MacBook Pro Logic Board Failure

Dr.Felix,

Did you go to an Apple store to speak to them about your issue or did you phone Apple Care?

I phoned Apple Care yesterday hoping they could put me through to someone that I could make a formal complaint to and the Apple representative said the most official way to make a complaint is the feedback page http://www.apple.com/feedback/

I left the feedback, but a message pops up saying that Apple aren't able to personally respond to all feedback, so there is no guarantee that anyone will even get back to me about my faulty logic board.

Thanks

Dr.Felix,

Did you go to an Apple store to speak to them about your issue or did you phone Apple Care?

I phoned Apple Care yesterday hoping they could put me through to someone that I could make a formal complaint to and the Apple representative said the most official way to make a complaint is the feedback page http://www.apple.com/feedback/

I left the feedback, but a message pops up saying that Apple aren't able to personally respond to all feedback, so there is no guarantee that anyone will even get back to me about my faulty logic board.

Thanks

Unfortunately, the feedback page has such volume that it's unlikely that your concern will be handled to your satisfaction.

Courteously but firmly insist on a specific person to resolve the problem, preferably a manager.

It's in everyone's best interest to come up with a solution.

<Edited By Host>

Biouche-

If you have the MacBook Pro 6,2 15" model , there is a recall in effect.

Print out a copy of the article cited below (as a hedge against "they never heard of this program") and take it to your Apple dealer:

TS4088- MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010): Intermittent black screen or loss of video

Ask them to run the Video System Test specifically for this problem. (This is important because the standard "overnight bake" will NOT find this problem.) Do not leave until they have run this test which ends in a spectacular PASSED or FAILED display.

If FAILED, you MAY be allowed the repair under the recall. You MUST be polite and businesslike. Apple wants you to be a happy customer. Any threat to sue everybody identifies you as a person who will NEVER be a happy customer, so you will get no special treatment.

renato.gama wrote:

Anybody here knows whether this problem that I'm facing is due to a Logic Board problem?

I have a Macbook Pro early 2011.

ANY ADVICE, please??

Yep, take it to an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider, or simply call AppleCare to arrange a repair.

http://www.apple.com/support/contact/

...

My Macbook Pro 15" (purchased Sept. 2011 in the US) was connected to my external monitor at home and it suddenly crashed.

After restarting it, I had all kinds of screen problems...

red lines on the screen, split screen, blue screen on startup..

I reinstalled from scratch but that didn't solve it.

Now, when I turn it on it takes a while to startup and the screen flickers, the red lines appear and if I, eventually, get to login, the smallest stuff I do will trigger all the screen problems and it eventually locks and needs to be restarted by holding the power button.

Besides that, a couple of months ago my battery simply died.

It started losing power out of the blue as well and after 5 days it wouldn't hold any charge at all and simply would say on the System Report that I had no battery on my Macbook Pro.

Ouch! Sounds like it may be the main logic board, specifically the GPU, that is failing.

I'm surprised you didn't handle the battery issue sooner but to each their own. More than likely you could've gotten it replaced for free if it was defective.

...

I'm seriously disappointed at APPLE because this Macbook Pro is not even 2 years old...

And I need it to work!!! I'm a PhD Student... so I don't have enough money to just go and get a new one, as I have been suggested...

And it seems that there is no cheap way out of it...

Any suggestions?

Oy vey--then go get it fixed! Complaining about having to repair one of your most critical tools in graduate school is hardly cause for sympathy--trust me, been there. My university did all but directly threaten students to buy an extended warranty on laptops bought from the campus bookstore, and for good reason.

Apple does offer a "flat rate" repair on Macs that have not been abused (i.e. dropped, wet, etc.). When you take it to the store or contact them, you might ask if they still offer it. The repair has a 90 day guarantee on it, too. I had a friend in graduate school whose LCD died on his MacBook (white) after nearly four years; he decided to pay to get it fixed and I was told the repair charge was reasonable (~$350 and change).

