Logic Board Dead - Done With Apple for Good...

[keithjfuller]

if someone buys a macbook pro, and decides not to pay $349 for applecare or $299 for square trade, and becomes unlucky and needs a new motherboard after 2 1/2 years, well, next time get applecare.

the thing is, we did buy Applecare, but lucky for them it ran out only 2 months before this happened.

i'll be clear - i'm not mad that something broke - stuff breaks. i'm mad because of the way apple is choosing to handle it (or not handle it).

also, i'd think that paying $2,500 for laptop should include some sort of warranty on it's own. i find the $350 a little absurd for something that is supposed to be top-of-the-line.

 

[vlug]

I have a Macbook Pro 2011 early which suffered a logicboard failure (over heating GPU)

I emailed Tim Cook as a last resort before chucking it in with Apple and purchasing a new laptop and then next day after emailing him a person from Executive Relations EMEIA rang me and listened to my plight.

He issued a CR code of some sort allowing my MBP to be fixed free of charge at a local Apple store. I believe he wouldn't have issued a free repair if I had lived in the US as in the UK I had consumer law on my side. (6 years on laptops)

Moral of the story, I got my repair for free after emailing Tim Cook but even after getting it repaired I still put my point across to the employee that helped me that thousands of other customers are experiencing this issue and they should do something for the masses and my next purchase of a Laptop would be 50/50 apple now.

They seem to be expecting us to replace our Laptops as quick as our iPhones.

I did let the employee know I would be back in touch if I experienced the same GPU failure a year or two down the line as the Logicboard is basically the whole computer in a MBP and as my MBP was in pristine condition there is no reason for such a part to break within 2.5 yrs, not when it costs £2200.

he understood and said he would replace it again if need be, but the POINT is, they should not be replacing the same defective part, they should put a fix in or upgrade the user to another device that doesn't have a design flaw.

This was back in July and this Logicboard is still working but my faith in Apple is at a low knowing they have not owned up to this issue for all users and many have had to pay for repair or give up entirely and not have a laptop because they cannot afford it.

This issue has been going on for far too long!

 

[keithjfuller]

I have a Macbook Pro 2011 early which suffered a logicboard failure (over heating GPU)

I emailed Tim Cook as a last resort before chucking it in with Apple and purchasing a new laptop and then next day after emailing him a person from Executive Relations EMEIA rang me and listened to my plight.

He issued a CR code of some sort allowing my MBP to be fixed free of charge at a local Apple store. I believe he wouldn't have issued a free repair if I had lived in the US as in the UK I had consumer law on my side. (6 years on laptops)

Moral of the story, I got my repair for free after emailing Tim Cook but even after getting it repaired I still put my point across to the employee that helped me that thousands of other customers are experiencing this issue and they should do something for the masses and my next purchase of a Laptop would be 50/50 apple now.

They seem to be expecting us to replace our Laptops as quick as our iPhones.

I did let the employee know I would be back in touch if I experienced the same GPU failure a year or two down the line as the Logicboard is basically the whole computer in a MBP and as my MBP was in pristine condition there is no reason for such a part to break within 2.5 yrs, not when it costs £2200.

he understood and said he would replace it again if need be, but the POINT is, they should not be replacing the same defective part, they should put a fix in or upgrade the user to another device that doesn't have a design flaw.

This was back in July and this Logicboard is still working but my faith in Apple is at a low knowing they have not owned up to this issue for all users and many have had to pay for repair or give up entirely and not have a laptop because they cannot afford it.

This issue has been going on for far too long!

side note - when i brought it in to see what they would do, this specific logic board was the ONLY one they had in stock. coincidence, or do they know something that they don't want us to know?

