New 16” MBP Random Restarts and LockUps

Hello, just a note to say that I confirm that one of the issue seems to be audio hardware related. Yesterday I was working on some audio files and everything went fine. I turned off the Mac and this morning when I turned it back on I was not able to hear the audio anymore. I went to the software preferences > audio hardware and everything was set correctly. I closed the preferences and tried to play the audio again. After few seconds of spinning wheel and the Mac restarted.

I should also mention that yesterday when I turned the Mac off I thought it was turning off but when I heard the external hard drives still spinning I went back to the computer to check why and the Mac was at the log in screen. Then I turned it off again. This morning when I turned the Mac on I got the dialogue alert "this computer restarted because of an error" (something like that... not sure about the exact wording now). The the Mac didn't turn off when I launched that command but "crashed" once again.

I hope these information would be helpful... at least for Apple to collect evidences, understand and fix the problem.

What a mess.

I'll probably jinx myself, but I wanted to follow up my earlier post and report that I have had zero restarts since I reinstalled Mac OS 10.15.2 via Internet Recovery on 12/24, as suggested by Apple Support.

Sorry to hear that. The rep recommended reinstalling the OS from Internet Recovery (Shift + Option + Command + R) only after confirming that I had received this error message: BAD MAGIC! (flag set in iBoot panic header), no macOS panic log available. Did you receive that message?

Good luck...

C.

Here is my experience, guys:

I have the top options + 32gb (did not needed the 64gb) + 2tb, totalling 3899usd.

The issues for me started after I unboxed the laptop and opened the lid - at that time, I was presented with the automatic mac os setup. I did not had time to go through the setup at that moment so I closed the lid and left to visit someone and came back after a few hours.

I was expecting that the mac would go into sleep mode/turn off hard drive (+fans) when I closed the lid so that when I would get home, I could continue with the initial os setup. At least that's how my older mac (a mbp mid 2015) reacts when I close the lid and then reopen it - I simply have to enter the user password again and then I'm in.

Nop, this did not happen with the new mbp 16 inch. I came back home and I could hear the hard drive (fans) being on (even if the lid was closed) and the laptop was super hot. So it seems that it remained open the whole time. More than that, when I opened the lid to continue the mac os setup, nothing was showing up, just a black screen, however I could hear that the hard drive (or fans) were still running so the laptop was still on but it was not displaying anything.

I lost countless hours of trying any kind of step that I found online and all apple support was able to offer via phone support did not work, so they recommended me to go to a service (what they recommended is to use the internet recovery option but the laptop was throttling the fans for a second and restart most of the times I tried the internet recovery option).

I think that due to the fact that I did not follow the initial mac os setup the first time I opened the lid of this new laptop, something went wrong.

So I hold down the shut down button until I could not hear the hard drives (or fans) anymore. Then I pressed the power on to start the mac and I was not presented with the initial option to set up the os anymore. It was simply restarting over and over again, after I was getting a full fans throttle for a second.

After countless hours (over a few days) of installing and reinstalling the mac os via internet recovery and via external ssd (I said installing and reinstalling, because I had SOO MANY RESTARTS that were coming out of a sudden, but before that happened, I could always hear a strong fan noise/throttle like somehow they were failing at one point and then the laptop would restart).

So after tens of tries, I was able to install the os for around 3-4 times till the end (sometimes I was experiencing that strong fan noise+restart issue even when the mac os installer was super close to finish the installation so I had to start again - not to say that I was shown the folder-question-mark sign multiple times because I deleted the files on the hard drive completely and the laptop was not finding any os installed and when that happens, you are not even able to get into the recovery by pressing cmd+R so the only option was internet recovery for those times).

I had so so many issues and internet recovery failed also for so many times (the same strong fan noise for a second and then restart even when I was super close to finish the process).

