#mbp2011

Free Repairs for Early 2011 MacBook Pro with Graphic Defects

As some of you know that have been following my last posts At Apple Care, they know of faulty 2011 MacBook Pro, Apple Care is aware of the faulty 2011 MacBook Pro and are willing to help, and Finale of my faulty Early 2011 MacBook Pro… or is it?. You would know that I have been following this story for some time now.

Well there has been some good news for us that have been affected. The company has finally addressed the problem by announcing yesterday that it will begin a free repair program for Macbook Pro laptops which have been experiencing these graphic issues. The name coined for this repair program is “MacBook Pro Repair Extension Program for Video Issues”. Apple has also updated its website and said, “it has determined that a small percentage of MacBook Pro systems may exhibit distorted video, no video or unexpected system restarts.” The machines that may be eligible for these repairs are the ones users bought from February 2011 to December 2013. Also eligible are the 15 and 17 inch Macbook Pro models produced in 2011 as well as the 15 inch Macbook Pro with Retina displays made in 2012 to 2013. If you think your machine falls into this category,  this link: MacBook Pro Repair Extension Program for Video Issues will clarify everything and help you with the process.

Also, Apple is contacting customers who paid for a repair either though Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider to arrange reimbursement. If you paid for a repair, please call Apple right away. The link that I have provided will walk you through the steps.

Apple replaced my 2011 MacBook Pro

Well finally I have so good news to give. Apple finally gave up with fixing my Faulty Early 2011 MacBook Pro and replaced it with a brand new 2015 MacBook Pro. They provided me with the TOP of the LINE MacBook Pro as when I purchased mine, It was made to order with TOP of the LINE parts.

They provided me with a Super Drive as well since I had a drive on my laptop and they no longer have them pre-installed.

I am very pleased with the decision that they have made to do this but not happy that it took this long for them to recognize the problem and take action.

I just wish they would take action for everyone that is experiencing this problem. Continue to be consistant with Apple and let them know that you will not settle for less. I have been an Apple customer for as long as I can remember and they know that. If you give up, they win! Don’t GIVE UP! That is the best advise that I can give…

Yesterday morning I noticed that my faulty Early 2011 MacBook Pro was sent back to the Apple store from the repair center. Wow, that was fast. They literally received it, repaired it that same day and had it back to the Apple store the next day. I was happy to see it back so fast and get the call from my Apple store to let me know it was ready to be picked up.

5 hours go by and no call or email… I am worried now. While running a diagnostics, did they experience the same problem? Are they just busy and haven’t been able to call me? What is going on? I decided to call the store to see what was happening and if it is ok to pick it up today even though I didn’t get an email or call to let me know it was ready. I call and was on hold forever. Eventually someone answers the call and he stated that he was from corporate. I guess after you wait for so long for someone to answer, the call gets redirected to corporate to help you. I told him that I was calling about my repair and was wondering if I could pick it up. He wasn’t sure so he tried calling the store to find out the status of my machine. Back on hold…

Gets back on the line to let me know that the person that would be able to answer that question just stepped out and that it would be an hour till they get back. Ok.. well I guess I just will chance it then I told him and go from there.

I arrive to the Apple store about 2-3 hours later (just to give them more time) to pick up my machine. I get there and of course my machine is not ready to be picked up. Person at the Apple store calls the backroom. Backroom tells him back that it hasn’t been shipped back yet. Uhmm yes it has, this morning at 10am. I have a confirmation from FedEx saying so with a signature. Oh, he says. Gets back on his headphones to let the person on the other side know what I just said.

Letting everyone at Apple know about #MBP2011

While waiting, I took the privilege to get on a iMac, open safari and show everyone at Apple about the problems with Early 2011 MacBook Pro and how Apple is ignoring it. Posted it on Facebook. HA! A couple of minutes later my machine arrives. They haven’t done any diagnostics on it. That is ok I told them. I am planning on running my own here anyways. He was kind enough to install OSX 10.10 for me and I took it from there. I was very pleased to see how many things they replaced for the flat rate of $310. Logic board, battery, magsafe port and keyboard/housing were all replaced.

Running Heaven on my MacBook Pro

Installed Heaven and ran it with the preset set at “Extreme”. I let that run for a good hour and the GPU got up to a temperature of 70 celsius. While that was running, I was watching YouTube and surfing the web. Nothing happened. It continued to run strong and it seemed that all was well. Since everything was running well, I asked one more time to ensure myself if I was getting a 90 day warranty on this machine. Yes you are. Perfect!