 

[rigormortis]

a lot of times the only thing stopping you from having the apple product replaced under warranty or not is the individual genius you are speaking to.

if apple won't cover a repair even if its been a few months since applecare expired , get another genius. until you find someone worth listening to..

check this out

 

[rigormortis]

the thing is, we did buy Applecare, but lucky for them it ran out only 2 months before this happened.

i'll be clear - i'm not mad that something broke - stuff breaks. i'm mad because of the way apple is choosing to handle it (or not handle it).

also, i'd think that paying $2,500 for laptop should include some sort of warranty on it's own. i find the $350 a little absurd for something that is supposed to be top-of-the-line.

i bought a laptop from dell for $1500, it was the dell studio xps 1340. before the manufacturer's warranty expired , dell stopped manufacturing 9 cell battery packs for it. and it's cousin, the m1330's batteries wouldn't fit.

if i need a new battery, i have to buy counterfeits.

thats the last time i bought a dell

if you would of chosen to spend the $350 for square trade on your $2,500 computer, you wouldn't of posted here about it, you would of just went to the bank and cashed the $2,500 check square trade gave you

 

[Praesto]

Let me say that I have been a long time Mac owner. Together, my wife and I have purchased four 27" iMacs, 3 15" MacBook Pros, 4 iPads, 5 iPhones, 3 AppleTVs, multiple iPods, and more. However, I am beyond disgusted with Apple's handling of our recent issues.

To begin with, my iMac's hard drive failed. I understand that it happens, so I did not mind. That was until I found out that Apple recalled it, but I was never notified. However, Apple was no longer covering it, so I was forced to replace it myself. Even so, it was a cheap and simple replacement, but it was still frustrating.

The next issue is the one that frustrates me beyond belief. We have a 15" Macbook Pro, and the logic board failed. This is an issue that is well documented on internet forums (including this one) and various websites. Not only that, but our Apple Care ran out only a few months before this happened. Also, we now live in Europe, but since our computer was purchased in the US they won't cover the repair. However, if it was purchased in Europe they would have. The cost of a logic board is over a quarter of the cost of a new computer. To top it off, they replace it with the same problem-ridden one.

I used to understand what the premium price of Apple products got you - amazing hardware, amazing software, and amazing customer service. I understand that it is still much better than probably all other computer companies, but for the price it should be even better.

Since Apple has decided to treat a longtime customer in this manner, I cannot justify giving them one more penny of my money. We have spent nearly $20,000 on Apple products over the years, but they cannot cover an issue as simple as this - an issue that would be covered if the computer was purchased in another country? An issue that is clearly so big a problem that it should warrant a recall...

I want to stick with Apple, but there is no way that I can after this.

Sad to see you go, lets move on though. How much for an Apple TV 3? I am assuming you are getting rid of it all since you said gone for good.

 

[keithjfuller]

i bought a laptop from dell for $1500, it was the dell studio xps 1340. before the manufacturer's warranty expired , dell stopped manufacturing 9 cell battery packs for it. and it's cousin, the m1330's batteries wouldn't fit.

if i need a new battery, i have to buy counterfeits.

thats the last time i bought a dell

if you would of chosen to spend the $350 for square trade on your $2,500 computer, you wouldn't of posted here about it, you would of just went to the bank and cashed the $2,500 check square trade gave you

i'm assuming that you're blaming me for buying a $2,5000 computer and also spending over $300 for an extending warranty and expecting it to last longer than it did?

i've never even heard of square trade, but if you're seriously telling me that this is my fault i don't know how to respond.

----------

a lot of times the only thing stopping you from having the apple product replaced under warranty or not is the individual genius you are speaking to.

if apple won't cover a repair even if its been a few months since applecare expired , get another genius. until you find someone worth listening to..

check this out

i tried, and he went to the manager, but all i got was "sorry."

 

[Praesto]

the thing is, we did buy Applecare, but lucky for them it ran out only 2 months before this happened.

i'll be clear - i'm not mad that something broke - stuff breaks. i'm mad because of the way apple is choosing to handle it (or not handle it).

also, i'd think that paying $2,500 for laptop should include some sort of warranty on it's own. i find the $350 a little absurd for something that is supposed to be top-of-the-line.

It comes with a 1 year warranty included.

 

[reco2011]

the thing is, we did buy Applecare, but lucky for them it ran out only 2 months before this happened.

i'll be clear - i'm not mad that something broke - stuff breaks. i'm mad because of the way apple is choosing to handle it (or not handle it).

