Apple Launches Repair Program for Faulty MacBook and MacBook Pro Keyboards

[hajime]

Apple today launched a keyboard repair program for MacBook and MacBook Pro models equipped with butterfly keys to address complaints over letters or characters that repeat unexpectedly, letters or characters that do not appear, and keys that feel "sticky" or do not respond in a consistent manner.

According to Apple, a "small percentage" of MacBook and MacBook Pro keyboards from 2015 to 2017 can experience these symptoms.

Apple says that customers can bring an affected MacBook or MacBook Pro into an Apple retail store or to an Apple Authorized Service Provider to receive repairs free of charge, with the type of service to be determined after the keyboard has been examined.

Repairs may include the replacement of one or more keys or the entire keyboard. Eligible MacBook and MacBook Pro models are listed below:

[*]MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015)
[*]MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)
[*]MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, 2017)
[*]MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
[*]MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
[*]MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
[*]MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
[*]MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)
[*]MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)
No other MacBook or MacBook Pro models are included in the program, but it does cover eligible MacBook and MacBook Pro models for four years after the first retail sale of the unit.

To initiate the repair process, customers should find an Apple Authorized Service Provider, make an appointment at an Apple retail store, or mail the device into an Apple Repair Center after contacting Apple support. Apple says that if the affected MacBook or MacBook Pro has damage that impairs service, the issue will need to be repaired first.

Repair documents for Apple Authorized Service Providers seen by MacRumors suggest Apple will repair MacBook and MacBook Pro regardless of keyboard damage due to attempted keycap repair by the customer or physical top case damage unrelated to the keyboard. Liquid damage and physical keyboard damage unrelated to a keycap repair will require additional work to be paid for by the customer before a keyboard repair can be initiated.

Customers who experienced keyboard problems but were forced to pay out-of-warranty repair fees for their damaged MacBook or MacBook Pro models can contact Apple to inquire about a refund. In some cases, repairs for keyboard issues were priced at upwards of $500.

Apple's decision to offer a repair program follows increasing customer dissatisfaction with the failure rate of the first and second-generation butterfly keyboards in the 2015 and later MacBook models and the 2016 and later MacBook Pro models.

Customer complaints have suggested that these models experience issues more often than prior keyboards due to the flatter butterfly keys that adopt dome switches for a more responsive feel. The design of these keyboards can cause keys to fail when dust or other small particles get into the keys, leading to the "sticky" and non-responsive keys Apple describes above.

Apple is facing two potential class action lawsuits over the defective keyboards in recent MacBook and MacBook Pro models from customers who were forced to pay high prices for out-of-warranty repairs. Thousands of customers also signed a Change.org petition calling on Apple to fix the keyboard issues that are being addressed with the new repair program.

Article Link: Apple Launches Repair Program for Faulty MacBook and MacBook Pro Keyboards

So no new revision keyboard but they will offer free repair of the keyboard for four years? After that will the charge the same amount as before announcement or more? My MBP 2010 is 9 years old.

In this case, is it still worth to get Apple Care?

 

[JPack]

I’ve never heard Apple blame the user for this.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205662

If your MacBook (2015 and later) or MacBook Pro (2016 and later) has an unresponsive key, or a key that feels different than the other keys when you press it, follow these steps to clean the keyboard with compressed air.

Notice this cleaning techniques page only applies to 2015 and newer models. Almost as if the older models don't need cleaning.

 

[bartolo5]

Shameful. Apple finally recognizes what we knew all along. That their pricey laptops have unreliable keyboards. Such a major "fail"

 

[lec0rsaire]

So no new revision keyboard but they will offer free repair of the keyboard for four years?

In this case, is it still worth to get Apple Care?

Yes it would be stupid not to. The keyboard is not the only thing that can go wrong with this machine but it really depends what confit you buy. If you’re getting something around $1300-1500 then probably not. If you’re paying $2-4k then yes. You have to consider what the machine’s residual value will be after 3-4 years. If it’s worth more than the repair price then yes, if not no.

 

[Hardy1989]

What's replaced when they change a keyboard?

My 2017 13" ntb MacBook Pro fan goes crazy even just playing a few youtube videos! no external monitor plugged in. The keyboard also feels about 1000 degrees depending on what mood it is in.

 

[sracer]

Regardless of what the haters will say, this is good customer service. Thank you Apple!

I have a distorted view of good customer service. My definition of "good customer service" entails a company making good on addressing a manufacturing defect without the need to threaten a class-action lawsuit. But I'm odd that way.

 

[lec0rsaire]

Shameful. Apple finally recognizes what we knew all along. That their pricey laptops have unreliable keyboards. Such a major "fail"

Again it is just a percentage of them. Probably not more than 10% of all machines sold. Those with problems tend to make more noise than happy customers. It’s the same with any kind of product.

 

[Falhófnir]

Apple's customer service is still second to none in the industry. That's just a fact.

