Cracked screen MacBook Pro with Touch Bar

I know this is an old post, but there seems to way too many people with a very similar issue; it's not accidental damage or "pilot error."

A MAJORITY of these cracks happen near one of the screen hinges. The same hinges that lock at about 45 degrees. While every Apple employee is trained to tell you it's your fault. It's a safe bet it's surface pressure caused by the hinge flexing the screen to a tolerance it can't withstand. And that tolerance isn't much.

Without any sufficient warning that this may occur, IT IS A DESIGN FLAW.

Yes, similar problem for me with my last 2 macs. The part that cracked in my case was not the screen but the black area at the bottom, where "macbook pro" is written. It is some kind of black plastic and seems very fragile. In both cases I had done nothing to cause the crack, and the computer usage was not affected, so I did not repair it.

This happened to me too! I keep my 2020 13" MBP on my desk, hooked into an external monitor.

I got the black and grey horizontal lines along the bottom of the screen, a green and a black vertical line up the left side of the screen, and a charcoal smudge mark in the bottom left corner. I took it in to an Apple store for repair and they pointed out a puncture and crack in the bottom left hand corner - it's so far down, almost at level with the hinges. They said I must have shut the top down on something - but I have no memory of having done that. I had it sitting in the same position since I got it in May. Because I have Apple Care + it's going to (only) cost me $150 with taxes to repair.

Outrageous. And the 3 year warranty does not cover this repair. This is an obvious design flaw and I will be telling anyone who asks my opinion what I think. The only way to open the lid of the laptop is the little groove which is precariously close to the actual screen. It’s almost as if they planned it this way. I would prefer to give my $800 to a small computer repair business than apple. Totally disgusting.

I have had the same experience. I have a 2012 MacBook Pro that is still going strong, but managed to crack the screen of a 2017 model while cleaning it (carefully).

If everyone on this thread would take 5mins to report this as feedback to apple, perhaps they would consider it as a manufacturing flaw: https://www.apple.com/feedback/.

They do need to be aware of it first, after all. I expect the authorised representatives in various countries would very seldomly take the time to report these as possible quality issues.

APPLE does not blame the user. But Apple also does not cover such damage under warranty, for the reasons I already articulated.

The [defective] leap in logic that therefore they blame the user is not accurate.

Then let me be more precise for you. They blamed ME when my screen developed a hole in first one side of my screen behind the hinge and then the right side. Apple specifically used those words "All screen damage is assumed to be caused by misuse by the consumer."

You are not entitled to a refund under the terms of the warranty you agreed to when you started using your Mac.

Commercial products, their warranties, and their extended warranties work in a predictable way.

Warrant-able implies, but does not guarantee, High Quality:

Commercial product makers build high quality products. You can tell because the manufacturer is willing to stand by their products and repair or replace them for defects caused by materials or workmanship (but NOT abuse) at manufacturers expense for a stated warranty period.

For Apple Macs in most countries, that period is one year. That is the total responsibility Apple or any manufacturer has to you under law. Assumptions about additional responsibility of Apple or any other commercial product-maker's products working longer than the warranty period are not accurate. The amount you paid for the product has no bearing on this. The rules are the same for a car costing US$20,000 or more.

Extended warranty:

Some manufacturers offer extended warranties, also known as service contracts. For a modest pre-payment, the manufacturer agrees to service their product for an additional period of time -- to repair or replace defects in Materials or Workmanship for an additional period. Some users will have No claims during this period. This "insurance effect" allows the manufacturer to keep the price of this service contract relatively low. You generally can not sign up later, because then only owners with problems would sign up, after they discovered an issue.

If you made the decision to NOT pay for the extended warranty, you made a decision to bear the cost of repairs during the extended warranty period yourself.

The MacBook Pro is a lightweight, portable computer that runs on batteries. Being portable, it can easily be subjected to multi-G forces daily, just by being moved about in a completely ordinary way. This is extremely stressful to electro-mechanical equipment. I would never even think about NOT purchasing the extended warranty coverage for such a portable device.

cran62 wrote:

That is ridiculous. An expensive machine should not break down this easily. Apple care is not enough? Apple care plus? Why don’t they just build a screen breakdown in their original price? They’d be more honest that way.

Great idea! Submit Here:

Product Feedback - Apple

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I had some minor cracks like yours but my display continued to work just fine. THEN, I had double key issues and sent it in to Apple. Somewhere between being placed in the box and the machine being returned, the whole display cracked and my computer is a brick until I pay 700.00 for display replacement, so irate.

Be professional and businesslike. Your repair should result in a computer that works.

They provided the packaging and they designated the Shipper. If the computer was not right, from the moment you opened the box, they need to make it right or help you make it right. If they blame the shipper, they need to help you file a claim with the shipper.

I had no clue the cracks in the black part beneath the screen could damage the display, I guess I was on borrowed time in that respect. I am looking at replacement, have you gone through that process per chance? I'm curious how long they will warranty that repair.

If you purchased AppleCare+ for the unit, the replacement fee will be $99. If not, it will be $690+. Apple will tell you it's your fault. It's not... Which is why this thread has 44 pages of similar complaints and 2K+ people have indicated they "have this problem too."

Some Apple boy scouts (they get merit badges!) here reinforce Apple's "policy" in comments that it could not have possibly happened on its own. But it does.

Both of my screen holes are at the very bottom behind the bezel. It is very fragile so since this bezel is not available as a part to purchase, I used electrical tape. It cushions it against further damage. It is definitely a design defect.

Repairing with electrical tape only works in case like mine, with actual holes. The users whose cracks have traveled upward as their first experience and lose their screens altogether, do not have 'cosmetic' cracks or holes. Plus mine was less than a month old when it developed the two holes.

If it hasn't happened to you then your advice is both uninvited and moot.