230507

Larry MacPhee

My wife bought one of the new 12" MacBooks when it was first released. Within a few months, specific keys started failing to respond except with a very forceful click. The problem worsened over time, and she took it in for service. Apple replaced the entire top case as they indicated repair is not possible. Now, a few months after the replacement keyboard, the same problem is happening again. I'm curious if others are experiencing this issue. Not sure how Apple can resolve it if this is a design flaw with the new butterfly keyboard.

230544

MacInTouch Reader

I bought a 12" Space Grey 1.2ghz/512GB MacBook August 8, 2015. Last week the left-shift key would no longer work reliably. If you pushed very hard, just as Larry McPhee describes, it would work, but not each time, it was hit or miss.

I took it to Apple the same day as the failure, Tue. June 28, 2016. It got to the Apple repair depot in Houston on the 29th, out the same day, and back to me on Friday June 30, 2016. The repair sheet does not show a replaced top case, as I had expected but rather only 2 bullets:

We reseated or replaced one or more keycaps on your Mac's keyboard.

Your diagnosed and repaired product now passes all hardware testing.

I strongly suspect the same as Larry, this is the 1st generation of the newly designed "thin" butterfly keyboard and something underneath failed. Bummer it couldn't be fixed in the store, but the turnaround was awesome. I was bummed about the failure but surprised and delighted with the experience all the same.

Hopefully this can get established as a known issue on here for others to make their case. As for Larry's inquiry about the design flaw, they simply redesign the underside and as the units break they replace the top case with the new design that mitigates the flaw in the future.

230546

Mike Rowley

My wife had the same experience with keys becoming unresponsive on her MacBook over the course of a few months. Apple replaced the top case a month ago and it works fine now. Lets see what happens over the coming months

230660

Elliott Roper

My wife bought one of the new 12" MacBooks when it was first released. Within a few months, specific keys started failing to respond except with a very forceful click. The problem worsened over time, and she took it in for service. Apple replaced the entire top case as they indicated repair is not possible. Now, a few months after the replacement keyboard, the same problem is happening again. I'm curious if others are experiencing this issue. Not sure how Apple can resolve it if this is a design flaw with the new butterfly keyboard.

Similar problem here. It's crumbs. Slurp 'em out with a pointy nozzled vacuum cleaner. If your missus eats brekky in front of her MacBook, don't make her laugh.