That may very well be the case over all, but on this specific issue this is the bare minimum you’d expect of any reputable manufacturer who’d created and sold a device with a not-insignificant design flaw...

 

[lec0rsaire]

What's replaced when they change a keyboard?

My 2017 13" ntb MacBook Pro fan goes crazy even just playing a few youtube videos! no external monitor plugged in. The keyboard also feels about 1000 degrees depending on what mood it is in.

The entire top case is replaced.

 

[corebeliefs]

Apple and their customers would better served if they would be more proactive about fixing these issues before they blow up into these huge news stories and lawsuits. They like to talk about how important their customers are to them, but when looking at situations like this I have my doubts. They'll go out of their way in some situations and completely fall flat on their face in others. They'll design world-class hardware for iOS devices and yet can't even get a keyboard right for the Mac. It's bizarre and shows that their priority is not the Mac—despite what they say!

Just curious, has Apple said its customers are important to them?

 

[eroslws]

So no new revision keyboard but they will offer free repair of the keyboard for four years? After that will the charge the same amount as before announcement or more? My MBP 2010 is 9 years old.

In this case, is it still worth to get Apple Care?

Never get AppleCare. Yes, there are always great stories and whatnot but honestly, they are anecdotal.

 

[bluecoast]

MBP 13 2017 non TB user (who admittedly uses this as an ultrabook and not as a pro machine).

I’m relieved after reading so many nightmare stories about this.

Like many on this thread, I think we can obviously thank the threat of the (combined) class action suit that they were obviously going to lose - and have to publish their failure rates and repairs to these models etc. to much embarrassment.

And I think ‘a small percentage’ means ‘nearly all’.

Finally, like many I think this means that we’ll see a redesigned keyboard on new models this fall.

I hope Apple takes this - along with all of the other complaints about this model from its pro users and pulls out all the stops to reveal great machines this fall.

At least they had better - I think for a lot of people they’re at the last chance saloon now.

I believe that they will though and that good things are coming.

Don’t mess your users around again, Apple - you’re not invincible.

 

[hajime]

Never get AppleCare. Yes, there are always great stories and whatnot but honestly, they are anecdotal.

I got my mbp 2010 at the end of my faulty mbp 2007’s three year warranty thanks to Apple Care.

 

[bartolo5]

Again it is just a percentage of them. Probably not more than 10% of all machines sold. Those with problems tend to make more noise than happy customers. It’s the same with any kind of product.

You seriously consider normal, that 10% of laptops may have this most basic issue, (not being able to write on your laptop), on a product that starts north of $1K? And that then it takes two years for Apple to do anything about it...

 

[nvmls]

But are they targeting the keyboard design flaw efficiently on replacements or it's more of the same? If replacement is the same, it will break again easily.

 

[eroslws]

I got my mbp 2010 at the end of my faulty mbp 2007’s three year warranty thanks to Apple Care.

I believe you, but like I said, anecdotal. For every one case of yours, there are tens of thousands who bought AppleCare and just got money in the toilet.

 

[Hardy1989]

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...acbook-pro-models-with-function-keys.2122940/

So out of warranty cover for keyboard failures and the above fault. Terrible Apple.

 

[lec0rsaire]

You seriously consider normal, that 10% of laptops may have this most basic issue, (not being able to write on your laptop), on a product that starts north of $1K? And that then it takes two years for Apple to do anything about it...

Those who have AppleCare got theirs fixed. Those who had problems before 1 year was up got theirs fixed free of charge. They are simply extending the warranty for this problem. If it had only been limited to several hundred machines they wouldn’t have done anything.

 

[tubular]

small percentage, applespeak

Less than a thousand percent.

 

[BenTrovato]

My 2016 had the affliction. About half the time I pressed N, it would repeat. The worst is those weeks where you wait before you make an appointment to fix it thinking maybe it will get better but it only drives you more mad

 

[RickInHouston]

Apple will make the repair process as difficult as possible much like the battery replacement fiasco.

They ride the wave of good publicity but don't come through in the end.

 

[Killa Aaron]

When did Apple blame their customers? How is providing free repair blaming their customers?

Not related to this issue but remember the you're holding it wrong thing?

 

[Partron22]

I've got my full motion, spring loaded Dell, likely from 2005.
It's fine. These chiclet keyboards, even with the Apple "now even suckier" butterfly design are simply trash.
Reliability is way down, typo error rate is at least double that of a traditional keyboard.

 

[FightTheFuture]

Ever since Steve Jobs died, and Bob Mansfield was replaced by an iPad guy (Dan Riccio) in late 2012, Mac designs have gone downhill. Plain and simple.

I think Apple saw an implementation that would make the system thinner and they went for it. We see them take risks like this with other systems like the trashcan Mac Pro. Obviously it doesn't always work.

Notice this cleaning techniques page only applies to 2015 and newer models. Almost as if the older models don't need cleaning.

That's a stretch. It's just a video that shows how to clean a keyboard with butterfly key mechanism.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Ahh yes...
The complete "non-issue"