Anyone replace their keyboard with the "Keyboard Service Program" ?

[pwillsran]

Having a friend give me their old 2018 pro for cheap. He hasn't used it much but didn't say any issues.


Never had any luck with Apple fixing anything.
-New iphone 8 months in kept shutting off around 50% battery, Apple diagnostic said no issues so they weren't going to do anything. I think the battery went bad from leaving my phone in a hot car while I was in the gym.
-ipad pro "enter" key fell off the keyboard for no reason. Apple store said they don't usually replace keys and would just give me a replacement keyboard. Came back and said the tape I used to hold down the "enter" key left tape residue on top of the enter key so I "altered" it and they refused to do anything. (BestBuy ended up allowing me to return it late for store credit).

Not near an apple store, but called the 1-800 number with the serial number and they said it's under warranty and they are mailing me a box to send in the device for their "keyboard service program" and gave me a repair ID.
(1) I don't see anything wrong the keyboard, will they do something or does something need to be wrong first?
(2) Are they replacing the keyboard with a different non butterfly keyboard or with the same butterfly keyboard?

Basically does something need to be wrong and will they replace with the same keyboard or are they upgrading everyone's keyboard to a better version for free?

Would like a non-work laptop and prefer Apple. Don't do anything intense (coding, programing video editing, etc), just do basic emails, kindle books, youtube videos etc. so even an older laptop will serve my needs. Is the keyboard issue on the 2018 very common that I should just sell the 2018 and use the money for an older mac without this butterfly keyboard?

 

[bob_zz123]

There has to be an actual fault with it for them to repair / replace it, how much they test for this is another discussion altogether but they won't replace it if they can't find anything wrong with it. Also, if they do find that, say just one or two keys are not working right, they may just replace the individual keycaps rather than the entire assembly, this is allowed under the "keyboard service program".

 

[4743913]

I replaced my whole 2017 macbook pro with the "trade-in and get an M1 Macbook Air for free" program.

 

[chrfr]

Basically does something need to be wrong and will they replace with the same keyboard or are they upgrading everyone's keyboard to a better version for free?

Would like a non-work laptop and prefer Apple. Don't do anything intense (coding, programing video editing, etc), just do basic emails, kindle books, youtube videos etc. so even an older laptop will serve my needs. Is the keyboard issue on the 2018 very common that I should just sell the 2018 and use the money for an older mac without this butterfly keyboard?

There's no upgraded version of the keyboard, and Apple won't replace the keyboard unless it's having problems. The problem is indeed very common; if it weren't, Apple wouldn't offer the warranty they do on these keyboards.

 

[smbu2000]

There's no upgraded version of the keyboard, and Apple won't replace the keyboard unless it's having problems. The problem is indeed very common; if it weren't, Apple wouldn't offer the warranty they do on these keyboards.

Well there is the slightly upgraded 2019 butterfly keyboard compared to the 2018 keyboard on the MBP that the OP is getting. The 2018 had silicone material and the 2019 switched over to nylon material.
They are still prone to the same faults though.

@OP: They will only replace the keyboard if there is a fault with the keys. If there is a fault then they will replace it with the latest version of the butterfly keyboard, 2019 version of the keyboard in this case.

 

[chrfr]

Well there is the slightly upgraded 2019 butterfly keyboard compared to the 2018 keyboard on the MBP that the OP is getting. The 2018 had silicone material and the 2019 switched over to nylon material.
They are still prone to the same faults though.

Yeah, unfortunately, the 2019 revised version really hasn't proved to be substantially more reliable. The 2016/2017 models of course still get the extra terrible old 2017 version.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"Not near an apple store, but called the 1-800 number with the serial number and they said it's under warranty and they are mailing me a box to send in the device for their "keyboard service program" and gave me a repair ID."

DO THIS. SEND IT BACK FOR REPAIR.
Don't hesitate.
Send it in and get it done.

Have I made my opinion clear to you?

They will replace THE ENTIRE TOP CASE of the computer.
This is a great deal, considering it's nearing the end of the extended warranty period (for the butterfly keyboards).

If you wait, and the "time runs out" on it, it will cost $750 or more for the same repair -- for EVEN JUST ONE KEY failure.

Apple is offering you as good a deal as you'll ever get.
Take it.

Again, am I gettin' through to you on this...?

 

[jensgt]

I had my keyboard fixed 3 times. They only put a new one in...it does not fix the underlying design flaw...and you will end up hating it over and over again. Sell it or trade it in and get one without the butterfly keyboard.

 

[Blmj]

Apple replaced my 15" MBP 2018 4 thunderbolt ports. They offered me a brand new 16" Macbook M1 Pro.

 

[cschreiner]

I've never had any luck with Apple replacing anything either... and this keyboard debacle is the last straw for me. They are about to lose a 15+ year once-loyal customer (they already lost my wife)... and I'm going to make a spectacle of it when I blow up this Macbook brick with tannerite on YouTube.

