Apple MacBook Pro F106 Error Code Fix Guide

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What This Error Means

F106 on a MacBook Pro means ‘logic board hardware fault detected during self-test.’

Apple doesn’t publish this one in normal user docs; you usually see it in diagnostics at a shop or from third‑party tools, but it always points at a motherboard-level problem, not a macOS bug.

The MacBook’s internal health check is seeing a bad reading from a power rail, sensor, or onboard component, so it won’t boot reliably or stay stable under load.

Official Fix

  • Step 1: Kill all power.
    Hold the power button until the machine is fully off. Unplug the charger and everything hanging off USB/Thunderbolt.
  • Step 2: Do the safe resets.
    • SMC reset (Apple silicon: shut down, wait 30 seconds, then power on; Intel T2 models: shut down, hold right Shift + left Option + left Control for 7 seconds, keep holding and add power for 7 more, then release and wait, then power on).
    • NVRAM/PRAM reset (Intel only: power on and immediately hold Option + Command + P + R for ~20 seconds).
    If it suddenly behaves and diagnostics no longer show F106, the code was likely from a one‑off power glitch.
  • Step 3: Run Apple Diagnostics properly.
    With the Mac completely off:
    • Press power and immediately hold the D key.
    • Let Apple Diagnostics run and finish.
    • Write down every reference code it gives you.
    If F106 (or another hardware code) keeps popping up, Apple treats it as a hardware failure.
  • Step 4: Update firmware and macOS if you can.
    If it will boot into macOS, install all pending macOS and firmware updates from System Settings → General → Software Update. Reboot, re-run Apple Diagnostics. If the error stays, assume it’s not software.
  • Step 5: Back up your data now.
    Before it dies harder, make a Time Machine backup or clone to an external drive. Board failures can go from ‘flaky’ to ‘dead’ very fast.
  • Step 6: Get an official hardware quote.
    Apple’s official move for an F106‑type board error:
    • Run their in‑store diagnostics to confirm.
    • Offer a logic board replacement (sometimes bundled with the top case, depending on model).
    • Quote you a flat repair price based on model and region.
    There’s no sanctioned ‘board repair’ from Apple; they swap the whole thing.
  • Step 7: Approve or walk.
    If the machine is fairly new or still under AppleCare+, you approve the repair and they replace the board, then re-run tests to confirm F106 is gone. If it’s old and out of warranty and the quote is ugly, stop there and read the verdict section below.

The Technician’s Trick

This is what a bench tech tries on an out‑of‑warranty MacBook Pro before condemning the board. If you’re not comfortable opening it, skip this and go straight to a shop.

  • 1. Open it and hard‑reset the power path.
    You need a P5 Pentalobe screwdriver for the bottom cover.
    • Shut it down, unplug the charger.
    • Remove the bottom cover screws and lift the cover off.
    • Disconnect the battery connector from the logic board.
    • Hold the power button for 15–20 seconds to dump any stray charge.
    • Reconnect the battery, leave the cover off for now.
    This clears some stubborn power‑management faults that a normal SMC reset won’t touch.
  • 2. Reseat the obvious flex cables.
    Gently pop off and re-seat:
    • Trackpad/keyboard flex cable.
    • Fan and thermal sensor cables (if accessible on your model).
    • Any small board‑to‑board flex sitting half‑loose or crooked.
    A half‑connected cable can throw weird board error codes like F106.
  • 3. Check for liquid or burn marks.
    Look around the logic board for green/white corrosion, black scorch marks, or sticky residue. If you see that, stop. That’s liquid or component damage; no amount of resets is going to fix F106 — you’re into board‑repair or replacement territory.
  • 4. Clean the cooling and spin the fans.
    Blow dust out of the fans and heatsink fins (compressed air, short bursts). Gently flick each fan with a finger — they should spin freely with no grinding. Seized or half‑dead fans and bad thermal sensors can trigger board faults.
  • 5. Reassemble and retest.
    Put the bottom cover back on, reconnect the charger, and power up:
    • If it now boots and passes Apple Diagnostics without F106, you likely had a flaky connection or power‑management glitch.
    • If F106 comes right back or the Mac still crashes/shuts off, that board really is bad. Stop throwing time at it and move to the financial call.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: Recent MacBook Pro (Apple silicon or 2018+ Intel), clean condition, no liquid damage, and the repair quote is well under half the cost of a similar new machine.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: Mid‑age Intel MacBook Pro (2015–2017), already needs a battery or has a flaky keyboard/ports, and the board quote lands around 50–70% of a decent used replacement.
  • ❌ Replace: Very old (2014 and earlier), obvious liquid/corrosion, or multiple failures at once (screen + keyboard + F106 board fault) — put the money toward a newer Mac instead of sinking it into this one.

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