MacBook 12 2015 Keyboard Stopped Working

Question

Level 1

4 points

MacBook 12 2015 Keyboard Stopped Working

Hello,

My Macbook keyboard (except the Power button and the trackpad) suddenly stopped working yesterday and I'm unsure which part is defective. No spills or anything of that sort. It was just on, worked on it and left it for an hour so before realizing the keyboard stopped working after I resumed work.

Right now, I've connected an external keyboard so that works. I've resetted the SMC and PRAM/NVRAM to no avail.

After a couple of days struggling to adapt to an external keyboard and the whole setup with the USB hub .... the keyboard miraculously started working again. What in the !&&* is going on...nope. Started acting up again after I let it go to sleep for hours. Opened it back up and not working. Only trackpad, power and I think command, options buttons are working. So odd.

In the meantime, I’ve replaced both the trackpad and keyboard ribbon cables but to no avail. Does this mean it’s time to replace the actual keyboard itself now?

Update 1:

Now the trackpad and the select few buttons (except the power) that worked has stopped working.

This really sucks.

I’ve ordered the topcase (without the trackpad) already so i’m really hoping that that’ll fix everything once I able to replace it.

Update 2:

After disconnecting and reconnecting the trackpad and keyboard ribbon cables, the few keys that did work and the trackpad started working again.

Still going to replace they keyboard/topcase when the part arrives.

Any other useful feedback is more than welcome.

There's no Apple store in my country because otherwise I would've gone to them to replace my keyboard.

Posted on Feb 16, 2020 5:05 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

BDAqua

Level 10

245,507 points

Feb 16, 2020 9:53 AM in response to ericc14

Could be swelling Battery or...

Does yours qualify for Keyboard Service Program for MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro...

https://support.apple.com/keyboard-service-program-for-mac-notebooks

Eligible Models

To identify your computer's model and to see if it is eligible for this program, choose Apple () menu > About This Mac. Eligible models are listed below.

▪ MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015)

▪ MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)

▪ MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, 2017)

▪ MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)

▪ MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)

▪ MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)

▪ MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)

▪ MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)

▪ MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)

▪ MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)

▪ MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)

▪ MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)

▪ MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)

▪ MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)

Note: No other Mac notebook models are part of this program.

https://www.apple.com/support/keyboard-service-program-for-mac-notebooks/

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Answer 2

K Shaffer

Level 8

35,314 points

Feb 16, 2020 11:12 AM in response to ericc14

According to the referenced article, there are service centers one could use parcel delivery to submit the unit.

Any authorized Apple service or independent authorized Apple service probably could resolve this matter.

Mail in your device to the Apple Repair Center.

Whether or not the distance to have the unit serviced, is or not convenient, maybe the service can

also used to combine other maintenance or basic tests if they could assure rest of mac was ok too?

Local or nearer?

• Apple - Find Locations:

https://locate.apple.com/

Global: (sales, service, etc ~ in regions & countries)

• Apple - Find Locations - Location Selector

https://locate.apple.com/findlocations

Perhaps there may be capable 'Apple authorized' service not so distant.

An independent Apple authorized service may find issue with self-repairs.

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Answer 3

K Shaffer

Level 8

35,314 points

Feb 17, 2020 12:33 PM in response to ericc14

Yes, it was hoped some more local facility would accept those for repair

within the region; perhaps some independent repair business, does that;

one who may (or not) be Authorized to repair to Apple Specs?

[Geographically impaired, here in AK; hard to see 'the impossible' at distance.]

• Suriname: result from locator: (shows "sales')

https://locate.apple.com/sr/en/

• Locations in "Latin America" ~ may offer to 'forward repairs' to/from Suriname?

https://locate.apple.com/lac/en/

Knowing ones location related to other regions in Global sense, helps!

..Most at some distance from Alaska..

Places in 'Latin America' where Service is offered, are still a stretch.

(image - of tropical island names - from locations - look Warm to me!)

Good luck & happy computing!🌻☃️

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Answer 4

ericc14 Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 28, 2020 8:14 PM in response to K Shaffer

i've finally solved the issue!

I ordered 2 in total, one off of eBay and one from Amazon. I saw a lot of reviews on Amazon for these cables in general that they're faulty ..etc

I opened the notebook once more to see if I indeed didn't miss anything, so I unplugged the ribbon cable (let's call it #1) and trying turning the macbook on.

Didn't work so I replugged it and only the power button worked.

So I looked at my other two spare ribbon cables, which I tried before and didn't work at that time, and one of them bothered me because of the length.

I had to bend it a little to fit in the connector. I tried that one, bend it a little and just before putting on all the screws again i turned it on an tested the keyboard.

Worked great. Well, I was relieved. So relieved. Spending $100+, got an A+ grade keyboard (this one has quite a few sticky keys!) and all for a faulty ribbon cable that really cost me $13.00

Gddmn.

TLDR: faulty ribbon cable, one of new ones I ordered was defective. Luckily I ordered two and one of them just so happened to work.

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Answer 5

K Shaffer

Level 8

35,314 points

Feb 28, 2020 1:50 PM in response to ericc14

Hard to say, short of an actual visit to skilled Apple tech.

And I'm just a volunteer who sometimes hits lucky strike!

My offline life (as tedious and non-productive as its been)

awaits; need to go several directions, some at same time.

Some missions really are impossible! Good luck & take care.

Hopefully someone with ideas ~ and remote means to help

could offer advice at this point. A cost effective magic wand?

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Answer 6

K Shaffer

Level 8

35,314 points

Feb 29, 2020 12:48 AM in response to ericc14

Good work in perseverance with restoration of your MacBook's functions!

Also good idea on getting extra parts; those which

can fail easily, could be referred to as 'expendable'.

Because this Q: seems Solved ~ feel free to mark your reply so;

if other issue arises, then start with new ASC discussion/question.

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Answer 7

ericc14 Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 17, 2020 10:55 AM in response to K Shaffer

Appreciate the info. Mailing the notebook is def not an option cause that’ll set me back a good couple of hundred USD — not to forget that it has to be returned so that’s double the rate going from Suriname (where i’m based) to e.g. US.

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Answer 8

ericc14 Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 28, 2020 1:27 PM in response to K Shaffer

Unbelievable. I’ve finally replaced the upper case assembly with keyboard and the keyboard is still the only part that doesn’t work. The power button is the only button that works now. I have the original keyboard ribbon cable along with two other replacements ordered from eBay and Amazon but none of them have worked so far.

What could the issue be then? :(

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Answer 9

ericc14 Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 16, 2020 10:33 AM in response to BDAqua

Battery looked fine to me.

My notebook is eligible except that i’ll have to wait to when I travel to a country that has an Apple store to get the defective part replaced, which isn’t anytime soon.

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Answer 10

BDAqua

Level 10

245,507 points

Feb 29, 2020 10:44 AM in response to ericc14

Whew, great work! :)

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