News: Apple Starts 2011-2013 MacBook Pro Repair Program

Got a fussy 15-inch or 17-inch MacBook Pro from the last couple of years? Some graphics-related issues have been well-documented, and Apple is finally doing something about it. Machines sold between February 2011 and December 2013 may be eligible for a new repair program that will cover issues between now and February 27, 2016 or now and three years from the original purchase date, whichever is longer. This does not affect the 13 inch model nor the MacBook Airs.

Apple has more specific details:

Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will repair affected MacBook Pro systems, free of charge. See below for details on affected models and service options.

As of February 20, 2015, the repair process will be available in the U.S. and Canada. In other countries, it will be available as of February 27, 2015.

Symptoms

An affected MacBook Pro may display one or more of the following symptoms:

• Distorted or scrambled video on the computer screen
• No video on the computer screen (or external display) even though the computer is on
• Computer restarts unexpectedly

As far as specific models, this includes the following:

• MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2011)
• MacBook Pro (17-inch Early 2011)
• MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2011)
• MacBook Pro (17-inch Late 2011)
• MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2012)
• MacBook Pro (Retina, 15 inch, Early 2013)

The computers can either be shipped in or dropped off at an authorized repair location. Furthermore, the company will be reimbursing those who paid for repairs related to video issues:

Apple is contacting customers who paid for a repair either though Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider to arrange reimbursement. If you have not been contacted, but paid for a repair that you think was due to this issue, please contact Apple.

Although Apple should have started this when it was first happening in large amounts, it is good that they are at least going to get machines fixed and people reimbursed. I suspect that the issues of the models with Retina Displays is slightly different, since they included significantly different hardware than the 2011 models.