Late 2011 Macbook Pro: Logic board failure, 4th time in 6 months.

[Benji1337]

Hey guys,

I just thought i'd take a moment to share, rant, and vent my frustrations onto a crowd who might supply a sense of calming, understanding relief.

Around christmas this year my late 2011 macbook pro's logic board failed for the first time. I had read about this but as I was just inside the end of my applecare my worries were not massive. I took it in and they acted surprised as if they had never seen it happen before and politely offered to replace the logic board, free of charge of course. I was pleased at the service with a smile, one week later I had it back. Brilliant.

This smile was short lived. One week after the logic board replacement, it failed, again. I took it back in with a 'what the ****' smile on my face, they looked embarrassed and quickly replaced it again. Job done.

Job not done. One month later it failed again. After a few 'tale between the legs' excuses from the apple store staff, there's another replacement.

Now it's been four months, and last night it failed again. Conveniently out of their three month cover plan. As you can imagine, for a machine I paid like £1600? for, I do not think this is really good enough.

And after all of this it's brought me to two assumptions, that I believe the apple store cannot really, in their heart of hearts, while believing what they are saying, deny.

1. The late 2011 Macbook Pro was built with a fundamental design flaw.
2. The apple technicians are unable to provide a long last, high quality repair.

I would love to hear what you think of my situation, the chances I have of any replacement, continued repair or part swap deal, or your experiences of this problem.

I'm certainly going to go into my apple store appointment with a very polite, but no **** attitude, as I firmly believe, after four repairs in six months, they no longer have a leg to stand on.

Thanks for reading.

Ben

 

[pigoo3]

You didn't mentioned exactly what model Late 2011 MacBook Pro you have…or if it was a video related issue. But if it's a 15" or 17" 2011 MacBook Pro with a video issue. Apple has this special repair program to cover it:

https://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro-videoissues/

- Nick

 

[Benji1337]

You didn't mentioned exactly what model Late 2011 MacBook Pro you have…or if it was a video related issue. But if it's a 15" or 17" 2011 MacBook Pro with a video issue. Apple has this special repair program to cover it:

https://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro-videoissues/

- Nick

15 inch. Yep, I've had it done on that before. But it's been 3 months since they fixed it, I think they might shut me out.

 

[pigoo3]

15 inch. Yep, I've had it done on that before. But it's been 3 months since they fixed it, I think they might shut me out.

It's really very very unusual to have the logic board fail 4 times in 6 months (as the thread title mentions).

- One time…sure it can happen.
- Two times in 6 months. Statistically it could happen I guess…but rare.

But 4 times in 6 months. Now we have to almost say that this is almost impossible. Or at least not 100% Apple's fault.

When something major like this happens this frequently…there's got to be some sort of "user factor" or "environmental factor" involved.

- As far as user factors. Not really sure what this could be. Could be anything unusual.
- Environmental factors can be…extreme temps (low or high)…extreme humidity…or maybe extreme dusty or dirty area the computer is being used regularly.

4x in 6 months is really way past just an Apple thing. Many folks have "Late 2011" 15" MacBook Pro's…with no where near experience this sort of logic board failure frequency.

Any other details you can tell us?

Of course if you computer does qualify for the video repair program I linked above…go for it!

- Nick

 

[Benji1337]

It's really very very unusual to have the logic board fail 4 times in 6 months (as the thread title mentions).

- One time…sure it can happen.
- Two times in 6 months. Statistically it could happen I guess…but rare.

But 4 times in 6 months. Now we have to almost say that this is almost impossible. Or at least not 100% Apple's fault.

When something major like this happens this frequently…there's got to be some sort of "user factor" or "environmental factor" involved.

- As far as user factors. Not really sure what this could be. Could be anything unusual.
- Environmental factors can be…extreme temps (low or high)…extreme humidity…or maybe extreme dusty or dirty area the computer is being used regularly.

4x in 6 months is really way past just an Apple thing. Many folks have "Late 2011" 15" MacBook Pro's…with no where near experience this sort of logic board failure frequency.

Any other details you can tell us?

Of course if you computer does qualify for the video repair program I linked above…go for it!

- Nick

Well, possibly it's bad luck, but I doubt it. The computer is used daily for processor heavy photo editing, and graphic work (I'm a freelance graphic designer). It gets hot. Although almost ever time it has died, it has been while watching a video online.

Searches for this issue uncover many multiple logic board failures, I'm by no means alone in this.

One time that my logic board was replaced, it broke within the week, on the 3rd time of use, by this logic, it's completely random, and the replacement is simply not a longterm fix.

 

[chscag]

One thing to remember here... is that Apple is not replacing those logic boards with brand new factory built boards. The boards they use are refurbished. The refurbishing process is supposedly done professionally at a depot that specializes in the process.

