Mystery stripe down middle of screen, Macbook Late 2008

[sunsetblow]

I have this one here https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Unibody+Model+A1278+Display+Assembly+Replacement/781#undefined

I'm tempted to just follow this guide and switch out the display but I also think it might just be a loose or pinched cable. When I open the laptop as wide as it goes and push a bit so it bends then the ugly stripe down the middle goes away and the display is perfect, or it'll flicker back and forth from good to bad.

Once I let it go, the stripe comes back. This leads me to think there's something easily fixable here. I got to Step 9 in that guide and cleaned and re-seated the display cable but to no avail.

I think something must be wrong with the cable when it goes into the black plastic hinge but I'm not sure how to look at the cable in there. Any ideas?

Image of stripe: http://imgur.com/a/TBwIi

 

[iMacC2D]

Removed.

 

[sunsetblow]

My own MacBook (Late 2008) developed this same issue several years ago. It's a defective LCD panel, seems like some electrical connections on the display have started to separate and cause that column to malfunction. Applying moderate pressure will return it to functionality temporarily, but it often returns as soon as the pressure is released or the display is moved.

I don't think the displays in this model were of a particularly good build quality either.

It is possible to remove the glass and swap in the display from a 2009-2011 13-inch MacBook Pro which is much better, but removing and reattaching the glass is total hell and extremely difficult to get right. I still refuse to do a standalone glass replacement to this day. Trapped dust, improper fit, loose adhesive so the glass falls out again... I wouldn't recommend it.

Dang. Thanks for the reply. What if I replace the entire display assembly instead of just the glass?

 

[iMacC2D]

Removed.