I'm a little puzzled as to why you're upset at Apple here. Your system is three years old and no longer covered under warranty yet you're upset because they're not giving you a goodwill repair? IOW you're upset with Apple because they're not doing what you want instead of what they agreed to do when you purchased the system? Apple has fullfilled their commitment to you and they're under no obligation to provide a goodwill repair. Your being upset with them doesn't make sense.

 

[keithjfuller]

I'm a little puzzled as to why you're upset at Apple here. Your system is three years old and no longer covered under warranty yet you're upset because they're not giving you a goodwill repair? IOW you're upset with Apple because they're not doing what you want instead of what they agreed to do when you purchased the system? Apple has fullfilled their commitment to you and they're under no obligation to provide a goodwill repair. Your being upset with them doesn't make sense.

i'm not going to start a heated debate with you about this. to be honest, i expected more comments about how i "should just get over it. pc sucks. etc." but luckily people here have been very level-headed, civil, and logical (mostly).

the simple fact is that this is a known issue that tens of thousands of people have reported (this exact model of laptop). a top of the line computer should not have logic board issues as quickly as this one on such a massive scale.

also, apple fulfilled their obligation only in the US. had we purchased this in the UK (where we are now) they would still be under obligation.

either way, i won't argue with your point that i'm a silly consumer who deserves this. you believe it, and i won't try to convince you otherwise.

 

[reco2011]

i'm not going to start a heated debate with you about this. to be honest, i expected more comments about how i "should just get over it. pc sucks. etc." but luckily people here have been very level-headed, civil, and logical (mostly).

the simple fact is that this is a known issue that tens of thousands of people have reported (this exact model of laptop). a top of the line computer should not have logic board issues as quickly as this one on such a massive scale.

also, apple fulfilled their obligation only in the US. had we purchased this in the UK (where we are now) they would still be under obligation.

either way, i won't argue with your point that i'm a silly consumer who deserves this. you believe it, and i won't try to convince you otherwise.

You are being silly because you're mad at Apple for doing something YOU think they should be doing instead of something they committed to at the time you purchased the system. They've broken no promise to you. With the expiration of the Apple Care warranty they've fulfilled every commitment they've made to you. Now, because they're not doing what YOU want they're the bad guy. You sound like spoiled brat throwing a temper tantrum because you're not getting your way.

 

[keithjfuller]

It comes with a 1 year warranty included.

well i'm happy that you feel an item as expensive as this should only require a 1 year warranty, and after that you're asking too much for it to continue working.

i'd also like to make it clear that i'm not stating that apple is worse than other companies in this regard. they all do what is legally required of them.

if i were to purchase a dell for 1/4 of the cost i wouldn't be shocked that it broke and that they refused to help me. however, when i purchase something that is proclaimed to be the best thing out there, i expect much more.

i'm not going to argue with you over what you feel consumers should expect. it makes no difference to me what you feel a company is responsible for. however, i am upset, along with tens of thousands who have experienced the same thing.

i'm not here to start a mac vs pc debate with you. i think macs are much better in just about every regard (which is why i've used apple products exclusively for over 10 years) in the same way that i think a bmw 328i is better than a kia elantra. however, for what i NEED, i'm not going to pay the premium. i'm especially not going to pay the premium if that company is not standing by their products for any longer than they are legally required to.

 

[reco2011]

well i'm happy that you feel an item as expensive as this should only require a 1 year warranty, and after that you're asking too much for it to continue working.

i'd also like to make it clear that i'm not stating that apple is worse than other companies in this regard. they all do what is legally required of them.

if i were to purchase a dell for 1/4 of the cost i wouldn't be shocked that it broke and that they refused to help me. however, when i purchase something that is proclaimed to be the best thing out there, i expect much more.

Then that's your issue. Apple delivered what they promised to deliver when you purchased the system. Upon expiration of your Apple Care warranty they've fulfilled everything they committed to. The fact you have different expectations shouldn't be something you fault them for.

I understand your frustration. You bought a nice piece of hardware and paid a high price for it. To have it fail just outside of warranty would be frustrating to me too. No one is faulting you for that. I would feel the same way. I think it was reasonable for you to ask Apple for a goodwill repair. However the fact they're unwilling to do so should not upset you. You're outside the window of obligation the two of you agreed to at the time of purchase. To fault someone for not doing something you expect is irrational.

