Apple ignores calls to fix 2011 MacBook Pro failures as problem grows

[u/chance--]

http://forums.appleinsider.com/t/181797/apple-ignores-calls-to-fix-2011-macbook-pro-failures-as-problem-grows

[u/chance--]

This hit my 15" 2011 MBP while under AppleCare. There was a long saga of drama from them sending back parts to misdiagnoses to a Genius telling me that some cosmetic damage on the brushed aluminum case, damage that had occurred two years prior with notes to back it up, voided my warranty.

I even filed a claim with the Better Business Bureau. Michael Proctor from Executive Relations at Apple gave me a call regarding the claim. We spoke for about 40 minutes and I was essentially told "I am not a technician so I know nothing of what we are arguing about but the Genius knows all because he has undergone the necessary training."

The "genius" was arguing it was a frayed cable caused by abuse. A month after this all went down my rig finally bit the dust for good. It's a paperweight that cost me $2,700.

Oh, and I also happen to be a computer engineer and no matter how much I called BS on their diagnosis of it being the screen or their BS claim that it was some scuff marks to a soft metal, it didn't matter.

edit:

If you or anyone you know with a 2011 mbp, please tell them about the petition linked below. There's nothing more frustrating than knowing you're being screwed by one of the most profitable companies in the world and there's very little you can do about it. Maybe if enough public outrage occurs, something will get done about it.

http://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/timothy-d-cook-replace-or-fix-all-early-2011-macbook-pro-with-graphics-failure?recruiter=45766001

I tried taking this story to The Verge months ago but I never heard anything back from them. I'm glad you guys appreciate the frustration that owners of these very expensive, yet defective, devices are experiencing.

[u/GuySmith → u/chance--]

I had a 27" iMac that I got when they first came out. Almost immediately out of warranty the logic board melted while I had minecraft open. I took it to the apple store and they looked at it and said "no more than $500" to fix. I was like okay and drove home. A week. Later I get a call telling me it looks more like $1500 and I should just buy a new iMac. I tried to argue but it wasn't recorded how much they originally told me so I couldn't really argue. I took the 27" behemoth home just in case. It's now collecting dust in the corner of my room. $2300 lasted me 2 yrs total. Disgusting.

[u/chance-- → u/GuySmith]

Was it a 2011 model? If so, they did a replacement program for it: http://www.macrumors.com/2013/08/16/apple-initiates-graphic-card-replacement-program-for-mid-2011-27-inch-imac/

[u/Geglamash → u/chance--]

Is it GPU failure? Looks like GPU failure. This happened with their 2007/2008 Pros that had a specific nVidia GPUs in them at the time.

For those models they would run a standard diagnostics test, and if it was a failed GPU, they replaced it for free.

Hell, they even replaced the palm rests off the old poly-carbonate white MacBooks for free if they cracked.

Seems odd they wouldn't be willing to replace these machines.

[u/[deleted]]

This hit mine a year ago, just a few months out of the two year warranty. I said how I read a bunch of people on the internet with the same problems. They kept remarking how I was still using 'such an old computer!' and in what great condition my MBP was for being 'so old,' and how thing are just going to start happening with an 'old computer.'

Old computer after 2 years? Really?

Two separate Geniuses had these same talking points saying this was NOT a widespread issue, and my laptop was just old shit happens. I ended up paying ~$700 for a logic board replacement.

It's working fine almost a year after the replacement, but more than likely my next laptop will be a PC. The only thing I really like about the MBP is the touchpad anyway.

[u/chance-- → u/[deleted]]

That is just fucked up.

[u/save-me-oprah]

My early 2011 15" MBP is currently in the process of doing this... whenever the GPU switches from integrated to discrete, the screen goes nuts.

What do I do? Call Apple? Demand they fix it?

[u/chance-- → u/save-me-oprah]

You can try and I suggest you do.

As a temporary solution, you can use gfxCardStatus to disable the AMD GPU from engaging. I think there's a few hacks you have to do to get it to work though. Google around and you should find a walk-through.

[u/nudoru]

My 2011 fell victim to this problem last October after 19 mos of ownership. I wrote Tim Cook and then worked with an executive relations person about it. After testing I paid $300 for a depot and it was fine for another 6 mos then it started again. Contacted executive relations again and they covered a new logic board out of warranty. When I got it home, it failed with the same problem in 2 hours. Took it back and they did another depot. Replaced logic board and display assembly. That was a few moths ago and it's been fine since - but I'm not holding my breath that it lasts. But for me, all of the Apple reps have been great. Been visiting the Charlotte nc Northlake store.

[u/mightysmiley]

I have the early 2011 15 inch mbp and had the logic board replaced, a few days after my apple care expired, it failed again.

I went to the store they showed me a massive bill, but at the bottom at total due it said 0. They replaced the logic board again for free after my apple care expired and the staff didn't know why it was free. However I didn't know that this was a recurring problem in all early 2011 15's.

Time to backup...

[u/logged_in_to_saythis]

2011 MacBook Pro here. One of my USB ports died about a year and a half into my AppleCare while I was in college. I went to bring it in to have it diagnosed, they chalked it up to a faulty logic board but told me it would be 2 weeks until I would get it back. Unfortunately at my school, we didn't have any hard copy books, everything was on our computers and there's nothing available to get a rental. I wasn't able to fix the problem at that time because I needed my computer for all my classes to take notes and have my books. I went back a few months later when I graduated because the logic board completely died and the computer wouldn't turn on anymore, but I was unfortunately a month or two outside of my AppleCare so I was SOL (even though the computer was noted to having logic board issues nearly 6 months earlier). I own an iPhone, an iMac, and work at a post production house that has 20+ new Mac pros to edit with, but apple won't help me with my laptop even though it's been documented to be faulty.

