The camera cable is also affected by Flexgate

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33 points

The camera cable is also affected by Flexgate

I have a MBP 13'' 2016 touch bar.

The camera doesn't work, because the camera cable is broken.

The camera cable is the mirror image of the backlight cable, and subject to the same design flaw referred to by many as Flexgate.

Since the Apple service program only applies if there is a stagelight effect, I am not eligible for a free replacement.

Having troubles with the butterfly keyboard as well but that's another story.

2000 USD for a computer with product defects...

(If you are having the same problem, you can verify this by checking System Information -> camera -> “no camera devices detected”. To really nail down the diagnosis you can use a pentalobe screwdriver and take a look inside.)

MacBook Pro with Touch Bar

Posted on Sep 19, 2020 4:53 AM

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Answer 1

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blekksprut Author

Level 1

33 points

Nov 25, 2020 2:55 PM in response to DonGringo

Hi DonGringo,

Yes, Apple covers Flexgate issues if the backlight cable is broken,

with this Apple Service Program: https://support.apple.com/13-inch-macbook-pro-display-backlight-service

It is only valid until the end of 2020, I think.

But if it's the other cable, the camera cable, then unfortunately no, even though the underlying cause is the same.

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Answer 2

blekksprut Author

Level 1

33 points

Dec 2, 2020 5:03 AM in response to ColinY

Hi Colin,

Thank you for replying.

I'm not sure if I understand you correctly, but I would be careful to draw similarities between customers experiencing product defects and the US election.

There is no controversy in acknowledging that the backlight and camera cable in some of the 2016 and 2017 models break over time and that this is caused by the cable being a bit too short.

From Apples point of view, it is completely understandable that the service program only covers the backlight cable.

This because of three reasons:

The backlight cable is more important because if broken, the entire screen will have the so-called stagelight effect. On a MBP you use the screen all the time, while the camera is only used occasionally.
A broken backlight cable is easy to verify by the stagelight effect, while a broken camera cable must be verified by looking into the machine. In general, you would not want your customers to pry open a product, because of numerous reasons.
There seems to be substantially more cases where the backlight cable is broken --> more complaints about backlight --> more media attention about backlight. If there's no media attention about camera cable, then Apple doesn't have that much to lose if they ignore it.

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Answer 3

Oct 19, 2020 4:33 PM in response to blekksprut

I'm absolutely having this issue. It started with the wifi intermittently disconnecting and now the camera. It took about a week to diagnose it, but now I can easily replicate this issue by slowly opening or closing the screen and watch both the camera and wifi switch on or off. I'm out of warranty and ****** as ****.

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Answer 4

blekksprut Author

Level 1

33 points

Oct 22, 2020 5:33 AM in response to King Bombo

Hi! And you have a macbook pro from 2016 as well?

I ve had some minor issues with the wifi connection, but not like the one you describe.

Instinctively, I would think that the wifi is a separate issue, since it's not subject to the same wear and tear as the flexcables, but what you say about opening the screen past 30 degrees indicates otherwise.

Have you had a peek inside the machine as well?

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Answer 5

Oct 22, 2020 8:34 AM in response to blekksprut

Mine is a 2017. Now that I've been opening and closing it like crazy, the camera seems to be 100% gone. The Wifi was unexpected, but it only seemed to be disrupted by the camera turning on and off and I simply had to just turn it off and then back on to get it back. Now that the camera is gone, the wifi doesn't seem to get disrupted anymore.

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Answer 6

blekksprut Author

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33 points

Oct 22, 2020 11:39 AM in response to King Bombo

I see, yes, the 2017 models were also affected by flexgate as well.

And when I think about it, it would make sense that the unstable on/off camera signal could cause disruption to other parts of the computer.

We could hope for an extension of the Apple service program, but I imagine they sit comfortably in Cupertino atm, knowing that very few people will bother to investigate why their webcam doesn't work.

All the best!

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Answer 7

M_a_c_i

Level 1

4 points

Nov 5, 2020 12:08 PM in response to blekksprut

My 2017 MacBook Pro‘s FaceTime camera also died right after the two-year warranty experied last fall. Since I found your post I am pretty convinced that I am also a victim of flexgate. Especially now in times of working and particularly studying from home a reliable computer is more important than ever. Normally this is exactly why people choose to buy Apple-products.

