A1286 MacBook Pro needs backlight replacement

I bought an Intel Mac Book Pro in October 2008, and the backlight burned out on it today. Apple says the only way they will fix it is to replace the whole display, which may cost over $800 and I need the computer for my DJ business.

I went into the apple store at Rideau in Ottawa today, the guy at the genius bar did not seem all that knowledgeable, and only tried one troubleshooting step which was to hook up an external display.

He said that it would be better to see the computer as-is on ebay, because apple will only replace the screen for somkething like $800 and would not check to see if it was the backlight or inverter, they would just replace the whole screen.

I am self employed and this is a real burden as I need the computer to make money but I really do not want to invest in a new machine or an expensive repair if I can somehow fix this one inexpensively.

I always babied the computer and took great care of it but today I was cleaning it with an anti-static spray and I sprayed the keypad and quickly wiped it. The screen went dim shortly after that, so it's most likely my fault for not cleaning it properly.

The computer works on an external display, but you need to use a flashlight to see the display on the laptop. I tried resting SMC, PRAM, and NVRAM but no luck.

Anyone have any other ideas I could try before I take apart the computer and fix it or send it to be repaired? Is it very hard to take apart the computer and replace the backlight if you are skilled with desktop computer repairs?

Where is the best place in Canada that I can order a backlight for this model and how much should it cost me? If I was to send the computer for a repair in Ontario, where is a good place to send it? How much should I pay to have a new backlight installed?

I hope someone out there can provide me with accurate advice or a good repair center who does honest work and will not replace the whole screen if that is not necessary.

Thanks for you help,

JD.

I can't give you any advice about where to take your machine in Canada but I can tell you that the reason Apple will not replace the backlight... Is because it's a difficult task which may result in damaging the display which would then have to be replaced anyway.

What I suggest for you to do to save money is replace the display yourself. You can probably find a replacement display for around $200 (depending on size) which includes the backlight. Go to iFixit: The free repair manual and look up your model MBP. Price out a display and while you're there, look up the step by step instructions for changing it out. This site is in the US but from it you can get some idea of cost and whether or not you're capable of doing the repair yourself.

soundboy13 said:

I was cleaning it with an anti-static spray and I sprayed the keypad and quickly wiped it. The screen went dim shortly after that, so it's most likely my fault for not cleaning it properly.

The computer works on an external display, but you need to use a flashlight to see the display on the laptop.

Click to expand...

Sounds like the inverter most likely. That's not too hard to replace depending on the model. See ifixit.com repair guides. Buy the inverter off eBay.