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lennart18

macrumors newbie
Jun 26, 2017
7
1
Just an update for those who are interested. A couple of weeks ago I had two of my keys fixed with the shim repair and am happy to say everything has been great. Used the computer under heavy load without any of the clacking sound it used to have. When I brought it into the genius bar he initially acted like there weren't any repair bulletins for them to fix the clacking issue but once he went to the back to check he came back surprised to find out about the shim repair. Is it ideal to have to have this sort of repair in an expensive notebook? No. Am I happy I can finally enjoy my MBP without the annoying noise? Yes. In the end that is what matters.

what is the shim repair ? I didn't read all of the pages of this thread because it would take to long, is it explained on any site? Im glad your macbook works fine, and hope this is a way they can repair mine swell
 
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Nik

macrumors 6502a
Jun 3, 2007
681
1,417
France
äfffffff


what is the shim repair ? I didn't read all of the pages of this thread because it would take to long, is it explained on any site? Im glad your macbook works fine, and hope this is a way they can repair mine swell

Use search?!
 

kristof46

macrumors member
Jul 19, 2015
81
6
It looks that my Macbook also will have shim repair. Service said that they will diagnose device but there is two option. Shim or replacement of top case. And don't know what exactly second metod means but if everything is be good I will be happy. I agree with Blizzardman that it is not ideal option for this kind of product but what can I do. I wont hear this crack noise. That's all.
 

jrasero

macrumors regular
Feb 26, 2011
114
9
NYC
Not sure if you were referring to my original post regarding the gen 2 pics yesterday, it was late and I was simply passing along some information that there could possibly be a redesign with some pics I found. Upon further reading I was mistaken.

In any case, I just got an approval for an advance/express replacement for a 2017 model. I've been dealing with this issue since December 2016, it's nutty. I'm not tearing apart my new keyboard to see if there are any differences but I will definitely post my review of the keyboard feel and sound.

BTW, if you haven't seen this video, it CLEARLY shows where this "pop" sound is coming from...



Having this issue with my "W" key whether the computer his warm or cool. I can stand the clicky sound since it's not always present but what I don't like is how the "W" key feel like there is less travel and uneven compared to the other keys. The "W" key still functions properly just feels like typing on a butterfly switch version 1 compared to all the keys being the second gen, if this makes sense. Should I get this replaced or just live with it?
 

0110076

Cancelled
Sep 4, 2016
35
30
Having this issue with my "W" key whether the computer his warm or cool. I can stand the clicky sound since it's not always present but what I don't like is how the "W" key feel like there is less travel and uneven compared to the other keys. The "W" key still functions properly just feels like typing on a butterfly switch version 1 compared to all the keys being the second gen, if this makes sense. Should I get this replaced or just live with it?

I'd have it replaced. But that's just me. Anything other than a mbp in perfect condition is unacceptable. A premium price must come with a premium quality machine.
 
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jeroenvip

macrumors regular
May 13, 2017
140
186
I am getting the 2017 MBP next Monday. I for sure will do extensive stress testing and post the results here later next week !
 

wiffle

macrumors regular
Apr 5, 2017
166
78
Not sure if people are still interested in reading about this journey... but let's continue.

Update #3:

9. June 21, 2017: received a call from Genius lead who had been tasked to review my case and see what the heck is going on / why the delays, additional replacements... Explained situation - was told he'd look into it and get back to me. No call back.
10. June 22, 2017: called in to check on the status of logic board repair. Informed that they had ordered another topcase to replace the one that had already been replaced. Another 2 day turnaround. Ask to speak with store manager who promptly gave me a call and spent 30 minutes on the phone trying to understand the situation from beginning to end. Told me that he would be my point of contact moving forward with my machine and experience at this particular Apple store. Asked him, after all that's happened, if we could entertain just replacing my machine in favour for a 2017. Without making any promises, he had me send him all documentation I had to his email and he'd get back to me. .. here we go again.

To recap: Brand new replacement MBP - keyboard issues. Top case repair turned into logic board repair which turned into replacing the topcase that had replaced the original one. Lost? Me too.

Update #4:

Continuing the saga. Brand new replacement MBP has come in. Fantastic - upgraded me to 2017. Now working with a 15" early-2017 tbMBP 2017 2.9/1TB/560.

