Chosen Solution
Running Apple Service Diagnostic (OS version) test suite v.3S162 on a 2014 13" MacBook Pro (3.0GHz version, MGXD2LL/A), it says FAILED on one test: Thermal Interface - Processor:Processor0: Extended TIM Test 75 Percent GB (test #16) - Extended TIM Test 75 Percent GB - Check that CPU is properly attached, using product spec theta dh + 75 percent guardband. [1 minute 24 sec] ERROR – 8 [Plimit not as expected.] – TEST FAILED [Last line in eye-catching red.] I ran the test suite three times, with the same failure reported every time. I don’t know exactly what this means, but it looks like something about how the CPU is seated on the logic board? Could this be repaired? (Repair instructions here only cover removing/replacing the logic board, nothing deeper.) Unseat the CPU and then reseat it with new thermal paste? Beyond my skills, but I’m wondering if it’s salvageable. Can anybody elucidate? Thanks,Andrew Main
I would try a different approach as Apple Service Diagnostics can mislead if you are not using the correct version. I find TG Pro is more useful and offers a deeper view of things. TIM - Is Thermal Interface Material (thermal paste). ASD is also testing the delta of heat transfer between the CPU thermal sensor and the heat sinks fin exhaust air. Basically, that includes the heat sink. So I would first install TG Pro to get a baseline, Then clean the fans and heat sink fins getting all of the dust built-up out to make sure the heat is being properly transferred. Review TG Pro again and if needed I would clean off the old thermal paste and apply fresh paste. Make sure you apply it so its only on the silicon chip not on the Green carrier and the small SMD devices on it as the paste can affect there function. Remember it doesn’t take much a dot about the size of the diameter of a pencil and less than .5 mm in height is all that should be needed. Its better to test things out with less then too much! Once again monitor TG Pro and if you still don’t see any change replace the heat sink unit.
Hey HandyMac TIM sounds like Thermal Interface Module, which I think is likely related to the heatsink / fan on this unit. CPU should be soldered onto the MLB, so I doubt there’s any way to re-seat it, but it probably isn’t an actual CPU problem. I suspect you may have one of a couple of problems - either the fan is not cooling the CPU the way the computer thinks it should be or one of the thermal units on the system somewhere is reporting that something regarding the heatsink / heat dissipation is out of spec. Did you just repair this system and then come across this error or were you running ASD on it as a preliminary step?