 

[Benji1337]

One thing to remember here... is that Apple is not replacing those logic boards with brand new factory built boards. The boards they use are refurbished. The refurbishing process is supposedly done professionally at a depot that specializes in the process.

I was aware of this, It's cheeky. very cheeky.

 

[pigoo3]

W
Searches for this issue uncover many multiple logic board failures, I'm by no means alone in this.

In no way am I suggesting that you're alone in this (having a logic board failure with a 15" 2011 MBP).

What I am saying is…you're in a very very rare group that has had 4 logic board failures in 6 months with a Late 2011 15" MacBook Pro.

Think about it. 4 logic board failures in 6 months means approx. every 6 weeks (1.5 months…or 45 DAYS)…your 15" MBP's logic board is failing. This is just unheard of. Every 45 days!!

This sort of logic board failure frequency is not common. If it was…we would have multiple members here at Mac-Forums with the same problem. And we don't.

So that points back to a possible user related factor. Maybe there's some thing unusual about the heavy photo editing you do…that somehow is stressing the computer in some way that all other heavy photo & video editors are not experiencing. And if this is in a hot humid room (environmental factor)…that could add stress to things. Just a thought.

- Nick

 

[Benji1337]

In no way am I suggesting that you're alone in this (having a logic board failure with a 15" 2011 MBP).

What I am saying is…you're in a very very rare group that has had 4 logic board failures in 6 months with a Late 2011 15" MacBook Pro.

Think about it. 4 logic board failures in 6 months means approx. every 6 weeks (1.5 months…or 45 DAYS)…your 15" MBP's logic board is failing. This is just unheard of. Every 45 days!!

This sort of logic board failure frequency is not common. If it was…we would have multiple members here at Mac-Forums with the same problem. And we don't.

So that points back to a possible user related factor. Maybe there's some thing unusual about the heavy photo editing you do…that somehow is stressing the computer in some way that all other heavy photo & video editors are not experiencing. And if this is in a hot humid room (environmental factor)…that could add stress to things. Just a thought.

- Nick

oh no doubt,,, it's used everyday, for heavy processes, and it gets very hot. The point is, the mbp 2011 is known for its overheating problems, the leadless solder used, and the issues this causes.

I'm writing these messages on my 2008 macbook pro, which was used for the very same things, in the same environment, but does not have these well known fundamental design flaws, and here it is, still working after 7 years.

This is the point that will be made to the apple store employee on Tuesday, in the hope they offer some replacement.

 

[pigoo3]

oh no doubt,,, it's used everyday, for heavy processes, and it gets very hot. The point is, the mbp 2011 is known for its overheating problems, the leadless solder used, and the issues this causes.

This is exactly what I'm thinking. It's certainly nothing personal that you're doing exactly. Since you certainly should be able to do photo editing on a 15" MBP without the logic board failing every 45 days.

The big question is. What's different about the photo editing you do…that's different from other folks doing photo editing on their 15" 2011 MBP's…and they're NOT experiencing logic board failures like this.

And yes…I'm very familiar with the lead-free solder issues…and the DIY remedies some folks try (baking the logic board in a oven…or using a torch… to re-flow the solder).

This is the point that will be made to the apple store employee on Tuesday, in the hope they offer some replacement.

This is one thing that surprises me. Usually Apple (via stories I've heard)…will offer someone a brand new replacement MacBook Pro to someone having as much trouble as you're experiencing (and have gone thru so many many/frequent repairs).

How would a nice brand new 15" retina MacBook Pro replacement computer sound to you???

- Nick

 

[Benji1337]

This is exactly what I'm thinking. It's certainly nothing personal that you're doing exactly. Since you certainly should be able to do photo editing on a 15" MBP without the logic board failing every 45 days.

The big question is. What's different about the photo editing you do…that's different from other folks doing photo editing on their 15" 2011 MBP's…and they're NOT experiencing logic board failures like this.

And yes…I'm very familiar with the lead-free solder issues…and the DIY remedies some folks try (baking the logic board in a oven…or using a torch… to re-flow the solder).

I think it's a combination of things. I use it, a lot. It travels with me. It's use is half on a desk, half on my lap.

In response to your query why some peoples never go wrong and mine seems to repeatedly…. obviously I don't know exactly… a guess would be, the repairs made to my laptop have been with refurbished parts, logic boards which have already failed before (or multiple times).

This is one thing that surprises me. Usually Apple (via stories I've heard)…will offer someone a brand new replacement MacBook Pro to someone having as much trouble as you're experiencing (and have gone thru so many many/frequent repairs).

How would a nice brand new 15" retina MacBook Pro replacement computer sound to you???

- Nick

Yeah that would be nice. What have you heard about the 2015 model, does it have any similar issues?

