water damage screen MacBook Pro M3

Question

MacBook Pro 14" Late 2023 (M3)

Repair guides and disassembly information for the new base-model 14-inch MacBook Pro, released November 2023, refreshed with the Apple-designed M3 SoC. Successor to the 13-inch Touch Bar MacBook Pro with M2.

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Sam @sam52576

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crwdns2931729:0crwdne2931729:0: Yan 27, 2025

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water damage screen MacBook Pro M3

Hey everyone, I splashed water on my macbook pro m3 keyboard and a little bit on my screen, and I have this grey part on my screen.

Everything else is working, but this is the issue that I am having, and only shows on white or light grey wallpapers

When I am about to login, everything is fine, but when I do log in, it shows this on my screen.

Anyone can help me with this?

Thank you.

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@sam52576 water damage does not get better with time. It worsens due to more corrosion. What and how did your specialist clean this board? Do us a favor (and it is important), remove the lower case (lower cover step 2 and 3 of this guide MacBook Pro 14" Late 2023 (M3) Screen Replacement and take a picture of what you see under that cover. Post the picture with your Question so we can see what you see. I just have a suspicion here :-)

crwdns2934271:0Yan 27, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 oldturkey03 crwdne2934271:0

I’m not sure how he cleaned it, but here’s what he said. I don’t have the tools to open it, but I’ll buy them tomorrow and open the lower case. I’ll send pictures then! Thank you for your help.

crwdns2934271:0Yan 27, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 Sam crwdne2934271:0

@sam52576 no rush. We'll be here :-)

crwdns2934271:0Yan 27, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 oldturkey03 crwdne2934271:0

I have added the picture you requested. what’s next?

crwdns2934271:0Kul 1, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 Sam crwdne2934271:0

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@sam52576 water damage does not get better with time. It worsens due to more corrosion. What and how did your specialist clean this board? Do us a favor (and it is important), remove the lower case (lower cover step 2 and 3 of this guide MacBook Pro 14" Late 2023 (M3) Screen Replacement and take a picture of what you see under that cover. Post the picture with your Question so we can see what you see. I just have a suspicion here :-) — oldturkey03
I’m not sure how he cleaned it, but here’s what he said. I don’t have the tools to open it, but I’ll buy them tomorrow and open the lower case. I’ll send pictures then! Thank you for your help. — Sam

score 0 · Answer 1 · 2025-02-27T08:24:34-07:00

Dan @danj

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Self employed contract worker

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crwdns2931729:0crwdne2931729:0: Yan 27, 2025

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Not good😩

The Liquid Retina XDR zone based LED backlight power control lines have been affected. This could be a simple issue of corrosion within the cable connectors or it could be deeper within the display assembly itself.

Reference: What Is a Liquid Retina XDR Display?

Review Steps 26 ~ 32 in this guide MacBook Pro 14" Late 2023 (M3) Screen Replacement as the right side connectors are the backlight and camera lines. See if they are dirty or damaged. Follow the guide to these steps.

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Do you think it will get fixed or I need to replace the screen module?

crwdns2934271:0Yan 27, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 Sam crwdne2934271:0

@sam52576 - I can’t answer that, making the inspection is all you can do, if dirty clean things and pray!

crwdns2934271:0Yan 27, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 Dan crwdne2934271:0

I took it to a specialist, and he cleaned it, but it’s still the same. He said it might get better in a couple of weeks. What other options do I have? I’m struggling financially and can’t afford the entire panel replacement. I appreciate it you helping me.

crwdns2934271:0Yan 27, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 Sam crwdne2934271:0

@sam52576 - Sorry, I have no magic here.

crwdns2934271:0Yan 27, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 Dan crwdne2934271:0

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score 0 · Answer 2 · 2025-03-01T08:36:46-07:00

oldturkey03 @oldturkey03

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crwdns2931729:0crwdne2931729:0: Kul 1, 2025

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@sam52576 thank you for those images. Those were meant to clarify what board is in your computer and this is a 820-02757 board. The backlight connector is the one on the Left (marked as number 2)

Before replacing the screen I would suggest that either you, or your specialist, remove the board and check the components for your backlight (on the top side facing your keyboard). Make sure there is no corrosion and /or failed component.

The far right connector (marked as number 4) is the eDP connector. Check that for corrosion as well since your T-con connections come off that way. It doesn't hurt to check it out, just to be on the safe side. It will be cheaper to check all of those things first before going ahead and replacing the display only to find out that there are other issues as well.

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How should I clean it? with alcohol? or something else?

by the way, thank you. I appreciate it for helping me.

crwdns2934271:0Kul 1, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 Sam crwdne2934271:0

@sam52576 yes, I would use something like 90% or great concentration of Isopropyl alcohol and a soft brush. No reason that scrub hard enough to tear components off etc. If corrosion is present, sometimes a reflow with plenty of flux and a hot air reworks station will help as well.

If you have never done anything like this, you do want to take your time. Always read the guides a couple of times before you start working on it. That way you can make sure you understand each step etc. This is a case where haste could make waste :-)

crwdns2934271:0Kul 1, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 oldturkey03 crwdne2934271:0

Thank you for your response. I would like to clarify that when I connect my MacBook to an external display, everything functions correctly without any issues. Therefore, I am wondering if the problem lies solely with the display, or if there is a potential issue with the logic board and other components.

crwdns2934271:0Kul 1, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 Sam crwdne2934271:0

@sam52576 the connectors and components that could cause this (because of water damage or corrosion) are not being used when you connect an external monitor. Those are the lines that deal with the LCD display, not an external display. That is the importance of ruling everything else out before spending lots of money on a new display.

crwdns2934271:0Kul 1, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 oldturkey03 crwdne2934271:0

Thanks. Something strange happened today, when I close my macbook , without shutting it down, the display goes dark even I am opening the lid again. The lcd panel won’t turn on. I have to turn the macbook off manually and turn it on to have the display on.

crwdns2934271:0Kul 1, 2025crwdnd2934271:0 Sam crwdne2934271:0

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MacBook Pro 14" Late 2023 (M3)

water damage screen MacBook Pro M3

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