Random Keys Working Sporadically

Thanks or reposting an reiterating. I'll give this USB a try (so hard to use the remapped keys and no trackpad!) while i work in a time to get my mbp into service. I take it that once disassembled, the membranes and loose parts can be a challenge to reconstruct, and it's not likely possible that any corroded connective wiring can be repaired.

[edit] On your strong inclination that it's corrosion, short, or breakage, I am typing now on the mbp and wiggling the film between the problematic keys with a credit card in hopes of jostling the connection, and I believe it might be making a difference but can't be sure. There just aren't consistent observations: I've even visited this same thread three times in the past 6mo as it "seems to come and go in waves." My local mac store always says 3-5 days wait -- ain't nobody got time for that!. [/edit]

So if you look at the last picture in my illustrated post, see the "corrosion" area? Actually reading that area w/ an digital multimeter read 0 Ohms. So there wasn't actually a break there. If it did become discontinuous I can see how flexing of the film just by typing on the keyboard would make it come and go and that break isn't anywhere near the keys that would be affected.

" It's always only D-L from what I observe"

So look at the second picture "Y--E" since you're looking at the back it's backwards.

The next line of conductors down from there would be your "L--D". (Backwards right)

So a tiny break in that conductor path, and the path is about 0.5 mm wide, would make the downstream keys stop working.

I've actually repaired a similar problem w/ the automotive repair kit for rear window defrosters.

In the Early 2011 MBP 13" keyboard shown, there are 75 or more very tiny screws holding that membrane array to the top case.

My repair involved just replacing the entire top case. A total pain but better to do that than remove and replace those 75+ screws and have the replacement keyboard be faulty.

Hey hey - Just replying from my brand new, $45 keyboard:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008OIVV08/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF 8&psc=1

Took a good while, patience, and lots of screws to swap out, but I've not seen the issue since. Thank you for insisting your diagnosis (and putting up with my stubbornness). The mac shop in town quoted $360, and I'd have opted for the rush $85 fee as well. You saved me a bundle 😀

-Bronius

s"Just replying from my brand new, $45 keyboard"

Congradulations! Good job.

" lots of screws to swap out,"

I just did another one and there were 80+ screws in that one. The new keyboard did not have as many screws so I have 15 or so left over. It takes a tiny screwdriver. At least a PH00. I used a PH000 and just tried to find my PH0000 but it's lost somewhere in front of my nose. Another tip is to magnetize your screwdriver. Makes picking up those screws a lot easier.

The only other danger is the connector to the logic board. It releases with a lever at the back and it's difficult to get that large,multi conductor flex cable to seat properly. I use a piece of 3M Blue adhered to the outer radius and use the toe to pull the flex into the connector as I carefully guide it in. I learned that online somewhere and if you're reading this out there please take credit!

By the way there are cheaper keyboards out there. I just ordered one from L2:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251314844078

So for any of you out there with an identical problem, this repair takes a bit of skill but is doable.

As bronius says it saved him $360

Hi,

I'm experiencing the same problem since september 2014.

The top row of letters doesn't work properly. The "P" is the only one that works fine.

I'm French but bought my laptop in the US in august 2011, it is a macbook air 13'.

It is not covered by the warranty anymore. I brought it to the Genius bar but I've been told that it was my fault and that they never heard of this problem before...

I'm in the US currently and am willing to start a class action. Please get in touch!

Lola

My MacBook Pro (early 2011) (I bought it refurbished and it had to go back to the Apple bar to be reset 4 or 5 times, installed a new hard drive and a new track pad before it would work properly. The track pad has always been an issue of sticking and it doesn't lay flat in the space and won't click unless your in the sweet spot.) But since I upgraded to Yosemite it has been nothing but random, off the wall issues. The keys stop working and start working again with no rhyme or reason. Especially the enter key. Still haven't found where the problem stems from.

"The top row of letters doesn't work properly. "

If you look at my picture post on the last page you can see how a tiny drop of liquid on that interconnecting trace on that row will knock out the entire row.'

That trace is only .5 mm wide.