Anyway, good luck!

renato... Apple will service affected 15-inch MacBook Pro computers free of charge until three years from date of purchase. This worldwide Apple program does not extend the standard warranty coverage of the affected MacBook Pro.

That information is taken from:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4088

Unfortunately, that page is for mid-2010s.

I have also read your other posts and I agree with what you said. The faster Apple addresses this issue the better chance they have of keeping us as customers.

Simple saying "computers break. it happens" is not an acceptable answer. Yes, electronics break but it does not mean that Apple has to handle the situation by doing nothing. Customer service is not about making good products. If a company makes indestructable products that never break, there wouldn't be a need for a customer service department to handle disappointed and upset customers. Customer service is often about solving a problem when it occurs and if Apple wants to prove to us that they still care about customer service, they cannot turn a blind eye to the plight of us affected Macbook owners.

I updated my mid-2010 MacBook from Snow Leopard to Mavericks over the weekend. Since that time, it has had serious issues with shutting down suddenly when playing back video. I believe the issue is related to the following article: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4088. Unfortunately, my AppleCare expired in June. Any suggestions about what to do?

Complaining HERE only reaches the ears of other Users. Those Users may be annoyed, but are unlikley to be swayed by complaints posted here.

To be prodcutive, these complaints need to reach the ears of Apple, Inc. (and they will not do so by posting them here).

To be productive, for an acute complaint, contact AppleCare by calling them or making a FREE Appointment at the genius Bar.

To be productive for a long term complaint about Product features, post your complaint here:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/

.

Well here is my story in relation to this board issue...

This is taken from my questionare response to apple store in Belfast UK

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2675881?start=15&tstart=0

My visit to this store was based on my issue with my mac book pro having problems freezing and with rebooting getting grey screen on startup. I assumed it was hard drive issue when looking on internet for similar symptoms.

My first visit was very satisfying with dealing with Noel who I have no issue whatsoever as he in my opinion is the perfect customer facing representative within this store.

Noel also thought Tis was a hard drive issue on the day I dropped the computer in. He said they would take standard 5-7 days to sort but did state that it would prob get sorted next day and they would call when sorted.

I waited and waited and after 6 days I called to find out from a guy called Michael (I think that was his name) that the issue was not resolved and they were still working on it.. They would try something else and would call in afternoon. I did not receive this call and contacted again in morning... This is where my real issues are with this store (beside the lack of common sense to call a customer if a diagnosed issue was not straight forward).

When I spoke to him the second time I was then told this was a logic board issue and not the hard drive (how this took 5-7 days to diagnose is beyond me, but I suspect that when I called they hadn't even looked at the issue and only looked again as I called to wonder where it was)

I was quoted £300 to replace with new logic board and when I said the computer was only just two years old I was greeted with the following comment ....

"Well lap top life spans are only between two to four years"

I was shocked at this comment and asked if it was replaced would this solve issue and if it happened again within one year would I be liable to pay another £300.... He said the part would be covered by 90 days only.

I said I would think about this and call back within a few days (I unlike the store honoured this statement)

I called back to say I would collect the product.

I then waited 1/2 hour to collect when I called (I could write more about this visit but my finger could not be bothered typing)

Now to my overall points:

1) as you can see by my link at the start this issue is NOT a one off issue. In fact it really does look like a apple defective board and in my opinion should be covered free if charge... Given the fact the computer is two years old I can empathise with not doing this and after all I do not have apple care.

2) when purchasing new lap tops is it the apple store policy to inform customers that it will only last two to four years???? I suggest they don't as they might not ever sell any!!!

3) after investigation it is clear that the issue can be resolved by a number of companies to fix the apple defective board for a cost of £20 diagnostic and £130 sorting the defective area on the board... This is what I shall be doing

3) customer service... This means to serve the customer and not be "prompt dependant" so inform status of an issue please if incorrectly diagnosed even a quick message to say problem is more serious and could take longer (seriously how difficult is this to do???)

You can reach me directly (if you wish to discuss further) but I doubt this will happen.