 

[pigoo3]

.…a guess would be, the repairs made to my laptop have been with refurbished parts, logic boards which have already failed before (or multiple times).

Yes…if this is true…and if these refurbished logic boards were units that had failed before (but were supposed to have been repaired). I think that this could certainly explain the unusually high failure rate you've experienced.

Yeah that would be nice. What have you heard about the 2015 model, does it have any similar issues?

Compared to what you've been experiencing (4 logic board failures in 6 month)…nothing compares…and anything else would certainly be better!

But as far as 2015 models. I haven't seen or heard of anything unusual.

- Nick

 

[techiesteve]

Before the quality program became active I've seen a few exchange 2011 MBP logic boards that failed with GPU related symptoms after anything from a week to a month. Only once did I come across a MBP that had 3 logic board replacements in 6 months, so theoretically 4 is possible, but very rare.

In the 1980's I repaired Apple compatible graphics and accelerator boards for Radius. If a board was a NTF it was extensively tested and upgraded if required, then went back into exchange stock. Most never returned, but if they did and diagnosis showed it as another NTF, it was then written off. As quite a few of the logic board GPU failures have been intermittent, there may have been possibilities for an intermittent board to get back into exchange stock if the same procedure as used by other manufacturers was adopted, but that's unknown as Apple do not disclose their internal procedures.

Since the quality program went active I noticed that all logic boards I've seen so far were new, not refurbs. I suspect more were manufactured to meet the increased demand, and I haven't seen any recent DOA's.

There's no GPU related issues with the current MacBook Pro range.

 

[Benji1337]

It's really very very unusual to have the logic board fail 4 times in 6 months (as the thread title mentions).

- One time…sure it can happen.
- Two times in 6 months. Statistically it could happen I guess…but rare.

But 4 times in 6 months. Now we have to almost say that this is almost impossible. Or at least not 100% Apple's fault.

When something major like this happens this frequently…there's got to be some sort of "user factor" or "environmental factor" involved.

- As far as user factors. Not really sure what this could be. Could be anything unusual.
- Environmental factors can be…extreme temps (low or high)…extreme humidity…or maybe extreme dusty or dirty area the computer is being used regularly.

4x in 6 months is really way past just an Apple thing. Many folks have "Late 2011" 15" MacBook Pro's…with no where near experience this sort of logic board failure frequency.

Any other details you can tell us?

Of course if you computer does qualify for the video repair program I linked above…go for it!

- Nick

I've been offered a new 2015, 15 inch retina model as a replacement.

Specs:

2.5GHz Processor
512 GB Storage
2.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
Turbo Boost up to 3.7GHz
16GB 1600MHz memory
512GB PCIe-based flash storage1
Intel Iris Pro Graphics
AMD Radeon R9 M370X with 2GB GDDR5 memory
Built-in battery (9 hours)2
Force Touch trackpad

...... Happy days

 

[pigoo3]

I've been offered a new 2015, 15 inch retina model as a replacement.

Specs:

2.5GHz Processor
512 GB Storage
2.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
Turbo Boost up to 3.7GHz
16GB 1600MHz memory
512GB PCIe-based flash storage1
Intel Iris Pro Graphics
AMD Radeon R9 M370X with 2GB GDDR5 memory
Built-in battery (9 hours)2
Force Touch trackpad

...... Happy days

WOW…that's absolutely awesome. You even got the better model with the dedicated graphics. I don't think you could have asked for a better outcome!!!

Congrats!

- Nick

 

[Lifeisabeach]

I've been offered a new 2015, 15 inch retina model as a replacement.

Specs:

2.5GHz Processor
512 GB Storage
2.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
Turbo Boost up to 3.7GHz
16GB 1600MHz memory
512GB PCIe-based flash storage1
Intel Iris Pro Graphics
AMD Radeon R9 M370X with 2GB GDDR5 memory
Built-in battery (9 hours)2
Force Touch trackpad

...... Happy days

If only we were all as unlucky as you have been.

 

[chscag]

If only we were all as unlucky as you have been.

Great Apple service again. As much aggravation as the OP went through after 4 logic board replacements, it's certainly well deserved.

 

[jpamalla]

mbp 17" late 2011

I just had the same GPU problem on my mbp 17" and brought it to the apple store as part of repair extension program. They had the logic board replaced with another one, surprisingly, it passes the apple hardware test or GPU test but during startup/boot screen, there is a horizontal line for a second and disappears. The technician ran the test again and it passes. But the problem is still clearly seen on the screen. The Guy placed another order for the logic board. We are still seeing the same line during startup and apparently there are few more weird lines on the screen. They placed another order now. Third times the charm, that is what they say. Ill keep you posted how it goes. But i feel like they are replacing with another defective one. And their test software seems to be giving false positive results.