Now, my main issue is that whenever I close the screen (lid closed) for more than a couple of seconds, when I open the lid again, the screen is completely black and nothing happens. The only way to get the laptop start again is to keep the shut-down/start button for 10-12 seconds, then release the button and wait for a few seconds, then press the button shortly just once and the laptop starts again.

However, this is super frustrating.

So if I just close the lid and open it back in a few seconds, the screen starts instantly and I am able to continue working on the laptop. If I leave it for more than 10-15 seconds, that's where the trouble happens.

Not to say that when I'm using the laptop with the lid open, I have to deactivate any kind of sleep mode or the turn-off-hard-drives-whenever-possible option because that creates the same issue again.

It is NOT NORMAL to experience something like this with a laptop that costed close to 4k usd.

I am so disappointed - I had someone that bought this for me from the US as I'm based in Europe and I don't know what to do. I had 1 year guarantee and I am running the latest catalina os update.

This is UNACCEPTABLE. I never experienced something like this with any of my older mbps and I'm shocked that this happens.

I wonder if I would have experienced the same issues even if I would've gone through the mac os initial install when I started the laptop for the very first time, after unboxing it versus closing the lid and continue the os installation later, which is what I tried.

Just got my mac back.

They replaced:

• Logic Board
• Display (Again)
• Touch ID Board
• Lid Angle Sensor, LAS (Again)
• FLAT RATE, RETAIL, TOP CASE MBP
• Top Case with Battery

I'll try the mac for a couple of days and let you know.

I am sorry your replacement has not arrived, but they are built in China, which extended their Chinese New Year shutdown and closed large swaths of the county to travel due to novel corona virus 19.

At this writing, Mac Pro [desktop] 2019 40 pound workstation built in Texas, can be shipped in the US in 5 to 7 days.

Good news! not just your shiny MBP16 got this issue,

my MBP15 2018 also got this problem for a week ago.

• Tried fresh install at least 10 times to find root cause, it still crash.
• While reading this thread, with no background app running. it also crash.

I'm gonna try revert back to Mojave, to see if it help.

DPJ wrote:

Bret see if you can get Apple Support to authorize a replacement.

Believe me, I've tried very hard to get a replacement but they won't budge at all. The senior advisor did say that he'd "pull some strings" if this next repair does not work. Hopefully it does work so I don't have any further issues. I'll be sending out the MacBook tomorrow. I believe they already have it noted that they're going to replace the logic board. I'll keep you all updated on my progress.

Honestly I wouldn't worry about it. It's not like it's common that everybody is experiencing your issues. I have not experienced any of the sort with my 16" MBP so your issue is likely the cause of two things. Either you had a defective MacBook or it's the software that you use that isn't compatible with Catalina. It's usually one or the other. Do whatever makes you more comfortable but you selling it is basically saying you think that all the 16" MBP's are like this and that everybody is experiencing your issue and that's not the case at all. You can trust the fact that restarts and lockups would render the Mac completely unusable and if everybody with the 16" (that would also include Apple and it's employees) was experiencing this Apple would be on top of this ASAP.

But about the refund. Yeah, you're not entitled to that. A replacement is done under warranty. Apple told you it was like buying a new one because you're getting a new one and you can exchange within 14 days for any issues but it has no monetary value. If you don't want to keep it then don't open it and just sell it. The thing is if you're selling it brand new buyers are going to want to know why you would sell a brand new unopened and sealed MacBook Pro. Immediately people are going to feel it's stolen and if you tell them you got a replacement because of random shutdowns and lockups then that might scare your buyers.

I just wanted to post an update on my progress just in case anyone is wondering. I've responded to myself each time I posted so you can easily click back through my old posts by clicking the "in response to BretFromApple" at the top of my posts.

Apple sent me a brand new replacement and this resolved my issue. This was the only thing that could have resolved my issue. Some people report going through two or more replacements until finally getting one that works without issues. Don't spend your time trying to fix this issue yourself if you had the same issue as me. Please contact Apple and start the repair process to get closer to getting a replacement (after two to three repairs for a replacement in the US). The good part is that once you get a replacement, you get 14 days (in the US) to return the product. So you'll know within 14 days if your new MacBook is having the same issues and just get another replacement. You can keep doing this until you get one that works (if that's even needed). This is my first replacement and works great.

