Early 2011 Macbook Pro 15' - Logic Board Failure

I agree with you in every point that you have made....I know for sure that if my issue is not resolved in very orderly fashion they will have lost my support for buying any apple products and I will be sure that friends of friends of friends and etc. will know about this, You see it is not just 1 consumer but hundreds if not thousands more. If you chip away at the big wall with one stone at a time it will come a time where the building will fall down.

Vince Cavallo

Toronto, Canada

Apple initiated a logic board replacement program last year for 2011 15" Macbooks. I have had SIX logic board replacements done, the last time was a few months ago and the monitor didn't work, Apple Store technicians claiming that the monitor leads had been damaged and a new monitor was required, and no, it wasn't Apple's fault so I would have to pay for it. I suspect Apple's technicians damaged the Macbook when fitting the SIXTH logic board. I declined to pay for a new monitor, anyway, the Macbook worked fine in clam shell mode and an external monitor.

Until today when the SIXTH logic board failed!!!! Nothing was being outputted to the external monitor. I am sick of this problem and Apple's inability to fix it and their stubborn refusal to recognise that replacing a broken logic board with a defective one is not helping anyone. SIX logic board replacements on one machine should signal to Apple that something is really wrong and that they should have replaced defective Macbooks with new ones.

Having a Macbook that keeps breaking down is no good to me and after 18 months of problems and countless visits to the Apple Store I solved the problem myself by disposing the machine at the local dump. I really have had enough of going to the Apple Store and explaining the whole story to staff time and again.

Shame on Apple, the world's richest company, to treat their loyal customers like this. It's a disgrace to them.

I do agree with you in retrospect of being the richest computer company in the world. I guess the bigger you get the more audatious you become in treating the consumers like idiots. I have always believed that if you are the Rolls Royce of computers than you should treat them and protect your product like that and not treat THE CUSTOMER like a Volkswagon buyer.

Shame on you Apple Corporation.

PS: I wonder if Steve Jobs were still alive would he expect his company to act in this matter?

I have the exact problem. Got it replaced 1st time without charge. Paid for the 2nd replacement. Now, getting replace for the 3rd time without charged. Called Apple and successfully got refund for the 2nd replacement.

No Apple Care on my MBP.

I talked to Apple through livechat, went through several troubleshoot, and they did not really know the problem. He told me to send it to Apple Manufacture. They said they were not going to replace it for free, but wanted to charge me $300 for a new logic board and that it had to pass the diagnostic test in which it did. This lady called me and I was ****** because all she said was "you need a new logic board and it's a fair cost because those boards are expensive and uses a lot of labor to put a new one." I was nice about and asked her if she can tell me why it needed to be replaced again. She said she needed to ask the manufacturer and called me back and said the same thing: "new logic board."

Like ok, I know I need a new one, but why didn't the replacement work? Why is it failing again? She didn't answer my question and continue to tell me that it's best to just pay the $300 and it will fix the problem. But hearing you guys say this, it did not fix the problem at all. In fact, it gets worse and we have to pay an additional $300 each time the logic board fails. BIG HUGE RIP OFF!😠

I got ****** at her and I got even more angrier. I took it to the Genius Bar and they said they couldn't do anything about it because it passed the diagnostics. Anyways, I went back again today because it total failed and did not passed the diagnostic test, but I will still be charged $300 to fix it. Of course I said no because the video card is defected and will fail yet again. Now I would have wasted $300 on a piece of ****. I was content and not angry because both times I went to the Apple Store, they explained to me why it was happening and told me why it cost so much. They were way better than that lady at Apple. Always go to the genius bar because I will not spend a whole day with some stupid Apple people on the phone or live chat because they don't know squat...

I wish Steve Job was here... whoever is the CEO of Apple right now. You suck!

<Edited by Host>

Which Apple store did you go to? It depends on the Genius that helps you. My 1st replacement was free. I paid $326 For the second replacement. The 3rd time (a few days ago) is free. And the Genius told me that shouldn't have paid for the 2nd replacement. I called AppleCare team and was able to get the $326 back, which I paid 2 years ago. My only complaint is that Apple refuses to replace the laptpp. I have the history of repair to prove the the sold product is apparently defective. It's a well known issue with Apple.

I went to Stonestown Apple Store in San Francisco. I went there 2 times already regarding this issue and they said they can't do anything about it. The first time was back in October last year. Today the guy said that the program ended early 2015. I think I've been told that we're only given a 3 year extended warranty for the video card. My macbook is 2011. More like we should be given a lifetime warranty because I doubt it will ever fix the problem. We should all file a lawsuit to Whitfield, Bryson & Mason LLP. They were the ones who first filed a lawsuit against Apple for their Video card defects. They should really just give us a new darn computer.

When was the last time you got your second replacement? When I told them about it, they said it was already replaced back in 2014 and it was not under that one year warranty anymore. And since it passed diagnostics, they could not replace it. So lame! Maybe you got yours repaired for free because you were still under that warranty?

No. No warranty. All fixes were free because of recalled defective part. I'll pick up my laptop this Friday, I'll ask for a printout of all my trips to the Genius bar with all the problems. My laptop is late 2011.

I told them like 3 times about this and they won't fix it for me. They just kept telling me to pay the $300 repair. What store did you purchase this at? I might try a different store. The one in downtown San Francisco might be better. Obviously, my logic board is defected, but they won't fix it for free. I think my laptop is either early or late 2011 too. They told me that the computer is 4 years old and they only cover it up to 3 years or something like that... Stupid Apple...

If you want, send me an email with your phone number. I'll call you tomorrow....I maybe able to offer some info that might help your case.

****

Here's the link straight from Apple website

https://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro-videoissues/

<Personal Information Edited by Host>

I took my Early MBP in to an Authorized Repair Center in Nov. 2015 and they replaced my Logic Board for free. It appears to be malfunctioning again. Has anyone successfully been able to get this repaired more than once for free? I read an article from macworld.co.uk that mentioned the program would only work through Feb 2016. Sad if that's the case.

had a 2011 15" site said not covered. Called got it covered. Just have to fight them

Got replaced 3 times with no charge. Just picked up my MBP Yesterday from another logic board replacement.

So... my 15" Late 2011 MBP 2.2 finally gave up the ghost completely after about a year with video card issues that this thread highlights. I got my motherboard replaced under the program free of charge. Simply Computing here in Canada was great help at this point and very professional. So kudos to them. Anyways, I just got the computer back today. Do you know if they actually now had a solution for this problem? Or are these just maybe rebaked refurbished boards from who knows where? I noticed a lot of people are still having reoccurring issues and needing multiple replacements. So I was wondering if I am gonna have future problems or if I maybe had an updated board? Does anyone know here? Has anyone had longterm success? This motherboard seems to be very good and it feels faster and is more stable than the last one anyways. The speed is more like the way the computer was when it was new.

You have tagged on to a thread from Apr 1, 2013.

You would be better of starting your on thread if you want some input.