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Rattling noise within laptop while typing or shaking

Rattling noise within laptop while typing or shaking

I am on my third rMBP (first had a defective battery, second had a defective hinge). After a few days usage, I am noticing that a large item inside of the laptop is loose. It can be heard when typing, and seems to knock on the bottom cover when the laptop is closed and shaken. I took it to the Apple Store today, and shook it in front of the "genius". He told me he couldn't hear it or feel it, and took it in the back room and had "15 people try to hear it" as well, but none of them could. He reports opening it and seeing nothing wrong. When he handed it back to me, there was no rattle.

Asked by: Guest | Views: 167
Total answers/comments: 4
mcgyver89 [Entry]

I noticed the same rattle on my brand new MBP 15" Retina and found this post. I looked at the internal pics of this Mac and it looks like the only thing that could be rattling under the palmrest is the battery. It is a distinct sound of something being loose. I noticed it first when I picked up the Macbook and it sounded like something was broken. The iFixit teardown explicitly shows that glue is used to hold the batteries down. My assumption now is that the glue is failing and the batteries have come loose. I can easily reproduce when holding the Macbook open on my lap and tapping on the front right and left corners of the palm rests. If I lightly shake the open Macbook left to right I can also hear something inside shifting left to right. My hope is that this is not intentional and is some sort of manufacturing mistake. I will be showing this issue to a genius bar this week.
mcgyver89 [Entry]

"I am having the same issue with my 13"" Macbook Pro Retina - Has been back to Apple 3 times and had the screen and chassis replaced. The issue was gone after the chassis was replaced which included batteries and now its back again 3 months later.

Going in again tomorrow and demanding a new one as I have had enough of the issue, mine sits on a desk most of the time which is probably why the glue is letting go but if they cant engineer a laptop to sit on a desk then thats not my problem.

Update

UPDATE: My Macbook was replaced with a new unit. Apple store believed this was the first time they have seen the fault lol."
mcgyver89 [Entry]

"Hi i also have this rattling problem, mine is relatively loud, located in in the middle left side of the laptop between bottom of speaker and the Z key i think.

Makes noise even when laptop is stationary and on a cooling pad.

im afraid of going to genius bar and getting tricked and not getting the issue resolved :S."
mcgyver89 [Entry]

I use a Lenovo yoga 2 pro and kind of know what it would be like to have a problem such as this on an expensive laptop, so if I were you (anyone with the problem) i would go to the genius bar quietly put this website on then as if accidently, turn it round and look confused, make it seem awkward then seem outraged. and believe me they'll do something... hope this helps (: