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Apple faces class action lawsuit regarding 2016 MacBook Pro “Flexgate” defect

If you’re irate about technical difficulties with your 2016 MacBook Pro notebook, there could be some justice down the line.

Apple is on the receiving end of a nationwide, class action lawsuit over a defect in the 2016 MacBook Pro notebooks. The suit, nicknamed “Flexgate,” is represented by Mahan Taleshpour et al. v. Apple, Inc., United States District Court Northern District of California, Case No. Case 5:20-cv-03122-VKD. 

The suit, which has been filed in the Northern District of California, claims that Apple knew about the defect in the MacBooks and concealed it from customers. The defect involves a thin, flexible cable that rubbed against internal hardware components every time these models are opened and closed.

Per the complaint, Apple apparently sold customers an extended warranty plan that only covered part of the repair cost, the repair program allegedly failing to fix a large number of these MacBooks. Lead plaintiff Mahan Taleshpour, who purchased a 2016 MacBook Pro for about $2,500 in April 2017, noted that the screen began to fail in January 2020. He brought it to an Apple Authorized Service Provider who told him AppleCare didn’t cover the repair and would cost US$850.

PARRIS Law Firm attorney R. Rex Parris:

Imagine spending more than $2,500 on a laptop only for it to fail shortly after the manufacturer’s warranty expires. What’s even more appalling is Apple requiring customers to spend an additional $600 to $850 to replace the screen.

If you’ve seen this issue on your end, please let us know about your experience in the comments.

Via The Mac Observer and Parris