Apple MacBook Pro F105 Error Code Guide & Fix

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What This Error Means

F105 on a MacBook Pro is an unofficial diagnostic flag that usually means ‘cooling system / fan fault detected’.

In plain English: the Mac thinks its fan or temperature sensors are bad, so it panics, runs hot, or shuts itself down.

Typical symptoms:

  • Fans stuck at full blast from power‑on.
  • Machine throttles, beachballs, or shuts off under load.
  • You saw ‘F105’ in a hardware test, repair tool, or service report tied to fan/thermal issues.

The code itself is not in Apple’s public docs, but techs see this kind of flag when the logic board cannot properly control or read the cooling system.

Official Fix

What Apple and the manuals expect you to do:

  • 1. Back up immediately. If the Mac still boots, grab your data first (Time Machine, external drive, whatever you have).
  • 2. Run Apple Diagnostics. Shut down, then power on while holding D (or Option + D for Internet Diagnostics). Note any official reference codes you see in addition to or instead of F105.
  • 3. Reset the SMC (Intel models only).
    • With T2 chip (2018+ many models): Shut down. Hold Right Shift + Left Option + Left Control for 7 seconds, then keep holding and press Power for another 7 seconds. Release everything, wait 10 seconds, then power on.
    • Older non‑T2 models: Shut down. Press and hold Shift + Control + Option + Power for 10 seconds, release, then power on.
  • 4. Reset NVRAM/PRAM. Power on and immediately hold Option + Command + P + R for about 20 seconds, then let it boot.
  • 5. Update macOS and firmware. Boot, connect to the internet, and install all macOS/firmware updates from Settings/Preferences > Software Update.
  • 6. If fans still scream or the error returns, book service. Official path is: take it to Apple or an Authorized Service Provider. They will run Apple Service Toolkit, confirm the fault, then replace the failed part — usually the fan module, sometimes the entire logic board.
  • 7. No DIY in the official script. Apple does not authorize end‑user fan or logic‑board repair. If diagnostics won’t clear, their documented fix is hardware replacement, not cleaning or board‑level work.

The Technician’s Trick

What a bench tech actually does when they see an F105‑type cooling fault:

  • 1. Rule out software fast. Boot from Recovery or an external macOS installer. If the fan instantly ramps to max and stays there even before macOS loads, that’s hardware, not some app.
  • 2. Pop the bottom and look. Kill power. Pull the bottom cover with a P5 pentalobe driver. Check around the fan and heatsink: dust blankets, lint in the blades, or anything jamming the fan. Blow it out with compressed air — short bursts, hold the fan with a finger so it doesn’t free‑spin like crazy.
  • 3. Check if the fan actually spins. With the bottom still off, power the Mac briefly. The fan should twitch or start spinning within a few seconds. No spin, or grinding/stuttering? The fan is likely toast. Swap in a replacement fan and test again.
  • 4. Reseat the fan connector. A half‑clicked fan plug will trigger fan/thermal faults all day. Carefully lift the fan connector straight up, then press it back down so it’s flat and fully seated on the board.
  • 5. Hunt for liquid or burn marks. Look closely around the fan connector and power area: green/white fuzz, dark burn spots, or a sweet/burnt smell = corrosion or blown components. That’s when a board‑level repair shop (not the Apple Store) comes in — they fix just the bad section instead of swapping the whole board.
  • 6. Refresh thermal paste on older units. On 2012–2015 workhorses that run hot, many techs pull the heatsink, clean off the crusty old paste with isopropyl, and apply good thermal compound. It won’t revive a dead fan, but it can stop marginal machines from tripping thermal faults under load.
  • 7. Verify with a fan control app. After hardware is cleaned and reconnected, use a utility like Macs Fan Control or TG Pro to read temperatures and RPM. If it sees sane sensor values and can change fan speed without instant crashes, you probably cleared the F105‑type issue.

If a known‑good fan, clean board, and SMC/NVRAM resets still leave you with a cooling fault, the SMC or thermal circuit on the logic board is damaged. At that point it’s board repair or full logic‑board replacement, nothing in‑between.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: 2018 or newer MacBook Pro, or any machine that still does what you need and only needs a fan or basic cleaning — parts and labor are usually far cheaper than a replacement.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: 2015–2017 models that need logic‑board work; worth it if you rely on specific ports/features and a reputable board‑level shop gives a sensible quote.
  • ❌ Replace: Pre‑2014 machines, or any MacBook Pro where the only option is an Apple logic‑board swap costing more than about 60% of a solid used replacement.

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