(Aug 14)
I bought a Macbook Pro (MBP) from Amazon on May 13. It was a stock 15 with the 1.8 GHz processor and a serial number starting with W861. About 3 weeks ago I had my first random shutdown. During normal tasks (surfing the internet, checking email), the machine would randomly shut down. Up until a week ago, it only happened intermittently (about 1-2 times per week). Then it started crashing after 20 seconds or less when it reached the desktop after startup.
When the frequency increased, I called Apple and they had me ship it in. I called them on Sunday, Sep 30 and shipped the MBP back on Tuesday Aug 8. They fixed the problem on Aug 10 and it was back to me on Friday, Aug 11. The "Service Detail" showed the following fixes:
-Battery (They said my serial qualified for the battery replacement)
-Hard Drive
-HDD ASSY (I assume this means hard "drive assembly")
As soon as the machine was in my hands, I started it up and within 2 minutes of turning it on, it shut down. I started it up again, and the same problem occurred. Needless to say I was livid at this point. On Saturday, Aug 12 I called Apple support back and it happened while I was on the phone to them (1 hour 5 minute phone call). Im sending it back as soon as the box comes in.
The most frustrating part of this experience is how easily reproducible the problem is. Whoever "fixed" it clearly didn't test anything. Another irritating problem is that they errantly replaced the hard drive (which I couldnt back up due to the frequency of shutdowns) and now Im out all of my data.
Update (Aug 22)
I received the computer back within 4 days of shipping it out. The "Service Detail" said that they replaced the main logic board (MLB). I immediately turned it on and it ran fine for about an hour or so then proceeded to turned off. It continues to show the EXACT same symptoms that it showed before I sent it in.
Another 30 minutes on the phone to Apple and they aren't replacing it. Sheer frustration. The support person(Eric) said that he was going to talk to a "specialist". Meanwhile, I'm stuck with an unusable computer. Awesome.
Update (Aug 29)
After nearly a week of not hearing back from the support person with news from the "specialist", I called the main support line back. Another 20 minutes of waiting and I was back talking to another support person(Sean). I described the problem to him and he said that I needed to send it back in to get it "fixed". I asked him for a replacement and he said they haven't deemed it replaceable yet. After a 15 minute rant from me about how horrible their customer service is and how inept their technicians are at diagnosing and testing, he is having me try to re-seat the ram. If this doesn't work, I am to call him back tomorrow and set up ANOTHER (3rd) return for this.
I have now been without this computer for 1 day shy of 1 month and there is still no fix in sight.
Update (Aug 30)
After having no luck with re-seating the ram last night, I was back on the phone to Sean. He scheduled the return, admitting that it probably won't be fixed when it is returned.
About an hour after getting off the phone with Sean, Eric calls me back (finally...). He said that sending it in again is probably not the solution, so, pulling at strings, he says that he wants to send me new RAM to see if that fixes the problem. I ask him if they can send me a new one. He says no, because it hasn't been sent in for repair 3 times, hence, still repairable.
At this point I lost it. This guy, who hasn't called me back for more then a week, is telling me that the machine can't be replaced even though the motherboard, hard drive, and battery have been replaced to no avail. After another tirade, I ask to speak with his supervisor. He tells me that his level is the highest level of support. I then tell him that I want to talk to the customer satisfaction department to file a formal complaint. He tells me that he is going to type out the complaint and file it with this department. These technicians can do it all!! (Except tell me why my computer doesn't work) I can only imagine how "unbiased" his written complaint is. After all, it's DIRECTLY about him.
Can it be that Apple technicians don't have supervisors? Does Apple not have a customer satisfaction department available to the public? Either way, here I sit, broken computer in hand, 1 month after my original support call, with no foreseeable end to this idiocy...
