Spillage on 13" rMBP Keyboard

[Robfire]

Hi guys,

So i stupidly left my 13" Retina Macbook Pro at a party on New Years Eve, when i came back to pick my stuff up in the morning the keyboard was covered in beer. I could have cried!

It doesn't look like it has done too much damage to the internals (I hope), but most of the keys are really sticking and crunching, and the trackpad sticks so that it doesn't click unless i push hard. Luckily the keyboard backlight is still woking fine.

I suppose these are minor issues compared to what it could have been, but obviously having spent so much on my laptop I am a bit gutted.

SO my question is really what can I do about it? If i take it into Apple would they be able to clean it out or anything? I do have AppleCare but obviously this wouldn't be covered, would I be able to pay for this service?

Any help appreciated!

 

[Jaben3421]

Hi guys,

So i stupidly left my 13" Retina Macbook Pro at a party on New Years Eve, when i came back to pick my stuff up in the morning the keyboard was covered in beer. I could have cried!

It doesn't look like it has done too much damage to the internals (I hope), but most of the keys are really sticking and crunching, and the trackpad sticks so that it doesn't click unless i push hard. Luckily the keyboard backlight is still woking fine.

I suppose these are minor issues compared to what it could have been, but obviously having spent so much on my laptop I am a bit gutted.

SO my question is really what can I do about it? If i take it into Apple would they be able to clean it out or anything? I do have AppleCare but obviously this wouldn't be covered, would I be able to pay for this service?

Any help appreciated!

If you bring it to an Apple store, once they see the beer on the keys and/or the liquid sensors tripped inside of the machine, any hope of keeping your warranty will be thrown out the window. If you're feeling lucky, you can just try to get the beer out of the keys and trackpad, and hope nothing was damaged internally. On the other side though, if you bring it to Apple you can rest assured it will be repaired properly. If you do bring it to Apple, your only option will be to pay for the cleaning/repairs because they'll void your warranty. Hope this helps, and sorry about your machine being covered in beer.

 

[fs454]

I had a really close call with my new 15" rMBP a couple weeks ago which resulted in me hastily taking the entire thing apart in attempt to save it / make sure nothing was damaged. Turns out I flipped the computer quick enough when the liquid hit that I don't think it really got past the keys, but in my adventures into the machine I noticed that they've sealed up the keyboard a lot better than non-retina models, presumably because they don't have to pull air through it anymore and instead are using the side vents.

You may have gotten lucky in saving your logic board / SSD (sits very exposed), but I'd recommend trying to take it somewhere other than Apple to see if you can get it cleaned. Apple will quote you for total replacement of the top case (includes the keyboard and trackpad) which will run upwards of $500, but I'm not sure exactly on the price.

I do think there may be some merit in either pulling it apart yourself (if you're daring and want to order the tools / mess with ungluing the battery which covers the trackpad), or seeing what a third-party service can do with some alcohol-based cleaner and a bit of time before you go the Apple route.

 

[old-wiz]

the keyboard may be the least of your worries. The problem is beer getting into the internals like the logic board, power, etc.

Apple might be willing to clean the machine if you pay them, but if not you haven't lost any more.

Worst is that problems often take a week or more to show up and then it's too late. It could easily cost more than you paid for the machine to fix it.

A local shop might be able to disassemble the MBP and clean it, but I wouldn't put too much hope for that.

 

[Higuys1]

I had a really close call with my new 15" rMBP a couple weeks ago which resulted in me hastily taking the entire thing apart in attempt to save it / make sure nothing was damaged. Turns out I flipped the computer quick enough when the liquid hit that I don't think it really got past the keys, but in my adventures into the machine I noticed that they've sealed up the keyboard a lot better than non-retina models, presumably because they don't have to pull air through it anymore and instead are using the side vents.

You may have gotten lucky in saving your logic board / SSD (sits very exposed), but I'd recommend trying to take it somewhere other than Apple to see if you can get it cleaned. Apple will quote you for total replacement of the top case (includes the keyboard and trackpad) which will run upwards of $500, but I'm not sure exactly on the price.

I do think there may be some merit in either pulling it apart yourself (if you're daring and want to order the tools / mess with ungluing the battery which covers the trackpad), or seeing what a third-party service can do with some alcohol-based cleaner and a bit of time before you go the Apple route.

Are you sure? I believe that air is still being pulled through the keyboard in the rMBP.

When I use a keyboard cover, mine heats up really bad.

 

[Giev]

If you bring it to an Apple store, once they see the beer on the keys and/or the liquid sensors tripped inside of the machine, any hope of keeping your warranty will be thrown out the window. If you're feeling lucky, you can just try to get the beer out of the keys and trackpad, and hope nothing was damaged internally. On the other side though, if you bring it to Apple you can rest assured it will be repaired properly. If you do bring it to Apple, your only option will be to pay for the cleaning/repairs because they'll void your warranty. Hope this helps, and sorry about your machine being covered in beer.

Also, if you have (pay) Apple to inspect/repair the liquid damage, it will go back into the warranty.

 

[old-wiz]

Also, if you have (pay) Apple to inspect/repair the liquid damage, it will go back into the warranty.

I don;t think so. They warrant parts that they replace, nothing more. If they replace the IO board (which is the first thing they try), and then the logic board goes out, you still have to pay for a new logic board.

If the keyboard then starts acting up.. still have to pay again.

 

[Giev]

I don;t think so. They warrant parts that they replace, nothing more. If they replace the IO board (which is the first thing they try), and then the logic board goes out, you still have to pay for a new logic board.

If the keyboard then starts acting up.. still have to pay again.

I know for a fact. This has been my personal experience with the Apple Store in London (regent street). They repaired the MBA, and put it back into warranty (was 9 month left on the warranty)