Now the unfortunate part: despite maintaining my stance that they did something to the keyboards between the 2016 and 2017 (alluding to the improved sturdiness/rigidity of the keys), the high-pitched clicking persists on some 2017 MacBooks. Even worse, with this brand spanking new 2017 machine the issue persists at regular temperatures and is noticeable 100% of the time - even when the computer is turned off. The issue occurs across essentially the entire middle row of keys, extending from the "a" through to the ' key, and are reproducible on ALL key presses regardless of computer temperature. Of interest is the fact that the high-pitched click only occurs when tapping the bottom half of the keys (imagine splitting the key horizontally and clicking the lower part = high frequency sound, clicking the upper part = no noticeable sound).

At this point: not sure if Apple is just playing with me, or if I'm just a signet of bad luck. This computer was BTO, and assembled within the last 10 days. Not only that, there's a noticeable nick in the chassis on one of the two left USB ports (attached), so I'm entirely unclear where Apple's QA is at this point.

fTnCidHm.jpg


Calling into the store manager who helped me through this ordeal to see if anything additional can be done at this point. This is now my second CRU on this machine and the issue persists - and definitely worse this time around, and on a 2017 machine no less. I forsee another topcase repair attempt (as the manager already told me that another replacement is unlikely). I totally feel like the customer from hell but is this not absolutely ridiculous..?
 
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parajba

macrumors 6502a
Apr 19, 2008
513
269
All the new 2016/17 MBPs I tried in 2 stores have this issue. Up/down arrows easily skip a few clicks (1 in 4) when pressed at an angle/softly. Easy to replicate if you type with your hand resting on the top case and your finger resting on the up/down arrow, and if you are perhaps scrolling through a list or scrolling through a website). How is this possible? Never had this problem with ANY keyboard, non even a £400 Acer.
 

jeh72

macrumors 6502
May 7, 2016
305
470
Yup. So after taking my 2016 15" into the Apple store for keyboard repair 3 times in the past 3 months, my touch bar has now totally stopped working. NVRAM and SMC reset didn't work. No touch bar in bootcamp. All options for configuring it gone in the control center in macOS. I put the computer to sleep at lunchtime, and 3 hours later opened it up to no touch bar display. This is ridiculous.

I made a service appointment for this evening. I'm going to try and get them to give me a new machine. I'm starting to think about getting a Precision 7720 or Thinkpad P71 again...I don't know if I can even trust a new mbp to have good longevity if I am given one...
 
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BaronS

macrumors newbie
Jun 24, 2017
8
8
I got a replacement machine, got home, exact same issue but this time it affects even more of the keys.

Does anyone not have this issue!?

Has anyone suffered this with a 12" MacBook?
 
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Nonnieee

macrumors newbie
Jun 7, 2017
13
2
I had the exact same issue with my MacBook Pro, took it back to Apple and they decided to replace the top case. Picked it up yesterday, but my return key is now making an annoying sound, so I'll be going back next week, again...
 

BaronS

macrumors newbie
Jun 24, 2017
8
8
I bought a 12" MacBook and seeing if I can "make do" with that. It doesn't have the issue..

I think it's affecting most MacBook Pro users but most don't warm it up enough and/or use the keyboard when doing so. I have a friend who does a lot of editing but rarely uses the keyboard..

Debating whether to get a refund or try luck with a 3rd MBP.
 

glhughes

macrumors regular
Jul 4, 2009
126
33
I bought a 12" MacBook and seeing if I can "make do" with that. It doesn't have the issue..

I think it's affecting most MacBook Pro users but most don't warm it up enough and/or use the keyboard when doing so. I have a friend who does a lot of editing but rarely uses the keyboard..

Debating whether to get a refund or try luck with a 3rd MBP.

I also have an affected 2016 MBP (which I'm bringing in on Monday to hopefully have the "shim kit" installed for the affected keys). I also bought a 2017 rMB for work and it does not have any keyboard issues.
 

jeh72

macrumors 6502
May 7, 2016
305
470
Yup. So after taking my 2016 15" into the Apple store for keyboard repair 3 times in the past 3 months, my touch bar has now totally stopped working. NVRAM and SMC reset didn't work. No touch bar in bootcamp. All options for configuring it gone in the control center in macOS. I put the computer to sleep at lunchtime, and 3 hours later opened it up to no touch bar display. This is ridiculous.

