2017 MBP Backlight Woes

[TwiceHorn 31539]

Some of you may recall that about a year and a half ago, my Air started acting up with the t key repeating.  Turned out it had been set down? near some liquid and the fans had sucked it in and sprayed it over the interior.  Which brought me to a 2017 MBP.

Well, I have been scrupulous about keeping liquid away from this fucker (as I always am), and have been pretty scrupulous about cleaning the kb with a damp cloth, duster, and canned air.

About a month ago, the T key became or I noticed a little brighter than the others.  Still works fine.  Today, the 9 key started flickering when the backlight is turnt up.  I reset SCM and closed it to reset all that and it still kept happening.  It has stopped now. 

I made a genius bar appointment and then canceled it because I don't want to know, really.

Anyone have any experience with this?

I like the physical package of Macs, but my experience hasn't been exactly fantastic.  I'm on my third ultrabook now, and none of them have lasted two years.  I'm pretty agnostic about OSes, but dislike what I see of W10.

[crash_davis 23115]

you have something else to look forward to.

flexgate.  https://www.macrumors.com/guide/flexgate-macbook-pro-display-issue/

 

[YChang 3462]

That sucks Twice and I imagine pretty frustrating.

 

To your question thought, I haven’t had the experience you’ve had and my work issued 1st gen touchbar MB pro is still going strong without issues.

 

 

 

[TwiceHorn 31539]

Fuck apple.  So is this a 700+repair? They just made an enemy for life.

Back to windows it is. Gotfuckingdammit.

Edited June 13, 2019 by TwiceHorn

[YChang 3462]

See if you can yell at the person at the Store and get them to fix your laptop for free under this program:

https://www.apple.com/support/keyboard-service-program-for-mac-notebooks/

 

 

[TwiceHorn 31539]

Problem is the fix is a screen replacement not kb.

Seems quite a few in Australia have gotten it replaced free on 2017s.They have a program for 2016s.

Their handling of this and the shit keyboard problem are, well, problematic.

[TwiceHorn 31539]

Actually, this is just the kb backlight, not the screen, although it has done a couple of weird things (a white dot at the bottom of the screen for a while, and it was fuzzed out on the way open not too long ago, but recovered).

I'm just going to ignore this for a while. 

I have never owned any pc that wasn't a laptop.  Ultrabooks, well really SSDs I guess, are quite cool, but I should probably quit buying them because they have sucked for me in terms of longevity. I rarely travel for work anymore, but I do go crosstown quite a bit, so small and light is nice but not a dealbreaker.

I used to get real excited about buying a new laptop, now it's just sunk money.

[Lobwedgephil 1139]

This is a free fix, usually done in a day now as they can repair in store depending on location. You have 4 years, and they will replace with a 2018 model keyboard, which is slightly better, but some stilll have issues, I haven't. 

 

 

[TwiceHorn 31539]

34 minutes ago, Lobwedgephil said:

This is a free fix, usually done in a day now as they can repair in store depending on location. You have 4 years, and they will replace with a 2018 model keyboard, which is slightly better, but some stilll have issues, I haven't. 

 

 

As far as I can tell, this free fix applies only if you have sticky or stuck keys, not backlight issues.  I do kind of suspect that blowing my keyboard out fairly often may have something to do with the backlight issues, at least the T key.  The 9 key hasn't been flickering since OP.

[Lobwedgephil 1139]

I wouldn't mention blowing your keyboard out often, and they are pretty much fixing any keyboard issues besides liquid damage on these. They did on my 2016 twice, then just gave me an 18,  but that was probably an unusual thing. 

[TwiceHorn 31539]

Their instructions for maintaining the kb call for blowing it out. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205662

[Lobwedgephil 1139]

Okay, I just prefer to mention as little as possible at the Genius Bar, just explain my issue. You have 4 years from purchase, so you have time. Just know they are fixing all they can due to the bad press about the keyboard. 

[TwiceHorn 31539]

Valid point. 

Raised the lid this morning, nothing.  I'm not going to be able to ignore this much longer.

[52-80 19257]

I was on MacOS side for years but W10 is really, really good. 

For 98% of people for 98% of use case the 2 OSes are equally effective.

[TwiceHorn 31539]

On 6/14/2019 at 9:31 AM, 52-80 said:

I was on MacOS side for years but W10 is really, really good. 

For 98% of people for 98% of use case the 2 OSes are equally effective.

I just loathe the fact that that have rearranged the settings that every sentient computer user knew where to find, in some effort to be "user-friendly."