Now if you were upset because a premium piece of hardware shouldn't have problems that's a different argument. But it's one you specifically excluded from consideration:

"i'll be clear - i'm not mad that something broke - stuff breaks"

 

[576316]

The trouble comes when the people you deal with are not doing a decent job and the won't allow you to contact their boss. I've had that before asking for the email and they said no all complaints go to me. I replied but my complaint is about you.

So your answer is to give up and allow that person to keep screwing people over. The ceo email usually leads to a team that's for sure but it's the highest your going to get which bypasses problem people who don't want you to complain about them.

You don't sound like you run a business because you don't seem to want to know about problems that people could be covering up and driving customers away.

You're right, I don't run a business.

 

[vlug]

You are being silly because you're mad at Apple for doing something YOU think they should be doing instead of something they committed to at the time you purchased the system. They've broken no promise to you. With the expiration of the Apple Care warranty they've fulfilled every commitment they've made to you. Now, because they're not doing what YOU want they're the bad guy. You sound like spoiled brat throwing a temper tantrum because you're not getting your way.

No, you have become accustomed to poor customer service.

Items as expensive as a Macbook Pro should not just break going on 2 years old when they have been looked after.

A Logicboard is the main component of this device it is not a consumable part or a part which can be replaced easily as such.

Thankfully their are laws within the EU/UK which protect their citizens from companies which fail to do the right thing regards such issues.

Consumers who accept such failures by companies are as much a part of the problem as the company knowingly ignoring the issue of a design flaw in a very pricey product of theirs!

 

[Zxxv]

I think if apple made a product that is built to last and very few broke they'd be more inclined to fix for free as they wouldn't be making anything on repairs.

It seems they are making a lot of profit on repairs so their product is breaking.

deliberate engineering?

 

[576316]

well i'm happy that you feel an item as expensive as this should only require a 1 year warranty, and after that you're asking too much for it to continue working.

i'd also like to make it clear that i'm not stating that apple is worse than other companies in this regard. they all do what is legally required of them.

if i were to purchase a dell for 1/4 of the cost i wouldn't be shocked that it broke and that they refused to help me. however, when i purchase something that is proclaimed to be the best thing out there, i expect much more.

i'm not going to argue with you over what you feel consumers should expect. it makes no difference to me what you feel a company is responsible for. however, i am upset, along with tens of thousands who have experienced the same thing.

i'm not here to start a mac vs pc debate with you. i think macs are much better in just about every regard (which is why i've used apple products exclusively for over 10 years) in the same way that i think a bmw 328i is better than a kia elantra. however, for what i NEED, i'm not going to pay the premium. i'm especially not going to pay the premium if that company is not standing by their products for any longer than they are legally required to.

The fact is and, if I've read your original post right, your laptop is out of warranty and your AppleCare has run out. This means you are no longer entitled to replacements or repairs from Apple. Fair and square. What makes you think that Tim Cook is going to allow you to just bypass those rules and terms of service, just because your laptop has stopped working?

Correct me if I've misunderstood your case. It sounds like you're angry because your laptop has stopped working and Apple won't fix it completely free of charge.

 

[reco2011]

No, you have become accustomed to poor customer service.

How so? I own several Apple products and have been very pleased with their service. I've even had a few, well out of warranty items repaired at no cost to me. I think Apple's customer service is top notch.

With that said a company that doesn't perform a goodwill repair is not a company to avoid. They're under no obligation to repair something merely because YOU think they should.

Items as expensive as a Macbook Pro should not just break going on 2 years old when they have been looked after.

I believe Apple Care covers the system for three years.

A Logicboard is the main component of this device it is not a consumable part or a part which can be replaced easily as such.

Thankfully their are laws within the EU/UK which protect their citizens from companies which fail to do the right thing regards such issues.

Fail to do the right thing? How is Apple failing to do the right thing? You mean they're not giving him something they never promised him yet he feels he's entitled to? Odd definition of the right thing you've got.

Consumers who accept such failures by companies are as much a part of the problem as the company knowingly ignoring the issue of a design flaw in a very pricey product of theirs!

