MacBook Pro 15 inch 2017 Flexgate / Stage Light problem

"Apple does not admit that this is a problem and not offering

any program. They are asking ~700$ US for repair"

so far that looks like what can be interpreted from their silence.

They admit / take responsibility for this exact issue with the 13 inch, less expensive to fix models, but for the 15 inch, more expensive to fix models, yes, they didn't admit this is a problem yet.

Apple does not admit that this is a problem and not offering

any program. They are asking ~700$ US for repair

There is no replacement program for any 15” or even 2017 A1706/08 with EXACTLY the same FlexGate issue that is experienced in the 2016 models. Exactly the same PN of the display in 2016 A1706/98 but no program. How does that work Apple?

At this time the Service Program is limited to 13".

https://support.apple.com/13-inch-macbook-pro-display-backlight-service

however if at any time it is expanded to include your 15", typically Apple will issue a refund for out of pocket expenses for parts & labor... Having a service ticket will be your receipt..."affected by this issue, and you paid to have your display repaired, you can contact Apple about a refund."

In the mean time—

• Find an Apple Authorized Service Provider.
• Make an appointment at an Apple Retail Store.
• Contact Apple Support to arrange mail-in service via the Apple Repair Center.

please submit your feedback as well on your effected machine:

Apple Feedback http://www.apple.com/feedback

There is currently no replacement program for any 15" with FlexGate issues which is ridiculous. They will not even cover the 2017 A1706 / 1708 which has EXACTLY the same display as the 2016 version of these two models. This was a bad design, Apple knew it and buried their collective heads in the sand.

Well It has been very obvious that flexgate / Stage Light effect is hitting MacBook Pro 2016 models and later.

https://www.change.org/p/apple-fix-all-macbook-pro-2016-and-later-with-stage-light-effect-or-backlight-shutdown-flexgate

But the question is why is Apple ignoring this issue although they admitte this problem with 13 inch 2016 models by lunching a service program which the display will be replaced at free of cost.

https://support.apple.com/13-inch-macbook-pro-display-backlight-service

I have a MacBook Pro 2017 which started to develop symptoms of stage light effect by showing vertical bright areas along the entire bottom of the screen then with the time the backlight stopped working when the lid is opened at certain angle. This clearly shows that my 2017 MacBook

pro has the same issue as 2016 models.

Even an AASP technician found out that my device is affected by the same issue but he couldn't replace the screen for free as Apple hasn't included this model to the service program and he quoted me +$700 for a new display.

So is this my fault to fix a bad manufacturing design and spend an amount that nearly cost more than a half of a new device. Is this Apple policy to make the customers to buy a high end laptop every 2 years!?

Apple 2 days ago launched a new service program for 2016 & 2017 models for a battery recall https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212163

As far I know the number of times customers of these models have complained about the above problem is way lesser than customers have complained about the backlight display program but Apple keeps ignoring.

I really don't know why Apple is doing that.

Is this a PR thing that makes Apple won't acknowledge the design flaw that they made on these devices?

OR

Is this because of the lawsuit ongoing against Apple regarding this issue?

https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/33962843/Taleshpour_v_APPLE_INC

What also frustrating is Apple design choices as the display backlight problem caused by the worn out of a ribbon cable as this cable gets damaged by opening and closing the lid many times and this could be solved by spending only $6 to change the cable but that solution is impossible because the cable is built in with the display so you have to spend over $700 to fix a problem that could be fixed with $6 only.

Also for the record the flexgate / stage light effect is starting to show on 2019 models

Which means maybe within 2 years we will see flexgate is happening with 2019-2020 models (even the M1 chips models as they have the same chassis).

This generation of Macbook pro (2016-later) is the worst generation of MacBook of all time. It has so many design flaws such as:

Display backlight problem. https://support.apple.com/13-inhttps://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212163

Horizontal lines on the screen and pink screen

Keyboard problem https://support.apple.com/keyboard-service-program-for-mac-notebooks

SSD problem https://support.apple.com/13-inch-macbook-pro-solid-state-drive-service

Battery Problem https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212163

T2 chip problem

Apple should toss this generation into the trash and go back with the powerful reliable previous generation and stop the obsession of thickness.

This is a message from someone who love Apple products but also a disappointed customer who paid a huge amount

to buy this machine which all his business and work depends on this machine but this machine failed him and couldn't last 2 and half years.

Now I'm using an old PC laptop which I never take care of it and dropped so many times but it still working fine and I will stop using it till Apple decides to include 2017 models into the service program.

https://support.apple.com/13-inch-macbook-pro-display-backlight-service

The rep is only for 13 inch models so it can not be applied on 15 inch model

Here’s what happens https://www.classaction.org/blog/apple-hit-with-class-action-over-allegedly-defective-retina-displays-in-2016-and-later-macbook-pro-laptops

when he/she tell you that they will not take your mac under warrantly, you have to tell them that you want to do a claim.

Or do it by phone. Call apple, explain your issue and that your are not agree and want to do a claim.

after, you have to write a letter explaining the topic and reason of why you think that it’s a DESIGN ISSUE with links to web pages talking about flexgate and pictures. And send it at the address given by phone or mail by apple.

