MacBook Pro Touch ID and power button issues after keyboard replacement

Question

Level 1

4 points

MacBook Pro Touch ID and power button issues after keyboard replacement

Hello All,

after an orange juice spill I had my MacBook Pro cleaned up and dried in a local specialist shop.

This was successful and the laptop it was working fine again for several months. However, eventually I decided to have the keyboard replace because a few keys around the right command key were functional but still a little sticky.

Same shop replaced keyboard with OEM replacement and all is fine with the keyboard and with everything, but for one exception. The power/touchId button is now no longer behaving as expected.

When powered off I can start up the Macbook by pressing the power button. However, holding the power button to enter options/safe mode does not work. The Macbook just stays stumm when holding no matter for how long.

When powered on pressing or holding the power button does nothing. I can shut down the computer from the menu but not with the button.

Also Touch ID is no longer working. Resetting fingerprints and Touch ID is also not working. Entering new fingerprints aborts immediately saying 'Unable to complete Touch ID enrolment'.

Other Apple Community suggestions mention resetting SMC or resetting Touch ID in safe mode. But as explained above I can no longer enter safe mode because powering on with holding the power button does absolutely nothing, the MacBook just stays black and off.

I also read that Touch ID buttons are paired with the main board but the components are the same as before. Only the keyboard was replaced not the main board or the Touch ID button.

Etrecheck Pro reports no hardware problem at all.

Thanks for reading

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Posted on Mar 29, 2025 5:35 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Mar 29, 2025 7:07 AM in response to Boskowski

you need to discuss they with your service provider. it sounds like the connection to the power button is not OK after your extensive repair, and they should check it. (and the checking should be free after an extensive repair, if they have integrity)

the answer could be that it got dislodged during the repair.

But it could just as easily be that it succumbed to the orange Juice.

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Answer 2

Boskowski Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 29, 2025 7:48 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks! Shop says they will look at this free of charge no prob.

But I checked it myself this morning 'cos the power button connector is easily accessible behind a clamp after just removing the back lid. 5 minute job and the connection appears to be fine.

So naturally I'm wondering what they can realistically do. Thinking perhaps it is more of an OS/software problem.

Juice is not impossible but not likely. Spill was nowhere near it and the button worked perfectly fine for the entire time after the initial cleanup. Only now after the keyboard replacement (6 months later) it lost a lot (but not all) of its functions.

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Answer 3

Allan Jones

Level 9

73,886 points

Mar 29, 2025 8:24 AM in response to Boskowski

Spill was nowhere near it ...

Proximity is not the issue. Liquid intrusion damage, especially from acidic juices, is too often progressive as parts start to corrode. As everything inside is interconnected, the location of the initial contact is a second-order effect.

If you injure your foot and do not properly treat it, it can get infected. Eventually the infection can reach your brain, right? I'm sure the shop worked hard to mitigate the liquid insult, but it is hard for anyone to find all the areas that the corrosive liquid reached.

Spills are too often fatal, just not immediately.