Haswell rMBP15 Spacebar hard to press not 'clicky' like the other keys

[powerslave12r]

Hi,

After playing the screen lottery (this is my third one), I finally found one with a screen that I can live with (it's not perfect, but I can live with this one.)

Sadly, as soon as I started using it I noticed that the spacebar doesn't seem to have a click, but more of a smushy feel. The ones I sent back had a clearly clicky spacebar (as are the other keys on this machine).

My questions:

I absolutely don't want to send this back, what are my options?

a) Remove the spacebar myself and try to refit it or something.

b) Mail it to Apple for fixing.

c) Take it to the Apple Store (2 hours away from where I'm at). Will they fix it right there or will they send it to the repair center?

d) Send it back and forget about rMBP for a while?

Thank you very much.

 

[Anitramane]

My 2012 13” (bought in 2014) cmbps right side shift key is also smushie (thank god for being a key i rarely use). It just became like this without me doing anything abnormal to it.
Apple’s quality on these machines is nothing to brag about.

 

[powerslave12r]

I'm trying to give it a few days, wondering if I should just replace it. I'm trying to convince myself it isn't a big deal, but each time I use the space bar from the left corner (with my thumb) I have to apply extra pressure making sure the key is pressed all the way since there is not 'click' feedback.

 

[hexxed]

I have had the exact same issue as you have described with a Haswell rMBP15 that I have now owned two weeks. I am happy to report mine has improved with time. It has gone from a non tactile spongelike button to a button which has much more click to it. I cannot say it's perfect and if it had stayed the same as it was I probably would have done something about it, but now I can live with it, and I think it will probably improve over time.

My initial theories are that the key isn't sat properly to start with and over time its clicked into place or possibly during the process where grease the key mechanism for lubrication that too much grease was used and over time it's thinned out. Not sure to be honest but I can tell you in my case it has for the most part fixed itself with use.

Good luck whatever you decide to do

 

[powerslave12r]

I have had the exact same issue as you have described with a Haswell rMBP15 that I have now owned two weeks. I am happy to report mine has improved with time. It has gone from a non tactile spongelike button to a button which has much more click to it. I cannot say it's perfect and if it had stayed the same as it was I probably would have done something about it, but now I can live with it, and I think it will probably improve over time.

My initial theories are that the key isn't sat properly to start with and over time its clicked into place or possibly during the process where grease the key mechanism for lubrication that too much grease was used and over time it's thinned out. Not sure to be honest but I can tell you in my case it has for the most part fixed itself with use.

Good luck whatever you decide to do

Hey hexxed, thanks for sharing your experience. It's been close to a week and I think I'm getting used to it.

That said, the left bottom (or top) corner of the spacebar can definitely be pressed flush with the body without having the key-press register. It's a little bit of a bummer because I actually use that exact spot to browse webpages (scrolling).


I chose to contact apple and have them look at it. Mailing it in since I'm far from an Apple store. But in the service request, the description of the problem seems like something that is going to end up in them saying 'Problem could not be reproduced.'

This is what they described:

Problem Description:
System Keyboard / Trackpad - Keyboard not recognized

I have a return window until Jul 3. The box for mailing it to them comes in monday (23rd June).

Some questions I would appreciate answers to:

1. Does anyone have experience with how long the turnaround from the service depot is?

2. Does the service depot actually fix the problems?

3. Is the service depot known to be sloppy with the devices? (As in scratches on the body from opening up the screws on back panel and stuff like that?)

Thanks.

 

[Barney63]

Hey hexxed, thanks for sharing your experience. It's been close to a week and I think I'm getting used to it.

That said, the left bottom (or top) corner of the spacebar can definitely be pressed flush with the body without having the key-press register. It's a little bit of a bummer because I actually use that exact spot to browse webpages (scrolling).


I chose to contact apple and have them look at it. Mailing it in since I'm far from an Apple store. But in the service request, the description of the problem seems like something that is going to end up in them saying 'Problem could not be reproduced.'

This is what they described:


I have a return window until Jul 3. The box for mailing it to them comes in monday (23rd June).

Some questions I would appreciate answers to:

1. Does anyone have experience with how long the turnaround from the service depot is?

2. Does the service depot actually fix the problems?

3. Is the service depot known to be sloppy with the devices? (As in scratches on the body from opening up the screws on back panel and stuff like that?)

Thanks.

1. I've read somewhere it is normally done the day they receive it.
2. Of course.
3. They are normally very careful, but accidents can happen. Take some pictures of it before you send it for piece of mind.

If you don't think they have reported the problem properly, write your description down on a piece of paper and put it between the screen and keyboard so they find it when they open it up.


Barney

 

[powerslave12r]

1. I've read somewhere it is normally done the day they receive it.
2. Of course.
3. They are normally very careful, but accidents can happen. Take some pictures of it before you send it for piece of mind.

If you don't think they have reported the problem properly, write your description down on a piece of paper and put it between the screen and keyboard so they find it when they open it up.


Barney

Sounds good. Thanks.

 

[powerslave12r]

So I sent the rMBP in, here's what happened:

6/19 Contacted Applecare
6/20 Box Shipped
6/23 Box Arrived (weekend)
6/24 Sent rmbp
6/25 Repaired And Shipped back.
6/26 Received (today)

As impressed as I am with the turnaround time, the keyboard seems untouched. They put in a new battery with cycle count 1. The description said, top panel changed (or something to that effect) - reported specific keys not working.

I haven't got a chance to try it out properly yet, but it doesn't seem like they did anything about the problem I was having. I definitely appreciate the new battery though.

I have the return window open. I guess I'll use it for a few days and see if I can live with it (or whether they have actually fixed it subtly enough for me not to notice at a quick glance).

 

[powerslave12r]

Glad to report the problem has been taken care of.

Applecare is awesome!