Strange keypad/mou​sepad behavior in Thinkpad T510

Question

I spilled coffee (not much) on my keypad and unfortunately didn't take immediate action to disconnect power and the battery from the machine. I took it apart and cleaned out the keypad and let it dry and after reassembling I have about 90% keypad functionality with some of the keys on the left hand side (whre the spill occurred) no longer working. I'm going to order a new keypad; I'm assuming it's shot. But the odd thing is when I click on a malfunctioning key, the mouse select buttons no longer work. The trackpad still works fine, I can move the mouse around. 
How are these connected? Am I going to have to replace the mouse/trackpad?
Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

There is a short in the keyboard.
The coffee now is IN the keyboard. You can try to clean it with Isopropanol and let it get dry for more than 3-4 days with low chance to reanimate it or purchase a new keyboard. 
BUT
In many cases users move or turn the wet thinkpad while the liquid still is on the keyboard. In these cases the liquid drains beween keyboard and bezel to the inside of the computer.
If they turn the computer upside down or upside to side, the liquids in the drainage floods the system board resp parts of it.
So you also need to diassenble your laptop and check each part of it with a magnifying-glass, whether it got wet.
These parts must be cleand with isopropanol and get dry for approx. 3-4 days.
My home-forum: http://www.thinkpad-forum.de
Wiki: Deutsches ThinkPad-Wiki English ThinkWiki
My ThinkPad-Collection