T430 screen cone-shape dimming/shadow at bottom

[seattlenerd]

 My ThinkPad T430 screen has developed a dim, cone-shaped "shadow" on part of the bottom half of the screen which adjusting the brightness does not change (see attached image).

I suspect either the screen is dying, the LED back light is dying, or the inverter is dying. I am not competent to replace any of the above, after checking the detailed steps required in the T430 Hardware Maintenance Manual. Sadly, the T430 is now two months beyond its extended three-year warranty.

All hardware diagnostics that Lenovo Solution Center runs show no internal hardware issues.

Any suggestions on either reliable repair options, or additional non-invasive steps (drivers, BIOS) I might take to get full screen backlighting again?

Link to image

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[Strat]

Hello, I am having the exact same issue with my T430s. Did you manage to fix this problem? 

Any suggestions? 

Thank you.

[seattlenerd]

I took the laptop to two different knowledable repair shops (one non-profit). Both said, in my case, it was screen failure and the screen would have to be replaced at a cost of $100-200. I chose instead to donate it to a non-profit (Interconnection, in Seattle) that would do the repair and resell it for charitable purposes. 

Wish I had a better answer.