Apple Repair screw up! - Literally.

[noreception]

Hi Guys.

So I had a repair on my MacBook back in February and I have been having some problems since picked it up. As far as I can remember they replaced the mother board and a sensor in the palm resting area... the fan would always be on - ALWAYS.

So, when I picked it up I noticed that it was making a really strange sounds - like deep grinding sounds.

I returned to the store and after a long conversation they took it from me and opened it up in the back room only to revel that someone had left a screw - or a screw from another machine was loose inside the fan area.....

Okay. So I am noticing issues and have noticed these issues since I picked it up from them (Feb) however my AppleCare has passed. Can anyone share any experience or offer any suggestion as to any approach I can take with Apple? I made the "Genius" make a note that stray items were found inside the clam after it was returned, do you think this is sufficient info to get a replacement or my computer fixed?

PS: a regular lurker and appreciative fan of the work you guys do.

 

[dooku77]

This is the Apple Watch section.

 

[andrew20]

Hi Guys.

So I had a repair on my MacBook back in February and I have been having some problems since picked it up. As far as I can remember they replaced the mother board and a sensor in the palm resting area... the fan would always be on - ALWAYS.

So, when I picked it up I noticed that it was making a really strange sounds - like deep grinding sounds.

I returned to the store and after a long conversation they took it from me and opened it up in the back room only to revel that someone had left a screw - or a screw from another machine was loose inside the fan area.....

Okay. So I am noticing issues and have noticed these issues since I picked it up from them (Feb) however my AppleCare has passed. Can anyone share any experience or offer any suggestion as to any approach I can take with Apple? I made the "Genius" make a note that stray items were found inside the clam after it was returned, do you think this is sufficient info to get a replacement or my computer fixed?

PS: a regular lurker and appreciative fan of the work you guys do.

All you can really do is just go into the store and be as nice as you can and explain the situation. There's a good chance they'll make it right, considering the repairs performed when it was under warranty were obviously done very poorly. In my experience from the years of repairing various components on hundreds of iPhones and MacBooks is that, during reassembly, a SINGLE screw missing or or wrong size/length (talking less than 1/4 millimeter) can easily result in all sorts of problems. Things like poor WiFi or cellular reception, soft spots causing LCD to rainbow or crack when barely tapping, camera issues, earpiece too quiet, random crashes, etc.

Man, I'd be so pissed if my MacBook was repaired by Apple and there were LOOSE SCREWS IN IT! I'd demand a brand new replacement - who knows what else was not put together properly, or what damage the loose screws did, that won't be immediately apparent.

 

[noreception]

All you can really do is just go into the store and be as nice as you can and explain the situation. There's a good chance they'll make it right, considering the repairs performed when it was under warranty were obviously done very poorly. In my experience from the years of repairing various components on hundreds of iPhones and MacBooks is that, during reassembly, a SINGLE screw missing or or wrong size/length (talking less than 1/4 millimeter) can easily result in all sorts of problems. Things like poor WiFi or cellular reception, soft spots causing LCD to rainbow or crack when barely tapping, camera issues, earpiece too quiet, random crashes, etc.

Man, I'd be so pissed if my MacBook was repaired by Apple and there were LOOSE SCREWS IN IT! I'd demand a brand new replacement - who knows what else was not put together properly, or what damage the loose screws did, that won't be immediately apparent.

Yeah man, its been a pretty frustrating experience overall...

 

[MacCubed]

1st: What MacBook do you have? Year/Model number?

You may be able to make the case as long as the screw did infact come from the motherboard area, or from another machine. Apple can very much say that the screws can become loose from use (I have had the screws extremely loose on my MBP bottom pan many times, one fell out once). Another thing that they can claim is that the screw didn't cause any damage to the laptop as there is no way to tell.

Apple is usually very good about these kinds of things, but in your case, there isn't anything "wrong" with the laptop in their eyes.

 

[AZhappyjack]

The repair should be covered for at least 90 days... the warranty section of the Apple Repair Order says:

"Thank you for choosing AppleCare for the repair of your Apple Product. To ensure the highest level of quality and reliability, all work is performed by AppleCare certified technicians, using genuine Apple parts. Additionally, all repairs are backed by Apple's 90-day service limited warranty, or the original one-year warranty, which ever is longer".

Go back to the Apple store with your MacBook and with your paperwork and politely ask them to review your case.

As a side note, I'm curious about what product you have, as the new MacBooks are fanless machines.

 

[DeltaMac]

Replacement parts - replaced by Apple or an authorized repair shop - would normally have a 90-day warranty on the parts, which would mean that repair parts that were replaced during the repair would be covered for that 90 days, in the event that part failed. Loose pieces that are identifiably part of the repair should be also covered during that 90 days, although you would likely need to talk to the repair tech, if the question comes up.
Older MacBooks (discontinued in 2011) would certainly have a fan, too.

 

[FilmIndustryGuy]

I had the same grinding issue and thought it was the fan after apple care expired. I cleaned the fan myself with a brush. I took it to apple anyways since it kept riding. I was super nice and cool with the genius and didn't demand anything. I just told him I was traveling and couldn't get to the issue when the mac was still under warranty and a host of other things.

At the end the repair genius told me the fans were fine and she even cleaned them up herself. She said it was the right speaker that was making the grinding noise so she replaced it. Anyways Apple treats people who bought apple care with more concern than those who hadn't. I have had several MacBooks and tried this with one that had expired 1 year warranty without luck. Apple care is worth it on the MacBooks if for the batteries alone.