Q: SD Card Reader Failure

Tom..

First, try a PRAM reset >  OS X Mavericks: Reset your computer’s PRAM

If that doesn't help, reset the SMC >  Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)

A lot of people have this problem, and it is almost always a hardware issue. I had a close look at my macbook (2012/15") and find it almost beyond belief that such an expensive piece of gear is equipped with such a cheap and nasty card-slot. Proper card-readers have spring-loaded connectors for each pin. The connectors inside the macbook's sd-raeder are tiny metal pins that easily get bent out of shape. There are $10 gadgets out there with better hardware. Apple, you can do better than this! Saving a few cents per computer at the factory can't possibly be worth all the trouble this is bound to cause.

I just realized tonight that I don't need to use the kluge I'd figured out of using a compact flash adaptor for the SDXC cards plus CF to firewire card reader to rapidly transfer images from a new camera to my early 2011 MBP.....it has an SD card reader built in!  Hooray!  I forgot about it because I've probably used it no more than 2 or 3 times in 5 years since my cameras shot CF cards. 

So....happy camper.  I was surprised not to find the usuall springy release on the reader, and a little worried about putting it in just right, and apparently that concern was justified.  After no more than 4 insertions (switching between 2 cards, trying to find which card had the first image shot with the camera), the card reader stopped working.

Really astonishingly crappy performance, I presume from the Apple hardware; the cards are fine in the camera and via the adaptor > reader > computer connection.  Even the $17 adapter has spring-loaded card release and has tolerated a few dozen ins & outs. 

Does anyone know of a fix with a sturdier bit of hardware, or is the space so limited that nothing better-built can be put in it?