Popping Sound, MBP 2016

Does anyone think it's possible this issue could be universal to all 2016 MacBook Pros and that it just goes unnoticed in the majority.

I've gone through five laptops now with the same issue (see my earlier post). I'm seriously debating wether I should stop trying, wait a month, or even just wait for the next model.

What's holding me back from just keeping one is the possibility that Apple recognizes the problem but identifies it as being harmless. What incentive do they have to fix all of ours then? If that were the case, even if the pop were harmless, I wouldn't want that coming from a laptop I spent so much on.

At any rate, the other comments on this thread alleging that Apple knows and is addressing the issue maintains my hope.

Yes, there are a couple, and they're gaining ground.

Here's one from discussions.apple.com:

My MacBook Pro 2018 version speakers are crackling.

And another one from the MacRumours forum:

MacBook Pro 2018 - Speakers Crackling | MacRumors Forums

I have a similar issue on my MBP 2017, recorded the noise and uploaded to youtube.

Link: MBP 2017 Crackling sound coming from bottom Screen / Speaker area

Just how many people have this? This happened also during some moderate load, when the fans were on.... then all of a sudden a snap and crackling (fireplace like) started ...constantly.

Hello,

I left a message on this link, according to Apple's people read it and give an answer. I invite you to share your problems so that Apple realizes that this problem is more common than you think.

https://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookpro.html

same here...

loud "pop" sound from under the touchpad ( late 2016 MBP 15")

Exactly the same for me. (15 inches 2.6 GHz, 1To SSD, 460)

• only once CLAC at opening. coming back after being closed at least one hour
• pops when the macbook is heating up, coming from the middle bottom of display back, or under the touch bar (difficult to locate)
• pops/crack when I press the middle bottom of display back
• no noise coming from speakers, no noisy keybord

I mostly use my macbook on laps or in bed on my chest when browsing (on a flat surface when in load)

Apart from that, my MBPRtb works like a charm.

SO : as I leave 100km from an apple Store , AND knowing that the so-said Genius have no idea about how to cure that noise, AND Apple has not released any official position about this issue, AND my computer is still under warrantee, AND the issue is worrying but bearable (regardless the terrible sensation of having the quality of a chromebook for a tag price 3,2k€). THEN I will wait for an official position from Apple to send the computer back to the A.S.

At the worst I will do that at warranty end, expecting to have a new one (and praying to have a flawless unit in return)

So, here are the specifics of how I am using my 15 inch MBP with Touchbar and what I am seeing:

• Have it closed on upstairs island in Kitchen. Open it and the screen pops. I think, "wow that is really crappy for a $3,000 laptop." Close it and try it again immediately it doesn't happen. I think "Great, now I can't duplicate it."
• Leave it closed and carry it down to my office. Set it on my office desk. Open the case, it pops. I think, "Yep, that's crappy."
• I check some email while its open, browse some web pages. Great. I leave the lid open. I go to work on another machine. About 10 minutes later, the Macbook Pro pops. I look at it but don't touch it. About 5 minutes later it pops again. Sorry I can't correlate that with the ambient temperature in my office or barometric pressure. You know, but for my Surface Pro (or any laptops I've owned over the past 15 years) that really hasn't been an issue.
• A few minutes later, it pops again on its own, I close the lid and it no longer pops (thank god). I think, "the only winning move is not to play."
• About an hour later I open the Macbook Pro to check email again and the screen gives a huge pop.

tldr; It pops all the time. I wish it didn't.

The unfortunate part is that I feel better when I don't use it. I really like the laptop aside from the popping... but it's not a good feeling. I don't even want to sell it, because then it's like selling someone a defective product. I really don't know what the answer is beside concluding it's an expensive reminder not to buy first generation Apple products.

Maybe Apple will surprise us. Maybe?

Guys,

after reading, watching and listening may I resume some info:

1. We have loud pops with different MBP’s. ’13, ’15, 2013, 2017, with or without touch bar.
2. The pops are VERY similar, have one tonal and loudness character.
3. All MBP’s with this sad thing work on Sierra 10.12….
4. MBP’s from 16 - 17 have pops very often then older models. They pops with cold start, when overheat, when opening the lead and when touched under logo or near touch bar.

I’m not programmer, but I’m audio electronic engineer, and have some conjecture.

As I think it’s not a mechanical sound from case. hing or display. And it’s not a sound of the thermal expansion. No one element of MBP (which doesn’t have any moving parts inside, except fans) can’t produce this LOUD pop. And if we had hear this sound from electronic components it would mean their total destruction.

As I wrote before, my MPB (early 2013, retina, 15) started to pops when I install Sierra 10.12.3. No pops with previous ElCap. And this sound goes from speakers. Mute or - vol cannot affect, it pops anyway. It seems to me, that it occurs from totally opened input of «power amp», which (hypothetical!!) software-based routed to something like sensor, or logic key chip, or just something which provide electrostatic discharge, for example. So, as I think this is just problem with new Sierras audiodriver.

To insure in this conjecture I made the experiment which consists of removing the AppleHDA from the extensions folder. When I made it, I still have «apple start sound», but no one pops when OS boot and work (and no audoicard in system preferences, of course). I was try and retry cold starts, but still NO POPS.

