Apple knew about a defect in the MacBook Pro that was causing blacklight display problems in certain laptop models, a class action lawsuit filed Wednesday against the Cupertino company claims.

The lawsuit, reported and shared by Apple Insider, cites a "Flexgate" defect that gadget repair site iFixit discovered in some MacBook Pro models early last year. many released in 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro laptops suffered from fraying flexible display cables, resulting in inconsistent display stage lighting, or inconsistent backlighting toward the bottom of the screen.

Regular opening and closing of these MacBook Pro models damaged the flex cable between the display and the controller's circuit board under the MacBook Pro's Touch Bar.

Apple did not respond directly to iFixit's report. Instead, it quietly adjusted the length of the flex cable on the 2018 MacBook Pro and launched a repair program for those with faulty 2016 13-inch MacBook Pros. (The program did not cover the 15-inch model with the stage lighting problem, though.)

Also, because flex cable defects often take time to appear, some failed MacBook Pros are no longer covered by Apple's one-year warranty and in some cases in some cases, resulted in repair bills of $700 or more.

The lawsuit alleges that Apple knew of the durability problems with the connecting cables, but failed to take responsible action.

"Apple was aware of the backlit screen and defective flex cable issues in light of comments that consumers posted on Apple's discussion forums and that those comments were deleted after they were posted," the suit states.

Several lawsuits have been filed targeting Flexgate. This lawsuit is more substantial than the previous ones, with the plaintiffs seeking damages and asking Apple to address the defective MacBook Pro models.