So I have not quit my fight in having my Early 2011 MacBook Pro fixed as I have stated in my last blog “At Apple Care, they know of faulty 2011 MacBook Pro“. I went to the Apple Store to either have it fixed by them or replaced. I was not leaving with a dead machine. That was not acceptable for anyone to leave a computer/technology place with a broken machine.

I arrived at the store to find it packed beyond belief. I am not sure why it was so packed. I was looking around to see if Apple came out with something new that I was not aware of, but there wasn’t. Came to the first Apple person I saw and asked to speak to the manager about the repair(more like NOT-repaired) MacBook Pro. He told me to go to the person that takes appointments and that he would get my repair.

Finally came to the person, which looked familiar (been here some many times) that he even remembered me by my name and said that he remembers me. “Broken 2011 MacBook Pro, right?” Yep, that is me I said. I asked that I would like to pickup my machine and I have the manager come out as well when I get it. No problem, he said and he called someone to do just that.

Guy came out with my machine and I noticed that he didn’t look “manager” material so instead of me assuming I asked if he was the manager. Right away he said no. I told him that I requested for the manager to be here as well and that I need him or her as well. He said that wouldn’t be a problem but that he needed me to sign this iPad stating that I did not want the repair. Ok, I thought. But I guess that is procedure since I did state on the phone I wasn’t going to have it repaired by them.

Manager comes with the last gentleman. Before he leaves, he tells her that I have already briefed her on your problems with this machine. Before I moved forward, I asked her on what she knew so that way I was not saying it twice. She told me that the machine is broken, that there is a lawsuit on this machine and that I am looking to have it repaired or replaced. Exactly, so what can we do here. I know you are aware of the lawsuit and that there will be a replacement program very shortly on this. Let us all skip the nonsense and have this replaced. She couldn’t do that. There was no way that she could do it and that her hands are tied. Ok, fine if I agree the flat fee of $310 to fix my computer. Will you at least fix the problem by replacing the logic board with another version of a GPU versus the faulty one that we all know that is wrong? She couldn’t answer that because she said that they have to replace it with the exact parts it came with. Crap! Ok, how many times do I have to keep coming with my machine to you until you throw up your hands and just replace this? She said that they do not have a set amount of times it can be repaired before they replace. I told her, what if it is the same exact part over and over again? She couldn’t answer.

I finally agreed to pay the price of $310 because I was tired of arguing my statement. They did not care what I said in which it all made sense to her because she agreed on all of them. Last but not least before she left. I asked her when this replacement program comes out and we all know it will. Will I get my money back? Yes she said. If your machine is one of the ones that we deem as faulty. You will have it repaired or replaced and refunded for the repairs.

As many of you that have been reading my latest post starting with when I received the call back from the so called Apple genius, to me taking it a step further to call a Senior Advisor at Apple Care to now hear the details of that call and its outcome. Here are the details to the end of my story.

When Apple called me back to tell me the news, I felt a bit hyper. I felt a kid again for a mere second because I was going to get things my way. As some of you may know. As an adult. We do not get many things are way. So when it comes. We cherish those moments.

He went on to tell me that he has contacted my local store and that they have said everything that I have said about my machine. That it was not operable. Does not boot. Has a grey screen and that it is most likely a logic board issue. I felt more hyper at this moment. I see a new MacBook Pro in the horizon. He replied that he has to speak to someone higher in order to get the approval on the replacement and if it was ok to put me on hold. “Of course it is ok”, I said.

As I was waiting on hold, I was replying to some of the posts that I have made to the MBP2011 FaceBook Page. Letting everyone know that I was on hold with Apple and to cross their fingers.

He gets back on the line. My heart races. “I spoke with the Senior Apple Care Customer Representatives and I am sorry but there was nothing that I can do. They declined to replace your MacBook Pro.” My heart dropped. Are you kidding me? As a loyal Apple customer, you decline to replace my machine now when you will be doing it in the very near future?

I explained to him that this was unacceptable. That I am a business owner and that my machine is my lively hood. I paid premium price for a MacBook Pro and that this is not a premium computer nor service. He apologized greatly many times but still couldn’t do nothing because whomever on the other end said no (could of been Tim Cook for all I care) he couldn’t do nothing at all.