Ross Elkins

I successfully completed the battery replacement. I too, performed steps 1-18, loosened the logic board screws closest to the battery to provide enough room to remove and replace the battery board. I use sharp plastic prying tools to simultaneously lift the individual battery paks and cut the adhesive quickly. Then a razor blade tool to scape the edge of remaining adhesive and then pull the tape away in one piece. All in all, this job took about an hour to R&R the battery, an hour to drill out a stripped screw locked by the swelling on my drill press and an hour to R & R the bottom cover and other odds and ends. The battery was incredibly swollen, almost ½”. Interesting to read here of similar battery conditions for many reporting in and wonder whats up with this. I recently replaced the battery on my late 2013 15” macbook pro. The battery was 6 years old, no signs of expansion. I’ve replaced many other failing mac batteries over the years that had not swelled up either.

I was able to reinsert the cable easily a number of times with the nice Ifixit angled tweezers as the ziff connectors tiny latch came off! I ended up using a bit of Pliobond 25, contact cement to mke sure the data cable doesn’t move. A future repair will just pull off or at most need an xacato blade knife to slit the rubbery cement. Ross

I am doing a battery replacement for a client on this model. The battery has swollen more than I have ever seen before on a Mac! Roughly a ½” higher, once cover removed. Cover was so tight that one screw stripped and had to drill out one screw after trying everything else! Fortunately, I’m an exmechanic/machinist and I own a full size drill press! None of the screw extraction tools sold by ifixit worked or were applicable until I finally got the cover off. Then the small screw pliers from Japan were easier to use than anything else I own. My tools are mostly for larger nuts, bolts and screw extraction. Possibly a mini hammer driver screwdriver would work if one could be made small enough for tiny screws! Ross

After readying all, trying Josh’s tip with no joy, I found that two nice sized fingernails made this easy x 2! Just push on each little indent simultaneously.

I’m doing 2 early 2015 13” macbook pro’s right now simultaneously and both have same size torx for all 5 screws. Upgrading logic board in one and putting its old logic board in dead mac.

BTW, I’m a double EE, been doing this a long time and wanted to mention that i use only high quality German made tools for my torx and other drivers. I have found repeatedly, that the cheap tools that are given away in kits, wear out fast, sometimes after one use and lead to issues with fasteners. My drivers are made by WIHA. They are expensive but well worth it if you plan on doing this more than once or even once!

The larger keys have a tiny wire like rod that rotates under the key. Each end of the tiny rod is bent at a right angle to mesh with the keypad.

Using a bright light and magnifying glass i spotted where the ends go. In order to locate the spot on each side, carefully rotate the tiny rod to its greatest extent. Then by lining up the keycap at the bottom end of the keypad hole you will place the two right angled ends where they go on the keypad. Careful inspection of the two spots showed a tiny ledge where the ends insert on each side.

Get both ends under their respective ledges so they are captured in place and could hang there if positioned for that. Then press the keycap in fully. If correct, you are done. I was working with my tab key and previously thought only the space bar had the long helper piece under it. Sorry, I forget what its called but it looks like a rigid wire rod with each end bent at a right angle.

Hi, it would have been nice if you posted what you found instead of just complaining so others would not have to search!

I can easily believe that Apple would sabotage repairs with the needless blob of glue. This the most arrogant company. I laughed when one tech here suggested that Apple drill an access hole for the adjustment screw. Right! Like the missing service door on Imacs or gluing the imac power button instead of two small screws or a way to remove the imac screen instead of gluing it on or the glued in batteries. The most lame company.

I remember the good old days 40 years ago, when Apple would send me replacement roms and other chips to aid me in doing circuit level repairs on the apple I’s II’s. My Oscope, a Huntron tracker, soldering iron and the latest copy of the annual IC Circuit Handbook was all you needed to completely repair the early Apples.

Hi, i just used the flat end of ifixit’s plastic spudger to lift the tiny connectors without any tugging on the wires. First, i was a trained auto mechanic for 10 years then i got my electrical engineering degree! Started fixing macs in 1979 with an oscope, soldering iron and the ic circuit handbook plus chips from apple.

Apples construction methods have sure gotten more and more fragile over the years. Glad i still have great eyes! Rossmon

I have to agree. I started out in 1980 with my bsee degree repairing Apple 1’s 2’s and 3’s with an oscilloscope, soldering iron and the latest copy of the ic circuit handbook. I have not been thrilled about Apples progression from everyman’s or women’s mac to unserviceable sometimes throw away stuff that needs cottage industries to support what they can, when before it was mainstream repair with dig this, a service door!.