There has been petitions, many YouTube videos, law firms hired to take action... so far I haven’t heard of any results at all from any efforts made, even simply for Apple to comment on this.

there may be some reasonable position they have to share... I am sure many people are like myself in that with new information I can change my opinions and views. As it stands in Apples total silence about the 15 inch model... we have put forward a very reasonable case with evidence that the issues that tens of thousands + MacBook Pro customers have had is due to a design flaw which Apple is responsible for.

what other reason are people left with, than too be embittered and resentful towards Apple being silent on this subject ? and for posts like this, where people are saying, “how can we work together to get an answer out of them?”... when there is silence on this subject this is quite saddening and maddening, as what it LOOKS LIKE, is as Apple continue to have opulent financial profits pouring into their accounts, they are leaving tens of thousands + people in the dirt in critical times where we need our tools to work, the most.

this might not be the case, but this is what it looks like ! and if they are truly remaining silent as a way of letting time brush this under the carpet... saying, “well, we’re talking about machines that are over 3 years over their warranty, this is out of our hands”.... if that’s the case, why don’t they just say something like that ? Or say something ?

that doesn’t seem likely that this would be there position... but how do we know anything when they don’t answer ?

how much have I spent on Apple in my life ? I don’t know... $50,000 USD ? ... I don’t know...

there must be people within Apple who believe that customers deserve an answer on this...

have I missed something ? Have they spoken on this ? Or do we just have silence ?

I have same exactly issue with my MacBook Pro 15” 2017 .

after 2.5 years

Apple asking 680 $ for repair .

It Is now Class Action Lawsuit Over Macbook Pro's "Flexgate"

Scandal

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/parris-law-firm-apple-hit-with-nationwide-class-action-lawsuit-over-macbook-pros-flexgate-scandal-301055528.html

It mainly talking about 2016 13” Flexgate defect . I will be

contacting law firm to clarify if 15” included as well

Apple acknowledges the backlight issue, but only if your MacBook Pro is a 13" 2016 model. The display design with the integrated display cable is exactly the same on their 15" models. And their 2017 models. But if you have a 2017 13" Mackbook Pro with "stagelights" at the bottom of the screen and it goes black if you open it more that approx. 45 degrees and you can see the icons in the **** and other stuff on the desktop if you point a flash light to it ... it's not the backlight issue, it's just bad luck and you probably mishandled it or ran it over with a steam roller or took it diving or something else which is clearly your own fault.

I have the same issue on a 2017 13" MBP and I called Apple - that was a very interesting support experience ... if you can call it support. I wrote about it here: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253225328

Just chiming in here, to register another case of this annoying issue, which documents the seemingly ongoing decline of quality, in Apple products.

Got my 15" Mid 2017 model (bought in december 2017) back today, after PAYING to have my screen replaced. Sent it for repair as it was exhibiting the stagelight effect, as well as blueish blodges in different areas of the screen. Other than this, there was a rattling sound from within the computer. It has never been dropped and the stagelight issue just "magically" appeared recently, when I started the computer up. The discolouration has been building for about half a year or so, but wasn't really properly noticed until a few months ago.

I had several frustrating discussions with Apple's tech support, to get them to accept that this was a known issue, directly related to the issue on 13" Macbook Pros of the same era, which they are repairing under an extended warranty on the screen.

Unfortunately there was no interest in accepting that the issue was anything else than normal wear and since I use this computer every day for work, I was forced to pay for the repair myself.

I have to say that this was the last straw for me. I am not going to buy a high end computer from Apple again, as I can no longer be certain that they produce products, that reflect the pricepoint of the device, from a quality-perspective.

I've bought Mac computers since 2005 and have had very good experiences with their service, when I've had issues, but my experience with this model (Aside from this issue, I've had the keyboard replaced in connection with the known issue there) and the level of service they are providing now just doesn't leave me comfortable with investing in their high end products.

As it happens, I'm fortunate enough, to be in a situation now, where I don't need a high end portable device and it seems like Hackintoshing has become easier and more stable recently (Yes yes, the switch to ARM will probably mean losing the possibility to update to the latest OS'es in the future). So I'm going to sell this computer now, cut my losses and build a Hackintosh for pro media work. I'll get a entry level ARM-macbook, when they come out, for administrative work, seeing as I am not going to cross over from Mac to Windows.

Apple products have never been perfect, but the recent development for Apple in regards to quality and responsibility for that quality has been a sad development.

7 march 2019 "iFixit" looked into this and found:

“we found that there are two things contributing to this problem. The first one is Apple opted to use thin flex display cables for this MacBook pro, as opposed to the beefier wire cables that they used in previous ones.” 

“the other problem is they wrapped those display cables, partially around the controller board that when the laptop opens those display cables are getting pulled tight around the corner of that board and that’s what is causing them to ware over time.” “The only way to fix the problem is by replacing the entire display. A repair that costs around $700.” 

“Apple.. has gone so far as to remove their posts about it in their own technical support pages” 

At the time this happened and it was a fresh issue, Apple removed many posts of people discussing this. It is possible that executive decision makers on this at Apple have told staff to remove posts and sweep everything under the carpet until more time has passed, hoping this issue will disappear in the distance. Leaving behind so many people and lives who's businesses and families continue to suffer due to this design flaw.

It is really unfair and unacceptable that Apple continue to make amazing amounts of profit.. and that for them to do the right thing, have integrity with this and sort this issue out for customers in a fair way is like a speck of dust of the profit they make.. and still there are executive decision makers who are telling everyone else at Apple to stay silent on this subject and wait for it to go away.

Even if this comment is deleted, I hope the person reading this receives this message. I simply don't know what to do. And I feel saddened that this has not been addressed.. and that whoever made this decision has not been confronted about this.

Solution: Offer those with 13 and 15 inch models with this issue to have a reasonable trade in value for these MacBook Pros. If not a free repair, then a trade in value is just fine. I get that it will be a lot of money and resources to do this, and I feel confident this action of integrity will be inspirational.

Apple created a smokescreen with the repair program for one model, one size, one year and it worked. They are not going to do anything else. We are just screaming into the void. Go buy a new macbook pro and hope it doesn't have some other fatal flaw.