Hope, this can help.

PS: sorry for my English.

Potentially some good news.

My 2016 MBP 15 inch with Touchbar had the "hinge-pop" on opening the lid. It also randomly popped every 15 minutes or so.

I took it to the Salt Lake (US) store this week. The awesome Apple Store Macbook tech was able to reproduce the pop on opening the lid when he took it into the back room (this was crucial). He told me that sometimes the repair center won't do a fix if they can't reproduce it. However, if a tech has noted that they were able to reproduce it, they will usually go ahead and make the requested repairs.

It was shipped off for repair and came back today. The following parts were replaced:

• Display Assemply Space gray (605-01813)
• Bottom Case Space Gray (605-01815)
• Vent/Antenna Module (631-01782)

They had various "Symptoms" listed on the service summary sheet for each repair (the display said "built in audio device problem", the case said "Enclosure - Mechanical/Cosmetic Damaged", the vent said, "liquid contact indicator tripped"). The strange thing about the "liquid contact indicator" being tripped is that I haven't dropped any liquids on it.

Anyhow, now the lid opens smoothly without a pop. I've had it running for a few hours and no pops from the system at all.

So, I'm probably jinxing it... and will report back here if the popping comes back... but Apple just may have fixed it (at least on my machine).

Hope this may help someone else.

Update

• Purchased my 15” MacBook Pro December 2016.
• First noticed the popping sound in June 2017. At the same time, one of my keyboard keys stopped registering input.
• Genius Bar replaced the top case w/ the keyboard. This fixed the keyboard, but the popping sound was still there. Also, after I got my laptop back, the speakers started producing a buzzing sound when playing audio at certain frequencies.
• Around this time, some people in this thread discovered the popping sound was coming from display.
• Went back to Genius Bar in June 2017. This time Apple replaced both the top case (for the speakers) and the display (for the popping sound).
• Purchased extended AppleCare because those repairs would be *expensive* without a warranty.
• Everything working great until…
• December 2017 popping sound is back.

I could take it back to the Genius Bar for another display replacement, but It seems like the popping sound just comes back after about 6 months. Does anyone know if Apple fixed the adhesive or whatever it was that is causing the popping sound? Am I going to have to replace the display every 6 months?

Hi Michael,

I had the same exact issue on feared it was the battery and was seriously concerned. Last week, I had them look inside.

1. It is not the battery thus it is safe.
2. They believe (guess more like it) the popping/cracking sounds is the display screen expanding on use. There are several materials present glass, metal, and plastic and heat might cause them to expand.
3. There is no known solution. I was told my best hope is that engineering comes with the solution. Let’s hope they are aware of this issue and working on it.

PS There are several threads on this topic here as well as on YouTube.

Along with popping sound issue, I have been suffering from a sleep and wake problem on my MacBook 2016 with touch bar.

It won't wake from sleep without a system crash.

I tired every possible solution. Nothing worked. Apple certified "computer repair shop" that I took my mbp to, told me nothing but some bs about it. Then I made an appointments with apple care that I had to reschedule. Then I missed the appointment. (I work long hours)

Finally I started thinking that both issue may be related and I started a research about "popping sound" problem.

Today I have found Terry-Lambert on Quora who says on a post that popping sound is related to power management system and it occurs when power management system turns the sound off and on.

He suggest to run the following shell script on terminal

1. #!/bin/sh
3. whiletrue
4. do
5. sleep 10
6. say " "
7. done

I have been testing for the last two hours. I haven't had a sleep and wake issue yet. No popping sound at all. However, my battery is running a little faster.

Hi Degothia,

I'm in the same boat, my history with apple laptops:

• iBook G3 (clear polypropylene case) - great laptop and still works fine!

• 2005 15" Macbook Pro (pressed metal version) - great laptop, still works fine today!

• 2008 15" Macbook Pro (first unibody model) which I used daily for 8 years until 2016 - IMO Best macbook pro to date, worked perfectly. I gave this to my father in 2016 and he still uses it daily without issues!

• Late 2016 Macbook Pro (first touchbar model) - no real issues apart from keys getting stuck occasionally but nothing major until 3 months ago with the intermittent loud pops began.

Hey I also have this issue... I am wondering if it is due to something inside heating up or shifting inside due to everything being packed so tightly. See this for example from a previous generation: http://6ixpassions.com/post/1095520847/fix-the-ticking-clicking-sound-in-your-ma cbook-pro.

I just wonder whether apple will fix this...

Same thing on my MBP 13 Touchbar 2.9 16 GB Ram 1 TB HD. What I am hearing sounds very similar to what you are describing. I feel like it only occurs maybe once an hour give or take (rare enough to where like you I didn't feel like it was a huge issue but still not something that I just want to completely ignore). I did notice on mine that it doesn't seem to be coming from the same place every time. I have noticed that sometimes it seems to come from the left side of the keyboard and other times the right side. If I had to guess I would say it has to do with the components expanding ever so slightly as the laptop gets warmer but that's just a guess. Kinda annoying either way.