2011 15" MBP logic board failure 4 weeks after warranty expires.

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Hello, my name is Josh and I am new here. I was encouraged to come here in hopes that someone could provide me with information that may help me in my attempts to make apple replace or repair my MacBook Pro.

Here's what's happened so far.

On June 25, 2011 I purchased a $2700.00 15" MacBook Pro. 2 months later the hard drive fails and I lose everything. My machine is still covered by warranty so apple apologizes and repairs my machine at no cost.

Fast forward a year. 2 weeks after my warranty expires, I open my Mac to find a white screen with horizontal and vertical green lines. It sits at the boot screen for a bit, then goes to a white screen where nothing happens. I was I course leaving for vacation and was unable to take my Mac into the apple store until I got back, two days ago.

I took my Mac to the apple store last night, after making an appointment using the Apple store app. I get to the store to find that my reservation didn't go through and they had no room for me. It takes me 15 minutes to get a chance to speak to someone, only to have them tell me they are booked and there's nothing they can do. I speak to a manager who then finds an unwilling and reluctant employee to squeeze me in for a quick diagnostic.
I tell the woman about the problem and show her the problem by trying to boot my machine, it of course doesn't boot, gets EXTREMELY Hott and sits at the white screen. She plugs something into it, and tells me my GPU may have failed and fried my logic board and that the only thing they can do us repair it for $330. I tell her this is unacceptable, she says "I'm sorry your machine is no longer under warranty" and walks away.

I was very upset at the outcome of my visit and was ready to start saving for the repair until I came across this article: Latest MacBook Pros suffering from GPU-related freezes | Ars Technica

My machine had been acting funky previously but I figured this was normal behavior.
I am posting this thread for advice in hopes there is something more I can do.

I appreciate you taking the time to read through this.
 
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I'd phone Apple and speak to customer services, be firm but polite. They may cover it with a cs code.
 

pigoo3

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On June 25, 2011 I purchased a $2700.00 15" MacBook Pro. 2 months later the hard drive fails and I lose everything.

If everything was backed up...nothing would have been lost.

She plugs something into it, and tells me my GPU may have failed and fried my logic board and that the only thing they can do us repair it for $330. I tell her this is unacceptable, she says "I'm sorry your machine is no longer under warranty" and walks away.

$330 (although not a small amount of money)...is about half what it usually costs. Sounds like your logic board needs to be replaced...and this usually runs around $750.

It is very unfortunate that this happened so shortly after the 12 months of Applecare expired! But the Apple employee is correct. The warranty was for 12 months...not 13 months...so Apple is just following the terms of the Applecare agreement.

I was very upset at the outcome of my visit and was ready to start saving for the repair until I came across this article: Latest MacBook Pros suffering from GPU-related freezes | Ars Technica

This is an interesting article...and it does seem to be related to what happened to your computer. Occasionally if a problem is widespread enough...Apple will setup a special repair program...where the affected computers are repaired for free. And if someone already paid for the repair...they will get a refund.

As of now (as far as I know) there isn't a special repair program for this issue. About all you can do at this point is pay the $330...and see what happens in the future.

HTH,

- Nick
 
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This is an interesting article...and it does seem to be related to what happened to your computer. Occasionally if a problem is widespread enough...Apple will setup a special repair program...where the affected computers are repaired for free. And if someone already paid for the repair...they will get a refund.

As of now (as far as I know) there isn't a special repair program for this issue. About all you can do at this point is pay the $330...and see what happens in the future.

HTH,

- Nick

It looks like the issue in said article was fixed via a firmware/software update. I have one of the so call "affected" MBPs, and I and my co-worker with one haven't had any issues like that.

As for the OP, $330 for a logic board replacement is extremely cheap, especially since it is a newer machine.
 

pigoo3

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It looks like the issue in said article was fixed via a firmware/software update. I have one of the so call "affected" MBPs, and I and my co-worker with one haven't had any issues like that.

The article is interesting...but Im not 100% sure the OP's problem and the problem described in the article are the same (I know that the OP doesn't want to hear this).

The article describes a "freezing" or "lockup" problem...that seems to be recoverable from. The OP's issue ("white screen with horizontal and vertical green lines")...sounds like something different...like a hardware failure...which of course a firmware or software update probably wouldn't help.:(

- Nick
 

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Hey "RATCUB"...here's one more idea for you. Do you have an external monitor you can plug into the MacBook Pro's video port? If so...plug the external monitor in...and see if you get anything.

This may help to determine if it's a logic board failure...or a display issue.

- Nick
 
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My Mac had been freezing before the crash though. It woul operate normally and then when I would be doing something that was GPU intensive (making music or painting in CS5) it would slow down an freeze. I thought this may be normal wear and tear or maybe I just needed to give it a break. I thought maybe the GPU fried my logic board before a fix could be applied.
The article is interesting...but Im not 100% sure the OP's problem and the problem described in the article are the same (I know that the OP doesn't want to hear this).

The article describes a "freezing" or "lockup" problem...that seems to be recoverable from. The OP's issue ("white screen with horizontal and vertical green lines")...sounds like something different...like a hardware failure...which of course a firmware or software update probably wouldn't help.:(

- Nick
 

pigoo3

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My Mac had been freezing before the crash though. It woul operate normally and then when I would be doing something that was GPU intensive (making music or painting in CS5) it would slow down an freeze. I thought this may be normal wear and tear or maybe I just needed to give it a break. I thought maybe the GPU fried my logic board before a fix could be applied.

Two thoughts:

1. There are many things that can cause a computer to freeze. Usually:

- software conflicts between two or more incompatible apps.
- sometimes issues related to the OS (especially when talking about a new model computer)
- sometimes incompatible hardware...like someone upgrading their computer with the wrong ram

I'm not saying that your computer wasn't freezing due to the issue mentioned in the article you linked. What I am saying is...not all freezing is caused by what was in that article.

2. If you were experiencing this "freezing" BEFORE the warranty expired...you should have taken it to Apple to be examined BEFORE the warranty expired!!!

The freezing you were experiencing was NOT "normal wear & tear". If the computer was less than 1 year old...this sort of thing is not supposed to be happening...and the computer should have been taken to Apple for examination.

It's too bad you didn't join Mac-Forums sooner...and posted about this problem. Because for a computer which still had Applecare remaining...we would have recommended you to take it to Apple.

- Nick

p.s. What about trying the external monitor idea??
 
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Hello, my name is Josh and I am new here.
Sucks. I feel for you. I really do. However - this is why Apple sells AppleCare, to extend your warranty by another 2 years.

Apple is under no obligation to help you - but it seems like it would be in their interest to do so. Good luck helping them understand that. My best advice is to be exceedingly polite and non-aggressive and non-threatening and non-confrontational in all communications with Apple.

I agree with other posters that it would seem they are already willing to cut you a discount on a replacement logic board.
 

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