So, Friday, the MBP didn't misbehave at all, except for the screen going dark briefly after being opened.  Today the 9 key is flickering and bright.  I just know they're going to say its the logic board or a kb defect not covered by the program(s).  Dumbass bar appointment at 1245 tomorrow.

I have some nice PC choices lined up to terminate my experience with Apple with extreme prejudice.

Edited June 15, 2019 by TwiceHorn

[TwiceHorn 31539]

Well, props to Lobwedgephil and YChang.  Guy at Genius Bar put it in for a new topcase under the keyboard thing.  He didn't seem to think it was anything but the keyboard.  Ran their diagnostics, nothing else fucked up.  Should have it back Tuesday.

I still fear them finding something else wrong when they get it open.  Genius did say he'd never seen that before.

[TwiceHorn 31539]

Welp, bullet dodged.  It's ready for pickup.  Not even 24 hours down and starting on a Sunday.  Whew.  Good on Apple.

It is a little disturbing that they have these fairly major issues going in the post-2016 MBP keyboards and the display connector, but they are mostly doing right by their customers with them.  After class-actions, though.

Apparently, both problems a result of trying to get fairly heavy duty machines into an Air form-factor.  Which I guess is nice, but seems unnecessary.  Not sure I would have replaced the Air with a Pro if it wasn't relatively thin and light, so there's that.

[52-80 19257]

People can trash apple all they want.  I had a toddler jab a pen into my new apple laptop screen, i took it to the apple store, they gave me a courtesy screen replacement and shipped it back in 2 business days.  That sorta stuff builds lots of brand goodwill

[TwiceHorn 31539]

Didn't realize that a topcase replacement included a new battery.  That's nice.

Either they replaced the keyboard with something improved, or my keys had gotten pretty crunchy despite my effort because it types more quietly than before, the keys feel a little "damped."  I have read that newer keyboards include a membrane of some sort for either quieter operation or spill and crud proofing.

Also, the only reason you could tell it wasn't brand new was the left side of the palmrest was slightly lighter (space grey), now that's gone.

Apple is pretty much off my shitlist.  I do think they got overzealous in trying to turn the MBP into an ultrabook.

[Soldierhorn 206]

y'all are going to say this is "inconvenient" but it's really not; it's just an extra step and more of a habit now. 

But, why not use a wireless keyboard & mouse while using the laptop at home and/or at the office? Besides the obvious, it keeps me from hovering over the keyboard and spilling stuff on it.  I do it mainly because I cant stand typing on attached keyboards. I also put something like an old clear document protector over the laptop keyboard to keep dust and stuff out of it.  

 

[TwiceHorn 31539]

I have definitely done that before, but just haven't lately.  I might look into a little keyboard.  Depending how I set it up, my aging eyes might not appreciate the extra distance from the screen.

The OS and all my files were intact, but some of my settings were changed.  The security was turned back on, which rendered a few of my programs useless and the size of my email font was reduced, the list not the emails itself.  Probably be finding little things like that for another week or so.

[TwiceHorn 31539]

https://support.apple.com/15-inch-macbook-pro-battery-recall

Fookin ell.

[Lobwedgephil 1139]

8 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

https://support.apple.com/15-inch-macbook-pro-battery-recall

Fookin ell.

Didn't you just get your battery replaced? Guess they saved you a trip. 

[TwiceHorn 31539]

Only applies to 15 inchers.  I aint that big.

I'm just noting the somewhat massive problems Apple is having with MBPs.

[SDG 3319]

Samsung had the same issue with their phones catching fire on airplanes.  If the manufacturer is willing to fix these issues, even out of warranty, i’ll give them a pass.  

[TwiceHorn 31539]

It's just another in a series of problems for the more recent generations of MBP.

It seems that by trying to make the MBP into another ultrabook, a possibly dubious decision unto itself (I don't see tons of differentiation between MacBook Air, MacBook, and MacBook Pro), Apple may have crossed a bridge too far.

[SDG 3319]

Bump because it’s 2017 mb pro related.  Has anyone did the free keyboard update?  I had a couple keys that periodically wouldn’t register clicks so I sent mine into Apple.  I’m curious as to how long it’ll take and is the update any good?   

[SDG 3319]

Bump again.  Already got my laptop back and the keys all work like new again plus they even installed a new battery.  not bad for free.    

[TwiceHorn 31539]

6 minutes ago, SDG said:

Bump again.  Already got my laptop back and the keys all work like new again plus they even installed a new battery.  not bad for free.    

I got mine back in 24 hours I think.  I was amazed.  And yeah, they replace the whole top case, which includes the battery.  If you don't get it warranted, its' about 750 bucks.