⟐ Commented December 11, 2025 at 1:54 MST

I'm fairly sure it's an issue with the sleep sensor (the one that finds the angle of the screen), but I would really appreciate a second opinion on this.

Thanks, everyone!

-shingle

⟐ Answer edited May 09, 2025 at 22:00 MST

The flickering only occurs when the screen is opened more than roughly 45 degrees and sometimes stops when fully tilted back. The issue is not the backlight! The screen itself just turns black for a few fractions of a second, turns back on for a few moments up to several seconds and then the whole things starts over again. Most peculiar is that it stops at any angle as soon as I have the external screen connected.

An SMC and PRAM reset didn’t solve the problem. Booting in safe mode however does, but it happens again after leaving safe mode.

Theoretically my Macbook qualifies for the “flexgate” repair, but an Apple employee told me on the phone they will only fix it if the backlight is faulty, which is not the case for me.

Any input on how to fix this? This is so annoying, I can’t use the macbook without the external screen anymore. On the other hand I am quite happy with the macbook and would hate having to buy a new one, just because of this problem, as everything else on this machine is as good as new (after having the battery and top-case replaced for free not too long ago).

Thank you!

Update (02/06/2021)

I attached Videos of my problem. Some of you might ask now how I know the backlight is working, as the flickering is so short. Well sometimes it is longer, for example when I‘m scrolling through a document. Then you can notice that the screen is actually still lit and „just“ turned black.

Here are the screenshots.

1. External screen connected

2. External screen disconnected

So after the problem had prevailed for about 5 years, and even gotten worse (no matter how the screen was tilted), it suddenly stopped. I didn't change anything. I put the problem into ChatGPT and it figures it might be a software problem(?) and might have been fixed by formatting the hard drive. I have done nothing, just kept using the machine with my external display. But the problem always occurred on turning it on, and stopped when I had properly connected the screen. That took a number of tries in the end (plugging in and out, sometimes the OS even crashed and I had to reboot). No idea what the actual problem was / is and how long it will keep working. So far it's been working without failure for about 3 weeks.

A funny side note: I talked to my wife about finally having made the decision to replace it, because I was annoyed being tied to my desk with the machine, like with a desktop computer, and the next time I fired it up, the problem was gone.

⟐ Edited by author February 27, 2025 at 2:58 MST

It's an absolute nightmare to remove the keyboard due to the strength of the rivets and the fact that the back of the keyboard is a PCB material, so it breaks apart rather than coming off in one piece (like older models). You have to push the plastic keys inward to remove it, since you cannot rip it out, which slightly bends the aluminium cutout for the palmrest (although this can be rebent easily).

The issue I am having is fitting the new keyboard. I have removed a few rivets, and no matter if I pull, twist or knock out the rivets (all proven methods with Air and older Retina models), the rivets do not completely come out. Apple have made the tip of the rivet slightly smaller than the rest, so a bit of the rivet will always stay inside the hole, preventing the usual keyboard screws from going in due to the shallowness of the hole.

I have not removed all the rivets, since I want to see if anyone has any ideas of a way of completely removing the rivet, or how to secure the keyboard in the palmrest properly (before I remove all of the rivets).

I've attached a picture of the palmrest with the keyboard removed, and you can see the rivets (the head on these are very strong, and always stay attached to the rivet, which makes keyboard removal very tough), the holes left after the rivets are removed, and also the screw holes (there are a few screws holding the keyboard in, mainly the corners and lower right of the palmrest when looking at the back of it).

Bonus picture attached of the state of the keyboard after removal :) Any advice is appreciated! If anyone needs any clearer pictures, let me know and I'll take some more when in shop tomorrow

⟐ Commented December 19, 2024 at 7:51 MST

⟐ Answered October 29, 2024 at 14:06 MST

⟐ Commented October 17, 2024 at 4:18 MST

⟐ Answered October 12, 2024 at 3:31 MST

1: Replacing the SSD with a brand new one

2: Replacing the logic board with one from eBay.

If either of these will work, please let me know because I really would like to make a profit off of it. If neither of these will work, does anyone know of anything I could do to fix it? By the way, it is locked with a 7-digit pin, not a 4-digit one.

⟐ Answered October 03, 2024 at 0:53 MST

I am looking for the part number for this ZIF connector pictured, which connects the fan to the case. I'm sorry I don't have a picture of it with the tape removed, I forgot to take this picture.

I removed this part to clean the fan and the little plastic "clip" that holds down the ZIF connector broke off. I'd like to try and find a new one to see if I could re-attach the "clip" (or worst-case scenario the whole connector with some micro-soldering) but I cannot figure out this part.

