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Level 1

39 points

Thunderbolt Display Flickering Epidemic - Extensive Testing

I've personally spent about 400 miles of driving back and forth to my closest Apple Store, hours and hours of time, and multiple repairs on this issue. I then replaced all of my hardware! Add that to the various threads on this topic that total over about 500,000 views, and it's clear there's an issue here. I'll try to keep this post pithy, with the facts here at the top.

This problem started with a 1.5 year old 15" Retina MacBook Pro and Thunderbolt Display. I now have a brand new Apple Thunderbolt Display AND brand new 15" MacBook Pro - AND HAVE THE SAME FLICKERING PROBLEM!

Steps Taken

Many, many phone calls to AppleCare. No clear "yes we've seen this before and know how to fix" type of response.
Many visits to the closest repair facility to me, which is the Genius Bar at an Apple Retail store. Again, I worked with about a half a dozen people there, and no one reported "yes, we've seen this and know how to fix this.".
After replacing the LED panel, I drove 40 miles back home, plugged in the display, and it was totally dead.
After driving BACK to the Apple Store, they told me they would have to try another repair. As I was leaving, the Manager asked me if I was okay, I explained my issue, and in an awesome show of understanding, he replaced my display right there.
I took a brand new Thunderbolt Display home, and I STILL had the flicker problem.
In a second act of desperation, I bought a BRAND NEW 15" Retina MacBook Pro!! (going to sell my 2012 model to a friend)

After ALL of this, I'm sitting here with 100% new Apple hardware and the display still flickers! This is maddening. I've made no OS X setting changes. Everything is 100% factory default new, and my Thunderbolt Display has flickered about 20 times, and is now totally dark. (as I've typed this)

Other Notes

A very basic setup. Just my 15" MacBook Pro and Thunderbolt Display. I keep the Mac lid open and use both screens in extended mode.
My MacBook Pro resolution is set to "scaled" at the "looks like 1680 x 1050" option. But I've tried the recommended option as well.
I've replaced the MagSafe connector. (I've read some posts that a bad connector was the theoretical culprit)
Display flickers and goes dark, but the USB ports still work. (I have a wired Apple USB keyboard plugged into it.)
The display resolution settings are factory default.
I've tried adjusting brightness settings, spaces settings, and arrangement settings. Nothing works.
I've tried Apple's recommended SMC reset and PMU reset procedures. No changes.
This all started when I upgraded to Mavericks. I really think this could be the issue.

Anyone have any other thoughts??!?!? Am I missing something?!?!?

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9.2), 15 " Retina, 2014 Model, 2.3 i7

Posted on Mar 31, 2014 4:07 PM

95 replies

geophile

Level 1

0 points

Feb 20, 2016 4:43 PM in response to Tim Hassett

Can someone describe this flickering? My display will disconnect occasionally. Sometimes it's fine for hours, and then it will disconnect several times an hour. When this happens, all the windows rearrange as if I unplugged the display. When this happens, the screen stays dark, it doesn't come right back. So I'm not sure that what I'm seeing is the same thing as "flickering", which sounds like a short outage.

Mar 20, 2016 5:40 PM in response to Tim Hassett

Just like many people on this post...I can't believe how big of an issue this is!

I am heading to the Apple Store to get a Thunderbolt cable. Reason why: The built in cable in my 27" TBD gets very very warm (not hot) I "jiggled" the wire at the housing where it splits and I noticed that the power indicator would go off and on. That would indicate something wrong with the cable...right? I've read many of the posts that recommend the cable replacement and there seems to be many with the overheating porblem that are attributing it to the brightness level and attempting to keep the monitor from overhearting. I suspect the cable.

I will give an update when I get back...within the hour.

Mar 21, 2016 2:02 PM in response to BevoLonghorn

Hi BevoLonghorn,

It's interesting you should mention a connection between heat and the flickering problem as i recently purchased a MacBook Pro to replace a Mac Mini. With the Mini connected permanently and the Thunderbolt display always on at the mains outlet the flickering would happen on a regular basis but very random as it would go days with no problem then suddenly it would flicker almost constantly then settle down again. Now with the MacBook, When i have finished a session with it i disconnect all cables from the MacBook and switch the Thunderbolt off at the mains socket and in four weeks have not had one instance of flickering!. Of course could be pure coincidence and this statement could be a kiss of death and the problem may happen next time i use the display. Also i connect all peripherals to the MacBook and not the display and may have a bearing on this conundrum and i suspect this discussion will go on for some time.

Aug 31, 2016 2:59 PM in response to Tim Hassett

Hey!! I this worked for me!

I had just the same problem and I did most of the things discribed in the forum.

First with the original thunderbolt the screen started flickering then it was out

Then I bought a second thunderbolt cable, it started fine and then flickered and the monitor was black again

Then I read here that cleaning the ports and cables did the trick and it worked for me!! I hope also for you guys

What I did is take a "cue tip" (its called in spanish, I dont know the right name in english) it is this small stick with cotton balls on the sides to clean your ears. So because it is made out of plastic, I bit with my teeth the cotton and the plastic tip so that it deformed into a flat shape, in other words I made it flat instead of round then I cleaned inside the different connections and the thunderbolt input in my macbook air (I have yosemite) and now all cables work. I hope this helps.

Aug 31, 2016 3:17 PM in response to terryfrommilton keynes