Q: MacBook Pro Logic Board Failure

Hi Kroguisan,
If you have read through this thead (which isn't easy!) you'll find some successes & many failures in getting this issue resolved.
( see my earlier post on this thread )

I dont think being in Mexico alters your abilty to be treated as an honoured customer (I am in Japan).

I suggest you send your machine to an AASP - you can locate the nearest one from here > http://www.apple.com/buy/locator/service/
To have your machine diagnosed.

Tell them you're in dicussion with Applecare about the NVIDIA issue... if you're not, call them.

Expect to be told "there's nothing we can do" - don't accept this, but stay calm.
Make sure they create a case number & ask to speak with CR.

If the AASP confirm that you are indeed a victim to the "NVIDIA issue" they will, eventually, repair your machine.

Best of luck

I'm one of the ones who got nowhere (and paid for my own GPU rplacement) - but I can confirm that Apple are monitoring this because my last post commenting upon the guy who won in the small claims was deleted.  I've gone from 20 years of championing Apple through the hard days (and being part of scientific groups who bought entire labs of Macs when the world was PC), to being throroughly disgusted whith their current attitude and conduct on this matter.  It's been a stupid PR decision for them.

My early 2011 MaCBOOK PRO 17" USB PORTS failed a few weeks ago and like many others I am weeks out of warranty and APPLE WILL DO NOTHING! This is my last Apple laptop for sure. I feel this way because I still have a few G5's in the studio that run just fine. Ever since the yuppies started buying Apple and they became popular (more like a status symbol) the build quality has suffered. Thank you Apple for the years of good products....email me when they return. In the mean time, I will PAY to repair my $3000 laptop myself.

I thought I'd chime in here to let you know that last week Apple fixed my daughter's computer!  thebhoydave1888 was very helpful to me in encouraging me how to go about getting it done--and I was prepared to pursue the issue with them.  However, in my case it wasn't necessary. 

I took the computer to a MacAuthority store, told them of the diagnosed issue and asked that they get the information on the diagnosis to Apple so that I could talk to Apple about getting the computer fixed.  I didn't expect that they would be able to get it fixed---but they did.  I was shocked--and very grateful! 

I encourage you to continue to try to get your computer fixed.  Let us know!

Yay!

I think that the logic board of 2008-2009 Macbook Pro  is definitely defective somehow (bad GPU, cooling system, ???).  Here is my experience on my later 2008 macbook Pro (Out of warranty). My main logic board went bad 3 times now (my logic board has the avg. lifesapn of 16 months). After the 3rd time MLB fail on 06/14/2012, I went Apple retail store (As you all know the technique background of "Genius"). They still dont think that it is a defective product.  Now, I am working with Apple care senior adviser, hope that they can dig out something.

My  MacBook Pro (later 2008 model) was purchased on April-21-2009. It came with Nvida GPU dedicated VRAM 512MB DDR3.

After 16 months, on Aug-18-2010, it can not be poweron, and Apple store genius diagnosed the failure logic board. [Repair No: R35457777]. It was fixed and returned to me on Aug-26-2010.

After 1 weeks, on Sep-01-2010,  the similar logic board issue again happens [Repair No: R35991210]. I received the fixed MacBook Pro on Sep-08-2010.

After 18 months, on Jun-19-2012, the logic board is fail to reposne again. The Apple genius diagnosed the failure of logic board [Repair No: R68685768]. I don't agree to fix it again this time.

<Edited by Host>

Well, it did work for me LOL!

BUt now the top case assembly has gone T*Ts UP!  This model is junk!

Anyway, the logic board WAS replaced by Apple and is working perfectly please PM me if you would like to purchase it as I am parting her out for $$$ toward a newer machine.

Any takers?

Cheers,

Nate

404 585 0683

Did anyone on here have any issues with the MBP 2006 intel core duo logic boards failing? This will be the 2nd time replacing mine.. Apple store wont even look at it because of its Vintage status.

I just had the same problem the last couple days.  Tried to open my (2008) MacBook Pro...powered on...steady white light, a little bit of harddrive spin-up, and nothing else.  No matter how many times I turned it off/on, same problem.  The other suggestions (PRAM, etc) did nothing.

I don't have the luxury of going to an Apple store (currently overseas) to get the logic board replaced.  However, I noticed that the computer was still producing heat, which implied that something was on.

I finally decided to unplug my laptop from the charging and let the battery die.  It has a worn-out battery, so only lasted about 20 minutes.  Then I plugged it back in.  It powered on just fine.  It worked today, too. 

Before you run to Apple and go through the challenge of getting a new logic board for free (or paying for one), go ahead and try letting it's battery expire.  I don't know enough about pre-power-on computer processes, but maybe it's a way to trick the logic board back...

