MacBook Pro 13" Function Keys 2017 Display Assembly Replacement

This did not work when running High Sierra.

Tried this on a 2018 MBP 13” Touchbar (there’s no iFixit guide for this model yet). Need to replace a broken screen.

Luckily I managed to connect to an external screen (Cmd-Down Brightness to switch displays) and enter above command. Seems to work, but there’s another problem with this model - it powers up as soon as any key is pressed……. ffs <gnashes teeth>

I unscrew the battery first and wrap electrical tape over the logic board battery connector before attempting any repairs to the board. Haven’t had any problems yet and I’ve worked on about 10 of these models already. Also when you open the bottom case use a suction cup at the bottom and pull up then run a plastic spudger along the edges to disconnect the clips. Also only use a plastic spudger on the board. Saw a youtube video from a repair shop and he did not disconnect the power and used all metal tools during the entire process of removing the board. His last step was to disconnect the battery terminal.

Is this step necessary if my mac can turn on? Battery fully dead(

BEFORE YOU START: The included torx head stripped off before I was done (and you might need an additional T4) so stop now and go buy a good one. Also they fail to warn you above to get some blue threadlocker ahead of time.

This command did not work for me and I read that sometime in later 2020 Apple stopped this command from working…any ideas on a work around?

Not able to do that with damaged screen

Hi. This does not work on 2018 13” MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. I did exactly this to disable auto boot. But when I check by using nvram -p it says: auto-boot true. Am I doing something incorrectly? I did everything step by step. Copied and pasted the sudo command, pressed enter and then entered my password. I have Big Sur 11.1 installed. Is there any other way since I need to replace the screen. Thank you. Adrian

Hi everyone. This is also a little pointless if you can’t see anything on the screen, and you don’t have a display adapter to USB C to display it. I agree with Brian about removing the back and disconnecting the battery cable before you even think about opening the lid of the MacBook. Applying the insulation tape is also a handy little tip that just makes sure there is no way to discharge from either the board or battery.

running `nvram -p | grep 'AutoBoot'` in terminal verifies that it was accepted

result: `AutoBoot %00`

This step is completely unnecessary if you follow the guide to disconnect the battery properly. Just put some tape between the battery and logic board connection to prevent it from accidentally touching and therefore powering on the laptop.

Before any repair is carried out that involves removing the bottom case, the machines auto-boot function has be disabled. This can be disabled via the terminal command “sudo nvram AutoBoot=%00” once the repair has been completed the auto-boot function can be re-enabled via the vermin command “sudo nvram AutoBoot=%03”.

To replace the bottom just line it up just like it came from the factory. Make sure it clears the display connectors. And press firmly down until the clips connect to the bottom again.

Difficult to explain clearly, but worked easily for me by gripping the adjacent bottom and top corners then pulling in opposite directions, rather than trying to grip the hinge corner which is too narrow to afford a strong grip.

once the tape's back in place, it doesn't look tightly attached. not sure, did I do something wrong here or it should be so.

The tape will likely not adhere as well as when it came out of the factory. This isnt an issue! As long as the tape is in place when the lower cover is put back on the device you should be good to go.

The underside of the tape is not uniform. Therefore, pay attention to which direction it is placed by looking at the underside when you remove it. Possibly mark one edge so that you can replace in the same direction during reassembly.

the cable connector (where the twizzer tip is) should be cleaned with alcohol or acetone before insertion because the cover (where the tip is holding it back) will have glue deposit smeared on top of the connector circuit traces. Glue will prevent a good connection with the BMS.

The little tab that you pull back on, at least in my cable, was simple glued onto the rest of the cable. I tried to carefully remove the cable, and the tab came off. I did not have flat tweezers in the ifixit replacement kit and did not want to pinch the cable with sharp instruments. Therefore, be extremely careful when removing the tab as it is difficult to reattach the cable without it.

Same problem with the tape coming loose and the cable not coming out. Go further back along the cable and pull gently on the cable with your fingers and the connector will come out easily.

The new battery I received did not come with the battery board data cable, so I had to remove the existing one and transfer it. The lock at the smaller end is the same mechanism as the one at the end shown in steps 11 and 12, but smaller (and harder to see. It helps to gently straighten the left end of the cable before trying to insert it in the end of the replacement circuit board.

