There is no denying the appeal of a MacBook Pro—from their sleek design to performance, consumers really can’t go wrong. However, MacBook Pros are not impervious to flaws or failure modes. Similar to Staingate, Flexgate affects certain MacBook Pro displays resulting in a poor user experience.
Today, we’ll cover what Flexgate is, what causes it, and what to do if your MacBook Pro has been affected.
What is Flexgate?
Flexgate is the name given to describe a failure mode that affects the display in certain MacBook Pro units. Affected MacBooks could display the following behaviors:
- Display backlight shows vertical bright lines which appear across the screen continuously or intermittently.
- Display backlight stops working completely.
This failure mode is caused by faulty flex cables that are too short. Flex cables are wrapped around the display controller board and are stressed when the device is opened and closed. Since these cables are too short, they wear down over time as they are pulled when the device is opened and closed. The backlight cable will typically break first which results in display and backlighting issues, often referred to as “Hollywood lights.” Eventually, the display will darken completely, making it impossible to use the device.
Apple corrected this issue by installing flex cables that were 1mm longer in models after 2018.
What models are affected by Flexgate?
In 2016, Apple released new MacBook Pro models with new flex cables. Flexgate affects a small percentage of 13-inch MacBook Pro models. These devices were sold October 2016 to February 2018.
To identify if your device could be affected by Flexgate, navigate to the About This Mac from the Apple menu on your MacBook Pro. Models affected are:
- MacBook Pro (13inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
What to do if your MacBook Pro is affected by Flexgate
Depending on who you are, there are different solutions to address display issues associated with Flexgate.
End Users
If you are an end user (an individual consumer that owns your MacBook Pro), contact Apple. Apple has set up a service program to fix these displays for free. We recommend first confirming that your device is one of the affected models included in the program (see above). If your device is exhibiting Flexgate behavior and was manufactured during the same time period but is not included in the program, we still recommend contacting Apple directly.
Repair Retailers/Repair Depots
If you are a repair retailer, AGiRepair can help in two ways.
LCD Buyback
We can buyback your damaged displays that have been affected by Flexgate through our LCD buyback site Screenbuyback.com.
LCD buyback is a simple process. Broken and damaged screens, like those affected by Flexgate, still hold value. Here’s how our process works:
- Send your broken and damaged screens to us.
- We hand test each screen at our state-of-the-art facility in Greensburg, PA.
- We then assign a grade to each screen. Our grading criteria is based on 20+ years of quality control standards in recycling and remanufacturing LCD and OLED technology.
- Your results will be provided within three business days of receiving the product.
- Your approval at that time will engage the payment process.
LCD Repair
Has your repair shop seen an influx of Flexgate repairs, and you don’t have the manpower or expertise to repair them? Let us help. We work as the man behind the scenes. Our skilled technicians spend all day everyday repairing devices. We can repair these affected displays and return the devices back to your shop to return to your customer. This allows your shop to expand your services and add a new revenue stream while retaining your customers. It’s a win-win!
AGiRepair are experts in device repair, supporting over 8,000 repair centers, IT companies, and K-12 technology departments. Learn how we can help your organization by contacting us today.
