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Was your MBP 2016+ affected by flexgate yet?

  • Yes

    Votes: 221 49.2%
  • No

    Votes: 228 50.8%

  • Total voters
    449

Prodo123

macrumors 68020
Nov 18, 2010
2,326
10
Backlight completely shuts off after I open the lid halfway. Apple tried to charge me $680 for the repair. Almost gave them the finger, but decided to be nice and just walk out of the store.
 

slamtennis

macrumors member
May 5, 2019
78
95
Sad that I wish I had the antireflective coating issue just so I could get a new display to correct the flexgate issue at no cost.
 

Garage Battle

macrumors regular
Aug 31, 2007
178
172
Orlando, FL
Backlight completely shuts off after I open the lid halfway. Apple tried to charge me $680 for the repair. Almost gave them the finger, but decided to be nice and just walk out of the store.

Read through this thread and consider going to reddit and reading some of the threads in /r/macbook and /r/macbookpro.

My suggestion is to get your knowledge up and once you have your talking points right start calling Apple support to request a repair. Might take a few calls and the right pressure.

If you have success report back.
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Sad that I wish I had the antireflective coating issue just so I could get a new display to correct the flexgate issue at no cost.
some people have talked about this - might be a chemical you can rub on your screen to create the problem - but dont take my word for it.
 

lapacho

macrumors newbie
Nov 18, 2016
20
10
Sad that I wish I had the antireflective coating issue just so I could get a new display to correct the flexgate issue at no cost.

buy listerine and rub the coating off. so I got a new display and a new keyboard/Battery. but my mbp had only stagelighteffect, display backlight did work.
 

boss.king

macrumors 603
Apr 8, 2009
6,142
6,900
buy listerine and rub the coating off. so I got a new display and a new keyboard/Battery. but my mbp had only stagelighteffect, display backlight did work.

Was this after taking it in for the stage light issue or did you already know they wouldn't fix it? Also, to what extent did you remove the coating? I currently have the stage light issue but still have a working backlight and am getting no luck with Apple Support as far as them acknowledging the issue.
 

boss.king

macrumors 603
Apr 8, 2009
6,142
6,900
Apple rarely acknowledges an issue unless it's safety related or if Apple is dragged into court.
True. I have heard from some people here and on Reddit that they were able to get Apple to replace their display for free after contacting support a few times, but I'm at three seperate calls and a chat and no luck.
 

Plutonius

macrumors G3
Feb 22, 2003
9,033
8,404
New Hampshire, USA
True. I have heard from some people here and on Reddit that they were able to get Apple to replace their display for free after contacting support a few times, but I'm at three seperate calls and a chat and no luck.

I'm predicting that the flex-gate issue will eventually be dragged into court.

Apple will most likely agree to free flex-gate repairs on certain models for a certain time period (similar to the butterfly keyboard repair program).
 

boss.king

macrumors 603
Apr 8, 2009
6,142
6,900
I'm predicting that the flex-gate issue will eventually be dragged into court.

Apple will most likely agree to free flex-gate repairs on certain models for a certain time period (similar to the butterfly keyboard repair program).
Hopefully you're right. While I don't think this is an issue I should have to pay to fix, I also don't really feel comfortable sabotaging my antireflective coating to get them to cover it either.

I've even gone as far as to email Tim Cook to voice my frustration with this issue, but so far he hasn't opened my email (nor do I really expect him to).
 

slamtennis

macrumors member
May 5, 2019
78
95
Hopefully you're right. While I don't think this is an issue I should have to pay to fix, I also don't really feel comfortable sabotaging my antireflective coating to get them to cover it either.

I've even gone as far as to email Tim Cook to voice my frustration with this issue, but so far he hasn't opened my email (nor do I really expect him to).

I am completely comfortable sabotaging my antireflective coating. I just have not been successful in sabotaging so far.
 

boss.king

macrumors 603
Apr 8, 2009
6,142
6,900
I am completely comfortable sabotaging my antireflective coating. I just have not been successful in sabotaging so far.
I've heard mouthwash or window cleaner and a paper towel can do it after a little bit of rubbing. Toothpaste has also been mentioned. I've seen coworkers wreck theirs with the little bottles of display cleaner you get on Amazon/wherever too.
 

bobmepp

macrumors regular
Jan 9, 2014
153
103
Hopefully you're right. While I don't think this is an issue I should have to pay to fix, I also don't really feel comfortable sabotaging my antireflective coating to get them to cover it either.

I've even gone as far as to email Tim Cook to voice my frustration with this issue, but so far he hasn't opened my email (nor do I really expect him to).

