Apple Will Not Repair Defective Screen On 2017 MacBook Pro

[wispy007]

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking for some advice in regards to a 2017 MacBook Pro that was purchased for my daughter in October. It was purchased in the UK with extended Apple Care direct from an Apple retail store here in the UK.

About a week ago the screen started to develop horizontal lines across the top of the screen (see attached screenshot). We took it back to the store we purchased from thinking it would be a straight forward repair, however we were stunned when they refused to repair it because they say it has suffered water damage!

I can absolutely assure you this is not the case and I have asked them how they have come to this conclusion . There response was "it is our opinion that the computer has been subject to water damage". Now at this point my daughter got fairly upset as the store manager basically called her a liar (she's 12). I asked them to show me the evidence of the water damage, but they refused.

I have contacted apple support but they just referred me back to the store that I purchased it from and told me the store manager has the final decision at his/her discretion.

Firstly, I would like to ask if anyone else has experienced this problem on there 2017 MacBook Pro?

Secondly, what options do I have here in regards to apple refusing to repair it? Are there any water/moisture sensors I should be asking them to take pictures of? Can I take it to another store or will the first attempted repair show up on their system?

Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Fishrrman]

Take it to another Apple Store and see if you have better luck there.
Even if it's a longer drive.

Final thought:
Is your daughter being honest about the "water damage"?

 

[JPack]

There are obvious signs of liquid damage from your photo.

I'm not surprised they called your daughter a liar. The evidence is right in front of your eyes. It's like asking someone to show you evidence the sun is bright.

Typical LCD failures don't result in the color gradient shown in your photo. A cracked LCD for example, would show distinct blotches like an ink leak.

Your best bet is to plead guilty and ask for an exception from a Genius.

 

[leman]

Secondly, what options do I have here in regards to apple refusing to repair it?

You should be contacting your lawyer if you want to pursue further options.

Are there any water/moisture sensors I should be asking them to take pictures of?

There are moisture sensors in the laptop body, don't think there are any in the screen.

I can absolutely assure you this is not the case

Can you? Was the laptop 24/7 under your supervision? Is it possible that your daughter did empty a glass of water over the screen or something like that but was too terrified/ashamed to admit it? Not throwing accusations here, just asking whether you can completely exclude this possibility.

I do not know if the display looks like water damage, I am not a technician. But I agree with the above poster that this looks very untypical for any usual LCD failure. The "spots" in the picture do make me suspect external factors.

 

[Schranke]

Another option is to check with your insurance company to see what possible coverage you have on electronics and accidental damage. if it is water damage and you have coverage, the insurance companies have repair shops they work with.

And another thing, I would not take the word of a kid as fact, there is a lot of emotions involved in not wanting to let down a parent and so on. She might not even be aware of any wrong doing, she could simple have had the Mac in the bathrome while taking a shower, exposing the system for a lot of steam. this can result in water damage, but is not a direct spill.
The store personal can only judge by their experience, and I think it is a great deal bigger then yours.

 

[lambertjohn]

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking for some advice in regards to a 2017 MacBook Pro that was purchased for my daughter in October. It was purchased in the UK with extended Apple Care direct from an Apple retail store here in the UK.

About a week ago the screen started to develop horizontal lines across the top of the screen (see attached screenshot). We took it back to the store we purchased from thinking it would be a straight forward repair, however we were stunned when they refused to repair it because they say it has suffered water damage!

I can absolutely assure you this is not the case and I have asked them how they have come to this conclusion . There response was "it is our opinion that the computer has been subject to water damage". Now at this point my daughter got fairly upset as the store manager basically called her a liar (she's 12). I asked them to show me the evidence of the water damage, but they refused.

I have contacted apple support but they just referred me back to the store that I purchased it from and told me the store manager has the final decision at his/her discretion.

Firstly, I would like to ask if anyone else has experienced this problem on there 2017 MacBook Pro?

Secondly, what options do I have here in regards to apple refusing to repair it? Are there any water/moisture sensors I should be asking them to take pictures of? Can I take it to another store or will the first attempted repair show up on their system?

Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Judging by the picture, that's definitely water damage. What you do about it is entirely up to you and your moral compass. Good luck, Dad!

 

[hajime]

I had a small patch like that on my LG 43" monitor. I showed it to LG support. They asked if I spilled water on it. I said no as I had it when I opened the box. They suspected moisture during storage or transportation.

