The MacBook Pro is expensive, and any damage can take a severe toll on your budget. The most dangerous and insidious type of breakdown is water damage because you never know how much the parts have corroded and whether the device will be able to work in the future. In our article, you’ll find out what problems await you because of MacBook Pro water damage and what to do to avoid serious repairs.
What to do if water gets on your laptop
The first tip to follow is not to waste precious seconds. The sooner you secure the device, the less the MacBook Pro liquid damage will be. Let’s break down the steps to take immediately:
- Turn off the MPB using the physical button. Press and hold it until the screen turns off.
- Unplug the power cord. Even when turned off, the device still charges, which means electricity is powering the components.
- Remove any connected accessories. Since current flows continuously through the board to power connected devices, any SD card or USB flash drive may cause a short circuit.
The second step is to get rid of the liquid. We are not talking about aggressively shaking the laptop to get the moisture out. This way, you will only make the situation worse. The water will spread to the internal components faster. Open the gadget and lock it in the «V» position. The liquid will flow out through the air outlet holes.
If your device is covered by the AppleCare+ program, you should stop there and take the MBP to an Apple service center. For those less fortunate (the limited one-year warranty doesn’t cover «bathing» your gadget), you should disassemble your MacBook Pro as soon as possible. Open the bottom case and follow two steps:
- Disconnect the battery. You don’t need to remove it, just gently disconnect the stub.
- Wipe the board with a paper towel. The more moisture you pull, the fewer performance issues you will have.
Leave the laptop to dry for 48 hours. During this time, the moisture will evaporate, and you will know exactly how much trouble it has caused.
How much is water damage repair on MacBook Pro if you contact the Apple Service Center
In case you’ve decided to take your MBP to an official Apple store expecting expert help, there’s nothing to worry about for devices registered with the AppleCare+ program. The repair will cost you $299, just like any other «accidental» damage.
If you add up the repair price and the $249–399 subscription fee, you’ll pay between $548 and $698 for the first such damage. The good news is that repeated breakdowns will still cost you the same $299.
As mentioned earlier, the standard warranty does not cover your case. You will instantly be faced with a «Tier 4». The manufacturer divides the degrees of damage into four levels and qualifies any contact of the laptop with water as the most difficult to repair.
Regardless of the actual level of breakage, repairing water damaged MacBook Pro will cost you around $1150–1500 + labor at the Apple store. It can be as simple as replacing the logic board or cleaning the keyboard. A minor repair of a few components at half the price of a MacBook Pro seems like insanity. A great way out of the situation is to repair the device yourself.
How to fix water damaged MacBook Pro by yourself
If you’ve reached this point, you may disagree with paying Apple $1500 for repairs and want to do the most rational thing possible. Well, you can repair water damaged MacBook Pro simply and quickly enough. But you need to prepare appropriately for the repair. Let’s look at the basic steps:
- Select tools for disassembly. In the case of MBP repair, you can’t get by with just a screwdriver. It is worth looking at kits explicitly created for disassembling Apple laptops.
- Diagnostics. It is necessary to determine the extent of damage and understand whether it is enough to clean the logic board from corrosion or if you will have to replace individual components.
- Purchase of consumables and other stuff. To fix liquid damaged MacBook Pro, you may need 90% reactive isopropyl alcohol, ultrasonic cleaner, a hot air rework station, and distilled water.
We advise you to study Apple’s official repair guide. It describes a lot of details, specifies the necessary consumables, and has clear illustrations. Watch several video tutorials demonstrating how to disassemble the device, remove parts, or solder them. Study the materials carefully before proceeding.
MacBook Pro water damage repair cost: where to buy parts?
Since Apple restricts the ability to buy MacBook Pro parts, you’ll probably want to look elsewhere for suitable options. In this case, you risk purchasing non-genuine components that may fail quickly.
To find tested parts, you can turn to Appleparts.io. The service helps you find original parts, even for models released eight years ago. You can get the most recent deals on logic boards, cooling systems, microphones, and Wi-Fi modules there. Get in touch with the store and they will provide you with all the required information on the spare parts you need.
Whichever way you choose, you can always fix your water damaged MacBook Pro. The main thing is to react quickly. In this case, it will be easier to save your MBP.