I have a 2017 Macbook Pro and the keyboard completely quit working 4 years, 1 month and 28 days after I purchased it directly from Apple. That was the day that I learned that the keyboard replacement program only covers the first 4 years after purchase. So, Apple made and sold a faulty keyboard, got sued, and THEN came up with the keyboard replacement program to "fix" the issue... But only for 4 years! Beyond 4 years and they are off the hook. How arbitrary and convenient for Apple is that! You can find exceptions that were made on forums like this, but I've had no luck after hours on the phone with tech support. It seems that more and more folks are having issues right after the 4 year mark, and rather than do the right thing, Apple paradoxically digging in.

Ironically, it was right after I purchased my Macbook 4 years ago when my wife lost all of her contacts on her Iphone and couldn't get it resolved for months. She had enough and threw her iphone away. I grumbled at the time about us being a "split couple", but it has given us an interesting side-by-side comparison. I thought I needed a Mac to edit 4K video. Nope! Her Lenovo works just fine! Her Google Pixel is way more stable than her Iphone, she still has her contacts, and it takes MUCH better pics. Bottom line - the PC/Android stuff just works, and it's cheaper, AND you can service it yourself.

So the writing was already on the wall even BEFORE my keyboard quit, but this will seal the deal unless I can get it fixed without paying a dime. I do all my video editing on my PC so it's really just a backup at this point... but still - its a matter of principle for me at this point. If someone has some advice on how to cut through the crap and find someone who sees the bigger picture here, I'm all ears. Otherwise, I'm buying more tannerite!

 

[1885507]

My 2017 has had two keyboards, didn't take very long to get repaired.

 

[klvn]

I just got a replacement for my 2018 MBP a couple of weeks ago under this program without any hassle. I think it really depends on who looks at your MBP when you take it in.

The keyboard started acting up earlier in the year. It would repeat characters that I typed sporadically. Sometimes it was perfectly fine but other times it would happen multiple times within the same sentence. I had AppleCare+ but it had already ran out, so fortunately there was this program. Aside from the keyboard, a part of the Touch Bar panel started blinking and eventually died, plus my battery was in need of service.

I took it in and told the Apple employee about the keyboard issue. Not sure how much it actually mattered but I emphasized that it was a SPORADIC issue. The guy did not even test it out himself and just said that it should be covered under the program. (He wrote in the repair order that he confirmed the issue!) I bought it in on a Friday (New York) and they sent it out that same day. The repair was done on Saturday and shipped back to me directly from Houston. It arrived Monday morning, so I would say that was some pretty impressive turnaround time!

Anyway, so I ended up getting a new battery and Touch Bar along with the new keyboard (2019) so the machine is like brand new again. Hopefully I get another 3-4 years out of it and replace it with a M6 MBA or MBP!

It does sound like from other users that it is somewhat random but my experience with Apple repairs have been pretty good. They gave me a free battery replacement with my first black MBP even though AppleCare+ had expired just a few weeks prior (Toronto) and they gave me a free replacement Beats Studio Wireless 2 headphones when I had issues with it (Tokyo).

I did not have any problems with the 2018 MBP keyboard until this year (3+ years of heavy daily usage), but the replacement program is only for 4 years so try to take it in and find someone who will replace it for you soon!

 

[boak]

Just got mine replaced. When I collected my Mac, I complained that the space bar is slanted so the technician came to examine it. Very condescending and claimed that it's purely cosmetic, although the space bar is clearly not as clicky as the other keys. He tried to brush it off by saying that I could pay to have it replaced again!! Wow

Also, he said that I shouldn't have been eligible for the free replacement because I already had the top case replaced when I did a battery replacement under AppleCare. Does anyone else know if this is true?

Clearly a very problematic keyboard.

 

[cheddar-caveman]

2018 15" MBP. Yep, last month! Excellent service, can't fault it.

 

[chrfr]

Also, he said that I shouldn't have been eligible for the free replacement because I already had the top case replaced when I did a battery replacement under AppleCare. Does anyone else know if this is true?

Clearly a very problematic keyboard.

This definitely isn't true, there are plenty of people who have had multiple keyboard replacements.

 

[jensgt]

Honestly just get rid of it if you can and get a new one. It will never be right and they will never fix it. I had my keyboard replaced 3 times and every time it lasted like a week before going wonky again.

Just got myself a new 16 inch MacBook Pro and I’m so happy with it.

 

[boak]

This definitely isn't true, there are plenty of people who have had multiple keyboard replacements.

Thank you.

I'm also writing a complaint about a separate issue. The manager/technician also said that I was wasting his and his technicians' time because I told him that the space bar wasn't working properly. He repeatedly claimed that it's cosmetic and when he tried to demonstrate to me the butterfly mechanism, it was found that the membrane was not properly fitted. Unacceptable customer service.

 

[Jeff5i]

Is there any escalation path for those of us with expired warranty’s past 4 years? Apple just quoted me $680 for repair of one key on my 2017 15” MacBook Pro.

 

[Fishrrman]

"Is there any escalation path for those of us with expired warranty’s past 4 years? Apple just quoted me $680 for repair of one key on my 2017 15” MacBook Pro."