 

[borgranta]

Apple Care is supposed to cover accidental damage.
[doublepost=1529304205][/doublepost]If you paid by credit card or debit card and suspect that it was subjected to water damage prior to purchase you could contact the credit card company or bank to dispute to do a chargeback. You could also look into filing a complaint with the BBB as well as looking up Tim Cooks email to complain as well. Remember to cite the manager verbally abusing your daughter when contacting the the BBB and/or Tim Cook and/or you bank and/or credit card company.

 

[eddjedi]

There are obvious signs of liquid damage from your photo

What your arrows point to is the reflection of the OP taking a photo of the screen, not water damage.

 

[TiggrToo]

Apple Care is supposed to cover accidental damage.
[doublepost=1529304205][/doublepost]If you paid by credit card or debit card and suspect that it was subjected to water damage prior to purchase you could contact the credit card company or bank to dispute to do a chargeback. You could also look into filing a complaint with the BBB as well as looking up Tim Cooks email to complain as well. Remember to cite the manager verbally abusing your daughter when contacting the the BBB and/or Tim Cook and/or you bank and/or credit card company.

1) The OP is based in the UK. The BBB is an American organization.
2) Contact Tim Cook? Really?
3) AppleCare does NOT cover accidental damage only AppleCare+ does, and, in the UK, that's not available in the UK for Macs.
4) They brought the laptop last October - any signs of water damage from back then would have been apparent well before now.
5) 'Verbally abusing your daughter'? First off, what proof you have of the conversation (you must have to be able to have defined it as "abusive") - the OP didn't even say if she was in the store or not when this conversation took place. Next, She's 12! How many 12 year old's you know who, when they know they did something to damage a £1500+ laptop, will admit responsibility?

 

[JPack]

What your arrows point to is the reflection of the OP taking a photo of the screen, not water damage.

Uh, no.

The distortion is a wide oval shape. Unless the OP is a Sesame Street character, that's not a reflection

 

[cyb3rdud3]

Apple Care is supposed to cover accidental damage.
[doublepost=1529304205][/doublepost]If you paid by credit card or debit card and suspect that it was subjected to water damage prior to purchase you could contact the credit card company or bank to dispute to do a chargeback. You could also look into filing a complaint with the BBB as well as looking up Tim Cooks email to complain as well. Remember to cite the manager verbally abusing your daughter when contacting the the BBB and/or Tim Cook and/or you bank and/or credit card company.

Verbally abusing? Seriously? Have we become such snow flakes that when we are being told something that doesn’t fit with what we want to hear it becomes abuse.

Perhaps it is best to not make up anything else. Ps I don’t mean that dad did that, but around children or unservised access a lot is possible. Perhaps it was a friend that spilt a drink and quickly wiped it. Because yes to me it looks like water damage as well.

As such I’d claim on my home insurance and get it repaired and move on.

 

[maflynn]

Apple Care is supposed to cover accidental damage.

Applecare does not cover accidental damage. Applecare plus is the extended warranty that covers accidental damage and I don't believe that is offered internationally (though some nations may have it).

 

[deeddawg]

As such I’d claim on my home insurance and get it repaired and move on.

Be very careful on that. Insurance companies keep track of how many homeowners claims you've made and can ding you for that. We nearly had an issue getting homeowners insurance on a place a few months ago; we'd had a claim on our home a couple years back, my wife had had a claim a year ago on a rental she owns, and the sellers had made a claim last year on the property we were buying. Agent was able to work things out, but it was touch-and-go.

 

[TiggrToo]

Be very careful on that. Insurance companies keep track of how many homeowners claims you've made and can ding you for that. We nearly had an issue getting homeowners insurance on a place a few months ago; we'd had a claim on our home a couple years back, my wife had had a claim a year ago on a rental she owns, and the sellers had made a claim last year on the property we were buying. Agent was able to work things out, but it was touch-and-go.

Again, the OP is in the UK and the rules are quite different, for example on many policies one has to specifically state individual items they want coverage for. Even then, depending on the insurer, some allow this to be covered by home insurance (e.g.the coop) others require you to take out other policies such as Contents Insurance (e.g. Sainsburys).

After all that, one has to decide if the policy excess value coupled with the resultant potential rate hike the next year is worth the claim.

 

[Ma2k5]

Applecare does not cover accidental damage. Applecare plus is the extended warranty that covers accidental damage and I don't believe that is offered internationally (though some nations may have it).

Yep, in the UK we can get the Apple Care+ on some products e.g. watches and iPhones, but not Macbooks.

