MacBook Pro 15 inch 2017 Flexgate / Stage Light problem

I am another victim of this poorly designed Macbook Pro. 2016, 15 inch LCD/Backlight failure where I can only view the screen when using a flashlight at a specific angle. I paid over $4K for this "loaded" MBP. I expected to last for years and years (like my 2012 and 2008 MBPs have).

So, if I pay for the repair out of my own pocket, what's to say that this "same issue" won't appear again? This is SO frustrating!

I seem to be having very bad luck these days with apple products. My 2017 2nd Gen 12.9" iPad Pro (purchased in Jan. 2018) just starting displaying the Stagelight Effect! No recourse there either!!

Pathetic customer service/policies/responses, etc. from my formerly favorite company.

There is NO Money Tree growing in my yard.

IT IS NOVEMBER 2020 WHY HAS APPLE NOT OFFERED A SUPPORT PROGRAM YET???

I paid $3k for a computer and the screen is useless after 2 years, this is a disgrace.

Apple, look after your customers. This is a horrible way to treat people!

You are absolutely right. That is exactly what I think as well.

It is just so strange that Apple is still not handling properly this issue. It is clear that there is a design flaw, yet they are trying to save some money by not doing the right thing towards their customers!

My $3.5K MacBook Pro also became useless 6 months ago after exactly 3 years due to the flexgate issue and I am still waiting for Apple to do the right thing.

I am still hopeful that this issue will reach higher administration at Apple and that they will finally wake up and do something about it. But unfortunately time is going by in the meantime, and our laptops, even if fixed for free at some point, are becoming more and more obsolete!

I started with the Apple IIe computer and have been a loyal customer for over 35-40 years now, but it is the first time that Apple lets me down...

I have same issue. Display goes off when opened more than 45 degrees. I paid more to buy a 15" than 13" and even bulkier than 13". I repent my decision as 13" is covered and 15" isn't and cost of replacement is equivalent to buying a very good brand new windows laptop. I have so many apple devices and has been a big apple fan. But this is just a shame that i have to pay out of my pocket for an issue which existed when i bought the laptop and not a damage by me. I have always used best in class accessories to fully protect my laptop from any accidental damage. I am not getting it replaced and prefer to buy a 4k monitor.

my MacBook Pro 15, purchased in November 2017 (the 2016 model) also has the flexgate issue and the screen stopped working completely around the beginning of 2020.

I have had MacBook Pro's for nearly 20 years. This 2016 model had a left speaker that stopped working, often underperformed and now the screen doesn't work.

I feel disappointed that Apple doesn't own their responsibility for this design issue and offer trade-in deals or something.

I'm based in China.. I live nearby an AppleStore here, I'll see if they can do something there.

“I have an 13" MBP 2017 with dark bar at the bottom of the screen too!”

junme, you may be eligible for a free of charge fix by Apple. For some reason Apple had the integrity and honesty to take responsibility for their design flaw in the 13 inch MacBook Pro, but they have chosen to not have integrity and take responsibility of their design flaw on the 15 inch MBP. Which is not only saddening, maddening and disappointing for thousands of customers who have paid thousands of dollars of their cash to Apple who are generating many tens of billions of pure profit.. it is also simply simply simply lame to operate in this experience of life, with such a low level of honor simply as one party creating something and exchanging it with someone else for money.. and when the design of what was created fails, they not only refuse to take responsibility for it, but they also remain silent and tell all their staff to shut up and not comment about it.. and delete any comments like this which “are not constructive”... what ? It’s not constructive to express dissatisfaction about the way some Apple executive decision makers are handling this ? It is not ok.

enough people have been asking polite questions about this for years. And there has been no answer I can find on the internet.

I want to trade my 2016 MBP in for a new model. I am happy to stop complaining online if I can do that. I’m really fine with a trade in offer.. I don’t need a free fix..

As an FYI....

My daughter was almost in tears because her school computer started having this problem last night. I couldn't find anything on it, then I came across flexgate, and wouldn't you know.....

I have no choice but to shell out for a new Mac so that she can get her schoolwork done. I could of course get alot more for my money in a PC, but she is definetly a Mac person and... well its her schooling so I'm going to cave.

[Edited by Moderator]

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.

Given that I am a Lawyer I would tell you what is going to happen but you will have to google and search for it.

Apple is moderating all posts that have to do with this issue and certain related "activities" which are going on, as there are a number of people very upset about this and some have taken action within their rights.

I suspect at some point in time in the future, the 15" model will be covered just like the 13" is currently. Unfortunately that will most likely be after most people have already had to buy another computer to replace the defective one which should be covered under warranty.

I'm actually embarassed for Apple, a Trillion dollar company that is neglecting their base and moderating posts well within the lines of civility just because their clients are upset at their treatment.

Honestly, Apple's behavior is embarrassing.

Any news on repair program for the 15" model 2017? If I open the display more than just a small amount the display shuts off. For months now I can only use my macbook with an external display which defeats the purpose of a macbook. Waiting for a service program. Surely it is coming soon .

That is exactly what I have (if I open the display more than about 45 degrees, the display shuts off) on my 15" MacBook Pro, but I can tell you that this has started about a year ago for me and still no answer from Apple. I believe that so many people are stuck with this problem and waiting for Apple to do the right thing and offer a free repair! It is extremely disappointing that no action has been taken yet...

Same here! 2017 MacBook Pro 2 years in and screen goes never been damaged at all. Something you pay such high value for you should absolutely be getting back. I once had a MacBook Pro 2008 lasted ten years before I decided to upgrade. PLEASE LAUNCH REPAIR PROGRAM FOR MACBOOK PRO 2017 AND 2018.

Any ideas on how we can all work together to get apple to acknowledge their faults? This is just unexpectedly. Many of us rely on apple to do our job and a problem that has effected this many people can not go unnoticed. ESPECIALLY considering they have already acknowledged the issue with the 13 inch mode.

They acknowledged the issue on one 13" model in order to confuse the issue and get some great PR while avoiding having to fix the issue for the vast majority of affected macbooks. Nobody is paying attention now. We all should all just be good little apple sheep and go buy a new model.

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 ?