-David
Related links:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/224602/
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=544012&tstart=0 (One of many threads on Apple's discussion board)
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/systems/macbook_Pro_user_reports.html http://www.zdnet.com.au/blogs/secur...otten_to_the_core_/0,39033341,39267968,00.htm
I bought a Macbook Pro (MBP) from Amazon on May 13. It was a stock 15 with the 1.8 GHz processor and a serial number starting with W861. About 3 weeks ago I had my first random shutdown. During normal tasks (surfing the internet, checking email), the machine would randomly shut down. Up until a week ago, it only happened intermittently (about 1-2 times per week). Then it started crashing after 20 seconds or less when it reached the desktop after startup.
When the frequency increased, I called Apple and they had me ship it in. I called them on Sunday, Sep 30 and shipped the MBP back on Tuesday Aug 8. They fixed the problem on Aug 10 and it was back to me on Friday, Aug 11. The "Service Detail" showed the following fixes:
-Battery (They said my serial qualified for the battery replacement)
-Hard Drive
-HDD ASSY (I assume this means hard "drive assembly")
As soon as the machine was in my hands, I started it up and within 2 minutes of turning it on, it shut down. I started it up again, and the same problem occurred. Needless to say I was livid at this point. On Saturday, Aug 12 I called Apple support back and it happened while I was on the phone to them (1 hour 5 minute phone call). Im sending it back as soon as the box comes in.
The most frustrating part of this experience is how easily reproducible the problem is. Whoever "fixed" it clearly didn't test anything. Another irritating problem is that they errantly replaced the hard drive (which I couldnt back up due to the frequency of shutdowns) and now Im out all of my data.
Update (Aug 22)
I received the computer back within 4 days of shipping it out. The "Service Detail" said that they replaced the main logic board (MLB). I immediately turned it on and it ran fine for about an hour or so then proceeded to turned off. It continues to show the EXACT same symptoms that it showed before I sent it in.
Another 30 minutes on the phone to Apple and they aren't replacing it. Sheer frustration. The support person(Eric) said that he was going to talk to a "specialist". Meanwhile, I'm stuck with an unusable computer. Awesome.
Update (Aug 29)
After nearly a week of not hearing back from the support person with news from the "specialist", I called the main support line back. Another 20 minutes of waiting and I was back talking to another support person(Sean). I described the problem to him and he said that I needed to send it back in to get it "fixed". I asked him for a replacement and he said they haven't deemed it replaceable yet. After a 15 minute rant from me about how horrible their customer service is and how inept their technicians are at diagnosing and testing, he is having me try to re-seat the ram. If this doesn't work, I am to call him back tomorrow and set up ANOTHER (3rd) return for this.
I have now been without this computer for 1 day shy of 1 month and there is still no fix in sight.
Update (Aug 30)
After having no luck with re-seating the ram last night, I was back on the phone to Sean. He scheduled the return, admitting that it probably won't be fixed when it is returned.
About an hour after getting off the phone with Sean, Eric calls me back (finally...). He said that sending it in again is probably not the solution, so, pulling at strings, he says that he wants to send me new RAM to see if that fixes the problem. I ask him if they can send me a new one. He says no, because it hasn't been sent in for repair 3 times, hence, still repairable.
At this point I lost it. This guy, who hasn't called me back for more then a week, is telling me that the machine can't be replaced even though the motherboard, hard drive, and battery have been replaced to no avail. After another tirade, I ask to speak with his supervisor. He tells me that his level is the highest level of support. I then tell him that I want to talk to the customer satisfaction department to file a formal complaint. He tells me that he is going to type out the complaint and file it with this department. These technicians can do it all!! (Except tell me why my computer doesn't work) I can only imagine how "unbiased" his written complaint is. After all, it's DIRECTLY about him.
Can it be that Apple technicians don't have supervisors? Does Apple not have a customer satisfaction department available to the public? Either way, here I sit, broken computer in hand, 1 month after my original support call, with no foreseeable end to this idiocy...
-David
Related links:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/224602/
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=544012&tstart=0 (One of many threads on Apple's discussion board)
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/systems/macbook_Pro_user_reports.html http://www.zdnet.com.au/blogs/secur...otten_to_the_core_/0,39033341,39267968,00.htm
