Chosen Solution

I have a 2016 high-end 13-inch MacBook Pro (3.3 GHz i7, four Thunderbolt 3 / USB-C ports). Rather early, all four USB-C ports had their mechanical retention loosen up.  They still make full electrical contact (both charging and data), so far as I can tell, when a cable’s plug is fully in, but the cable plugs tend to slip halfway out with little or no provocation, a PITA when you think you’re charging and aren’t, or when you’re doing a backup and get informed that you’ve removed the disc without ejecting it. I was told, early on, that the replacement of these wimpy sockets was a warranty repair with redesigned ports available to be swapped in.  But I lived too far from an Apple shop and depended too heavily on the machine to do without it for as long as it’d take me to get back to the shop.  Now, not only am I obviously out of Apple care but they tell me that even for a price, the repair parts are NLA. Is this also true via iFixit?  If the ports are soldered down so it’s a motherboard swap, then I guess I’m SOL.  OTOH if there are compatible modular replacements to be had, I’d be interested.

Tick-Tock! Time is a constant element of repairability from Apple as well as other hardware makers! Clearly I can’t take my grand dad’s Model T Ford to the ford dealer to get repaired! Thats the same issue here! Even still new parts are often no longer being made for the given device so what is out in the wild is all there is! Also some parts run out before others! Then we need to Cannibalize junkers to gain access to the needed part. Some people make it a mission to gather hub caps for cars! So I can get a good as new hub cap for that Model T still! So where are we here? Sadly, Apple just added this system on the Vintage and obsolete products listing ;-{ So Apple Stores and Authorized resellers repair shops are not obligated to service your system and they may not have the needed parts on the shelf and can no longer order them from Apple HQ. OK, so you’er on your own here any ways … Are you able to repair your system? Do you have a local independent Mac repair shop near you? The USB-C connector can be replaced sometimes the case springs break which offers some of the tension to the cords connector body. That would require finding a used uppercase shell to swap out the springs or replacing the full uppercase. MacBook Pro Retina (A1706 & A1707 Late 2016-2017) USB-C BoardMacBook Pro 13" Retina (Touch Bar, Late 2016-2017) Upper Case Update (08/07/2022) Here’s a picture of the retention springs