I admire your ethical standards. It's a difficult issue: Apple is being dishonest in failing to officially acknowledge this problem, and a possible response is to use dishonesty to fight dishonesty. Going for ever-thinner MacBooks is a huge strategic mistake for Apple and appears to contribute to the flexgate and keyboard issues. The bottom line is that you shouldn't be forced into this conundrum. What to do remains an open question. I have spent thousands on Apple products since 2012, and have generally been very happy with both the products and the service I have received, but this issue angers and disappoints me.
 
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jomarr

macrumors member
Nov 4, 2011
89
9
My Macbook has gone ballistic

WhVM9OR.jpg


I'm pretty disappointed. This is my first Macbook and this happened a month after the warranty expired. My first laptop (which is a cheap Compaq one lasted for 5 years). This couldn't even hold it's own after a year. I hope they can fix this immediately. I'm not paying 600$ for a repair. I really need a computer and this is the only one I have. I splurged 1000++$ just because I've repeated heard Macbooks have topnotch quality.

I am an Apple user and this is probably the biggest purchase I did and I am extremely disappointed. I'm considering on reutrning to Windows in a few years if this issue is not resolved.
 

ScreenSavers

macrumors 68020
Feb 26, 2016
2,115
1,688
Bloomingdale, GA
My Macbook has gone ballistic

WhVM9OR.jpg


I'm pretty disappointed. This is my first Macbook and this happened a month after the warranty expired. My first laptop (which is a cheap Compaq one lasted for 5 years). This couldn't even hold it's own after a year. I hope they can fix this immediately. I'm not paying 600$ for a repair. I really need a computer and this is the only one I have. I splurged 1000++$ just because I've repeated heard Macbooks have topnotch quality.

I am an Apple user and this is probably the biggest purchase I did and I am extremely disappointed. I'm considering on reutrning to Windows in a few years if this issue is not resolved.

Wow, that is unfortunate. Sorry. Is that a 12 inch MacBook?
 

jomarr

macrumors member
Nov 4, 2011
89
9
Wow, that is unfortunate. Sorry. Is that a 12 inch MacBook?

It’s a 2017 13-inch MBP NTB.

Don’t know what happened but I saw a post on Twitter and it has the same problem as mine and he linked it to flexgate. However, I didn’t see it coming unlike him.
 

randomtask

macrumors member
Feb 20, 2010
47
16
Heads up.

My late 2016 MBP 13" non-tb has spotlighting + screen turned off at an angle of approx 110 degrees. Apple store is replacing the screen out of warranty, free of charge.

No quibbling or fuss, immediately agreed to repair it. Stated that they had seen tons of these. Turn around 5 days.
 

Kostwinner

macrumors newbie
May 21, 2019
2
0
One month out of warranty, my Macbook 2017 TB started to misbehave...
Took it to the Apple Store. Clerk (I refuse to call them Genius) acknowledged there were lots of problems with this model, but nevertheless had to charge me €500 to get the screen replaced. Still feel pissed off.
 

pshufd

macrumors G3
Oct 24, 2013
9,943
14,437
New Hampshire
One month out of warranty, my Macbook 2017 TB started to misbehave...
Took it to the Apple Store. Clerk (I refuse to call them Genius) acknowledged there were lots of problems with this model, but nevertheless had to charge me €500 to get the screen replaced. Still feel pissed off.

I think that posting it to YouTube is a good idea. I'd also tweet to Tim Cook as well (I've done that in the past). I don't know whether or not you have a lot of followers but you could find someone with a lot of followers that has had Apple problems and Tweet to them (they will likely ignore you but it might catch Apple's attention).

Displays should not fail in one year these days. I have a Dell Inspiron 4000 and a Dell Inspiron 4100 in the basement. One was purchased in 1999 and the other in 2000. Those laptops still work, display and all.
 

Kostwinner

macrumors newbie
May 21, 2019
2
0
I think that posting it to YouTube is a good idea. I'd also tweet to Tim Cook as well (I've done that in the past). I don't know whether or not you have a lot of followers but you could find someone with a lot of followers that has had Apple problems and Tweet to them (they will likely ignore you but it might catch Apple's attention).

Displays should not fail in one year these days. I have a Dell Inspiron 4000 and a Dell Inspiron 4100 in the basement. One was purchased in 1999 and the other in 2000. Those laptops still work, display and all.
Agreed. This happened to me a couple of months ago. Maybe posting it here will help others to get a replacement for free, but I've given up hope to get a refund or any kind of satisfactory reaction from Apple. BTW, it's my third Macbook, and the first time it really let me down.
 

boss.king

macrumors 603
Apr 8, 2009
6,142
6,900
So they finally announced a repair program! Who else is planning a visit to an Apple Store/AASP tomorrow morning?
 
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