⟐ Commented September 24, 2024 at 8:01 MST

⟐ Commented June 26, 2024 at 13:47 MST

Please I need help with this following strange case.
1- We updated SSD in some of our macbooks with a non brand Chinese SSD.
2- We did it in more than 7 Macbooks without issues.
3- Suddenly, 1 of the SSD's (we called killer SSD), is just being placed on laptop, we try to enter in recovery mode to reinstall MacOS by turning it on, but they wont react. We tried in second laptop, with exact same results..

After this, not even possible to instal anything, the laptops wont turn on anymore... so we are quite confused on what is going on, or what we can do with this laptops now.

What we tried with no success?
- PRAM and correct SMC (SMC for this model)
- Disconnecting battery and trying to turn on
- Reinstating the original drive
- Leaving battery to charge for 1 night

Please, are you able to give me some other possible troubleshooting steps I might be missing? I never saw a Macbook Pro not reacting after PRAM and SMC reset to this kind of power issue... I hope the SSD did not kill both macbooks!
I can not find the logic in how a SSD can kill a laptop, but never say never because Apple in some cases is special, and more with non original hardware.

Thanks in advance. Kind Regards!

⟐ Commented June 18, 2024 at 13:24 MST

⟐ Answered March 30, 2024 at 21:09 MST

In my MacBook A1708 I replaced battery. After that MacBook doesn't start. Nevermind if charger is plugged or unplugged.

If I unplugged flex battery connector - MacBook starts with plugged charger. Do you have some ideas what gone wrong?

⟐ Answer accepted January 16, 2024 at 12:14 MST

⟐ Commented January 05, 2024 at 7:19 MST

Some steps I've already done:

Update the OS

Reboot in safe mode

Reset PRAM / NVRAM

Reset SMC

There is no option for automatic graphic switching (I'm assuming this means there is only 1 graphics unit installed) .

Since this is a 2016 model, there is no true tone option as well.

I feel like I've exhausted all the troubleshooting steps I can do on the OS side. My next thought was that there is an issue with the hardware. I have a lot of experience with Chromebooks and Windows laptops. With those, usually the display connector or the screen itself was the issue. With the MacBook however, I'm not sure if this would stay true.

Does anyone know why placing the piece of paper in-between the keyboard and the screen would cause this issue? Videos and pictures below.

⟐ Commented December 16, 2023 at 1:41 MST

⟐ Commented December 15, 2023 at 7:04 MST

Although the tips i got here were exactly what i needed, i didnt manage to repare the MBP this way. It was nearly impossible to remove the ring that was stuck to the antenna and there were few repair shops with the equipment i needed to repair this.

Additionally, this laptop was not mine, but from my boss. She will give this laptop (which had other damage that i repaired) to her daughter, who will enjoy it a lot, but will have to use a USB WIFI dongle.

Thank you for all your tips!

Original post:

During the teardown of this macbook pro i snapped of one of the 2 wifi antenna connectors on the logicboard. (Red is still working, blue snapped off, i color coded the mini cable with its corresponding place on the logic board) (see attached photo)

‘front’ view of the cable. There is still a piece ‘inside’ the mini cable that should normally be on the motherboard

how the motherboard is looking right now

side view, but unfortunately its very hard to capture that there is something still attached to the mini cable

I can get replacement HMF4 antenna cables, but since i snapped of the part with which it connects to the mobo, i dont feel this will accomplish anything.

Since the connector is still visible, i feel like this should be an easy fix, but is it possible to repair this? Should remove the pin from the antenna cable and resolder it back on? or is this device with this mobo now doomed and should i get a dongle for wifi?

Please let me know your thoughts. I am especially curious as to what data lines you think are going into the board (is it just the piece in the middle that is connected to the mobo, or are there connections aside from the pin in the middle that will also need to stay connected to the mobo?)

Weirdly enough, i can still connect to my wifi (when i leave both unplugged) but i cant load web pages.

If anything is unclear, please let me know!

Simon

⟐ Commented December 13, 2023 at 9:58 MST

Im afraid to break it if I push it too hard, but it still doesnt recognize it. How snug should it be? The little flap is already pushed up.

UPDATE:

It had to go deeper than that. It worked.

⟐ Answer accepted October 06, 2023 at 13:55 MST

Any ideas?

Thanks

⟐ Answer accepted October 02, 2023 at 8:40 MST

Can you please call me I’m looking for an adapter that allows me to plug in a 2016/2017 non touch bar SSD drive to either a USB-A or USB-C port to read and test drives externally.

I would need about 10 of them.

Apple Blade SSD 5GA 34+22 Pins NVMe

⟐ Answered September 28, 2023 at 18:43 MST