Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

Hi Johnno,

I have a similar feeling regarding my replacement board.  I haven't opened the case to inspect the logic board but I noticed the input connectors such as the USB and firewire  ports were dusty and slightly corroded when I got it back. This doesn't really support the claim that they used new replacement boards.

W

Hi freeredider,

Im in Australia, so maybe we haven't used up all the refurbs yet. Where are you?

J.

To all, particularly those whose replacement boards don't seem to be new:  Please don't forget to specify where the repair was done:  Apple Store, Apple Repair Center (mail-in), Apple Service Provider or third-party, and city.

To those whose replacement boards don't seem new:  What does the repair shop say?  You did take the matter up with them, didn't you?

Having followed this thread for over a year I though I'd add my experience with the repair programme.

I took my 17 inch Early 2011 MBP to my local Apple Store in the UK and after it passed some initial testing, it immediately failed a separate graphics specific test and qualified for a free logic board replacement.

I asked some questions about the replacement board and was told that though the board may contain some recycled/reconditioned parts it would be a new board that categorically had not been in any other MBP.

On receiving the repaired MBP I noticed a very obvious 'stage lights' effect along the bottom of the screen.

The genius went away to consult colleagues then told me they did not believe the display problem was due to the repair process or the new logic board but that the new board may be making a pre-existing problem more obvious. However, he offered to replace the display free of charge as a goodwill gesture.

On collecting my repaired MBP the same 'stage lights' effect was present (though they hadn't noticed it). They concluded that the replacement logic board was the problem.

A second replacement logic board was ordered up, and also a replacement battery as they had subsequently noticed a slight swelling of the original battery.

There is no mention of a replaced battery in the Service Confirmation, so not sure if this was indeed replaced.

Anyway, I now have a working MBP and though I haven't stress tested it, it runs far cooler than it ever did from the day I bought it 4 years ago.

Richard Liu wrote:

 

To all, particularly those whose replacement boards don't seem to be new:  Please don't forget to specify where the repair was done:  Apple Store, Apple Repair Center (mail-in), Apple Service Provider or third-party, and city.

 

To those whose replacement boards don't seem new:  What does the repair shop say?  You did take the matter up with them, didn't you?

I'm in Australia and my board was replaced by an independent Authorised Apple Service provider about an hour north of Sydney. When I dropped it in he said he was going to order the part from Apple. I wanted to ask the tech whether my board was new or a refurb when I picked it up,  but he was not available. I can see for myself that it's not new.

I was very happy with the service I received from the store. I dropped my mbp in on Saturday and picked it up on Tuesday. Let's hope the board Apple supplied is as good as the service I received.

I run my mbp pretty hard all day so should know soon enough.

"There have been no reports of an Apple Store  or an Apple Repair Center refusing to accept a machine into the program only because the RAM alone has been upgraded. "

Actually, my local Apple store tried to refuse repair to my Early 2011 MBP because of 3rd party RAM that I had installed. I had to argue with the person who called me to tell me they wouldn't be able to proceed with the repair until the original components were re-installed. I told her that Ram was a user replaceable item and that it shouldn't hinder their ability to go forth with the repair program. She stated (after speaking with a manager) that they would proceed with the repair but only by using their own RAM and that if I had any video problems in the future that it would most likely be due to the RAM I have installed. I could understand if it was some no-name RAM, but I had 2-4gig sticks of Crucial memory installed.

It seems that each store is different as to what they will and will not accept and the best bet to getting the repair done in a timely and hassle free manner would be to replace any upgrades back to stock configuration. With all the problems I've had recently with my MBP and the hassle of getting them to acknowledge and fix it, I am starting to question my loyalty to Apple. If only Windows didn't suck so much and the non-compatibility of Adobe's software with Linux I would have already switched OS.

Mine came back yesterday - logic board and RAM replaced.

Ok guys. I think its (glitches, gpu issues) back. Let me explain this. Got my 2011 15" macbook pro repaired under the "repair extension program" this February 27th. Got my logic board replaced. Never received any definitive answer about the new logic board from the "genius" bar guy. Anyway, at first it was alright. The system booted up and i did a clean install of os x yosemite and was running just fine. Yesterday while i was watching some video online, part of the screen froze and was full of glitches, artefacts and what not. This happened when the gfxcardstatus changed from integrated to discrete graphics card and the system got really hot. But atleast the entire system didn't freeze so i could close the video i was watching and changed the gfxcardstatus back to integrated GPU. Then the temperature came down and was working fine after. But i think its bound to get lot worse as the days go by and we will be right back where we started from. Many people here had their doubts regarding the repair extension program whether apple is really using new logic boards for the program. But i don't think they are. Personally, i don't think its logic board issue but a "design flaw". These previous macbook pro's doesn't really have a proper heat sink mechanism and its making the parts inside boiling hot. This is really frustrating and apple has to really come up with some replacement program.

Hey all.

I got this cursed issue with my 2011 15inch MBP today. Pretty gutted, but happy to see there's an apparent fix. Sadly there's no official Apple store in Brussels, Belgium (where I live), but the 'find a store' that'll fix it tool pointed me towards a third-party authorised company that I'm going to see tomorrow morning at 10am.