I made a service appointment for this evening. I'm going to try and get them to give me a new machine. I'm starting to think about getting a Precision 7720 or Thinkpad P71 again...I don't know if I can even trust a new mbp to have good longevity if I am given one...
So, I got back from the Apple store a little while ago. Because my 2016 was BTO with 2.7ghz/1tb/460 and they didn't have any identical ones to replace it, they bumped me up to a 2017 3.1/1tb/560. It's brand new, in the box, sealed, and its warranty starts today.

...And I'm a little hesitant to open it. What if I open it and try it out, only to be greeted with a bunch of loud clicky keys again? What if I just sold it as brand new/sealed on ebay and let someone else take that chance?
 

AndrewR23

Contributor
Jun 24, 2010
4,644
1,797
Man Im so happy I kept my 2015 model. I had the 2016 and the keys were terrible. Came across this thread and returned it and havent thought twice about getting a new one. That was like page 3 of this thread. Now its 44 pages!
 

macintoshmac

Suspended
May 13, 2010
6,089
6,994
Man Im so happy I kept my 2015 model. I had the 2016 and the keys were terrible. Came across this thread and returned it and havent thought twice about getting a new one. That was like page 3 of this thread. Now its 44 pages!

All typed on horrible keyboards, at that.
 

Populus

macrumors 603
Aug 24, 2012
5,991
8,452
Spain, Europe
Wow... All you guys helped me make a decision: I'll finally keep my 13" 2015 MBP. Yep, the decision is taken. It's keyboard is marvelous and I have all sort of ports. Maybe I'll suffer from staingate, but that can happen on the new models as well.

Thank you, all I read from the new keyboard is some sort of hell and I buy a Mac in order to enjoy it, not to suffer it.
 
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macintoshmac

Suspended
May 13, 2010
6,089
6,994
Wow... All you guys helped me make a decision: I'll finally keep my 13" 2015 MBP. Yep, the decision is taken. It's keyboard is marvelous and I have all sort of ports. Maybe I'll suffer from staingate, but that can happen on the new models as well.

Thank you, all I read from the new keyboard is some sort of hell and I buy a Mac in order to enjoy it, not to suffer it.

The ones with 2016/ 2017 keyboards do also enjoy the computer itself, with other refinements across the board.
 

Populus

macrumors 603
Aug 24, 2012
5,991
8,452
Spain, Europe
The ones with 2016/ 2017 keyboards do also enjoy the computer itself, with other refinements across the board.
Obviously there are a lot of people who enjoy the new MacBooks. Don't try to put in my mouth words that I didn't say.

Buy it is clear that an important group of people are suffering issues with their new butterfly system keyboards, and over all, there are other reasons for me to make this decision (that maybe I'll explain in the thread I opened last month).

Anyone is free to purchase whatever they want, but I don't see the new keyboard as an improvement -I've been trying it a lot-, and if you add all the sticky-keys-gate and all you can read just in this page... Well, I'm quite sure I made the right decision.
 
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macintoshmac

Suspended
May 13, 2010
6,089
6,994
Obviously there are a lot of people who enjoy the new MacBooks. Don't try to put in my mouth words that I didn't say.

Buy it is clear that an important group of people are suffering issues with their new butterfly system keyboards, and over all, there are other reasons for me to make this decision (that maybe I'll explain in the thread I opened last month).

Anyone is free to purchase whatever they want, but I don't see the new keyboard as an improvement -I've been trying it a lot-, and if you add all the sticky-keys-gate and all you can read just in this page... Well, I'm quite sure I made the right decision.

Indeed you did. The keyboard is the only sore ache of this thing.
 
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Queen6

macrumors G4
I find it hard to believe that they don't know. Acknowledging this as an issue and not a feature, publicly, could be very problematic.

Now, say they do, and a news outlet like MacRumors, TechCrunch, Engadget, The Verge, or any of the big ones published the story? Suddenly people who probably wouldn't be bothered by the issue might now want a fix.

By the looks of this thread it appears that all MacBook Pros have the issue, randomly, with some degree of "bad luck". So, an issue that affects ALL MacBook Pros since late 2016...that's huge!

Bigger issue is that if is a widespread issue Apple will do it's level best to ignore it until Apple knows it will loose in a court of law, as has sadly been exemplified several times over with MBP and failing dGPU's amongst others. No one knows outside of Apple, nor is Apple's staff going to acknowledge any issue, equally the posts keep rolling in regarding the new keyboard and issues.

As ever time will tell...

Q-6
 

glhughes

macrumors regular
Jul 4, 2009
126
33
I also have an affected 2016 MBP (which I'm bringing in on Monday to hopefully have the "shim kit" installed for the affected keys). I also bought a 2017 rMB for work and it does not have any keyboard issues.

