Strange buzzing sound under the power button

[Sebastian132]

Hi guys,

Since today my Macbook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013) is making a strange buzzing sound every few seconds. It goes in the same interval. 4 seconds silence, 1 second buzzing.

Video of the location and sound:

https://vid.me/XlXG

I tried the diagnostics and it brings up this:

There may be an issue with the fan. PPF004 / PPF003

Is it the fan? And how severe is this problem?

 

[Sebastian132]

Hi guys,

Since today my Macbook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013) is making a strange buzzing sound every few seconds. It goes in the same interval. 4 seconds silence, 1 second buzzing.

Video of the location and sound:

https://vid.me/XlXG

I tried the diagnostics and it brings up this:

There may be an issue with the fan. PPF004 / PPF003

Is it the fan? And how severe is this problem?

New info:

according to smcFanControl is my right fan not working. 0 rpm.

 

[sebseb]

New info:

according to smcFanControl is my right fan not working. 0 rpm.

well thats not good! take it to apple or replace the fan yourself. ifixit.com has tutorials on how to do that. And I think the noise seems like the fan is stuck and its trying to spin. Maybe open it up and with a can of air clean it and see if it helps. Otherwise it could be a ball bearing issue or maybe the motor just died and you need to replace the fan itself.

 

[Sebastian132]

well thats not good! take it to apple or replace the fan yourself. ifixit.com has tutorials on how to do that. And I think the noise seems like the fan is stuck and its trying to spin. Maybe open it up and with a can of air clean it and see if it helps. Otherwise it could be a ball bearing issue or maybe the motor just died and you need to replace the fan itself.

Found the culprit. After keeping my Macbook upside down and shaking it a bit I heard a crackling sound. After that I heard something like a screw rolling over the unibody bottom of the macbook. If I move it left and right you can hear it rolling over the bottom. Fan working correctly again, no problems. Is this even possibly? having a loose screw or something similar getting stuck in a fan?

How bad is it? Can a losse screw cause a shortcut or something?

 

[sebseb]

Found the culprit. After keeping my Macbook upside down and shaking it a bit I heard a crackling sound. After that I heard something like a screw rolling over the unibody bottom of the macbook. If I move it left and right you can hear it rolling over the bottom. Fan working correctly again, no problems. Is this even possibly? having a loose screw or something similar getting stuck in a fan?

How bad is it? Can a losse screw cause a shortcut or something?

yup it can! it's metal. TURN IT OFF NOW!!! and open the back and shake it a bit and see if you can get it out. Then check where you might find a missing screw hole, if you dont find any, then maybe it got in from the vents or while manufacturing it was left inside!