I can corroborate MikeG1’s comment. My battery came without the long data cable as well. I had to remove it from the fried battery. Plastic lock tab mechanism on the ZIF connector is smaller. My inspection microscope helped to transfer the cable to the new battery board. Thanks Mike!

So you have to take the small black square off that connects the ribbon to the base? I did that so as to remove the whole ribbon and replace it with the one attached to the new battery. I tried taping it down (okay and pritt sticking) now my laptop is fudged. when I turned it on again There was an X through the battery, and now it won’t load/ switch on at all and sounds like it’s about to take off. Can anyone help please?!

Likewise - the new battery came without a data cable. The cable was successfully removed from the old battery assembly and installed on the new battery, but it was tricky and nerve-racking (the cable is delicate and the connectors are very small) without instruction provided! The instructions should be updated to highlight the missing cable possibility, and provide information/illustration on transferring the cable.

In step 13, notice the amount of the data cable that sticks out of the connector. When moving this cable to the new battery, it is difficult to tell how far to push the cable into the connector or when it is fully inserted because the cable is so bendable.

If your laptop is showing the x where the battery icon is, this cable is at fault. This cable is referred to as the BMU (Battery Management Unit) flex cable. If it’s damaged, replacing it should solve your issue.

When the battery management “BMS” circuit board is re-installed, loosely install the two 3.7 mm screws, put a spudger on the left side of the BMS board to wedge theBMS board to the right then tighten the two 3.7 mm screws. The reason for doing this is that the two power traces on the board may not make physical contact with the battery connector (connector at where the spudger is on step 15). One clue that you didn’t have physical contact is if you reinstalled everything but there is no power unless the AC supply is plugged in (with battery meter on the top at 0%). This was what happened to me. The reason is that when you bend the battery connector in step 15, it’s no longer in alignment with the traces on the BMS board and hence, you have to shift the BMS board to the right to compensate. Once I did this, voila 64% power.

Hi , i t the screw , I lifted the connector up and it breaks this sort of black tape. Is it a tape or is it a conductive layer? My Mac won’t start up now. Can someone help? Can I buy it?

These are T4

These are also T4

These are mirror images of each other! Beware! In the photo you’ll see that in reassembly the “extra” metal bit goes toward the front. If you look at the underside of them you’ll see two foam bits: one square one to go over the flat metal part, the rectangle over the cable. With the extra metal bit toward the front (away from you) be sure you have the correct cover on the correct side!

I cannot find 1.1 mm P2 screwdriver heads, only 0.8mm and 1.2mm P@s seem to be out there…

Un reassembly, DONT OVERLOOK the placement of the “Board Flex Cable” from step 19. Make sure you don’t leave it imprisoned under this assembly. It needs to be lying over all this assembly.

When reinstalling the antenna cable assembly, on the front side of it facing towards the trackpad, there is a flat silver piece of metal. It needs to go into a little track in the MacBook. If it doesn’t, things will seem normal until you go to close the lid, and you will get a click.

The screw drives of the P2 screws are extremely weak. Be careful when removing these screws and putting them back in.

Those 12 tiny screws are a frickin’ nightmare. They appear to be P1’s, not P2’s , as all I have are a P0.8 and a P1.2, and the 0.8 just strips the heads. I did manage to get one out, but that’s it so far. I’m think I’m going to have to use my Dremel to make a slot for a tiny flat bit to get them out… Grrrr…

These are T4 not T3

YES, on reassembly it is possible to turn rotate the cover springs so that the ribbon is toward you. That’s wrong! It should lie down flat in the well of the laptop body. Be sure the ribbon is going DOWN and not draped up.

4 + 2 + 2 =8 screws

There are in fact only 6 screws on the bottom case .

During reassembly remember that the screen goes AWAY from you (as in the picture during removal). My cable was taped to the front of the display and had to be untaped and draped backwards over the bottom edge to get into proper position for attachment. Also, just in case this happens to you, too, the longitudinal rod that carries the springs and hinges was about 0.5mm too long to fit into the recesses. I had to file the rod down very slightly to get it to fit.