Help with Touch Bar graphical artifacts

[UpperDude]

Hi there! A few days ago, I started noticing that when my 15" Macbook Pro's display goes to sleep, a weird artifact appears on the also turned-off Touch Bar, right besides the Touch ID button.
Sometimes it just stays there fixed, and sometimes it flickers. As soon as I wake up the display or touch any key, the regular buttons appear on the Touch Bar and the artifact goes away.

Does anybody know what this might be, or perhaps someone has this issue too?

Any thoughts besides bringing the computer to Apple? I'm traveling at the moment, so that's not a option.

I've already reset both the SMC and the NVRAM to no avail.

This issue does not presents itself during the first hour of usage, as if it was usage/heat/apps/whatever dependent.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Schranke]

So if I understand it correctly, it is only there when the display and TB is turned off,it does not present itself under normal use, and it can flicker?

If you watch a move, or doing anything which will make the TB turn off even with the screen on, does it appear then?

 

[UpperDude]

So if I understand it correctly, it is only there when the display and TB is turned off,it does not present itself under normal use, and it can flicker?

If you watch a move, or doing anything which will make the TB turn off even with the screen on, does it appear then?

When the Touch Bar first turns off, as when I don't touch a key or move the mouse for a minute, the artifact does not appear. However, if I wait a few minutes, and the screen turns off as well, the artifact usually appears (but not always).

Sometimes, I can go hours without it appearing, but it's rare.

I've tried having no apps loaded at all, to see if that may cause it, but it wasn't successful.

It looks like either a hardware malfunction, or some weird issues with drivers or system apps running on the background.

I did not try reinstalling the OS, nor entering it using a safe-mode or similar (yet).

I have the same MBP as you, btw.

 

[Schranke]

When the Touch Bar first turns off, as when I don't touch a key or move the mouse for a minute, the artifact does not appear. However, if I wait a few minutes, and the screen turns off as well, the artifact usually appears (but not always).

Sometimes, I can go hours without it appearing, but it's rare.

I've tried having no apps loaded at all, to see if that may cause it, but it wasn't successful.

It looks like either a hardware malfunction, or some weird issues with drivers or system apps running on the background.

I did not try reinstalling the OS, nor entering it using a safe-mode or similar (yet).

I have the same MBP as you, btw.

you should try a safe boot.

Also maybe try removing going into system preferences -> keyboard and change touch bar shows into "app controls" this will change the bar, leaving the area affected turned off. you will loose control of brightness and sound, but maybe just test it out and see if it appears then

if no of that helps my best guess would be a hardware issue too

 

[UpperDude]

you should try a safe boot.

Also maybe try removing going into system preferences -> keyboard and change touch bar shows into "app controls" this will change the bar, leaving the area affected turned off. you will loose control of brightness and sound, but maybe just test it out and see if it appears then

if no of that helps my best guess would be a hardware issue too

OK, I've tried the safe boot and a couple of minutes after login, there was the artifact again. I had previously tried changing all possible rearrangements of the Touch Bar functions without a difference in the results.

It also happened with the screen on, as soon as the Touch Bar turns off. Does the Touch Bar have a controller? If that's broken, I can imagine having the whole motherboard replaced.

So, apart from this being something that a OS reinstall could fix, I'm out of ideas.

Am I that unlucky to have the only malfunctioning Touch Bar on Macrumors? I couldn't find anyone else with this particular issue.

Should I immediately buy Apple Care so I have enough time to get the computer fixed?

 

[PBG4 Dude]

You should contact Apple immediately so they open a support case for you before you have no warranty.

 

[Schranke]

OK, I've tried the safe boot and a couple of minutes after login, there was the artifact again. I had previously tried changing all possible rearrangements of the Touch Bar functions without a difference in the results.

It also happened with the screen on, as soon as the Touch Bar turns off. Does the Touch Bar have a controller? If that's broken, I can imagine having the whole motherboard replaced.

So, apart from this being something that a OS reinstall could fix, I'm out of ideas.

Am I that unlucky to have the only malfunctioning Touch Bar on Macrumors? I couldn't find anyone else with this particular issue.

Should I immediately buy Apple Care so I have enough time to get the computer fixed?

yes the TB have a controller, and there might be something wrong with yours. @PBG4 Dude comes with the only solution left, better get a hold on apple asap

 

[UpperDude]

You should contact Apple immediately so they open a support case for you before you have no warranty.

Thanks!

If I have an open support case, do that somehow extends the warranty for this particular malfunction? I don't think I can travel back to the US before my warranty expires.
I could, however, buy Apple Care if that's the only option to get this fixed under warranty.

This is my third Macbook Pro in a row to have a weird malfunction a few weeks after the warranty expires. I'm starting to think that Apple is cutting corners or I'm just very unlucky...
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yes the TB have a controller, and there might be something wrong with yours. @PBG4 Dude comes with the only solution left, better get a hold on apple asap

Thanks!
I'll open a support case, but my warranty will expire before I can get myself to an Apple Store.

 

[UpperDude]

A little bump. I can't believe nobody else had or know about this issue. Macrumors has a huge number of users, am I the only unlucky one to have this Touch Bar problem?

Even though it seems that the only thing left to do is to have Apple fix the computer, I still would like to find out more about this. I can imagine other people dealing with this issue in the near future, probabilities are in favor of that.