MacBook Unibody Model A1342 Rear Speaker Assembly Replacement

Written By: Walter Galan

Comments: 11

MacBook Unibody Model A1342 Rear Speaker Assembly Replacement

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

No estimate

Introduction

This guide is an internal private guide used as a prereq.

Tools

Step 1

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the AirPort/Bluetooth cable connector up off the logic board.

Step 2

Remove the following screws securing the right speaker assembly to the upper case:
One 12 mm Phillips screw.
One 3 mm Phillips screw.

Step 3

Remove the single 2.2 mm Phillips screw inserted horizontally into the side of the optical drive.

Step 4

Pry the AirPort and Bluetooth antenna connectors (3 total) up off the AirPort/Bluetooth card.
De-route the long antenna from its channel in the rear speaker housing.

Step 5

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the rear speaker cable connector up off the logic board.

This step is NOT necessary!!!

ulrichkrenmayr -

Agreed- this step is not needed. If you do detach it, you will have to reattach it. I used my mom's nail glue. I applied a 1mm dot of it on the logic board using a paperclip. I also applied a small amount to the back of the connector. I let it air dry til it was tacky, then carefully placed it on, and got the contacts aligned. Took me two tries, but after the second, I rebooted and had sound!

Shelly Murney -

I wasn't able to reconnect this cable and feel like I broke it. There's 2 other cables near that too and part of one seems broken as well. Honestly, why did I even have to remove that cable? Now I'm stuck without good sounds for a while.. :(

Austin Vareith - 19/04/14

Broken it also.. better is to remove this step in the instruction

rikkok - 06/08/15

+1 for REMOVING this step. The tutorial states to PRY the speaker cable from the logic board which results in BROKEN solders!

Chris B - 04/11/17

And now that I have disconnected the connector how to put it back?

Giovanni Calandro - 03/10/18

How can I f*****g fix it? You guys can’t be serious…..

Jack son - 28/10/19

how the &&^& can i fix this??!!!!!

Jack son - 07/11/19

Hilfe. Wie befestige ich dieses Kabel vom neuen Lautsprecher? er hält nicht, sowie auch der alte Stecker. Warum?

bruno.graziano - 01/11/20

Hi - how is this step not necessary when you have to remove the old speaker assembly? Does it detach at the other end? I’m about to get my speaker replacement in the mail and I will go through this tutorial.

David Myer -

If you're replacing the rear speaker then, of course this is not optional. If you're following these instructions in order to replace some other component (the MagSafe connector seems to be one example), then it probably is optional. FWIW I repaired a damaged speaker by applying some flexible rubbery glue with a toothpick to the cone surround to seal the hole. It doesn't look pretty but it sounds fine.

John Morley -

Step 6

Remove the rear speaker assembly from the upper case.

Step 7

Carefully peel the AirPort/Bluetooth cable from its channel within the rear speaker assembly.
Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the AirPort/Bluetooth cable up off the rear speaker.