I seem to have the same problem, with TYUIO failing as a group. If I press one of those keys for an extended period, then after some seconds it will show signs of occasional contact (the key on the Keyboard Viewer is highlighted just briefly), then more frequently, until the contact is permanent. Then the other keys also work again.

The problem can last for a few minutes or for days in a row, and the keyboard can also be stable for as little as a few minutes or as much as a week.

What I have noticed lately, with reservations that it may be a conincidence, is that if I press R and T simultaneously, even if it is just an ordinary, short key press, the keyboard will instantly work again, and it may stay stable for several days. Do others have similar experience?

"if I press R and T simultaneously,"

That's most likely coincidence but it is possible that an action like that will cause the discontinuity to temporarily self repair.

There has been theories presented here that say that this problem is a software issue but I can't see how that would work.

Replacing the keyboard has always worked for me. I always use new parts because I did do it once with a used keyboard and that one developed a "repeating

s key problemssssss". Made me nuts so I replaced it with new. New ones are cheap ~ $20. The normal protocol is to replace the entire top case which is ~ $175 in parts alone. The keyboard in the MBP is held in with 50 or so very tiny screws. I've done 5 of these so far and replacement always fixes it.

Same problem with MBA 13" mid 2011. Keys Q through O not responding now and then. Tried to reseat keyboard ribbon cable but didn't help.

Sometimes pressure on the upper case brings the keys back to life. No water spilling. Pretty annoying to write ...

I have a 2013 MBA. I had noticed that the bottom of the case was not installed properly. It made a creaking noise sometimes. This didn't apparently bother me all that much.... Then a year later a few of the keys would intermittently not work. This went on for a while. I then noticed that it had something to do with if I was using it on a flat surface or in my lap.

I have now come to the conclusion that something inside the computer is being torqued or bent somehow and it affects the keyboards functionality.

I should have returned it when I noticed the initial problem. Now, I guess, its up to me to buy a pentelobe screwdriver and "reseat" the back cover.

....that's my 2 cents!

I had a problem with my "M" key not working and at random moments, my dash key would type on its own.

It turns out I forgot I had my bluetooth keyboard packed up in a box somewhere and never turned it off. So when I disconnected bluetooth, my keyboard began working properly again.

I'd say if you're having keyboard problems, and you have a bluetooth keyboard nearby, turn off the bluetooth on your computer to see if the problem persists.

Precisely the same thing here, with my MBP 2011. The keys from r to p stopped working properly after the last upgrade to El Capitan several weeks ago. It's not that the keys don't work, they just don't respond time and again. If I "activate" them with something like typing quickly ioiuoiuoiuoiuouoiuoiuoiuoiuoiuou or uyyuuyuytutuytuytuytuytuu, or pioipopioipoipoipoipoipoipoipipoipiop - they start working again. I've also noticed that it appeared together with the alternate (diacritic) character displays. Before this last upgrade I, for some reason, couldn't easily type an ü or an é - had to copy such characters from somewhere when they weren't prompted by the spellcheck. Now there appears the bubble with diacritics if I hold down a vowel - and most characters in this row are vowels (although the "a" key below works just fine). At the same time all the characters from r to p started lagging terribly behind or intermittently don't respond at all (but not at all times as I type this message right now just fine). These characters just freeze and unfreeze at random. I tried to switch these alternate character displays off but it didn't help. Nothing did, in fact. Maybe it is a coincidence (right now, to type this I had to "wake up" the keys in the upper row with all the ytrytrytrrs and oiuoiuoiuoiuouius), but El Capitan also deleted a ton of my e-mail messages and messed up with my calculator, which started typing zeroes instead of nines and did it for a while. After some effort it stopped but nothing appears to address the problem with the keyboard.

MBP, 13", early 2011.

Same problem. Keys ASDFG go out at random and come back on at random. Sometimes I can get them working again by pressing two keys in rapid succession, like S-D when just hitting D alone does nothing. Sometimes I have been able to get them working again (like right now) by pressing hard on the case in the upper left of the top case. Sometimes plugging the computer in helps. Not very scientific I'm afraid and would love to find a long-term solution. Sounds like replacing the keyboard may be the only answer?