A1932 and A2179
MacBook Air Retina from 2018 to 2020
The last Intel Air, and the model where a knocked over cup of coffee produces a four hundred euro quote elsewhere and often far less with us.
Why liquid looks so expensive here
On this Air the keyboard is not a separate part. It is riveted into the complete top case, along with the battery, the trackpad and the speakers. One dead key, and the official answer is to replace that whole assembly.
On top of that, liquid on this model nearly always comes in through the keyboard before it reaches the board. So the quote people get is often the sum of top case plus board, while in reality there may be nothing more than corrosion in one spot.
What we see most often on this board
- Keys that double up, stick or fire by themselves
- It will not charge, or the light stays off
- It will not turn on after spilled coffee or tea
- It boots to the logo and then restarts
- The trackpad stops responding or clicks by itself
- The battery has swollen and the trackpad is stuck
What we work out first
With liquid, the machine comes fully apart and the board goes into an ultrasonic bath. Only after that do we see what is really broken. In many cases the board is healthy again after cleaning and only the keyboard is left.
Then comes the question that decides the bill: does the keyboard work again after cleaning, or not? If it does, you are finished for the price of a clean. If not, we talk about whether replacing the top case makes sense on this particular machine, or whether an external keyboard is the smarter move.
This model also has a T2 chip. That means we repair the board rather than replace it, because replacing it would cost you your files.
Prices
What it costs on this model.
| Repair | What it covers | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning after liquid | Full strip down, ultrasonic bath, drying, rebuild, testing | €129 |
| Cleaning plus repair | The above plus the affected components and traces | €299 |
| Logic board, light | Charging chip, one component, one trace | €149 |
| Logic board, heavy | Short on a rail or an IC replaced | €229 |
| Top case with keyboard | Original Apple part, battery and trackpad included | on quote |
| Data recovery | Temporary repair or chips moved along with the T2 | from €349 |
If everything works again after cleaning alone, you pay for the cleaning alone. We decide that after the bath, not before.
Your files
Liquid and your files are a bad mix here.
This is the model where we most often say: do not switch it on again. The storage is on the board and tied to the T2. If that storage chip is attacked by corrosion, that is the end of it, and every boot attempt on a wet board raises that risk.
If there is something on it you genuinely cannot lose, say so with your request. Then we read it out first and repair afterwards.
Questions about this model
I was quoted 400 euros for spilled coffee. Can it be cheaper?
Often yes, because that quote usually assumes replacing top case and board. We clean first and then look at what is actually broken. Sometimes nothing, sometimes one component. We only know after the bath, and then you hear the figure.
Is one dead key really a reason to replace everything?
According to the parts catalogue yes, in practice often not. With butterfly hinges there is frequently just dust under the cap. We try that first, because it costs you almost nothing.
Does it still work with an external keyboard?
Yes, and that is a perfectly good stopgap for many people if the machine is otherwise healthy. We say so when that is the sensible route in your case.
Read on
The repairs that apply to this board.
Next step
Liquid went over it?
Switch it off, leave it off and post it today. Every day of waiting costs chances, and so does every boot attempt.