My prior MacBook would unexpectedly freeze for around 10 seconds, then the fans would spin at 100% for around 5 seconds, and the machine would then power off or restart. I would check the logs after this issue and get a "bad magic" kernel panic or some sort of other similar kernel panic.

I spent around two to three months working with Apple and I went through two repairs where the issue was not resolved and it kept shutting down or rebooting. During these repairs, they reinstalled MacOS, updated my T2 firmware, replaced my Touch ID Board, and replaced my Logic Board. This didn't resolve the issue.

My prior MacBook must have been a lemon because this brand new one has absolutely no issues at all. I've had it now for almost a month and have used it extensively for production. This new MacBook is how my first MacBook should have been but I somehow ended up with a lemon on my first purchase.

Anyways, I hope you all get this issue resolved like I did! This will be my last post on this forum unless I come across the same issue in the future with this new MacBook, which is very unlikely. Good luck all!

" Not keen on reinstalling Mac OS on a computer I dropped 6k on in mid April... why is this happening and where is the fix. "

Honestly you're expecting a "fix" that may take longer than you would like or may never happen unless Apple sees it as a widespread problem. Also with the several other products and softwares they have to put forth attention to they may not even bother with this issue some are having unless they receive a LOT of requests for repairs about this. A few hundred on forums is not considered widespread.

If you want at least a chance at a quicker solution you have to do your own due diligence since it's your own computer by troubleshooting and that would include perhaps erasing your drive, reformatting and reinstalling the OS.

You can follow my posts since I've been replying to myself each time on this forum. Please review my prior posts if you need information on my story.

I just got off the phone with my Senior Advisor at Apple and she said that after reviewing my system logs, video evidence, and kernel panic, that the engineers and Apple are actually aware of the issue. The Senior Advisor said that they have a team that is investigating this issue to find out if it is hardware or software related. At the moment, they have no idea what is causing it.

The Senior Advisor told me to keep an eye on Exchange + Repair Extension Programs - Apple Support to see if there's an issued recall due to hardware problems. She also told me to keep an eye on my updates to see if they issue any updates regarding kernel panic bug fixes.

Other than that, she said that she was told by the engineers to specifically not waste resources performing any service at the moment until the investigation has been concluded. So we're all stuck with our 2019 16" MacBooks until they issue a recall or an update to resolve this issue. The Senior Advisor said that if they don't issue a fix by the release date of the next 16" MacBook (probably coming in December) that I would be able to exchange this one for an updated one, hoping they resolved the issue in the newest one.

Other than that, we're all stuck with this issue until they find a fix but they are actively investigating this issue and have a team dedicated to this investigation.

I have no further information at this time. Please keep your eyes open for recalls issued or kernel panic fixes in software updates. I hope this helps you all.

Hi!!

Just spent 6 hours with apple support and find out how to stop loop at login.

First sorry for my english!

They make me re install 2 times MacOs Catalina without any results, checking volumes, accesing via terminal but nothing worked.

So i decided to let the battery go till 0%, stay like 2 hours without charger, and after reconnect charger and at the exact moment press shift while starting.

When asked the login, put the password, and pressed again shift and caps lock. For first time in the day, after 3 seconds and while the bar up progress was going on, the touch bar puts its light on. and after that, it blinks the screen two or three times and just after that finnaly appears the desktop.

I guess that what was really telling me that was not a hardware problem, was that the touch bar didn't work all day long. Even trying to reboot, shut down, or restarting, the only moment when it turned on again was with Shift and caps lock while loggin in.

So i hope that this can help all of you!!!!

Same Here :(

I have been using Macbook for few days and this annoying issue seems to be gone. No restarts for last three weeks. Does anybody followed Apple's fixing guide?