Popping Sound, MBP 2016

I have heard a strange noice from my MBP, and am not sure if this is expected or not. Model is MacBook Pro 2016 with Touchbar, 15 inch, Radeon Pro 460, 2.9GhZ i7, 2TB SSD.


The sound occurs rarely, there may be several days or more straight that I don't hear it, though when it occurs, it may happen 2-3 times in a half hour period. There is no association I can make with what I'm doing at the time, so I'm unable to recreate it. The sound is a single hollow "popping" noise, similar to if you slowly squeeze a plastic bottle until it crinkles. The sound is not very loud, but clearly audible, and sounds as if it is coming from approximately behind the trackpad. I've had no other notable problems with this computer to date, have made no modifications to any hardware, or used it in any abnormal way.


I'm not terribly bothered by the sound itself, but I'm aware that the battery is located roughly behind the trackpad, and I worry that an expanding battery might sound like this. The case is not flexed or distorted in any way, there is no abnormal heat being generated, and no smoke, smells, or fumes. I think this is unlikely to be the cause, but is serious enough that I would like an alternative explanation before I disregard it. Alternate explanations might be abnormal activation of haptic feedback, or flexing of internal components as adhesives or seals continue to cure since manufacturing (laptop manufacture date 12-19-2016). The OS X battery status is "Good", "No errors", Simplo model bq20z451, battery manufacture date 12-2-2016.


Thanks for any help!

MacBook Pro with Retina display, macOS Sierra (10.12.2), 15 Inch, Radeon Pro 460, 2.9GHZ i7

Posted on Jan 12, 2017 11:04 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Sep 13, 2017 9:01 AM

After numerous visits to the apple Service Centre I was able to convince them to replace my display. Got my laptop back today with a brand new display.

My initial tests confirm that replacing the display has fixed the popping sound issue.

I have also noticed that the new display does not make any noises when pressed against at the bottom of the screen. The new display feels more sturdy. Hopefully the issue won't reoccur again after extended usage. Fingers crossed!!


I urge everyone having this issue to be persistent and get the display replaced.


A big thanks to everyone who updated this thread, It was very helpful in getting the problem fixed!

874 replies

May 22, 2017 8:58 PM in response to Michael DN

Having the same problem. I went to apple store, wanting to have the problem fix. And they sent it to repair center for a week, replaced the C-face panel, but in vail.


I noticed the sound mostly comes from around the touch bar area. Particularly when I start using the laptop from waking up. Guess it's heating up and the heat expansion produced the popping sound. Very loud actually.

May 23, 2017 5:40 AM in response to Michael DN

Further to my previous post, I got a call from repair the evening after dropping my MBP in.


They said it is a 'known issue' and is caused by the hinges and heat expansion. They said this 'click' it was harmless and that it was simply because the product 'is so new'.


I'm not 100% sure about this answer but I'm going to keep my machine and see how it goes. I don't understand why some machines would experience this and some wouldn't.

May 23, 2017 5:51 AM in response to T.Byrne89

They told you ********...


My friend has a brandnew macbook for about 2 months and never heard a 'pop' sound...


I have mine from december so mine isn't so 'new'. Looks like they're just stuck and don't know what to do. I'm not taking this, $3000 for a laptop that makes sounds like this? I rather buy a windows (what i should've).

I must say, my contacts where promising and helpful, they even told me that it shouldn't make that sound.


The fact that there are only 550 (yet) out of millions that are sold is a manufacturing fault.

May 23, 2017 6:57 PM in response to Glenn_Locate

I have a feeling that the issue is occurring across December units and seems like a batch issue occurring worldwide.

I'm in Australia and got my replacement unit in December due to a keyboard issue with a unit I got in November. The initial MacBook never had this popping sound.


This also isn't limited to the 15 as my replacement was a non touch bar 13.


Has been sent to repair once and still came back with issue on hinge. First repair was replacement of screen.

From what I can see in this thread, there seems to be a lot of people complaining on units purchased around December to January period.

May 24, 2017 12:36 PM in response to Michael DN

I came across this thread the past weekend - I thought I was going crazy. I also have been experiencing the popping sound on my Macbook Pro 2.6 i7. Shipped mid Jan. 2017


I took it to apple store in Toronto today and they said they have never heard of this issue - which i believed but find strange. A quick google search and there are many of us with this problem. I wonder how many ppl are having this issue and haven't realized it. Anyway with all the noise in the store and the unpredictable nature of the issue I was unable to replicate sounds.


I agree with posters that this appears to be a heat related issue. However it is crazy how much resonance/vibration travels through the entire structure when it happens. If my hands are resting on the thing when it pops it is felt throughout the entire laptop - hence why at first I thought it might be speakers. My friends could hear the sound clear across the apartment the other day - and computer was running but I wasn't touching it. And yet the strange part is the exact same noise occasionally happens when the machine has been running and I adjust the screen angle. It also happens sometimes and not others despite running the same cpu intensive program each time.


