Unresponsive Keys, but only sometimes?

Hi, I had an intermittent A key on my Macbook Pro Late 2011. Sometimes additional pressure made it work, sometimes simply nothing. I was already considering to replace the keyboard with a cheap one from eBay but before, I tried swapping the ribbon system taken from another standard key, doing deep cleaning with rubber alcohol and a lot of compressed air and hoover to be sure not even a residual debris was in there.

Nothing changed. At the end, after a very close inspection, I found out that the small silicone cup has a sort of liquid drop into it. I was able to see a little bubble while pressing. So, having the ribbon removed (again) and keeping the cap in place without removing it (i didn't want to risk to break it - there was a lot of stock superglue keeping it in place- I raised on side with a needle an I have dried it with hot hair from a small hair dryer, being careful to don't get it too close or too hot. I spilled no liquid into it, but a low amount of cleaning product could have leaked in there.

Anyhow, issue fixed.

Just going through this with my 15” MacBookPro9,1. D key has been very intermittently flaky for awhile. Hold it and sometimes it will start working with no change of pressure and no even slight movement whatsoever. Sometimes nearby letters would do the same thing. Really seemed like a software issue. Would come and go, and be perfect for weeks.

Today it was bad. Did the following:

• Blew out debris with compressed air. There was a lot of it. Did not help.
• Safe Boot to clear cache: did not help
• Removed and reinserted the internal keyboard cable connector at the logic board: did not help
• Tried a different OS user account: did not help
• Tried a clean OS (same version: 10.12 Sierra) run off an external backup drive: did not help
• Tried a different clean OS (High Sierra): not only did that not help, suddenly all of A, S, D, F, G were problematic (coincidence or related to earlier work), with D remaining the worst

Did not do a PRAM zap today, but did one several weeks ago to cure this issue, with no improvement. There may be thermal effects involved, and i do eat at this machine so even though i don’t recall any spills, there may be chemical contamination/degradation from a past event.

It’s become so bad that during the course of typing this message, i’ve had to attach an external keyboard. What is really weird is that sometimes mashing down (multiple simultaneous presses, not high force) other nearby keys (the others which intermittently fail) along with the D key will reactivate them both—interesting key matrix stuff going on there, i’m guessing. For me, it’s a hardware issue: keyboard problem. Sad that there seems to be one factory in China making all the replacement keyboards that everyone sells, and that this replacement allegedly does not have the Apple original build quality and feel (and one report of a dimmer Caps Lock LED).

This is my primary Mac and i’m an author, so i need to go with a fully functional keyboard. I’ll nevertheless attempt to fix the current one for use as a spare once the replacement is in. The point of this answer is the sequence of troubleshooting steps and the eventual conclusion that it’s a keyboard hardware failure.

I have been using my MBA for 5 years for all my self business and at home. My left shift key was also not working randomly. And because I use my 10 fingers for writing (since the time of typewriters) the problem was annoying me for the last 2-3 months. Tonight, I used a knife and a packed milk pipe to blow some air under the key while lifting a bit with the knife. So I spotted the suspect a broken staple! After a careful operation, the problem is fixed now.

I understood that I would be a good surgeon :P

Some models only require the ipd ribbon to be replaced. Not the 15’ models :(

doubt its any cheaper to try first though. Nothing else thats a top case replacement/ that you should take in to a genius bar/ and say you have some keys not functioning at random. Heads up Apple may charge at least 400.

Best thing you can do is to use a stand for your laptop so that the display is in the correct ergonomic position :

http://ergonomictrends.com/wp-content/up...

and use a wireless keyboard and mouse for typing !

As a writer you are propably not using a keyboard as HEAVY as a gamer ... but chances are high that your keyboard will wear out again as fast as before, and a wireless external keyboard is not only cheaper to replace ... it also is more HEALTHY for you because of the more ergonomic use of your laptop.

I'm having the same problem but here is how it goes for me. I use a blue tooth KB most of the time. About 3 to 5 times a day, the bluetooth KB stops working but only the letters and numbers. The arrows and other commands still work. If, while that's happening, I try to use the KB on the actual Macbook, it appears to have the same problem, letters don't work, but arrows and other commands do. Then, after about 45 seconds to a minute. everything goes back to normal. is anyone else having this problem?