13" MacBook Pro 2017 - Blinking horizontal lines at the top of the screen

My what privilege you have to be able to afford a new computer! I agree with others, that the point isn't to have them work for 10 years, but I do expect them to last longer than 2. To put it in perspective: My 2011 MBP came with me on planes, trains, boats, motorbikes, etc all over the world! it lasted through power surges, getting dropped, and sitting in suitcases and backpacks. I've been much more careful with this computer, but the point is, that that computer lasted me 6 years. 6. I too have only had this one for a little over 2 and have had other internal issues which I had to replace out of warranty.

So no, the expectation is not to have a computer last 10 years. But I do expect to get a good 4-5 years out of one if I am investing that much money.

I just had a chat with apple senior support. He says your laptop is above 1 year (yes this issue usually happens after 2 year) so we cannot give you free repair. And he says there are no recalls to this issue so you have to pay what store demands :/

And fun fact they said me they don't recognize the voice on this forum.

when it is happened, i made the screen sleeped for a few second, then it will turn to normal. few secone later, the issus happened again! sleep longer , normal longer. i thought it was system issus, when i closed the video playing, shuch as in chrome, in movist, in premiere, the issus will disapper slowly(some time). and this issus only effect the deskstop,the menubar on the top of the deskstop was no problem at all, everythis in menubar is clear. maybe the GPU drivers have some problem.

Update after 2 months (I guess).

So 2 months ago I encountered this problem: horizontal line on the lower screen that would appear as my laptop is on heavy usage. It would get worse when my laptop is hotter.

I went to AASP, they told me to change my whole screen. Went to non-AASP service place and the technician clean my laptop from dust + re-apply the thermal paste. He also suggested me to turn off my laptop every night and to use external fan.

Now it’s been 2 months and I never encounter this horizontal line problem again. I still use heavy software sometimes but limit it to 5 - 6 hours or when my laptop gets warmer. I also don’t use external fan when I have to bring my laptop to my office.

Based on my research, don’t change the screen unless a) you got it for free or b) you got guarantee that it won’t break again with the same problem. A lot of people have changed their screen (most of them paid it) and still encounter this problem, so be wise.

I have the same issue with my MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports). There are horizontal dark lines at the bottom of the display. It is obviously a hardware issue. Apple, just hear our voice and find a solution to our problem.

I got it done done in India (Aptronix, Hyderabad). I think the ARC post says that apple is replacing even if there are other physical damages. Try highlighting this maybe? Also, the ARC issue would've probably been there even before the lines started to appear right? Apple has accepted that it is due to their own fault. But the program wasn't listed anywhere so we didn't know. I think just standing your ground and being very adamant about this helps due to lack of better options.

One potential hack that might possibly work is to just shut down the laptop for a couple of days (so that the lines don't appear for a bit longer than usual) and then directly take it to the service centre hoping that the lines don't come back by the time they accept it for diagnosis.

They’ve denied my case in Vietnam. Apple representative said they can fix that with 100$ but also confirm the problem has a high chance coming back, and that after the fix, my screen will not be qualified for apple to exchange me a new one, which also not for free but $500. What on earth!!!

I can't really understand if all issues showed in this thread belong to the same instance of the problem:

notice that some of us (me for example) have bottom horizontal lines and sometimes they get dark when you insist on using your laptop with that.

Other people have this issue only at the top or even both (up and down).

Someone else experiences just a half centimeter of these lines, someone else is showing this for half of the screen.

I am pretty sure to have seen also someone with vertical lines.

Moreover, these lines are in some cases distinguishable, in some other they look just a dark halo.

It would be great to first classify all versions of the problem and then clarify everything.

Anti Reflective Program, also, looks different from the problem noticed by the author of this thread.

Mine doesn't have any correlation with the position of the screen. I did a full format of the operating system since then lines don't come when I have the power hooked up without the power outlet attached, I start seeing the lines again.

Which make this even more shameful Apple! We sign in with our Apple IDs , this is meant to be an offical sounding board , why would we all be out to cause waves if we all didnt legitimately feel we have been wronged here by a Model ( 2016/2017 MacBookPros 15 & 13 inch Retina Screens ) that you ( Apple ) dropped faster than a hot apple pie ( pun intended ) !

Another frustrated macbooker. 2017 touchbar 4ports. Laptop heats up and the black lines start at the top and get too bad to be able to use. External screen is fine but means I have a very expensive desk top computer when I trusted Apple for a mobile office solution. Have been told to replace screen at my cost is the simplest solution but from the large number of same complaints, it sounds like a design fault so really should be covered. Of course they need to service as likely just connectors that need to be reseated but at $250 to service and then $600 for screen (told they usually just replace screen straight off in case) it is very frustrating on such an expensive machine in the first place. Never been disappointed in Apple until this.

Hi erichsien,

Thanks for your reply. If the issue is present in Safe Mode, then I would suggest you Contact Apple Support to have some diagnostics run on the machine.

Cheers!

so sorry to know that. till now there is no solution to it. it seems a common problem with this mbp 2016-17 machine..we are all in the same boat..

i ve the same issue, with a MBP 2017, cant fix cause its very expensive, and its a hardware problem, and Mac should paid for it, not us the buyers