Fan failure

Did you install third-party fans?

-Bmer
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Since Apple doesn't manufacture fans, including the original ones in the MBP, the answer is yes.

What I meant was did you oder and install the OEM ones from Apple? They use two different fans.

Left Fan: Part# 922-7193
Right Fan: Part# 922-7194

-Bmer
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My fans are both making noise now, more so with Leopard, and for sure when surfing the web. It's a loud ticking or tapping sound. Of course my Warranty ran out 2 months ago. There is something wrong with these fans!

I have a 1st gen Macbook Pro that had the right fan die on me this past summer. I confirmed using SMC fan control that the RPM was at 0. This is what the Apple store did as well to confirm the fan wasn't spinning before accepting it under Apple Care warranty. I also told them the left fan was starting to make screeching sounds, but they could not reproduce any problems with the left fan while it was in their care.

When I got it back 5 days later, the right fan had been replaced, and to my delight, the left fan has not been acting up since I got it back (though they claim it was not replaced). Perhaps they lubed it for me?

This is my first laptop, so I don't know if fan failure is a common problem with laptops in general. I haven't seen a ton of fan failure related posts here at the forums, so I'd say it's an uncommon problem.

I've got you all beat! I just received a brand-new MacBook Pro a little more than 1 week ago and my right fan is already louder than it was 2 days ago (i.e. it's about to give out at some point).

Can you get to the fan, and if so, see if you can peal the label off the center where you feel a dip into the fan, a drop of oil may help, if the label won't go back on, wipe the fan off and use as small piece of tape (duct tape cut in a small circle works well) to cover the hole, make sure the fan spins freely, this has worked for me on many different machines. I have yet to find a dead fan, dry and stuck yes. Spraying compressed air into the vents once in a while helps to keep them clear of dust and dirt.

Just my two cents worth.

Hi Everyone,

I think my left fan just died. Is it ok to keep using my MBP (1st gen) (watching the temps of course) until I can source a replacement or get it into apple.

Thanks

Hey Guys I appreciate your comments. Below I have listed my fan death and problems that followed. For those who had their fans die out of warrenty, how did you get them replaced? Did anyone try to do the repair by themselves and why did you get the new fans? I would try the repair if I knew how to find the right replacements. Was anybody successful in getting Apple to help out? I would appreciate any info you can give me on how to get my machine fixed, and the cost you paid, if you didn't do the repair, along with the specs on the new fans if you did the repair yourself.
The fans on my MBP have always made lots of noise. In November 4, 2007, the right fan made a horrible rattle for 5 seconds and died forever. I bought a cooling pad from Targus (Apple Store) so I could do a back-up of my iTunes and documents. Five minutes into the operation the rattle from the left fan got very loud and it too died. I have been a good Mac customer, having bought 18 Mac computers since 1988. I have never had problems such as this. I believe that given the history of fans problems Apple should at least pay for the parts or labor associated with fixing a problem they were aware of from the launch of the MBP. BTW-My software has always been up to date, I run OS 10.5.1.
I would like to have Apple send me a box so I can send this in for expert repair, I don't trust non-factory people to work on my laptops. A G3 iBook had an HD replaced and the case was a mess when I got it back, they could put it back together properly. (Re-Mac, Mesa, AZ)

Just for reference: if the left fan goes out you will have major system problems. My fiancée's MBP (1st gen) has a dying or maybe just dry/stuck left fan and if she runs the system for more than twenty or thirty minutes it will shut down and be burning-hot to the touch above the CPU/left fan area.

I would appreciate any word on what Apple will do for these systems. This MBP is out of the standard 1 year warranty and I'd rather not do too much to it if Apple is going to be generous and say this is a system/manufacturing flaw.