You say it's a design flaw. Has Apple acknowledged it as such? If not merely because you feel it is doesn't make it so. It may very well be but until it's been deemed as much you're just theorizing.

 

[keithjfuller]

You say it's a design flaw. Has Apple acknowledged it as such? If not merely because you feel it is doesn't make it so. It may very well be but until it's been deemed as much you're just theorizing.

Apple acknowledging something doesn't make it true, however, an online petition with over 31,000 people who have signed it surely does - https://www.change.org/p/timothy-d-cook-replace-or-fix-all-2011-macbook-pro-with-graphics-failure. In the US, many republicans don't acknowledge that global warming is real, so under your logic it's not.

I will point out that that is one petition of many. Either way, I'm not trying to convince you - you've made up your mind and seem to take my legitimate frustrations with Apple as a personal attack on yourself.

 

[reco2011]

Apple acknowledging something doesn't make it true, however, an online petition with over 31,000 people who have signed it surely does - https://www.change.org/p/timothy-d-cook-replace-or-fix-all-2011-macbook-pro-with-graphics-failure. In the US, many republicans don't acknowledge that global warming is real, so under your logic it's not.

Having a petition doesn't make something true either.

I will point out that that is one petition of many. Either way, I'm not trying to convince you - you've made up your mind and seem to take my legitimate frustrations with Apple as a personal attack on yourself.

Why would I do that? I have no connection to Apple other than being one of their users. What I am confused with is why you're upset at a company which did everything they committed to at the time you purchased their product. You seem to feel because YOU want them to do something they should do it. Again you sound like a spoiled brat who i throwing a temper tantrum because you're not getting your way.

 

[Praesto]

well i'm happy that you feel an item as expensive as this should only require a 1 year warranty, and after that you're asking too much for it to continue working.

i'd also like to make it clear that i'm not stating that apple is worse than other companies in this regard. they all do what is legally required of them.

if i were to purchase a dell for 1/4 of the cost i wouldn't be shocked that it broke and that they refused to help me. however, when i purchase something that is proclaimed to be the best thing out there, i expect much more.

i'm not going to argue with you over what you feel consumers should expect. it makes no difference to me what you feel a company is responsible for. however, i am upset, along with tens of thousands who have experienced the same thing.

i'm not here to start a mac vs pc debate with you. i think macs are much better in just about every regard (which is why i've used apple products exclusively for over 10 years) in the same way that i think a bmw 328i is better than a kia elantra. however, for what i NEED, i'm not going to pay the premium. i'm especially not going to pay the premium if that company is not standing by their products for any longer than they are legally required to.

Most cars at 10-15X this price have a three year warranty.. Now sure how pricing to warranty works.

$100 apple TV's come with a 1 year warranty. Should your $2,500 have a 25 year warranty?

Also in all reality, I have never heard Apple to proclaim they are the best thing out there. I have heard the Apple consumers claim that, but just cause I claim Apple has a 25 year warranty doesnt mean they agree...

As everyone else has mentioned, I am sorry that you expect a company to permanantly provide service for free for their product. Or better yet, you expect them to provide service only when YOU have a problem. If someone else had this same issue, I am willing to be $$$ you would ignore it or just shrug it off. This type of issue has been posted before - where were you?

I have experienced this same style issue but I never complained. I had the 2007 MPB and it had a bad gfx card. Mine died 1 month after the expiration of the 4 years they extended the program for and Apple denied fixing it.

Oh well...

Also how much for your Apple 3 TV?

 

[Queen6]

Personally I wont buy another Apple portable with discrete GPU, as frankly their track record is pretty bad right now. So far I have been lucky and not had any issue equally many have not been so lucky.

Apple needs to stand by their product far too many MBP`s fail due to GPU issue`s. All mass produced product has a failure rate, equally the MBP discrete GPU issue is getting "old" for the sake of being thinner and lighter. Last thing I need is my notebook to go "dark" in the field. Bottom line if MBP`s ran cooler it would be a non issue for the majority.

