Popping Sound, MBP 2016

Just got a call from Ireland (in German this time 🙂) and arranged for the replacement. Seems either my email or my post here got through to somebody. So far so good! Now let's hope the replacement machine doesn't suffer from the same issues.

Anyhow, I'm impressed that someone at Apple actually reads our posts on this board! To whoever that might be: Thank you!

Hey everyone,

I'm experiencing the same problem. I have a 2016 Macbook Pro 15" the $2400 model and it makes a popping noise intermittently. I have noticed the pops are more proactive when the computer is warming up. The noise seems to be coming from the top part of the touch bar where the hinges of the screen are. While the pops are random there is also a clack noise when opening the display.

Heres a video of the noise. Notice in this video the pops are more consistent but not as loud:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38CuHhgsLg0

I spoke with a genius today and he nor did anyone else at the store have any idea about the issue. They ended up submitting a report about the problem to engineering and told me to contact them in a week because they didn't want to start replacing parts until apple came up with a solution.

P.s The mac is about a month and a half old and the noise has just now become more prominent, annoying, and frustrating.

15"\512\260. Getting a "cracking" noise upon opening lid after period of inactivity and also popping noises as it warms under moderate load (playing game downloaded from App Store for about 2 minutes does the trick). There will be about 3-4 pops spread out over the course of 7 minutes or so.

Took it in to the Apple Store and left it there for two days. Got a call saying they couldn't replicate the issue and no repairs were made. I went to pick it up and they told me to take a video if I continued to experience the issue. I took my MBP back to my car and replicated the issues within 5 minutes of sitting in the parking lot, recorded it, and brought it back into the Apple Store. The genius told me to email them the video of the lid cracking noise as he said that would be sufficient evidence to warrant a repair of some sort.

Got a call yesterday from an admin saying that at this time there are no repairs that could be made as it's unclear of what the issue is. I asked if I could be issued a replacement. They told me they'd call me back the next day. Got another call today saying that I probably won't be receiving a replacement and that they still couldn't replicated the second popping issue. They told me to come pick up the machine and said to record a video of it happening and Email it to them if it happens again. I told them I'd already taken a video and sent emailed it to them after hanging up. Awaiting a call back.

What the ****? I've heard of Apple issuing replacements for a lot less. The least they could do is humor me by sending me a new machine. Not a happy camper.

I totally agree, they already replaced my motherboard and topcase, the keyboard makes a weird sound to now besides the pop sound.

I saw some people on this topic saying they got a replacement but when i contacted the store i bought it from (a belgian offical apple dealer who only sell's apple products) they told me it was not an option to replace the macbook...

So basicly they make you pay €2500+ for a laptop and don't even replace it within warranty when it doesn't work like it should be. Never buying apple again because of such a poor customer service...

Adding my 15" macbook pro touchbar base spec model to the list: this issue is super annoying because it's loud and distracting.

I'm a developer so I frequently put the CPU to 100% max while compiling etc - i can definitely say for me this issue is a thermal (heat expansion) issue. Example: I ride to work in the cold, I get my laptop out at work and it's quite cold. If I then compile something, clack Clack CLACK several times. Ditto if I wake the laptop up from sleeping at room temperature, then immediately compile something.

Also: occasionally as I pick up my macbook closed (clamshell) and hold it portrait orientation, I hear a sliding THUNK as something seems to move inside. Ridiculous for a $4000 machine (I live in Canada, that's how expensive they are here)

Come on Apple, bite the bullet and spend some of that mountain of cash fixing this annoying issue. You should never have shipped laptops with this problem.

It seems that there is no solution and apple does nothing about it, I have the laptop in the technical service because the keys make different noise and they do not work well and for the random noises that are mentioned in this forum, I have changed the keyboard and I They will give it soon, but I'm afraid they have not solved the problem, I have not had the laptop for 3 months between one thing and another.

I will report in my country in the consumer office and I will not buy an Apple laptop again, this company has lost all its value to me. If this had happened 4 years ago apple would have solved it now they have lost everything that made them special for me

I took mine into the Apple Store today. They were able to replicate the pop and they said they had to ship it off to be repaired. They described the issue for the engineers to reproduce the issue (but poorly). Hopefully they'll be able to replicate it once it arrives and fix it. Also having them fix my keyboard - a couple keys aren't triggering or are hard to press in the corner. Hoping it comes back with both issues fixed!

I took mine in on Wednesday, they were unable to replicate the sound, and when I took it home I did not experience the sound for several hours but, it came back :( It has been quite frequent today, the last one 20 minutes ago was different, it had a resonance to the end of it, like when you tap a speaker cone with your finger finger or quickly expose a speaker to a dc voltage. I think it may be random electrical discharges going to the speakers. This is getting frustrating!

Have had my MacBook Pro 15" for around 2 months. First month there were no popping noises. Now they happen throughout the day. They most certainly happen when the computer has been under a large workload (gaming, using Final Cut) and they also seem to occur at random. Just wondering what apples response will be to all this. Spent too much money on the computer for there not to be a definitive fix to this issue.

Pretty much mimics my experience except they couldn't replicate the noise aside from the cracking of the lid upon opening. I was told to wait until apple had a solution and that little could be done on their end in the interim. I called Apple and they've requested that I send the machine in to them to see if they can fix it before they issue me a replacement. I suggest you give them a call also. The more people calling in with this problem the faster the issue will get resolved.

If all of the same type of macs are doing it - its a design issue --

If some are doing it - may be a job-shop issue (Job shops are used when a manufacturer has to ship at 100% and they do not have the capacity to do so (see JIT(just in time-manufacturing))) From overseas usually qty required to fill a container.

If you brought it in to an apple store - Keep any paper work you have from the apple store that you did have them check it out -- if the case breaks later on because of the fault - that is proof you brought it to their attention.

Hi Guys,

I'm in South Africa, 2016 15 inch MacBook Pro,

Seems its mostly common on the 15 inch models, but I definitely have the same issue, occurs when cold so definitely thermal related expansion,

I think realistically, we need to give Apple some time to figure it out, since they are most definitely aware, I love this machine, but this is most definitely annoying considering the cost,

I've decided to wait a bit and see what Apple does, before sending it in again(Already got a replacement unit), does not help getting replacement unit after replacement unit if its a flaw or weakness that has not been identified or addressed yet,

Update: I received the repaired machine today. The top case with battery ANSI and vent/antenna module were replaced. Upon opening the lid the first time, I did not hear the loud pop sound. However, upon moving the display slightly, or pressing behind the logo, or slightly moving the computer while the lid is opened, all of these still cause the popping sound to occur. All of this was reproducible within minutes of taking the machine out of the box it was shipped to me in. The documentation I received states "Your diagnosed and repaired product now passes all hardware testing." I am not very pleased.

Has anyone gotten a replacement/new model that doesn't have this issue anymore? I am debating whether i should even try at this moment to fix this or just live with it until apple has a real fix. I have 5 people i work with who have a 2016 mbp-tb 15b inch and none of them are having this issue.

Hi everyone just wanted to give an update went to my local Apple store and showed a video of the popping noise. The team was aware of the issue which was really reassuring and about after five minutes of speaking with one of their managers they gave me a brand-new MacBook out of the box this was a great experience I'm hoping this one doesn't have the issue if it does its back to square one but I just wanted to comment on how well I was taken care of.