MacBook Pro 2021 16.2" Case Creaking

[pento]

Hey All!

I've had a 16.2" 2021 MacBook Pro since October 26th. I love this thing, but....

The case has just started creaking. A lot. When I type on the keyboard, or when I gently touch the wrist pads, and when I open and shut the screen. I had the original 2012 rMBP, and I recall the bottom panel not being screwed in quite right in some units, so that it would creak when you put a decent amount of downward pressure on it, or picked it up, but this feels way worse. It's weird how originally it was great, and this just started. I baby my computers, so there was no abuse done to it.

For such a quiet machine, it's very noticeable. I'm probably going to have to take it to an apple store ?.

Just curious if anyone else has experienced this.

 

[pento]

Alright, so I got out my iFixit kit and loosened and then re-tightened the screws on the bottom and it seems to be back to normal. I initially just tightened the screws(although they already felt pretty tight), and that helped a bit, but not as much as loosening and then re-tightening.

That was wild, because I've used a lot of MacBook's over the years, and I've never heard such degree of creaking before. I'm already out of the return period, but I'll keep an eye on it!

 

[white7561]

Mine doesn't do that . I'm using the 16" 2021 too!! If it still does that I think its better to replace it with a replacement

 

[white7561]

Alright, so I got out my iFixit kit and loosened and then re-tightened the screws on the bottom and it seems to be back to normal. I initially just tightened the screws(although they already felt pretty tight), and that helped a bit, but not as much as loosening and then re-tightening.

That was wild, because I've used a lot of MacBook's over the years, and I've never heard such degree of creaking before. I'm already out of the return period, but I'll keep an eye on it!

Update. Mine has it. I don't know how to reproduce it every time but sometimes pushing the wrist pads or when you're changing positions when on a couch etc. You can hear it kinda creaks

How is yours? Is it totally fixed?

 

[pento]

Update. Mine has it. I don't know how to reproduce it every time but sometimes pushing the wrist pads or when you're changing positions when on a couch etc. You can hear it kinda creaks

How is yours? Is it totally fixed?

It came back. I ended up taking the back off completely and putting it back in place which seems to have resolved it again, but it hasn’t gotten a lot of use in the past week. Going to keep an ear out for it and see how it goes.

I don’t recommend removing the back cover. It was a real pain in the butt to get the clips lined up right so that it would clip back in place. I thought I was going to break it.

If it comes back I’m just going to take it to an Apple store.

 

[metapunk2077fail]

I don't know how your case can creak. It's a unibody. There are no parts of the case that can flex.

If anything it can be the laptop heating up or cooling down causing parts to expand or contract a little. That's common and has happened for many years.

 

[pento]

I don't know how your case can creak. It's a unibody. There are no parts of the case that can flex.

If anything it can be the laptop heating up or cooling down causing parts to expand or contract a little. That's common and has happened for many years.

The bottom panel is very thin and can flex. That’s my best guess. Like you said, the ‘unibody’ models have had small creaks for years, and I’ve experienced them in the past, but this is far louder than any I’ve ever experienced.

 

[macintoshmac]

The bottom panel is very thin and can flex. That’s my best guess. Like you said, the ‘unibody’ models have had small creaks for years, and I’ve experienced them in the past, but this is far louder than any I’ve ever experienced.

Interesting.

Does this happen when at a desk or when in the lap?

 

[pento]

Interesting.

Does this happen when at a desk or when in the lap?

The surface didn’t seem to make a difference. I noticed it on a hard desk surface, a lap desk, and just a lap.

 

[Aka757]

Mine also creaks slightly, mostly when I hold it by the bottom left and top right opposing corners. The top right corner is the area that creaks. For the first week it would also sometimes creak when closing the lid around the same spot. Doesn't seem to do that anymore, and I don't have a toolkit to tighten screws or remove the back panel unfortunately. Doesn't seem to do it when it's on a desk / table though.

 

[macintoshmac]

The surface didn’t seem to make a difference. I noticed it on a hard desk surface, a lap desk, and just a lap.

Hmmm. Get a replacement if possible. Something is obviously out of spec here.

 

[Natzoo]

When I first got my 16", the hinge that controls the display would not move smoothly and would feel like it was jolting. Fortunately that went away. The display moves smoothly now.

 

[metapunk2077fail]

The bottom panel is very thin and can flex. That’s my best guess.

Unfortunately not a correct guess. There's no need to guess either. The bottom is not too thin, it's almost the same thickness throughout the body and because it is unibody it is extremely reinforced by design. I am trying to flex it as I make this post and it isn't possible unless I apply an unreasonable amount of strength.

If it isn't temperature causing noise then it is entirely possible some customers have a case that had a defect in the manufacturing process.

 

[white7561]

Mine also creaks slightly, mostly when I hold it by the bottom left and top right opposing corners. The top right corner is the area that creaks. For the first week it would also sometimes creak when closing the lid around the same spot. Doesn't seem to do that anymore, and I don't have a toolkit to tighten screws or remove the back panel unfortunately. Doesn't seem to do it when it's on a desk / table though.

