Left USB Ports not working

scottiebumich wrote:

Hello, my macbook pro 2018 w/ Touchbar is not working properly. The USB ports on the left side don't function correctly. When I plug the charger into these ports the computer doesn't charge and shows something plugged in and then not plugged in. This repeats every few seconds. I took it into an official apple repair center and they told me nothing is wrong with it. I'm pretty upset about this since I had to go out of my way for an entire week to get this checked out as I'm traveling out of the US for the next several years and don't have regular access to an apple store. Why is my computer's ports not working and why is apple unable to do anything about it?

Try a different cable to connect, not all cables are of the same quality.

You can try resetting NVRAM/PRAM http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379

to reset port definition.

I would take it in for a hardware issue if it does not resolve.

In or out of warranty you can get a free over the counter 'Apple Service Diagnostics' test /assessment

Make an appointment for a "hardware issue"—

https://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/

Bootingup re-defines port definition, as well as resetting NVRAM/PRAM http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379

If this does not resolve your issue take it in—In or out of warranty you can get a free over the counter 'Apple Service Diagnostics' test /assessment

Make an appointment for a "hardware issue"—

https://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/

Have you tried just plugging the devices in one at a time while leaving the other port open?

Perhaps the issue is with your USB adapter, cables, hub, or device.

FYI, the "USB-C" cable which shipped with your laptop is primarily a charging cable and is not meant to be used for data transfer.

Try an SMC reset.

If the issue is only with the power adapter, then check out this article. Try plugging the power adapter into another electrical outlet. Just unplugging the power adapter for a minute may reset the internal circuitry and breaker as well. Make sure to take your power adapter & USB-C charging cable along if you have an Apple repair center examine your laptop so they can also check out the cable & brick.

Edit: If the issue is intermittent, it can be hard to troubleshoot.