Intermittent "flickering/weird color" screen issue with MacBook Pro 17-Inch Mid 2009 (5,2) (A1297)

[niceties55]

I recently picked up an older MacBook Pro 17-Inch Mid 2009 (5,2) (A1297).

The computer has one issue with it. Most of the time, the computer screen either flickers random colors or the screen casts a weird color hue.
About 5 percent of the time the screen works the way it should, however most of the time the screen does the strange issue.
Sometimes a whack to the top of the computer makes it work correctly for a bit, most of the time it does not.
I was wondering how I could fix this strange problem?

I have attached a YouTube video of the problem. Note, that it is sped up 2x.

 

[Raging Dufus]

I can't say for sure about your particular model, but I know on old PowerBooks such as the G3 line and the Titaniums, the screen would change to a pink hue due to a failing backlight. This would usually get progressively worse over time. The only solution was to take apart the display assembly and replace the backlight. But the PowerBooks all had CCFL backlights, and yours is an LED, so I don't know.

What I do know is this: if a "whack" has any positive effect on a computer problem, it's almost always due to a loose connection and/or intermittent short. To fix that, you're going to have to disassemble the computer to some degree. I have no experience with unibody MBPs like yours, so I have no idea how difficult that will be...but if you have to get inside the display assembly itself, it's probably going to be difficult. In any event, the only likely cause of such a problem is an impact of some sort - connections don't come loose, and shorts don't happen, due solely to deterioration over time. You don't say how long you've had this MBP or if you know how it was treated before you got it; any idea if it's been dropped/bumped/etc.?

 

[niceties55]

It may be that as it was dropped by the previous owner. (I got it cheap, knowing there may be some issues).