Left fan Buzzing

The fan on the left hand side of my new MacBook Pro makes an audible buzzing sound as it rotates, is anyone else experiencing this issue? Is this normal? The fans in my previous generation MacBook Pro did not make this noise.

MacBook Pro 2.53 GHz 2 Core Duo, Mac OS X (10.5.5), 4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, 320GB HD

Posted on Oct 28, 2008 8:10 PM

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73 replies

Nov 1, 2008 1:52 PM in response to circa1983

My two-day-old MBP (2.53 GHz) has a fan that sounds like a little lawnmower (rattles under the keyboard) at idle (the computer doesn't need to be under a heavy load for this to happen).

Apple is sending me a FedEx box to return it for repair. The Apple Store can't swap it out since I got it configured to order.

It's disappointing, but my old MacBook is still plugging along fine. As long as they return it fixed (and don't scratch up the case or something in the shop) then all will be well.

Nov 1, 2008 3:05 PM in response to HopingForHelp

As long as they return it fixed (and don't scratch up the case or something in the shop) then all will be well.


Let us know how it looks when you get it back. I sent a white MacBook in once and it came back all scratched. The tech must have laid the screws on the bench and then put the computer on top of them. Apple finally replaced it after I sent it in 3 times.

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Nov 2, 2008 4:08 PM in response to circa1983

I'm having the same problem with my macbook pro. I called Apple support, who told me that my local store had replacement fans in stock, but when I went to the store today, they said they didn't have any replacement parts yet because the computer was so new. This is my third Apple laptop and every one has shipped with problems -- two bad logic boards, one bad screen, and now this fan problem. Very disappointing...

Nov 8, 2008 12:07 PM in response to circa1983

I am having the exact same problem. I brought my laptop in to the Apple Store a few days ago, and three different employees all heard the problem. They said that it did not sound normal. They replaced my computer with a new one on the spot. I brought home the new one, and just today, the exact same problem has appeared.

Two computers, same problem. The noise tends to go and the come back. I'll wait a few weeks and visit the store again to see if they have any new solutions.

Nov 8, 2008 6:20 PM in response to circa1983

I had the same problem with a Macbook Pro purchased on Thursday 11/6. I took it to the Apple store in Minnetonka (MN). After putting myself the Genius Bar standby list and waiting about 15 minutes, a very helpful young man raised the machine to his ear and after a couple of seconds declared that one of the fans had a bad bushing and would need replacing. He checked for the part and discovered that none had ben delivered to the store yet. He then offered to provide a replacement laptop with my current hard drive installed. Took about 10 minutes and everything is now hunky-dory.

The end.

Nov 8, 2008 7:01 PM in response to circa1983

As I noted above, I sent my new MBP in to have the noisy fan fixed. On the same day that it arrived at the repair facility, I got an e-mail from them asking if they could keep the computer for their engineers to study. They offered to send me a new one.

I agreed, so now I'm waiting for a replacement to ship from Shanghai. Apparently they have a batch of bad fans in their system, or they have an assembly glitch that causes the fan to vibrate (blades slightly brushing against something or the assembly not firmly attached?).

Nov 10, 2008 10:34 PM in response to Kricano

same problem here....i posted this also at this link, but it turns out that it's a fan problem, not a hard drive. (though i still hear my harddrive clicking when i move my mbp)

fan makes this card in bicycle spoke sound, and harddrive clicks when macbook pro is moved.

calling apple tomorrow morning

i can't believe that my first mac has to start out buzzing like this!!

hopefully they'll do a replacement and swap my hard drive.

(it arrived on Oct 31/08...so I still have some time (i think).)

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Left fan Buzzing

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