Problem with macbook pro keyboard - MID 2011

jimmy wisely,

there isn’t a Mid 2011 MacBook Pro — what you have is probably either an Early 2011 MacBook Pro, a Late 2011 MacBook Pro, or a Mid 2011 MacBook Air.

Whichever model you have, it sounds as though you’re having a hardware problem, since the E, D, and C keys are in a “column”, and the Y, H, and N keys are in a corresponding “column”.

Try this: log in as the administrator on your computer, create a new user through the Users & Groups pane of System Preferences (call the new user, say, “Test”), and then log in as the Test user. Does the keyboard exhibit the same behavior when you’re logged in as the Test user? If so, then you probably have a hardware problem, and you should contact Apple to schedule a repair.

If it turns out to be a hardware problem with the keyboard and the repair is done through Apple, be prepared for a sticker-shock price to fix it. The problem is that Apple considers the keyboard as an integral part of the top-half of the aluminun enclosure (it's called the top case & is CNC milled and quite complex)...to Apple, it is considered one-piece and one part number (top case). The keyboard is held onto the top case with many (~60) very tiny screws and this entire top case is the part that will be replaced. They will NOT replace only the keyboard.

I had the power button quit on my Late 2011 MacBook Pro 13". To fix it through Apple would've cost well over $500. The power button is part of the keyboard assembly (it's not removable from the keyboard and uses the same flex cable assembly) so the keyboard itself needs to be changed. I found the exact replacement keyboard on eBay for ~$30 and changed it myself. There is absolutely nothing trivial about replacing it. It was a huge pain in the butt, especially swapping the keyboard on the top case with all of those teenie-tiny screws. It took me the better part of a day to do it but I've had experience with this type of work for at least 20 years now. If I need to do it again for some reason, it will likely be quicker.

Just beware that a repair could cost some big bucks, even if it's only "just the keyboard".