Brought my 2016 nTB MBP into the "genius" bar this evening. This was the fourth time it has been in there for keyboard issues. Boy was this an unpleasant experience. Initial denial that the popping key issue exists because Apple hasn't said anything about it. Offers to show this thread about the number of people with the problem or even add a link to it to the technical notes was dismissed with an "I don't care." No knowledge that a "shim kit" exists until checking in the back room. Very passive-aggressive interaction with the "genius" the whole time. Statements along the line of he is just a tech and he can't affect anything engineering does WRT fixing the problem. Bizarre discussion about whether or not this was a "defect" and how can Apple have a fix for something that isn't a defect? Not sure where the attitude was coming from. Definitely the worst experience I've had in an Apple Store in 10+ years.

In terms of actually trying to solve the problem, I was initially told they wouldn't install the shim kit since 13 keys were affected. Then was told they can try but it may result in a new top case (which we both agreed would likely not fix the problem) if something went wrong since the keys are delicate. Sigh. So I guess I'm getting a new top case (which won't fix the problem, obviously). :/

Seriously frustrated with this machine and the whole Apple experience right now.

(Oh, and back on my trusty 2012 13" rMBP that has never missed a beat in 5+ years).
 

wiffle

macrumors regular
Apr 5, 2017
166
78
Brought my 2016 nTB MBP into the "genius" bar this evening. This was the fourth time it has been in there for keyboard issues. Boy was this an unpleasant experience. Initial denial that the popping key issue exists because Apple hasn't said anything about it. Offers to show this thread about the number of people with the problem or even add a link to it to the technical notes was dismissed with an "I don't care." No knowledge that a "shim kit" exists until checking in the back room. Very passive-aggressive interaction with the "genius" the whole time. Statements along the line of he is just a tech and he can't affect anything engineering does WRT fixing the problem. Bizarre discussion about whether or not this was a "defect" and how can Apple have a fix for something that isn't a defect? Not sure where the attitude was coming from. Definitely the worst experience I've had in an Apple Store in 10+ years.

In terms of actually trying to solve the problem, I was initially told they wouldn't install the shim kit since 13 keys were affected. Then was told they can try but it may result in a new top case (which we both agreed would likely not fix the problem) if something went wrong since the keys are delicate. Sigh. So I guess I'm getting a new top case (which won't fix the problem, obviously). :/

Seriously frustrated with this machine and the whole Apple experience right now.

(Oh, and back on my trusty 2012 13" rMBP that has never missed a beat in 5+ years).

How many times have you replaced the TopCase on your unit? At some point you should try and see if you can push for a (1) replacement or (2) refund.
 

jeh72

macrumors 6502
May 7, 2016
305
470
Brought my 2016 nTB MBP into the "genius" bar this evening. This was the fourth time it has been in there for keyboard issues. Boy was this an unpleasant experience. Initial denial that the popping key issue exists because Apple hasn't said anything about it. Offers to show this thread about the number of people with the problem or even add a link to it to the technical notes was dismissed with an "I don't care." No knowledge that a "shim kit" exists until checking in the back room. Very passive-aggressive interaction with the "genius" the whole time. Statements along the line of he is just a tech and he can't affect anything engineering does WRT fixing the problem. Bizarre discussion about whether or not this was a "defect" and how can Apple have a fix for something that isn't a defect? Not sure where the attitude was coming from. Definitely the worst experience I've had in an Apple Store in 10+ years.

In terms of actually trying to solve the problem, I was initially told they wouldn't install the shim kit since 13 keys were affected. Then was told they can try but it may result in a new top case (which we both agreed would likely not fix the problem) if something went wrong since the keys are delicate. Sigh. So I guess I'm getting a new top case (which won't fix the problem, obviously). :/

Seriously frustrated with this machine and the whole Apple experience right now.

(Oh, and back on my trusty 2012 13" rMBP that has never missed a beat in 5+ years).
That sounds just like my experience about a month ago at an Apple Store in Phoenix, for two keys. A lot of denial from the "genius" that it was even an issue. The visit before that one I had 15 problem keys, and for that they told me they would replace the whole top case. When I got the unit back though I found out they had just installed the shims in all 15 keys. Those keys worked fine after that fortunately.

If you keep running into issues I would ask them for a replacement or refund. They replaced mine with a brand new 2017 (that I still haven't opened).
 
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