MBP Keyboard and Track Pad dead....for the second time

[MadMac84]

I have a MBP that is a little over a year old now. Its the 2.4 Ghz Core 2 Duo, GeForce 8600M GT 256MB model with a 7200RPM hard drive upgrade.

Sometime in June the keyboard and trackpad started acting funny where the computer would not recognize the input. It was completely random whether or not the keyboard and trackpad would work. It kept getting more common though as the days went on. It was around finals time for me and I needed a reliable laptop so I opened it up and reconnected the keyboard plug. (I am not new to working on my own computers so I had no problem openning up the laptop) Within days the problem came back and eventually the keyboard and trackpad stopped working all together. I figured at this point there must just be something wrong with the plug and I'd need a new top plate for my laptop which houses the keyboard and the trackpad.

As a side note let me mention that the computer worked perfectly when using a USB keyboard and mouse. So at least I was able to use my laptop, it just wasn't that portable anymore.

Since it was still under warrantee I brought it to the Apple Store and they diagnosed it exactly as I thought, that the keyboard and trackpad plate would have to be replaced. After having the work done I got the laptop back with everything working fine.

Fast forward to a few days ago, and I feel like I reliving the whole problem again. It started with the keyboard and trackpad not responding randomly and has progressivly gotten more and more common to the point now where I have no mouse and keyboard input for the laptop at all. Meanwhile, my warrantee has just ended at the end of August.

I called the Apple Store and explained the situation. They said that service is covered under a 90 day policy, but since it is the exact same problem, there is a good chance that they will extend that guarantee for me.

I have yet to bring in the laptop as I have family commitments when I have free time and I work and go to school full time. I plan on getting it to the Apple Store soon. However, I did want to run this story by everyone here. I have a ton of questions...

Has this happened to anyone before?
Has anyone had work done that *broke* after the 90 days and still had it covered?
This is my first Mac, does Apple have a track record for bad hardware? (at least for laptops)
Would the new Unibody constructed MacBooks fix this issue? (not that I really have the money to buy another $2500 computer)

 

[jeiting]

I am in the midst of the exact same problem.

My trackpad and keyboard crapped out in early october and I had the whole top case replaces which seemed to fix the problem. Then just this week the keyboard and trackpad died again. Exactly the same way as before. I brought it in to the repair guys and they confirmed it was the same problem. So they have ordered another top and I am awaiting its arrival. The repair tech said that there is a possibility that my logic board is frying these devices, which would suck. Or perhaps that I have been touching the trackpad and giving it a static shock, frying it. I know that recently I had shocked the trackpad so that explanation is plausible.

I should get my new top on monday, we'll see if it happens again.

 

[nishishei]

What the hell is up with Apple's quality?

I'm surprised people still buy Apple laptops with all their problems. If you bought a TV (say Polaroid brand) that had this much trouble, would you still be buying another TV from that brand?

 

[techlover828]

hey, I had the same exact problems. Mine has also been repaired twice. Now it seems to be working, but I just god it back yesterday. If it breaks again, they're going to give me one of the new ones. We'll see. They replaced my logic board, keyboard, trackpad, and casing surrounding the keyboard/trackpad.

 

[jeiting]

I hope replacing it a second time works. I don't have the money to try and replace every possible part that could be causing the problem.

I do think this is some sort of reflection on Apple's quality. Sure these machines look well made but if they don't actually withstand the test of time than what is good looks really worth.

Ah well.