Hi, I'm very disappointed about an issue I've experienced twice so far with a high-end and relatively new computer. In mid-2020 (6 months after buying) the left speaker of my MacBook Pro 16-inch 2019 started crackling until it just simply stopped working. When my computer was opened, the left speaker membrane was totally displaced or let's say sunken (typical when a DC signal hits a loudspeaker). I waited a lot of time trying to find a response in Apple Stores with no success. So, this summer I decided to replace both speakers, but after just 6 weeks of normal sound, the left speaker started to fail again.
Today my computer was opened again and the membrane of the left speaker again is very displaced (like extruded, just in the opposite way it was the first occasion that was sunken, but anyways is the same membrane's large displacement symptom, typical when a DC signal hits a loudspeaker).
This makes me wonder, is something like a bad filter in the MacBook Pro 16-inch 2019 board affecting the left speaker by letting a DC signal constantly hit the coil of the speaker?
I've gone twice to Apple Stores and they don't have any response. Which is the way to escalate this issue and
expect from a serious company like Apple, an investigation about a possible manufacturing problem?
Are there any other people having the same issue?
Thanks in advance!
Some images:
First, the Left loudspeaker with the damage (typically from DC signal hit). Then, the Right loudspeaker with normality (so far)...
View attachment 2086415
I have encountered speaker failure on 2019 16" MacBook Pros before (at my place of work) as well as heard of it happening elsewhere. You're not alone. I'm not saying that it's the norm or that it's widespread enough for a repair extension program. But I'm not saying that it's uncommon or unheard of. I've definitely heard of it and have had to initiate Apple repairs for multiple 2019 16" MacBook Pros before.
If you have to get this repaired for a third time, ask your Tier 2 person to escalate this to Customer Relations as this should not be happening on a $2400-8000 laptop regardless of whether or not there's a new one that doesn't have Intel inside anymore.
I think you need to prepare yourself for the fact that you simply may not get the answers you are looking for.
Okay, first off, bad form to tell someone who has gone looking for help that they may not get the answers they're looking for when such sentiments are usually reserved for things where there is true mystery. That much will either be true or untrue, and immediately evident in either case. You spelling that out doesn't accomplish anything other than prematurely deflate any hope the OP might have in finding an answer to this problem. Your calm demeanor here is great, but this is still not the right time for such sentiments.
Given the lack of other discussion about issues like this, it doesn't sound like a widespread issue.
Secondly, this IS a common issue. I've seen it on multiple 2019 16" MacBook Pros. Not enough to deem that model unreliable or problematic, nor to assert that there will or won't be a repair extension program for this issue, but common enough that it's not all that surprising when it comes up. I've seen people comment on it. I'm pretty sure there have been articles about it on this site, and other such places.
It seems unfortunate that something has failed twice, but it could just as likely point to a bad part, a different hardware failure or even something environmental, rather than a systematic manufacturing issue.
Thirdly, you do not have the data to suggest that this wasn't a systemic manufacturing issue.
I assume your computer is out of warranty now so Apple did not repair it, there is nothing stopping you from replacing other power related components (At your own expense) if you feel like this would be appropriate.
In terms of getting Apple to do an investigation about potential manufacturing problems, it's just not going to happen.
Fourthly, this is also not true. If you go through enough repeat repairs, Apple will do an appeasement replacement (likely resulting in that problematic 2019 16" MacBook Pro getting replaced with a 2021 16" MacBook Pro). If this happens with enough customers, eventually Apple will create a repair extension program because that is WAY more cost effective than having to go through multiple repairs that result in appeasement replacements. I'm not saying that this WILL happen, but to say categorically that it won't happen is...well...inconclusive, to say the least.
Even if you escalated the issue, the repair and support services are geared around your computer, they would try to look to getting your computer fixed (Again, at your own expense as it is out of warranty) rather than investigate manufacturing issues. Engineers no doubt analyse repair data to identify systematic problems but they aren't going to investigate and give you some kind of detailed report just because something on your computer has failed, and that's quite right in my opinion. And the staff in the stores and the repair centres are not there to give an opinion on manufacturing issues either, they are there to replace parts to fix your computer.
Again, this isn't an isolated occurrence. And while you may be right in that it may not be widespread enough for it to create an REP, you don't have the data to suggest that.
If you want your computer fixing, fix it yourself, or pay Apple to fix it, but I don't think you'll get any further than that. I assume it's out of warranty, in which case it's yours and your responsibility to cover the cost.
If it's out of warranty, and the OP gets it repaired, either the part goes back into warranty for 90 days (if only the individual part gets replaced) or the entire machine goes back into warranty for 90 days (if it's a flat rate depot repair). If the problem happens again within those 90 days, it's covered. If this has to be done more than three times, the OP can complain to tier 2 support and they can invoke customer relations who will propose an appeasement replacement. I've been through this dog and pony show a good five times in my twenty years of being an Apple customer.