The apple store suggested I leave it with them to 'fix'. I politely explained that my research had indicated that apple has no solid fix yet. The last thing I want is the local apple store taking my brand new machine apart several times only to have, as others here, the problem persist.


This is supposed to be a premium product - the price certainly suggests it is.

May 26, 2017 8:03 AM in response to lukas_1

Update:

Macbook Pro 2016 15'. Daily (excessive) usage.


7 months ago: First system boot.

3 months ago: Realized had the popping sound.

2 months ago: Wrote in this threat.

1 week ago: Realized popping sounds weren't occuring anymore.


Solution: Just continue using it, seemed to have fixed the issue.


Will update again when issue's reappearing.

May 26, 2017 8:17 AM in response to lukas_1

It is not conclusive. Even the weather temperature might be affecting body's material expansion. I would like to see an official explanation from apple. Otherwise I will take the MacBook Pro to the guarantee. I always had the idea that this model was too thin. This could have been in the source of this and probably other future problems on the body structure itself. All the rest is working perfectly, but this sound isn't comfortable whe you spend 8h a day working

May 27, 2017 3:47 AM in response to Michael DN

I have macbook pro 2016 15inch 256g ssd

My laptop is in prefect condition, but make pop noise randomly, sometimes in hard work, sometimes just when i change its location...

I dont know that if i can ignore the noise or not?

Is it related to box and container(like plastics or ...) or related to hardware like motherboard, touch pad, touch bar or ...?

We dont have apple store in iran, so the only thing which i can do, is ignoring the pop noise...

This laptop charge me about three month salary, and i just buy it for 4 month... I was planing to use it about three or four year but i cant count on it Anymore

May 29, 2017 1:05 PM in response to Michael DN

Hello:


I have the MBP 15 with 256 GB and I have the same problem. The "pop" sound started after a month of use of the MBP, so I could not change it in the first 14 days. The sounds are random but very annoying because they occur several times in an hour. I have observed the following:


1. It's not about the speakers, so it's not a software problem.


2. The "pop" sound is heard on the left and center of the MBP. It could be the left hinge and is almost certainly due to the expansion-compression of materials by temperature changes.


3. Sometimes the "pop" sound can be played by moving the screen slightly after a working time, when the temperature change causes the problem. Sometimes it can also be reproduced by making light pressure on the outside of the screen, in the lower center, between the hinges.


4. Personally I consider that the problem is because the new design has not placed the two central screws between the hinges. This reduces the rigidity of the MBP and allows the components to have more space for movements caused by changes in temperature. My theory is corroborated by comparing with the 13 "MBP that has less between hinged space so it is more rigid, and therefore does not present this problem.


I have not taken my MBP to the Apple Store because I will surely get the same response as many of you. I'll wait for Apple to officially address this issue. It is also expected that with a time of use maybe the problem is not present due to the slight wear that may have the materials that cause the "pop" sound.

May 29, 2017 2:37 PM in response to Michael DN

Guys, I've been to the Apple Store in Berlin and the Genius there actually was aware of the problem. He told me that I was the third customer at this store with the popping sound and that there is some kind of internal voting at Apple where they decide which issues get worked on first. So Apple definitely knows!


Furthermore he clearly stated that right now there is no solution. They would send my MacBook in and replace the case, but he could not guarantee at all that this would fix anything. Rather he even told me that he personally believes something else might cause the problem, namely the plastic antenna strip just below the screen, behind the MacBook logo. I have no idea how likely this is though.


We've agreed to not send my MacBook in and just wait till there is more information.

May 29, 2017 7:08 PM in response to tnld

I think that guy is right: that is the area i hear something moving around when i tilt my laptop around while it is off. If it can slide somewhere it should not be able to, and then that area changes dimensions under heat/cold, then it might make noise as the assembly suddenly moves.


Crappy thing is that there's no way apple is gonna fix this for us unless it means more than just a really annoying noise.

May 30, 2017 4:32 PM in response to Michael DN

I've reported this issue when bought the mac and they replaced the machine, the second unit has the same problem, I've contacted with the support and the only give me the solution of sending the laptop to tech support to fix it. I've read that this doesn't solved the problem at all. So I prefer to wait and see if Apple give us a formal solution.


If we see a new MacBook Pro on WWDC... many many users with this problem will be very very disappointed.

May 31, 2017 10:52 PM in response to Michael DN

I'm out of Apple after 10 years.

I had the same issue, I went to the store 3 times and I left the computer there. No solution from Apple.

Last they tried to fix it, they scratch the screen.

I got full refund.


Just bought a dell precision for 3D. Way more powerful.

Sad to leave apple environment, but they didnt give me any choice.


Good luck to all but this issue doesnt sound good and rumors are coming that there is a new MBP

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Popping Sound, MBP 2016

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