Replacing MacBookPro Butterfly Keyboard

February 12, 2019 8:57 AM

I was purchased one of the MBPs with the defective butterfly keyboards. According to a rep, I qualify for service (see here). However, when I called the Apple Store and the genius said I had to bring it in to be assessed for damage before they would consider any work covered by the program. Has anyone negotiated this transaction at an Apple Store? The MBP itself is not damaged. Thank you!

Also, I'm interested in getting the keyboard replaced, as it does not work, as replacing a few keys is not guarantee that other keys will not be affected in the future. Again, has anyone had any luck explaining that to Apple?

posted by life moves pretty fast to Computers & Internet (9 answers total)

Response by poster: Gah, terrible editing in main post. I apologise!
posted by life moves pretty fast at 8:58 AM on February 12, 2019

I did have to take it in to the store, where they confirmed that several keys were a problem, that they could not replace those keys in-store anymore--they used to be able to, and honestly that was not that much of a hassle--but then they just took it away and it got mailed back to me in a week. But they wouldn't have been willing to do that without actually seeing it first. It was annoying, but worth it. (I consider the extra hassle paid for by the fact that the new keyboard also came with a new battery. I believe this is standard for all the impacted laptops.)
posted by Sequence at 9:15 AM on February 12, 2019 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks, Sequence. Yeah, the other thing is having to be away from a work laptop for a week or so ...
posted by life moves pretty fast at 9:25 AM on February 12, 2019

Make sure you back it up before bringing it in- you may not get the same one back, and I've had them be ready to reject service if I didn't have a backup.
posted by jenkinsEar at 9:42 AM on February 12, 2019 [1 favorite]

The machine will be assessed for damage prior to repair, whether you bring it in to the store or ship it from home to a mail in center. Is there particular damage you’re concerned about? Regarding replacing keys versus the entire top case, standard policy is generally to attempt the individual keys first. Whether your particular genius adheres to the policy is a different question. But, generally the keys can be attempted during the appointment, so that would save you time without your machine.
posted by bluloo at 11:21 AM on February 12, 2019 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: bluloo - there's no damage at all. I've used a third party hard shell (InCase, bought on Apple's site for $50), and a keyboard protector (GhostCover) purchased when the problem first became apparent. It's looking good for a 2 year old MBP. I'd just like to avoid getting sucked into any negotiation with Apple regarding how something may be (in their eyes) some sort of pre-existing condition that voids their responsibility with dealing with the poor design of the keyboard in the first place.

I think that I do want the keyboard to be replaced, as the defect here is with the keyboard design, and not with just a few individual keys. Say they replace the Z key ... then the X key could start acting up, etc.
posted by life moves pretty fast at 11:51 AM on February 12, 2019

To restate what bluloo said, any Apple replacement program of this type requires that you bring them a relatively undamaged piece of equipment. So they need to see that your keyboard has not been covered in Coca-Cola, or badly dropped, or any of a hundred ways that a piece of portable electronics can be damaged. This is to prevent people from bringing in junked models with severe damage (not just to the keyboard) and getting a fully functioning refurbished replacement. Just because the keyboard is a fundamentally faulty design does not mean they are obligated to replace it, if there is evidence of other damage. Since you kept it in a case, that seems unlikely. That said, they do test dents for depth. The aluminum cases are pretty tough but it is possible to dent them. In any case you do have to go in so they can check the physical and electronic state of the computer, but hopefully it won't be a problem.
posted by wnissen at 11:57 AM on February 12, 2019 [1 favorite]

If your machine is free from major dents and hasn’t had liquid exposure, they will repair it no problem. But again, repair may mean just the affected keys, especially if it’s only a few keys.
posted by bluloo at 5:22 PM on February 12, 2019

Response by poster: Thanks all! Suitably informed, I will be venturing forth to the Apple Store at some point, when I figure i can afford to go laptop-less possibly for a few days.
posted by life moves pretty fast at 6:22 PM on February 12, 2019