E6400: Squeaky Keys?

For some reason, my space bar squeaks every time its pressed.

Anyone else have this problem and, instructions on how to resolve it?

 

I never get any such noise from mine. Only thing I can think of is get a can of air and blow whatever you can out from the keyboard. Otherwise second option would just be to replace it. They are not much money and simple replace job.

 

I dont think it needs replacing just a through cleaning. How do you remove a key?

 

Be careful with removing the key, there are several small plastic tabs which can be broken easily. If you have a backlit keyboard, the key might be more difficult to remove. I wasn't able to remove a backlit key in the same way as a regular key, so I stopped trying because I didn't want to damage it.

Remember to be careful!

 

I have an E6500 with a couple squeeky keys. I haven't done anything about it it yet, but the air blast or vacuuming (with it turned off of course) sounds like a good place to start.

 

Are there any instructions or videos on the web on how to specifically do this?

 

Ha! I just posted this exact same question in the e6410 thread! I wonder if we somehow got the same machine. My problem was also the spacebar, and my God, isn't it the most annoying thing? You suddenly realize how often you press the spacebar, and the squeak is not something you can get used to.

I took the risk of prying off the spacebar key, which is, of course, something you'll have to decide if it is worth it. To remove it, I took a flat-tipped wooden stick (like a popsicle stick, but with a thinner point - I actually used an orange stick from my manicure tools) and gently pried it off, first one side and then the other. The keys are not glued on, they can be pried off, but it's something you want to do very gently. To replace them, you press them back into place until they click - again, very gently.

Everything appeared normal. There was no obvious visible reason for the spacebar to squeak. I still don't know what caused it.

I dipped a cotton swab in some silicone spray (someone on the e6410 thread recommended a food-grade silicone spray available in diving shops, but I used regular silicone spray from the hardware store). I didn't soak the swab, just dabbed it into a drop of silicone I sprayed onto a small jar lid I had handy. Then I very, very, very carefully wiped it around the underside of the spacebard key, and dabbed the keyboard panel itself where the spacebar sits. I did it with such a light touch that you couldn't even see where I dabbed it.

I pressed the key back in place - also very carefully, of course - and voila, problem solved. The spacebar still seems a little noisier than any of the other keys, but it sounds like normal noise. I think the spacebar may be a little noisier because it is bigger than other keys. In any case, I'm not even noticing it now.

When I did this, my system had been in my hands for less than six hours. But it's in such good shape otherwise, that I was afraid if I called Dell, they'd have me send it back for repair - and who knows what else might happen to it. That's why I took the risk of fiddling around with a brand-new machine.

I am not sure whether the silicone solved the problem, or just reseating the spacebar. In any case, if you do try this, don't use a solvent-type material like WD-40, just a straight-up lubricant. And of course be super-careful, use a minimalist approach and just dab it with a lubricant-moistened cotton swab, obviously you shouldn't be spraying anything on the keyboard itself.

I should add - I also have a backlit keyboard, but didn't have any problem prying off the spacebar. Looking at it, I don't see any backlighting around the spacebar key, maybe that is the one key on the panel that is not actually surrounded by illumination.

Obviously I haven't tried - and wouldn't think of - prying off any other keys. It's possible that it's harder to pry off the keys that have direct backlighting. But the spacebar key wasn't difficult. Just be careful and very gentle.

Or, if you're still under warranty and don't feel quite confident doing this yourself - call Dell. Clearly you are not the only one experiencing this, so chances are they have heard of exactly this problem before.