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SpookyET

Guest
Original poster
Oct 6, 2008
24
0
I have had an unfortunate event. Two days ago my white MacBook has started to misbehave. I have turned it on, and it powered itself off after a minute. It probably did that about 4-5 times. Eventually, it booted and stayed on for the rest of the day. This has happened with a fully charged battery and plugged-in. Since it has worked for the rest of the day, I did not think more of it. Weird boots have happened before rarely.

Yesterday, it booted fine, but the keyboard was misbehaving. The option key was stuck in the ON postion without being physically pressed. Some letters worked, others created the option+letter key combination.

So, I have taken it to the Apple Store. I have a got a call an hour later saying that he removed the top case and found a small stain in the bottom-right side of the keyboard, which according to him is evidence of liquid damage. The warranty has been voided. The warranty was actually going to expire today on the 14th.

I find this highly suspicious. I have taken great care of it. Besides a scratch or paint transfer on the bottom case next to the exhaust, which I have no idea how it happened, and yellowing of the touchpad, it looks like new. I have read that the MacBooks turn yellow, mine has in less than a month of use. Maybe, due to heat, it has turned yellow or brown inside.

It's pssible they saw that my warranty was going to expire today and thought to screw me. If it's going to expire in one day, why help him?

They want $230. $130 for the top case. $100 for work. I told him to disassemble it further due to the weird boots. I have not yet received a call back if he has found more damage.

I've seen laptops taking a bath. You could float Noah's ark on them. They have major flooding stains from coke, smoothies, and other beverages. I don't drink that suff, nor have I on the day in question, nor did anyone else use it.

It's my only machine. My only means of communication with the planet is my iPhone. Suggestions?

Thank you.
 

Hmac

macrumors 68020
May 30, 2007
2,130
4
Midwest USA
The way you describe it, it certainly sounds like a shorted keyboard, and of course the most likely reason for that is going to be a liquid spill into the keyboard. I guess you'll need to be worried about whether that same spill may have also damaged your motherboard, which may ultimately show up later and will certainly cost more than $230 to fix.

I doubt Apple is trying to "screw" you, at least not as corporate policy. That individual Apple tech may be misinterpreting the findings, but my experience is that the general run of Genius is more likely to give the benefit of doubt, if reason for doubt exists.
 
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