Is there anything in particular I should tell them or ask them to do? I'm pretty anxious that it's not an official Apple store, I've no idea what logicboard they're going to put in it. Is there an official Apple logicboard I should insist they use, or anything like that?

Thanks a lot,

Conor

• Mail-in
  • Call Apple and request a postage paid box to send your MacBook Pro to the local Apple Repair Center.
  • A technician will run a diagnostic test on your MacBook Pro to verify eligibility.
  • The repair process takes approximately 5-7 days from the time your MacBook Pro is received at the repair center until it is returned to you.
  • After it has been serviced, your MacBook Pro will be returned to you by mail.

I had the motherboard of my Macbook Pro replaced 6 weeks ago for this issue as soon as the replacement program was announced and today I have exactly the same problem. After this experience, I won't trust apple to fry me an egg, let alone trusting them with my computing needs.

You're the second one to report that the replacement under the program did not fix the problem.  Did either of you take your affected MBP back to Apple?  My understanding is that it is still covered under the program.  In your place -- and who knows, my repaired MBP might join yours -- I would not let myself be swayed by the warranty on the repair being only 90 days.  Here are the first two paragraphs of the announcement of the extension program:

Apple has determined that a small percentage of MacBook Pro systems may exhibit distorted video, no video, or unexpected system restarts. These MacBook Pro systems were sold between February 2011 and December 2013.

Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will repair affected MacBook Pro systems, free of charge. See below for details on affected models and service options.

It says nothing about motherboard replacements, it says that Apple will repair affected MacBook Pro systems.  If your "repaired" systems is already experiencing the same video issues as before, then it wasn't repaired.

Good luck!

Did they charge you to replace the logic board under their repair extension program? I've been having so many problems with my late 2011 Mac book Pro that I can't even trust my system enough to charge my clients. My machine was fine until a few weeks ago when I started getting glitches, distortions, screen splitting and system crashes. I contacted Apple support and they ran diagnostics on my machine and determined I was eligible for the repair extension program. I set up an appointment at the Apple store to have it taken care of but when the genius there ran their "graphics diagnostic test" it reported that there were no problems. He told me the only things I could do were A) Send my machine in for diagnostics for 350$ and they would repair any problem they found or B) Pay 500$ and have them replace the logic board. Needless to say I'm beyond upset that I spent almost 3000$ on a machine of sub-par quality. Even if I would've paid for Apple care it would have expired. I can't believe that a huge company like Apple could have such awful customer support. I was sold a faulty product and now I'm stuck with an expensive paperweight. I'm going to schedule more appointments to have it looked at the Apple store until they fix the problem. I don't really know if I'll buy any more apple products after this awful experience. Their customer service and support used to be legendary

I contacted Apple support and they ran diagnostics on my machine and determined I was eligible for the repair extension program.

What exactly did Apple support do to determine (over the phone, I presume) eligibility?  Did they just determine that it is one of the affected models and seemed from your description to be having the video issues that the program addresses , or did they actually remotely run diagnostics on your machine?

I set up an appointment at the Apple store to have it taken care of but when the genius there ran their "graphics diagnostic test" it reported that there were no problems.

What seems to have worked for people whose machines have been too shy to fail the test administered at the Genius Bar is taking photos or videos of the machine when it experiences the problem.  That kind of evidence is difficult to refute without accusing you of making the whole thing up.

So prepare your camera and then use your MBP normally.  If the video issues never occur again, so much the better.  But they probably will.  Photograph or film your machine in flagrante delicto.  If you have the gfxCardStatus program you can try to provoke the problem by forcing the MBP to use the discrete graphics unit instead of the integrated one.  Return to the Apple Store with your evidence.  You might want to find the report in this thread that applies and take a copy along.  If I recall correctly, the "genius" had to consult his superior about accepting photos as proof of the problem.  Be firm, focused, and polite.  The question is whether your machine is eligible for the free repair program.  I am presuming it is one of the affected models, and if you have photographic evidence that is has the video issues that the program is supposed to addressed, that should seal your case.  It's the "genius'" problem to explain why your machine fails to fail the diagnostic test despite having the problems.

Good luck!

This is an addendum to my reply to Pleasehelpyourcustomers.  I found a posting of modvelour on page 844 of this thread describing how a technician told him that photos could be accepted in lieu of the MBP failing to fail the diagnostics.  Here it is:

My Macbook Pro 17 was displaying the typical logic board failure symptoms.  So, I brought it into the Apple Store and amazingly, the display suddenly appeared normal for the first time in two weeks.  So I couldn't replicate the problem for the tech.  HOWEVER…he asked if I had a picture of the display, and he said that he was allowed to submit a photograph of the screen displaying the messed up graphics if unable to witness the problem himself.  Luckily, I had taken a pic of the display the previous night and he allowed me to email it to him.  They replaced the logic board and I just picked it up today.

 

So, take a pic of your screen while it is displaying the failure and that might suffice as evidence of logic board failure if yours seems to be an intermittent issue that won't replicate for the tech.

I hope this helps.