I bought my laptop in 2011 and it's ran perfectly, however just yesterday it started to make a grinding noise. It then stopped, but today the grinding noise has gotten 10x worse, being extremely loud anytime the computer is turned on. I'm really afraid to use my computer but at the same time I rely on it every day. What happened to my fan and how can I fix it?
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Late 2011 13 inch - Extremely disturbing grinding noise
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macrumors 68000
Probably not a lot, as they do not need to replace anything but just clean fans out. They might not even charge anything...you never know until you call. Good luck!
Is it safe to use? I heavily rely on my computer and I may not even be able to go to the Apple Store until next week.
yusukeaoki
macrumors 68030
Have you tried opening it up and see if anything is stuck in the fans?
Worst case can be something wrong with the HDD or ODD.
Worst case can be something wrong with the HDD or ODD.
This is what I was thinking. The only moving parts that could be making a sound like this would be fans or HDD. Good luck and hope it's the former.
justperry
macrumors G5
It's the fan, if the HD would make that kind of noise the MBP wouldn't work at all.
I have an old Powerbook with similar sound, there is no debris inside, the bearings are gone, that's it.
There could be something stuck in the fan which is fairly easy to clean but I think it's the same as mine, a replacement is needed.
yusukeaoki
macrumors 68030
Its just my guess for a worst scenario.
My 2008 MBA sounds really loud too.
When I was cleaning the fan out I damaged it by accident and it sounds like something is playing around inside.
I actually did, and when I turned my computer over, I noticed a screw in the panel is missing from when I replaced my computer's RAM, but that was months ago, but could that have caused a problem?
I can't see anything blocking the fan and I'm too afraid to lift the fan out of the computer, so I've made an Apple Store appointment.
If I'm missing a screw will they penalize me for it?
justperry
macrumors G5
yusukeaoki
macrumors 68030
You can buy screws through the internet like iFixit I believe.
Besides, my old PBG4 and my 08 MBA has missing screws on bottom plate but showed no signs.
(Other than me breaking the fan...)
It should be something else.
Have you recently tighten the screws way too much?
Also if you can record the noise and uploaded on YouTube or something than we can see the "grinding noise".
At this point Im not even sure if your's sound like mine.
The grinding noise has gone pretty quiet now. I haven't heard it roar like it did earlier (and I do have a video of that), but it does sound like a car driving over gravel; a really low grinding sound. Right now it's silent.
I'm going to go ahead and keep the appointment JIC.
I'm going to go ahead and keep the appointment JIC.