Symptoms of the A2338 M1 MacBook Pro Display Blankout
Unlike the fanless Air, the 13-inch MacBook Pro M1 (2020, A2338 / Board 820-02020) includes an active cooling fan and an OLED Touch Bar. When display failure occurs:
- The Touch Bar displays icons normally, esc key clicks, and keyboard backlights illuminate.
- When an external monitor is plugged into the Thunderbolt 3 port, macOS desktop appears immediately.
- The internal 13.3-inch Retina screen remains pitch dark without even a faint backlight glow.
3 Diagnostic Tests to Isolate the Cause
- The Flashlight Test: Shine a bright smartphone flashlight directly against the center of the dark glass at an angle while pressing
Command + Option + Esc. If you can faintly see the "Force Quit Applications" window, your LCD is functioning but the LED Backlight Boost Rail (PPVOUT_S0_LCDBKLT) is dead. - Apple Diagnostics Check: Shut down completely. Press and hold the Touch ID / Power button until "Loading startup options" appears, then press
Command + Dto run diagnostics. Note down error codesVFD001,VFD004, orALS001. - Thermal Induction Test: Connect your 61W original power adapter. Leave the lid open for 15 minutes. If the display suddenly flickers on after reaching 40°C PMU temperature, you are dealing with cold-solder fatigue.
Solution Pathway
Install the DisplayGuard daemon to prevent sleep-induced thermal drops, or use our Mac Screen Test Tool to verify color purity across red, green, and blue primary channels.