Same placement. I think it's on top right

 

[pento]

Unfortunately not a correct guess. There's no need to guess either. The bottom is not too thin, it's almost the same thickness throughout the body and because it is unibody it is extremely reinforced by design. I am trying to flex it as I make this post and it isn't possible unless I apply an unreasonable amount of strength.

If it isn't temperature causing noise then it is entirely possible some customers have a case that had a defect in the manufacturing process.

I'm not sure what you're getting at, but I never said it was 'too thin'. I just said that it's very thin. If you remove the bottom panel, the panel itself flexes with very little effort. It's not the same thickness as the rest of the unibody. These are just my observations, and adjusting the screws and reseating seems to have made a difference. It might be a coincidence, but time will tell.

In the past, one solution to creaking MacBooks was to reseat the bottom panel, and ensure that when you screw it back in, that the screws are screwed in evenly.

 

[metapunk2077fail]

If you remove the bottom panel, the panel itself flexes with very little effort.

The panel is hard screwed into the unibody frame so it shouldn't have any flex unless, as I said, there is a manufacturing defect or screws aren't tight.

 

[white7561]

It came back. I ended up taking the back off completely and putting it back in place which seems to have resolved it again, but it hasn’t gotten a lot of use in the past week. Going to keep an ear out for it and see how it goes.

I don’t recommend removing the back cover. It was a real pain in the butt to get the clips lined up right so that it would clip back in place. I thought I was going to break it.

If it comes back I’m just going to take it to an Apple store.

So I tried removing all of the screws. Then putting it back together tightly (not in order so idk if it's the same exact screw on the same exact screw hole) and it seems to be fixed for now. No random little creaking sound since then. Will see how long it lasts. Hopefully forever

 

[Nautigar]

So I tried removing all of the screws. Then putting it back together tightly (not in order so idk if it's the same exact screw on the same exact screw hole) and it seems to be fixed for now. No random little creaking sound since then. Will see how long it lasts. Hopefully forever

This has been a problem for some MacBooks for years. It helps to remove the screws, put a very litte amount of oil (like WD40, less than a drop, use a toothpick or something) into the hole and then put the screws back in. In my case (MBP 16" 2019) this helped, no more creaking

 

[white7561]

This has been a problem for some MacBooks for years. It helps to remove the screws, put a very litte amount of oil (like WD40, less than a drop, use a toothpick or something) into the hole and then put the screws back in. In my case (MBP 16" 2019) this helped, no more creaking

Can I substitute other than WD-40? I hope it never comes back but if it does. I know I can try using a little oil

 

[weltraum]

My 16” has it too. However, its only noticeable in a very quiet room and I can’t reliably reproduce it. It seems that there are a few people on Reddit with the same issue https://www.reddit.com/r/macbookpro/comments/r38nyg .

 

[white7561]

My 16” has it too. However, its only noticeable in a very quiet room and I can’t reliably reproduce it. It seems that there are a few people on Reddit with the same issue https://www.reddit.com/r/macbookpro/comments/r38nyg .

I thought it was the hinge at first. But then it happens even when the thing is on a table where the hinge is definitely not moving. It happens sometimes when you press some parts of the MacBook. Trackpad sometimes triggers it.

And yeah u can't reproduce it reliably. Unscrewed every screw from the back. Then putting it back together tightly seems to do the job. Since then no creaks at all. Crossing my fingers it won't do it anymore. If it does I might need to check if I need oil or something like the suggestion above to make sure it's not creaking anymore

 

[Nautigar]

Can I substitute other than WD-40? I hope it never comes back but if it does. I know I can try using a little oil

Not sure, but sewing machine oil might also work. Any oil that is fluid enough to creep into a screw thread should do the trick.

 

[pento]

My 16” has it too. However, its only noticeable in a very quiet room and I can’t reliably reproduce it. It seems that there are a few people on Reddit with the same issue https://www.reddit.com/r/macbookpro/comments/r38nyg .

Yup, that's the sound, and like what @white7561 said, it's not just when using the hinge. At it's worst, I was hearing the noise when I seemingly wasn't even using the laptop - it was just sitting in my lap (I'm sure I was moving it every so slightly).

 

[white7561]

Yup, that's the sound, and like what @white7561 said, it's not just when using the hinge. At it's worst, I was hearing the noise when I seemingly wasn't even using the laptop - it was just sitting in my lap (I'm sure I was moving it every so slightly).

Yeah it's usually when it moves a little on my lap. Though it seems to be fine now. I hope it doesn't do that anymore

 

[iamMacPerson]

I have the same problem with my 16.2". It's happening almost exclusively on my lap whenever I adjust the machine or my hands. It is much more noticeable when the lid is open then closed, but its happens at both times. It seems to be mostly emanating from the right side of the bottom panel (belly pan if you will) and I can constantly re-create it by holding the laptop in open in both hands and positioning my right hand with my thumb on the right speaker and squeezing the bottom panel. It is a creak/squeak like sound. I have had this on other MacBooks but I think this the worst I have heard by far. I plan to call Apple and seek a remedy, I don't think it's right that a machine this new and this expensive creaks at random and to the point it's audible to others sitting near me.