Alan

Apple Support Communities values constructive information that will help out users solve their hardware and software issues. This post is 100% compliant with Apple Support Communities' "Terms of Use." It is accurate, non-speculative, and offers support for Apple users.

https://discussions.apple.com/static/apple/tutorial/tou.html

A new class action suit has been launched against Apple for faulty MacBook Logic boards:

http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2014/05/a-class-action-lawsuit-is-la unched-against-apple-over-faulty-macbook-logic-boards.html#more

non vi voglio illudere ma è tornato a funzionare, dopo l'ultimo preventivo di 600 euro ho tentato il tutto per tutto ed eccolo quì seguite il mio post: MacBook Pro (15-inch inizio del 2011), OS X Mavericks (10.9.3) logic board morta

I think a EI Capitan "never-sleep" bug caused the logic board failure. I closed the lid and put it into my backpack, but it didn't sleep, which caused the machine was too hot and failed the board.

Re: My iMac does not sleep after install of El Capitan

Have been trying to gather the key points from this thread.

Is it a fair summary to say:-

1. If your logic board fails, and your MBP uses the GeForce 8600M GT (2007-2008 MBPs), then there are possibilities to get the logic board replaced by Apple free of charge?
2. If your logic board fails, and it doesn't use this graphics card, then there is no official free of charge repair offered by Apple?
3. Some users are now reporting a suspected correlation between running Mountain Lion on MBPs (irrespective of which graphics card you have) and the logic board subsequently failing?

This is what I've managed to glean through my (1 hour!) skim through this extensive thread. Grateful if someone, who has been following this thread for much longer, could confirm if this is an accurate summary.

My reason for clarifying is because:-

• I have a late 2008 MBP which DOES NOT use the above graphics card.
• Yesterday I installed a brand new copy of Mountain Lion on a new hard drive in an external USB enclosure. I spent the day setting up my apps and copied all my files over from my old Lion hard drive.
• Turned the machine off and pulled out my old Lion drive and swapped in the new Mountain Lion drive.
• Went to to turn it back on and nothing. Magsafe cable didn't even light up to indicate any charging activity.
• Took it to the Apple Store Genius' today who tested it and confirmed that the Logic Board needs replacing - they have not been able to determine what caused the board to fail in the first place.
• Quoted price for logic board replacement including labour and parts ~HK$4500 (US$580)

I am keen to understand what my options might be, based on the experiences of other similar users, hence, my need to clarify the key points out of this thread. Ultimately I need to decide

• Do I get the logic board replaced and if so do I have a case to ask Apple to cover the costs
• Or do I bring forward (significantly) my planned (well, desired!) upgrade of laptop in order to cut my losses

Grateful for any clarity anyone can provide on all the above points.

You know, I think the people with the logic board issues have to do the research before taking it to the store so you can combat any excuse they may come up with. I came prepared with the support article printed, this thread printed, and the fact that I HAD taken my macbook to them earlier and I let them know my display had been "going to sleep" without waking. When it finally failed permanently, I had leverage to say "you guys looked at this issue before and told me it was software related. Now it is fried, and I know the issue is the Nvidia chip, as I was seeing graphic lines and distortion." Make sure to tell them about the graphic lines and distortion. They have a way to test these without them booting using a firewire. I saw the tech do it. Either that or I had a tech that believed me and just said that it returned a yes on the Nvidia test to take care of it. But when I went to the actual apple store, as opposed to an "authorized retail apple store" they found the issue for me. The other shop failed it and wouldn't send it off. I think it all depends on who you get to help you.

MY ADVICE:

1. Make sure you make an appointment using their online system before going in.
2. Detail the issue in the notes section of the appointment scheduler. Make sure to list graphic distortion, display sleep issues. (I believe making a note allows apple to assign the right qualified tech to address the issue properly)
3. bring print outs and details of when the issue started happening, how it started, and what you were doing. (EX: mine started because my macbook went to sleep and the battery went dead never to wake again)
4. Bring a print out of the Nvidia recall note.
5. Bring a print out of this thread, and a print out of the court case where the guy won against apple in court for this issue. (an extra tactic in case they refuse to acknowledge the issue, lets face it, 27 pages of people with the same problem is a huge issue and obviously not a fluke caused by user error. )

The more your prepared and the more knowledge you have on the issue, the more they know that you aren't someone they can push over. Also, try not to be a ***** to them, remain level headed. Being an *** won't help. In fact it will probably hurt your case and make the technician not want to help you at all. After all, they are just customer service people. Level with them.