 

[Kingcr]

Is it possible that your daughter did empty a glass of water over the screen or something like that

AFAIK, these screens are laminated glass. If that is moisture we’re seeing inside the display assembly, then either something more dramatic happened than a simple spill (which should then have also killed the whole machine) or something much more subtle like using the machine in a very humid environment - bathroom and so on.

 

[JPack]

AFAIK, these screens are laminated glass. If that is moisture we’re seeing inside the display assembly, then either something more dramatic happened than a simple spill (which should then have also killed the whole machine) or something much more subtle like using the machine in a very humid environment - bathroom and so on.

1. MacBook Pro does not have a laminated glass display.

2. Even laminated displays are permeable to water. There are layers behind the LCD that are not laminated including the backlight and reflective layers. We see this damage all the time with older iPhones exposed to water.

 

[tubeexperience]

Go to a different Apple Store or contact Apple Support.

Sometimes, Apple "Genius" are more like idiot than genius.

My MacBook Pro has the staingate issue.

I took it to the Apple Store and the Apple "Genius" keep telling me that it is liquid damaged.

I called Apple Support and Apple Support sent me a box.

A week after I sent the laptop to Apple, I got it back with a new display.

Surprise! There is NO liquid damage!
[doublepost=1529422439][/doublepost]

You should be contacting your lawyer if you want to pursue further options.



There are moisture sensors in the laptop body, don't think there are any in the screen.



Can you? Was the laptop 24/7 under your supervision? Is it possible that your daughter did empty a glass of water over the screen or something like that but was too terrified/ashamed to admit it? Not throwing accusations here, just asking whether you can completely exclude this possibility.

I do not know if the display looks like water damage, I am not a technician. But I agree with the above poster that this looks very untypical for any usual LCD failure. The "spots" in the picture do make me suspect external factors.

Judging by the picture, that's definitely water damage. What you do about it is entirely up to you and your moral compass. Good luck, Dad!

What your arrows point to is the reflection of the OP taking a photo of the screen, not water damage.

Uh, no.

The distortion is a wide oval shape. Unless the OP is a Sesame Street character, that's not a reflection

I have to disagree with all of you, but what that picture clearly shows is display delimitation.

It's a staingate issue.

That doesn't have anything to do with the horizontal lines though.

 

[JPack]

I have to disagree with all of you, but what that picture clearly shows is display delimitation.

It's a staingate issue.

That doesn't have anything to do with the horizontal lines though.

Horizontal defect lines and liquid-like distortion at the same time. What are the chances?

The OP should buy a lottery ticket today.

 

[Kingcr]

1. MacBook Pro does not have a laminated glass display.

2. Even laminated displays are permeable to water. There are layers behind the LCD that are not laminated including the backlight and reflective layers. We see this damage all the time with older iPhones exposed to water.

Ok, so technically not laminated, but still no separate front glass.

“We need to clarify this before continuing with the teardown; Apple did not design and build a 1.5 mm thin LCD panel. They did, however, do something exceptional with the design of this display: rather than sandwich an LCD panel between a back case and a front glass, they used the aluminum case itself as the frame for the LCD panel and used the LCD as the front glass.”

https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook+Pro+Retina+Display+Teardown/9493

As for water permeating from the rear of the lcd, well that’s exactly what I was talking about. A simple day-to-day spillage situation is very unlikely to cause the sort of moisture build up everyone is pointing out in the picture.
[doublepost=1529427116][/doublepost]As an aside, I find it somewhat disappointing that so many people are disputing the OP’s version of events and defending Apple’s conduct when Apple did not provide any proof of water damage.

I wonder how many of you would happily accept Apple’s assessment if you woke up tomorrow to find your/your family member’s machine exhibiting these symptoms and it had, to the best of your knowledge, been properly cared for?

 

[tubeexperience]

Horizontal defect lines and liquid-like distortion at the same time. What are the chances?

The OP should buy a lottery ticket today.

The horizontal line looks like a separate issue.

The "distortion" looks like the anti-reflective coating coming off.

 

[Cezanne77]

Any chance you can post some more photos of the lcd. Perhaps from different angle and with a white desktop background. I’m curious to see more of this presumabed liquid contact. I’ve seen the horizontal lines issue on non-liquid damaged units too.

 

[JPack]

The horizontal line looks like a separate issue.

The "distortion" looks like the anti-reflective coating coming off.

Staingate looks like stains or scratches. The OP's photo looks completely different, like an expanding organic blob.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

off topic, are 2016/17 USB-C/Touch Bar pros covered by stain gate?