fans after they got rather noisy, and they worked another two years since.

Andreas Hofmeister - Reply

Easy job, super guide, vacuum the the cooling grill when fan is out, changed both fans, because one fan got very loud, it's a 2007 Mac book Pro, so no reason not to change both, went from 6000 rpm to 3000 rpm, nice, big thanx to ifixit…

jjhomann - Reply

While disassembling my A1261 to replace the right speaker I decided to keep going and give the computer a thorough cleaning. The fans and heat sink had collected a lot of dust. As I was removing one of the fans from its motor two of the blades fell off in my hand. Does anyone know if there is somewhere can get just the fan without the motor?

Mollie Dash - Reply

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