Just a thought.  Hope it helps (and hope it continues to work, for me!)

Hello LavenderRose, I am writing to ask the status of your situation. Any success?

I had the most frustrating situation of finding out that my macpro has the same problem (TS2377) and that Apple won't cover its repair because it was purchased 4 years and 5 months ago. This 4-year coverage period is so wrong for a manufacture defect.

How do we know if our computer was under that batch? The mac i bought on sept, 2010/new york big mac store randomly died....now they are asking me to pay for it....

wow..i just wrote the longest post and it didnt save...

anyways....

on summary

.... The issues arose when my mac stopped charging...I thought it was due to a magsafe failure so I took it to the Applecare (in the Phillipines) and then they emailed me saying that the issue with my computer was not due to the magsafe but the logic board and the battery which had expired or something and eventually they sent me another email saying that in order for them to fix it, it had to pay about 800 dollars...

Im so fustrated because I fail to understand how the logic board got fcked up when I've never dropped my computer or spilled any drinks or do anything that could trigger a malfucntion!!!! I dont know what to do, I have the feeling these people don't know what they are doing and that the problem is not mine but Apple's!!!! AND NOW

that i hear so many people with this issue I see a slight hope that they will replace the logic board for free!!! Im so sad to know that my computer is dead, specially when It hasnt even been that long (for the price i paid) and im starting college in two months with no computer.... my only option now is to work and get save enough money to buy a much cheaper computer that will last 3times more...now I understand why so many people hated mac's...I thought they were just jealous...now Im paying the price T.T

CHEERS

Keith Walsh wrote:

 

I'll chime in again with a couple of points...

 

1) Apple does monitor these discussions BUT they ARE NOT monitored by anyone in a position to fix the issue. Generally Applecare/Customer Relations does not follow these threads unless you specifically get them/ ask them to look. These discussions are monitored for abusive behavior or anyone suggesting legal action against Apple etc. That's it.

 

2) It is obvious that today's Mac's can't hold a candle to the old reliable Mac's of the 80's and 90's. I think this relates two two issues

a) The incredible heat generated by today's processors/graphics chips and the inability to cool them effectively and

b) The outsourcing of 100% of Apple's manufacturing since the early 2000's, first to Taiwan then  100% to China. Since them Apple's quality has been the same as every other company that  has done this. i.e. not great.

 

These kinds of issues have caused me to hold off buying another Mac. Normally I would have jumped at the chance to order a machine like the new MacBook Pro (Retina) but I just don't trust Apple's reliability (and to some extent customer service) anymore.

 

Message was edited by: Keith Walsh

I would beg to differ on a few of your points. Apple made some *horrible* models in the 90s that were unreliable, poorly designed and generally rubbish. Sure, they made a lot of goods ones, but a lot of bad ones too. I had one of them, a Performa 6200 - terrible hardware engineering in almost every aspect.

My Intel iMac was built in Shanghai, China in January 2006 and its still going strong, its a reliable and dependable machine. Where a product is assembled does not relate to build quality. Foxconn, Apple's manufacturer, is there to assemble all the parts together. The components on the logicboard come from many different manufacturers, from all over the world.

However you are right about heat. Modern CPUs/GPUs generate too much heat for the tiny heatsink and air vents that Apple have decided to use on the MacBook Pros. There is, however, a solution to extending the life of your Mac if you're worried about heat. Download smcFanControl and increase the RPM speed of the fans a bit, until you see a drop in temperatures (getting the balance of noise vs. speed/cooling efficiency can take some practice). I did this on my iMac and it stil runs cool, even under load. At the stock Apple fan speeds, it ran considerably hotter.

Apple is no different to other manufacturers of laptops in some respects. Certain PC notebooks have suffered from bad Nvidia chips, including HP which had to do an extended repair service for it. So we can't blame Apple entirely - although their handling of the situation could be improved!

Something I forgot to mention, which should hopefully prove more useful than my last post in regards to those with logic board failure:

When we had lots of trouble with an iMac G5 (it had noisy fans from day one, and an Apple repair centre replaced the logicboard, fans, superdrive and it still didn't work right), I ended up emailing Steve Jobs and informing him of our dissatisfaction with how the issue had been dealt with. I never received a reply from Steve, but an Apple executive promptly called us to sort out the problem. Even though the machine was out of warranty by the time this happened, Apple replaced it for free with an Intel model.

Unfortunately, Steve is no longer with us. But I would definitely recommend emailing Tim Cook, Apple's current CEO, or another senior Apple executive, if you are having lots of problems with Apple Stores/AppleCare. Or as has been suggested before, calling Apple Corporate might also do the trick.