How do I tell whats wrong after water damage?

[Z400Racer37]

Hey guys,

My friend was using her late 2009 MacBook, and accidentally spilled a little bit of coffee into the computer. It went into the RIGHT side of the keyboard. she continued using it for a couple hours, but then the keyboard stopped working. She went to try and restarted using the power button to bring up the restart prompt, and it didn't work. Then she went Apple menu, and clicked shut down instead of restart, and now she can't turn it back on. Do I need a replacement keyboard? Is the power button a separate unit and I need one of those too?

Thanks a lot everyone,
Z

 

[DaKKs]

How do you tell whats wrong after water damage? You can't. Liquid damage is wholly unpredictable.

Best case scenario, you need a new keyboard. Worst case, new logic board. That's the beauty about liquid damage. You can never be sure that you fixed it. Liquid damage can show up months later. I usually write off liquid damaged machines. Maybe salvage casing, mechanical parts and LCD's.

Of course, if your friend had the common sense to turn it off after she spilled coffee on it, which should've been obvious. This entire mess could've been avoided.

EDIT: The power button, as far as I know, is MB's is tied into the keyboard.