It feels really bad to see that Apple is completly ignoring the reports of affected 15“ MacBook Pros, especially because they silently fixed the problem in the 2018 model.

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Answer 8

ColinY

Level 1

45 points

Nov 22, 2020 8:22 AM in response to DonGringo

My MBP is much older than oyurs 2013 but Facetime and Zoom hav eboth worked until lately and I have tried all the hardware efforts with limited success. I updated to 11.0.1 last week and its not sorted but I saw some advice here earlier that the problem may be sorted by reboots and Sys Controller reboot. Tried both an d they worked for a while. Now I have seen other advice that suggested I remove some of th olde folder in th Libary relevent to Facetime which I did on an older MBP and solved ht eprblem completely- so far ! I looked in the same folder on the 2013 MBP with 11.0.1 and find a plethora of folders of dates back to 2014... which to remove? Then I saw mention of checking whether oyu cannot tick the box in Security (Preferences) but looking o Camera ony Zoom has a box there.... No Facetime box to toick? Isnt this an obvious problem... solution? Then just a few minutes back I was told to check whether the caera apears in theHardwarelist under System REport, in About this amc. Answer... Its there but its file is empty! Come on support.... whats the solution I have zooms coming up with Careers support for schools and Family links as well as Charity uses. When the camera is working its the best! Help, please. This is my 18th Apple since 1977 and i do love it but... :-(

Colin

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Answer 9

ColinY

Level 1

45 points

Nov 26, 2020 1:30 AM in response to blekksprut

I don’t believe Flexgate is factual and I believe Apple computer would not accept that the key backlight cable is more critical than the Facetime Camera cable.

it rings bells of the recent US election and mistruths being pushed hard despite being untrue.

If Apple accepts the facetime camera cable may be defective perhaps they would suggest a usb camera that would do the job - if one could plug in and do so?

Colin

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Answer 10

ColinY

Level 1

45 points

Dec 2, 2020 5:23 AM in response to blekksprut

My MBP is a late 2013 Retina- so it is sealed and opening it up would breach any applicable warranty, next time I need a new battery - not for several years yet, based on current performance. I will ask the ‘genius, to resolve the problem but I don’t think it’s a broken cable having applied the SW solution on my MBP 2011 (also 15” but unibody so not sealed! . Happily my Panasonic former Skype camera works fine pro tem!

thanks for the thought though.... I I’ll try my Pismo again😉

colin

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Answer 11

GianMaui

Level 1

8 points

Dec 3, 2020 6:47 AM in response to King Bombo

I feel like when I bought a pc for 1000 € with Windows Vista operating system.

A lot of problems for many years.

And then we will also have to expect the backlight problem, perhaps when the service program has expired.

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Answer 12

blekksprut Author

Level 1

33 points

Dec 3, 2020 9:40 AM in response to GianMaui

Hi GianMaui,

Yes, I completely agree.

The only thing we could hope for is that the problem and these posts eventually gain attention, but unfortunately I am not too optimistic about that.

At least it is reassuring to see that there are many people experiencing the same issue, supporting the notion that we are not responsible for the camera malfunction, that it is actually a product defect by the company.

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Answer 13

GianMaui

Level 1

8 points

Dec 3, 2020 10:51 AM in response to blekksprut

I spent a week trying to figure out what happened to my immaculate MacBook pro 2016! Now at least I'm more serene, but if APPLE isn't honest it's obvious it lost a customer, a customer who bought iPhones for 10 years or more (from 2008), who owns iPods of all kinds, iPads, a MacBook and a MacBook Pro. iPhones working from 3G to 6S...If Apple loses me I'm not just any customer! my family now uses iPhoneX, XR, XS, the last one is an iPhone 12 pro Max ... I purchase Apple to have no problems, not to be screwed!

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Answer 14

blekksprut Author

Level 1

33 points

Sep 21, 2020 11:32 AM in response to blekksprut

Just an edit: in System Information it will say " No video capture devices were found. "

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Answer 15

Oct 19, 2020 5:32 PM in response to blekksprut

EDIT: The camera works until I've opened the screen past 30 degrees, then it goes black. The wifi will disconnect at the same time.

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The camera cable is also affected by Flexgate

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