I doubt any "escalation" is possible. It already has (had) an "extended keyboard warranty" (for 4 years).

Time to ask yourself hard, hard questions:
Is it worth fixing?
Or... should you take that money and apply it towards a new (or Apple-refurbished) MBP...?

You're far from the only owner of a MacBook Pro with the butterfly keyboard who is soon going to be asking himself/herself the same questions...

 

[jav6454]

OP wrote:
"Not near an apple store, but called the 1-800 number with the serial number and they said it's under warranty and they are mailing me a box to send in the device for their "keyboard service program" and gave me a repair ID."

DO THIS. SEND IT BACK FOR REPAIR.
Don't hesitate.
Send it in and get it done.

I think this is the best advice here. Plus you get several other parts replaced/repaired for free.

 

[Grubster]

I have had 3 fixed in the past couple months. For the 2017 MacBook Pro's, one had a broken space bar the other had "Sticky\spongy" keys. Even One key, they fixed the whole thing, no problem. You also get a new battery on the A1708 so it's totally worth it to get the top case replaced. I believe it will be the same on the TouchBar models.

On my 2019 MacBook Air, they did not replace the top case, but replaced a few keycaps. This device was also under apple care+ while the other 2 where not.

As long as you are under the 4 years, and you have even 1 key that is not the same as the rest, open a ticket, mail it in, or bring to the apple store. I would start a case first online even if you bring it to the store. It's like getting a pre-authorization to make it easier.

 

[B2A]

My mom recently went through the process of servicing her MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018). She had taken care of the laptop, and the keyboard was fine until recently.

We found the original receipt, and since it was covered by the service program we made an appointment with the Genius Bar, explained the issue, and they shipped it out for us.

Once Apple had the laptop, they said they needed more time to replicate the problem. They sent it back to us, turns out they could not replicate the problem, so they cleaned the laptop and marked the repair as complete. Of course, the keyboard was still faulty, and my mom quickly replicated the fault herself.

We had to make another appointment. The second time, the Genius explained that the cleaning counted as a repair (since dirt and debris can be the cause of a fault), and that they had to reopen the claim since Apple had effectively closed out our access to the extended service program (on account of the service having been completed). The Genius however, agreed that the repair was not complete, reopened the case, and agreed to complete the repair on site. He also recommended testing the laptop thoroughly after the repair, as after 90 days we would not be covered.

So, the first time they sent the laptop to Apple, cleaned the keyboard and sent it straight back to us. The second time they kept the laptop and repaired it on sight. Not sure what the official policy is, but as others have recommended, you need to act fast if you plan to utilize the service.

 

[seefees]

I bought six months ago a used 2017 15inch macbook pro and everything was working fine until last week I have noticed repeating letters while single clicks. I understood then there are no exceptions with butterfly keyboards as I wanted to believe. All of them sooner or later will have a problem that's why apple stoped using them. My biggest problem now is that I can't have my keyboard replaced for free from apple because the year of being purchased was 2017 which is longer than 4 years ago. Does anyone have any idea of how I can solve this problem except of throwing my lap top out of the window?

 

[Sterkenburg]

I can't have my keyboard replaced for free from apple because the year of being purchased was 2017 which is longer than 4 years ago. Does anyone have any idea of how I can solve this problem except of throwing my lap top out of the window?

Sorry to hear about that. You might want to pay a visit to the closest Apple store just in the off chance they decide to be extra nice about it, but it's likely that you will get a quote for an expensive repair.

The replacement will still be prone to failure sooner or later. There is no definitive solution except (1) accept to use the machine as it is, this might be ok if you keep your Mac docked and use an external keyboard, but not so much if you want to use the laptop keyboard, (2) explore the secondhand market and see if your model fetches an average price higher than the repair cost, if so sell the repaired laptop and get away from butterfly keyboard models pronto.

 

[seefees]

Sorry to hear about that. You might want to pay a visit to the closest Apple store just in the off chance they decide to be extra nice about it, but it's likely that you will get a quote for an expensive repair.

The replacement will still be prone to failure sooner or later. There is no definitive solution except (1) accept to use the machine as it is, this might be ok if you keep your Mac docked and use an external keyboard, but not so much if you want to use the laptop keyboard, (2) explore the secondhand market and see if your model fetches an average price higher than the repair cost, if so sell the repaired laptop and get away from butterfly keyboard models pronto.

First of all thanks a lot for your reply.
I have already visited an Apple store therefore I discovered my macbook is not covered from Apple's butterfly keyboard replacing program.
Yes of course, I am using it with an external keyboard since I haven't found any other solution yet.
In the end the person I bought it probably did the same with what you suggest as a second option.
But this is something I would never do to anybody except if we had a clear agreement that I sell a repaired lap top which is about to have this problem again sooner or later.
It is extremely disappointing that a company like Apple doesn't take full responsibility at least to repair for free all the butterfly keyboards and trying to save some money by limiting the purchasing date into 4 years.
Absolutely ridiculous!!!