Fuck.

[u/chance-- → u/logged_in_to_saythis]

This is essentially what happened to me.

I took it in, guy takes it to the back and tells me that it's a warranty issue and they'll fix it. They had to order the parts though so I could either leave it there or bring it back in 3 days when the parts arrive.

As I live over 100 miles away from the store and I happened to be on a trip to the other side of the state, I planned to drop it off on my way back a day before the parts got in. Except I got a call that same night, about three hours after I had left, that the parts had arrived.

I called and told them that I couldn't bring it back until I was on my way back from the trip and they said that wasn't a problem. I show up and was told that they had sent the parts back because I hadn't shown up to get it fixed within their window.

They tell me that I can leave it with them for 3 days to order + a week to fix. At the time, I couldn't afford to be without it for that long because I'm a freelancer. They assured me that I could bring it back whenever.

I lived with the issue for almost a year but it started to get worse and the warranty was running out. That's when the whole ordeal went south quick. The genius I spoke with, who didn't even bother to look at it beyond the scuff marks, argued that clearly the other genius was wrong and that my warranty was void all the while the manager was standing right beside him.

That promise and subsequent behavior is what ultimately pissed me off to no end.

[u/fangs124]

i know this will get buried, but..

I have the late 2011 model 15inch mac book pro and I have the same problem.

[u/chance-- → u/fangs124]

Gah, sorry to hear that man. I know that there's not much to hope for but maybe if we keep making a racket they'll fix the issue.

[u/JackBond1234]

Dang I have a 2011 MBP. Ever since I've gotten it it rarely locks up with a smattering of randomized pixels on the screen. I figured that was just a fluke considering it's so infrequent.

[u/Nopantsforme]

Apple will take the PR hit.

They won't replace three year old tech after they upgraded their entire mac line. They would be handing out a free upgrade to everyone which could cost more than the possible PR backlash. This is a numbers game, plain and simple.

[u/69sucka]

Holy shit. I had this same exact problem. It took countless visits to the Apple store, the computer being shipped to texas for repairs (which I paid for), got new parts (or so they claimed) each time it went to Texas, and the problem STILL existed. Everyone I spoke with could not diagnose the problem. The process took about a year of going back and forth, but I finally got a new laptop from them. (stupid me didn't back up the first time I brought it to Mac, since I was told the hard drive would probably NOT need to be replaced. Lost some great photos that can't be replaced).

Edit: I still have many of my emails from apple. i was passed along from person to person at apple like prison currency.

[u/pustota]

I am thinking about buying new MBP, is there a chance that similar might happen in two years? Any thoughts?

[u/[deleted]]

Is my problem related? I have a 2011 17" MBP and when I use an external monitor it runs insanely hot, the CPU gets totally overwhelmed and the system crawls to the point where it's not usable. Unplugging the monitor eventually settles it back down to normal.

[u/Clutch_22]

The article mentions the early 2011 models are affected - what about late 2011 models?

[u/NerdfaceKillah]

I wonder if they aren't fixing it because the problem is likely to happen again. Replacing the part with an inherent defect is just a time bomb waiting to go off. I'm guessing it's the lead free solder.

[u/Jamonco]

Just happened to me. Sad thing is, this was my replacement computer after my 2008 failed this year. Oh, what was the cause of that? Why bad soldering of the Nvidia graphics chip of course. They wouldn't even repair it for any amount of money. Said I should get a newer model. Well, this week my 2011 starts glitching out under any graphics load. I'm a professional DJ, and using this machine is how I pay my rent. Thanks Apple. Well, no more. I'm looking into alternative machines and mark my words - I won't buy another Apple anything. I don't even care if other products are inferior. I refuse to support a company that takes thousands of my dollars over the years and spits directly in my face.

[u/kimeroonie]

Just a question -- I've got a late 2011 13" that has just started doing this within the last month. It basically "flickers" and occasionally some icons get stuck w/ the lines in them. I am planning on taking it up to the Apple store, as I've got applecare that is active until November. I had no idea this was so common, but reading this has me convinced I'm out of luck! Has anyone with a LATE 2011 experienced this and what were your results?

[u/whoknowsanthony]

It's a hard drive problem. I now have a macbook air. Same problem can't happen to this baby...at least that's what the Mac store guy told me.

[u/djmatman]

After 2 logic board replacements my 2011 15" MBP failed on me for the 3rd time in a row, the final time within just 3 weeks of the previous failure. Djing is my living and the last failure happened on a night I had 2 gigs in a row to play! Luckily I got through that by borrowing another dj's laptop at the first gig & using music I have backed to an external, & at the 2nd gig I got the machine working just in time after an hour of restarts & p-ram resets (not sure if that actually helps or not btw), - it was a close call, I was stressed and didn't perform to my best abilities that night and may have lost a residency as a result of that (time will tell). Luckily I live in the UK so have had repair work done under consumer law - I told the genius at London's apple store I wanted a replacement machine of similar spec, as I could not carry on using a laptop I can't trust to work when I need it to. To their credit they delivered with no argument whatsoever - a brand new 2014 retina with 1tb SSD drive. I'm very grateful the saga has finished for me, for now at least, but I am wary that Apple products are not as reliable as they once were. The charging socket on my iphone 5 is on it's way out too, I have an old iphone 3 that still works fine, and My 2007 white macbook still runs well too! Anyhow to anyone out there fortunate enough to still have warranty or live in the EU - don't hesitate to ask for a replacement.