Chosen Solution
Hi all, I just went out of warranty with my 2017 mbp 13 inch, but recently I noticed this grey bar at the bottom of my screen. It only happens after about 3 to 4 hours of usage and when I turn the mac off for about 30 minutes the artifacting disappears again for about another 3 to 4 hours, after which the issue occurs again. I did some looking around and I hear it is similar to the flexgate issue, but there are two factors that may mean its a different(?) issue: The screen is perfectly fine for the first 3-4 hours of usage. The grey bars start to appear at random and is not affected by the macbook’s thermals ( maximum of 65 degree CPU temps in a test, average about 55 degrees Celsius )The screen can be turned on beyond 40 degrees. I have never experienced any screen blackout as of yet ( though this could mean that the damage to the cable is still minor and this will occur with time) I have not visited an apple repair store yet due to the coronavirus, but from the calls and the emails that were exchanged, the repair guys seem unwilling to replace it for free because it is not the 2016 version. is a 600 dollar replacement the only way out? This is my first apple product that I have saved for 2 years to purchase ( with my student savings) because I have heard about their legendary reliability and longevity from my friend who still uses the 2012 mbp to this day. Seems like this brand trust is unfounded with how easily the new macs break down .
Not good ;-{ The T-CON board which is mounted between the heat sink radiators has started to fail from heat damage.
This image is the Touch Bar version which has a dedicated GPU and two fans. Otherwise it’s the same. The display assembly will need to be replaced to fix it. For now you can help reduce the effect using a good thermal management app like TG Pro so you can pump up the fan a bit to help keep the system cool. But the most important action is making sure the vent areas are clean from anything blocking them like bedding and clothing. You may also need to dust out your systems fan and fins as well. I would still visit an Apple Store to see if you can get the display assembly replaced under a warranty exception. Given the store was closed due to COVID-19 you couldn’t get in to get it looked at. I would not call, just go, as the support people on phone tend to shut people down on these types of issues.
