Apple launches repair program for longstanding 2011 MacBook Pro GPU problems
Apple has just launched a MacBook Pro Repair Extension Program for Video Issues to provide out-of-warranty repairs for MacBook Pros and Retina MacBook Pros sold between February of 2011 and December of 2013.
Affected computers include 15- and 17- inch MacBook Pros from early and late 2011 and both 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro models. Apple's page provides a tool you can use to check your system's eligibility. Symptoms of affected computers include "distorted or scrambled video on the computer screen," "no video on the computer screen (or external display) even though the computer is on," and unexpected restarts.
Some users have been complaining about 2011 MacBook Pro GPU issues since shortly after the systems launched. Those complaints continued for well over three years—outside of the warranty window even if you bought AppleCare, at least if you bought the systems at launch—and were more recently the cause of a class-action lawsuit. In August of 2013, Apple kicked off a repair program for iMacs with similar AMD GPUs.
