MacBook display shows intermittent horizontal glitch

DiegoAlonsoDC wrote:

From time to time, a thin horizontal glitch or flicker appears on the screen for a split second. It happens randomly and doesn’t show up in screen recordings, which makes me think it may be hardware-related.

Great troubleshooting! You have indeed confirmed the issue is most likely a hardware issue. From the picture you provided, I can see it is an issue with the laptop's built-in Display Assembly. If you informed the Apple tech about the screen recording & showed them this picture, then any knowledgeable & seasoned tech would be able to confirm the hardware issue. If you brought your laptop to me & I could not reproduce the issue, but you presented this evidence, I would feel confident in replacing the laptop's Display Assembly.

Unfortunately some techs won't work with you. If you can determine what triggers the issue so you can reproduce it more on demand, then it may make things easier. Does moving the display back & forth trigger it? Does running the laptop for a long time more likely to trigger it? Or waking it from sleep? Or powering it on?

Another option may be to contact Apple's online support and supply them with the information you mentioned here to see if they can mark your case to have the AASP replace the laptop's Display Assembly.

Is there more than one Apple tech at that AASP? If so, ask to have someone else examine the laptop & tell them what you presented here. If still no success, ask to speak with the manager to see if you can make your case with them. Or have the tech escalate the issue through their GSX service portal...perhaps they will authorize the tech to replace the Display Assembly based on the information provided.

Is there an Apple Store or another AASP you can try?

I already took my MacBook to an authorized service provider (iShop in Peru), but they didn’t find anything during their quick check. When I asked if I could bring it back if the issue appeared again, they said that since it didn’t show up for them, there was nothing they could do.

It doesn't sound like this tech is very competent or is perhaps just inexperienced.

I can understand a tech or repair shop being cautious at times since dealing with people and navigating Apple's rules can be tricky for an AASP.

They also implied that the warranty wouldn’t cover anything if third-party apps were involved, so I have been using the laptop with no third-party software installed — yet the problem still appears.

It is not a software issue. Your troubleshooting & hunch/instincts are correct.

Continued.....

At this point, it feels like they can’t provide a solution, and I’m unsure what to do next. Has anyone experienced this kind of screen glitch? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/8fccd39b-fa46-481c-88ab-dd8e2460e602

If this laptop is under warranty, then they should just replace the Display Assembly given the information presented here. Unfortunately, if an AASP replaces parts which are later found not to be faulty, it can negatively affect their standing with Apple. If an AASP doesn't perform much warranty work each month, then just a single mis-step may impact them severely. However, an AASP could always escalate the case through their GSX service portal to an Apple agent to have them approve the suggested repair, thereby taking the blame off the AASP.

Or if you can have Apple Support mark your system as eligible for a Display Assembly replacement (usually a repair exception or Customer Satisfaction Code will be given to you or marked on the support case for your device) so an AASP can perform the repair authorized by Apple Support.

If nothing else I have suggested helps to get them to repair the laptop, then try contacting Apple Support, maybe they can assist you with getting it repaired. Some regions do have an option to mail the laptop to an Apple mail-in repair depot.

If Apple allows a Self Repair option in your region, then perhaps you could do that if you happen to know someone local who is able to work on laptops, iPhones/iPads to perform the repair on your behalf since they may have the technical skills to replace the Display Assembly (you may need to start the online troubleshooting process & order the parts since someone else is not able to do that step, but then hand off the parts you receive to your local tech). I don't recommend the average user (even one who is technical) to attempt their own repairs on these M-series Macs. They can be difficult to work on even for an experienced tech.

If all else fails, then contact Apple corporate and tell them your tale. And politely voice your displeasure at the service & competence level of that AASP. Years ago, Apple would take AASP complaints serious & would investigate such complaints, but I don't know if they still do since Apple has changed a lot since then & not for the better or for helping/caring (at least that has been my personal experience for the last 15 years).

Contact - How to Contact Us - Apple

At that point you may also want to check your local consumer protection laws, report the problem to any government oversight of local businesses, and/or contact a lawyer for advice.

As always try to remain calm & polite when dealing with stubborn people.

Please let us know how things work out. And good luck, I think you may need it.