A3240 820-03597-A both USB-C ports stuck at 5V ~180mA, no PPDCIN / PPBUS_AON

mbcontrol

Member
I am working on a MacBook A3240 with logic board 820-03597-A.

Unfortunately I don't have a schematic or boardview for the 820-03597-A. I only have the schematic/boardview and OpenBoardData values for the similar 820-03286, so I am using that only as a reference and trying not to assume that the layouts are identical.

History:

The MacBook originally switched off after a few seconds and would not turn on again. Apple apparently performed a logic-board repair. The customer used it only 2–3 times afterwards and then the same failure occurred again.

Apple later returned it unrepaired and supplied a photo showing a ripped-off SMD inductor. I soldered the inductor back on, but the machine still does not start.

Current behavior:

Both USB-C ports behave almost identically:

  • USB-C 0: 5V, approx. 178mA
  • USB-C 1: 5V, approx. 180mA
  • No negotiation to 20V
  • Current is stable
The USB-C/PD controller used on this board is a TI SN25A43 (marking on the IC: SN25A43 / 53CR4SW G1).

Measurements so far:

  • PPVBUS_USBC1: 5.095V
  • PPVBUS_USBC1 diode mode: 0.177V (OBD reference from 820-03286: 0.153V)
  • PPHV_INT0_AONSW: 0V
  • PPHV_INT1_AONSW: 0V
  • PPHV_INT5_AONSW: 0V
  • PPDCIN_USBC_AON: 0V
  • PPDCIN_USBC_AON diode mode: 0.590V (03286 reference approx. 0.567V)
  • Fuses between the PPHV/PPDCIN rails have continuity
  • PPBUS_AON: 0V currently (I measured approx. 0.6V once yesterday, but this is not reproducible)
  • PPBUS_AON resistance to GND: approx. 2.5MΩ
  • PP3V8_AON: 0V
USB-C controller related rails:

  • PP3V3_UPC0_LDO: 1.667V
  • PP3V3_UPC1_LDO: 1.95V
  • PP1V8_UPC0_LDO: 0V
  • PP1V8_UPC1_LDO: 0V
  • PP3V3_S2_LDO: approx. 0V
  • PP1V25_S2: 0V
  • PP1V8_S2: 0V
Charger/system:

  • CHGR_SYS_5V: 0V
  • PP5V_CHGR_SW: 0V
  • PPCHGR_VDDA: 0V
  • PPCHGR_VDDP: 0V
  • PP5V_S2: 0V
What I am currently trying to understand is the cold-start sequence of the SN25A43.

VBUS reaches the USB-C controller at ~5.1V, but neither controller produces PPHV_INTx_AONSW, therefore PPDCIN_USBC_AON never comes up and consequently neither PPBUS_AON nor the downstream AON/S2 rails are established.

Both USB-C controllers showing almost exactly the same behavior makes me wonder whether there is a common missing prerequisite / bootstrap supply / enable signal, rather than two failed SN25A43 controllers.

On the 820-03286 reference schematic, the USB-C controllers also use PP3V3_S2_LDO, PP1V25_S2 and PP1V8_S2, but all of these are currently missing on this board. I am trying to determine which rails/signals must already exist during the initial 5V cold-start phase and which are only generated afterwards.

Does anyone know the SN25A43 cold-start sequence, or which rail/signal I should check next before suspecting the USB-C controllers themselves?

In particular, I would be interested in experience with 820-03597-A / A3240, or any information about the bootstrap supplies/enable conditions required for the SN25A43 to pass the initial 5V input towards PPDCIN_USBC_AON.

Thanks!
 
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