MACBOOK PRO 13" UNIBODY: DISCOLORED.

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Level 1

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MACBOOK PRO 13" UNIBODY: DISCOLORED.

Hello folks, Italy here.

I've bought a MBP 13" on the 28th of December, 2009. Four months after that day, I have some blemishes on the aluminium top, left and right side of the trackpad. I've never used abrasive product to clean my Macbook, even a damp cloth to clean the screen and the top. In a first time blemishes were not too heavy so I thought that there was not the case to call assistance. Now the blemishes are coming bigger so days ago I've called the Apple assistance, they told me to go in the nearest Apple's assistance center and let them see. I did it, they said me Apple don't want to change my top cause there are 'external causes'. Now, I'm not crazy, I don't get happy scratching my Macbook with muriatic acid, I really did nothing bad since the day I bought this laptop on his top.
The question is: i read a bunch of cases like mine in this forum, nobody got the solution, except something like using Mr. Clean magic eraser (i've tried that, no results). Will Apple fall in other cases like the discoloration of white Macbook? What I've to do to make Apple change my Fu**in' case? Three months of using to got this blemish on my top? something like 1.200€ to have this s*it outta here? I'm really crazy about that. I'm going out of my mind 'cause the Apple's assistance says that mine is the first case in the world of this blemish, but they're lying. A lot of users I read got the same problem.
What I've to do now? There is something I can do?
Thank you guys.

Macbook Pro 13", Mac OS X (10.6.3)

Posted on Apr 16, 2010 10:34 AM

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Answer 1

Apr 16, 2010 1:32 PM in response to maxymac

This has been happening as long as Apple has made aluminum laptops. The silver paint is not adequate to protect the aluminum for some users. My 15" Powerbook had significant black discoloration at the palmrests in less than a year - Apple DID replace that for free.

On my current MBP 13 - I bought the 'Moshi Palmguard' - which is perfect.

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Answer 2

S.U.

Level 6

9,595 points

Apr 16, 2010 2:39 PM in response to maxymac

Welcome to Apple Discussions!

Is what you're seeing some black pits? If so, you may be one of the unfortunate individuals whose body chemistry reacts with the aluminum housing. The aluminum is anodized, not painted, but the anodized finish is very very thin, and evidently some people's body chemistry can penetrate it and cause these black pits. It may be that the individuals you showed the blemishes to haven't seen them before, but as tele_player points out, this has been happening for a very long time. I believe that some people have been successful at getting replacement tops.

It's worth noting that we're talking about a mighty short length of time here--3 1/2 months or so. It's conceivable that there could even be a defect in the anodized finish of your Mac that leaves the surface more porous than it should be.

You might try calling Apple back on the phone and ask to speak to Apple Customer Relations. They are a special tier that may be able to help you with this problem. Be very nice and polite to them, but stress just how unhappy you are to suddenly have this problem. If you have used aluminum portables in the past with no such issues, you can make the argument that you've never had this problem before. If you do get a new case out of this, by all means consider using a protective pad of some sort. They might replace it once for this problem, but they wouldn't replace it more than once.

Good luck!

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Answer 3

Apr 17, 2010 1:10 AM in response to S.U.

Apple replaced the top case on my aluminum Powerbook for the blackening, and the replacement did it too, though I didn't try for another replacement. They might not be as quick to do it with a unibody.

Anyway, the solution for those of us with caustic sweat is the Moshi Palmguard. It's also a good way to hide the corrosion if it has already occurred. The fit and color match are perfect, and it includes a skin for the trackpad too..

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Answer 4

maxymac Author

Level 1

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Apr 17, 2010 2:11 AM in response to S.U.

Hi folks.

@S.U. I got the first Macbook unibody aluminium (not the MBP) for something like one year, before I've bought this one. Never had blemishes on that one, never had problem like this. Today I'm gonna call the Apple assistance, tell them to talk with Apple Customer Relations, I'll try to expose them the problem. I recently bought the Moshi Palmguard, but i've not still applied that 'cause I wanna try to figure out this problem and trying to have my case replaced. I think this is a right of mine and I wanna go deep in the question.
Anyway, the blemishes I'm talking about are not properly 'black', I can see them white, like the aluminium is really discoloring (absurd!).

@tele_player: how many time they need to replace your case? What you've done to have it replaced?

Thank you folks for the answers!

Max

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Answer 5

Apr 17, 2010 8:28 AM in response to maxymac

When my Powerbook was almost a year old, the screen had developed big white spots (which was a common problem back then), and the palmrest area had blackened quite a lot in the areas rubbed by my hands.

I took it to an Apple Store, and they sent it to Texas. About 2 weeks later, it came back with a new display and a new top case.

If it's possible, an Apple Store should be the first step.

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Answer 6

S.U.

Level 6

9,595 points

Apr 17, 2010 2:26 PM in response to maxymac

Since this happened with the new MBP but never happened in the past with the aluminum MB, that strengthens your case that there may be a flaw in the metal finishing (anodizing) on your new MBP. I believe that aluminum oxide is white if it's white that you're seeing. It may be reacting to the oxygen in the air and not to your body chemistry, and this is something that most MBP's would not do. My nearly 3 year old original MBP has no such oxidation. Be persistent, and hopefully they will replace your case.

Good luck!

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Answer 7

carl wolf

Level 6

14,625 points

Apr 17, 2010 4:41 PM in response to maxymac

As another poster mentioned, sweat can cause discoloration of the aluminum coverset. It's up to the user to clean the coverset after each use.

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Answer 8

maxymac Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 19, 2010 7:12 AM in response to carl wolf

Some news here.

I've called back Apple, as S.U. said, an arrogant man from the Customer Relations told me that this is a case of an accidental damage. I can't really tell you how my nervous system is going in *kernel panic*.
How can I get out from this boring situation?

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