My late 2008 MBP logic board (so technically not part of the NVidia issue batch) failed on the same evening I just installed Mountain Lion a few weeks back.

Anyone got any ideas / theories as to why a new version of an OS would cause a physical piece of hardware to fail? Strikes me as either:-

• Complete coincidence, or
• MBPs having an underlying reliability issue across ALL logic boards which eat away at the life of the logic board, and finally something in Mountain Lion's architecture "pushes it over the edge"

I am, as many here are, quite upset and disappointed in the reliability of the MBP. As mine did not have one of the offending NVidia chips on the logic board, I had no choice but to pay for the new logic board replacement. This thread seems to suggest to me that aside from the NVidia issue, there is a general reliability across the board for MBP logic boards.

By the way, at least we're all getting Apple's attention on this thread considering two posts up, wcone's post has been edited (and maybe mine will too...)

My LBP is now working. Of course , no thanks to Apple. The total cost, as I previously reported, was 66 UKP to confirm the fault and 450 UKP to fit a new logic board. I am still waiting for the reimbursement for my iMac 27 HD failure. Not entirely Apple's fault, but try calling them via satellite telephone from the Caribbean. (Why do they use a girl with a really annoying Scottish accent?). Yes, some of us actually use laptops that are not connected to our home networks - and that is why we need DVD drives.

Now I see this: http://www.johnlewis.com/231740125/Product.aspx

Yes, a lasptop with a non-glare screen, an i7 processor and the rest:

Gallery | Zoom (opens a new window)

Product Information

The Samsung Chronos 700Z5C-S03 is a high performance laptop that boasts super fast processing speeds thanks to its hybrid hard drive and Intel’s i7 processor. Complete with an anti-reflective SuperBright screen in a compact, aluminium chassis, the Chronos even boasts powerful dedicated graphics to deliver the best performance from your media and games.

Highlights:

• The quad core Intel Core i7 Processor combined with 8GB RAM will make everything you do lightning fast. You’’ be able to multi-task with confidence and work with multiple windows at the same time. Even the most demanding applications and media files will open in a flash.
• The huge 1TB hard drive will allow you to store everything you need all in one place, from documents and photos to music and video libraries. In addition the 8GB SSD with ExpressCache™ technology gives faster start up times and loads frequently used programs twice as fast.
• 1GB Nvidia GeForce Graphics will push your gaming to the limit and provide smoother, undistorted graphics. Nvidia Optimus technology also works to balance extraordinary visuals with longer battery life for the best of both worlds.
• The 15.6-inch 1600x900 anti-glare screen gives sharper detail and bolder colours for optimum viewing of videos and photos in high definition.
• Gigabit ethernet makes faster networking a reality. Ideal for better response times when gaming or streaming Full HD movies and programmes through your home network.
• Reverse time with the Samsung Anti-aging battery technology. It keeps 80% of the original capacity for up to 1000 recharges. That’s 3x more than an average battery cycle giving you longer battery life.
• Stereo speakers give a combined output of four watts while a dedicated subwoofer unleashes more detail from your music than you ever thought possible.
• An array of connections, including USB 3.0, HDMI, Bluetooth 4.0 and built in Wi-Fi. There’s even a high definition webcam to help you stay in touch with loved ones.
• WiDi support allows you to synchronise your laptops display with compatible TVs. Get to work on the big screen, or just enjoy your games and movies the way they were meant to be seen.

Much as I love Apple, and I have used Apple since 1986, the end is nigh. The kids can keep their iPads and iPhones - but not on my account anymore.

Thanks for your continuing support and help Mr. Cook. Now match that. Sorry, forgot to mention, this has a 3 year guarantee and costs 800 UKP.

Bye bye

TY