Help please! Spilled water, messed up keyboard

[Baloney]

It's very difficult to type, so I'll make it short. I spilled some water on my keyboard. Now, whenever I type a certain letter or number, it seems to short and also types something else with it (can't describe it any better).

For instance, whenever I type "h," it comes out as "6h."

a = "1a"
s = "2s"
d = "3d"
k = "8k"
etc.

And vice versa when I type those respective numbers. I have had to painstakingly go back and erase the numbers that come with many of the letters while making this post. I've dried the keyboard out thoroughly with a hair dryer but it hasn't helped.

Please help! (I know this is a hardware problem because it's the same in Boot Camp and OS X).

 

[cruzmisl]

Um, when did you spill the water?

If recently, let it air out to dry (preferably upside down) with it turned OFF. I would wait 2+ days at LEAST.

You should not be using it while it has moisture inside.

 

[Baloney]

Okay, I have turned it upside down to dry out and will leave it like that for 2 days. Anything else I can do other than hope for the best? Is this a common problem when spilling liquid on a keyboard?

 

[AlphaDogg]

Okay, I have turned it upside down to dry out and will leave it like that for 2 days. Anything else I can do other than hope for the best? Is this a common problem when spilling liquid on a keyboard?

You're lucky this is the worst of your problems

 

[Baloney]

Only very little of the liquid got under the keyboard, though. Most of it went to the side, on the speaker and a little on the trackpad. I'm scared now...

I'll check back in 2 days if the problem lingers.

 

[Ann P]

Turn it upside down and place in rice if possible.

It shouldn't even be on right now, you're risking a short.

 

[BigBeast]

Is this a common problem when spilling liquid on a keyboard?

It's a common problem with all electronics and water. Most likely you'll need a new keyboard- at least. Consider yourself lucky.

 

[Baloney]

Just out of interest, what exactly is causing this problem? My guess is that water has somehow circuited the two rows of keys. Shouldn't this problem go away once the water evaporates? There will be nothing to conduct electricity between the two rows anymore...

The water was not tap - it was filtered and (I imagine) fairly pure. There will be very little, if any, chemical residue left.

P.S. I have also disconnected the battery...

 

[Baloney]

Okay, I've started using it again now that it is completely dry (I think). The problem has not gone away as I hoped it would. However, it is only two rows of keys that have been affected - (from the top) the second row (numbers) and the third row (asdf). These rows are linked, so the following happens: whenever I type "a," I get "a1.."

s = s2
d = d3
f = f4
g = g5
h = h6
j = j7
k = k8
l = l9

Occasionally it will swap and make "s" as "2s" - but this is rare.

The problem stops there; caps lock and everything past and including the semicolon are not affected (on the numbers row, the tilde and everything past and including 0 is fine).

The logic board is fine (USB's are working). I'm getting into the habit of backspacing every one-two seconds...

Now this might be a silly question, but is there any software that might be able to remedy this problem for me? Like autocorrect? I tried programming the Mac autocorrect to change "a1" to "a" but it won't do it for some reason...

If I do send it in for repairs, would it be just the keyboard? I read somewhere that for the unibody MBP, you have to replace the whole "top case" when you have keyboard damage and that it costs $250 - is this true? Does anyone know how much repairs will potentially cost...?

Thanks.

 

[cruzmisl]

Was it really just water?

I would try giving it even more time.

For instance, my sister's friend spilled a glass of lemonade on my sister's black macbook, and it was out of commission for 1-2 weeks while they surveyed the damage. The keyboard ended up being super sticky and the battery connector was fried, and there was crap all over the motherboard...but all the keys worked (not to mention the entire computer minus battery) once it had enough time to dry out. You'd be surprised how difficult it can be for a few drops of water to get out of there once they make their way in.

 

[maflynn]

You probably shorted something out in the keyboard. I'd get a usb keyboard and/or bring it to apple for repair.

Just because your USB is working doesn't mean you didn't short something out on the logic board. It just means the USB circuitry was not affected.

 

[Barney63]

Okay, I've started using it again now that it is completely dry (I think). The problem has not gone away as I hoped it would. However, it is only two rows of keys that have been affected - (from the top) the second row (numbers) and the third row (asdf). These rows are linked, so the following happens: whenever I type "a," I get "a1.."

asdfghjkl are on the 4th row of my keyboard.


Barney