If your system does suffer GPU failure, you may or may not be covered, depending on many factors, as for Apple`s benevolence, I find it pretty much nonexistent outside the US, nor do I expect. I do expect that the system is reliable for a reasonable period of time and not be forced into Apple care as many feel they have to, in fear of premature failure.

I stay for OS X, the hardware is nothing special, Windows 8 is just a travesty and I am far happier in the OS X environment. A "Hackintosh" is an option, but once again it has the potential to be problematic on the job and no one needs that...

Q-6

 

[Rolly1988]

I can understand why the OP is feeling pretty aggrieved. You spend that much on a laptop and generally you expect it to last longer than that. I'm writing this on my 7 1/2 yr old macbook, which is still going strong. I've also had quite a few iPods and iPhones that have also lasted considerably well over the years. Overall, along with many others, I am very happy about the quality of Apple products and believe that on the whole, you get your money's worth. I therefore strongly recommend Apple products to my friends and family who have also purchased Apple products.

Ok, Apple is a business, an extremely successful one at that, and hasn't got there by giving away loads of free stuff. Ultimately it can't give a free replacement, repair etc. to every customer who comes in and has a little moan. Also, I'd imagine a number of those customers product's have probably failed because of abuse/mistreatment. It has to look after the cents (penny's for us UK guys ) for the dollars (pounds) to roll in. It has to be a bit ruthless and sadly that means not everyone is a winner and will feel happy about this. Yes, ok, in this instance, technically Apple are within their rights to say no sorry we can't help you.

HOWEVER, Over the years Apple has designed many fantastic products and people have ultimately fallen for the Apple ecosystem (I mean that in good way). With that people will expand their range of products from Apple and ultimately replace those, when required, with more Apple products. They are a very happy customer who is more than happy to shout from the roof top about how great Apple is. Now obviously everyone knows you pay a premium for Apple products so as soon as people buy in to it all the profits begin to roll in.

Apple has been very successful designing well made and eye catching products and has also importantly marketed these very well. It doesn't matter that they don't always have the very latest and greatest features, the iPhone is a good example of this. What does matter is that it has built up a very, very loyal fan base who are happy to keep paying the premium and spread the good word about Apple. This last bit is a key component as to how Apple has become the success it is today. Look at the queues that build up when a new iPhone is released. How many other brands have this kind of customer.

Apple has built this fan base and managed to keep it so loyal that it is not half as common as other brands, for people to constantly give up and jump ship. Now, I'm not saying the OP is the sole reason behind their success and that if he/she leaves the Apple ecosystem then they will suddenly fail. However, for someone who seems to be a very loyal customer and has purchased a considerable amount of Apple products, it would seem right that Apple recognises this and offer some sort of help to a customer that has helped it become what it is today. As a customer who had spent that amount on Apple products, you would imagine that in return, if such a situation as this occurred, this fact might want to recognised. To help the OP, Apple will help keep him/her happy, ready to spend more with them and also keep the good word spreading. It might be irritating to the OP who has helped contribute to their success that this isn't the case. Without its loyal fan base Apple probably wouldn't be in the position it is today.

All in all there are some instances where the bigger picture should be considered, this is probably one of them.

 

[reco2011]

Also in all reality, I have never heard Apple to proclaim they are the best thing out there. I have heard the Apple consumers claim that, but just cause I claim Apple has a 25 year warranty doesnt mean they agree...

I think this is key. It's my opinion Apple users have created an image of Apple which doesn't match reality. Owners have convinced themselves Apple is somehow better than everyone else. Possibly created by their higher prices. I use all kinds of systems and I've found Apple, from a reliability perspective, is no better than other manufacturers of similar quality.

 

[keithjfuller]

@reco2011 and praesto

i really am sorry that this is so upsetting to you, but the easiest way to deal with it is to simply not read my post. are you worried that i'm going to spoil the name of apple and that will somehow have a physical impact on you? you are both acting like i'm abusing your child.

if you don't like what i'm writing you don't have to read it. i don't mind if you do, and i don't mind if you don't agree with me, but i'm trying to do the two of you a favor and remind you that you can avoid your anger by simply not reading the post.

and reco - you're called me a spoiled brat twice. luckily, i've learned not to get upset about personal attacks from nameless users - i feel like there is a name for this...