Mr Mo-Fo

Q: Design fault? 27" 2013 iMac stand just gave up!

Hi all,

I was just sitting watching TV when there was a loud crack and my iMac screen suddenly tilted down - now the screen will not stay where it is tilted / positioned. I was not using the mac at the time and it was not doing anything it just broke on its own. The mac was only bought in February and has not been moved or tilted once it was in place. This looks like a major design flaw to me as a 10 month mac just fails on its own! Has anyone else suffered this malfunction?

I have yet to contact apple as the store will be closed now but am interested to know if anyone else has suffered the same problem and what apples response was?

 

I will keep you guys posted once I have spoken to Apple

 

<Edited by Host>

iMac (27-inch, Late 2012), OS X Mavericks (10.9.1), Stand failure

Posted on Mar 18, 2014 3:40 PM

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Q: Design fault? 27" 2013 iMac stand just gave up!

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  • by krazmike,

    krazmike krazmike Mar 25, 2016 9:28 AM in response to Mr Mo-Fo
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mar 25, 2016 9:28 AM in response to Mr Mo-Fo

    My 2013 iMac had the screen tilt down overnight. (March 25, 2016) Just contacted Mac Media in Peoria, Az  (an authorized Apple repair facility) and they said there is a repair something or other from Apple and they can repair it for free. They verified this while on the phone using the serial number. All warranties are expired on this iMac. Just thought anyone looking here would like to know. Repair will take about 5 days as they have to order the part from Apple after I deliver the computer to them.

  • by GroovinHooves,

    GroovinHooves GroovinHooves Mar 25, 2016 9:38 AM in response to dzimking
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 25, 2016 9:38 AM in response to dzimking

    My late 2013 27-inch has grown progressively looser and looser in that hinge to the point that if my desk is shaken the screen will tilt forward. The design is probably sound, the workmanship might be questionable, but the materials are definitely inadequate. I have heard and read numerous accounts similar to OP's, so definitely not the first report of this issue, as someone else asserted. Perhaps not on these forums (doubt it, though). In my recollection, every iMac stand (and its hinge) has come under criticism.

  • by jammernz2015,

    jammernz2015 jammernz2015 Mar 25, 2016 2:23 PM in response to mende1
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 25, 2016 2:23 PM in response to mende1

    The hinge failer is not a one off.

    Every company we have ruled out 27" iMacs to more the 50% of them have broken and have had the hinge fully replaced.

     

    I would hope for Apples sake that even after a expired warranty these would be repaired for free.

     

    They have known about this for a while and should have recalled all stock prior to getting to stores.

     

    My question to Apple is this part has been breaking since 2013 iMacs until today, why have they not replaced it.

  • by Girshon Rutstein,

    Girshon Rutstein Girshon Rutstein Mar 25, 2016 2:35 PM in response to jammernz2015
    Level 2 (358 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 25, 2016 2:35 PM in response to jammernz2015

    In my opinion, we all should get new Macs, instead of repair. Just because of the scare and anxiety, like many people had.

  • by Perth Phil,

    Perth Phil Perth Phil Mar 27, 2016 6:32 PM in response to Mr Mo-Fo
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mar 27, 2016 6:32 PM in response to Mr Mo-Fo

    Same thing - just wanted to add to this, but 539 responses and 118,762 views would tend to indicate a manufacturing fault, design fault or both.  ACCC in Australia has dictated that machines need to be operational for their intended useful life (very subjective I guess) but I will be ringing Apple tomorrow morning to book it in.  Really appreciate the comments here about asking to get parts in and shorten wait times.

     

    Machine was not being used at the time, and just went bang, then screen dropped / tilted forward suddenly.  I do like the tennis ball solution as an interim but will update my solution after speaking with Apple. Very poor design and to have a stand that doesn't last as long as the computer is very poor form!

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Mar 27, 2016 7:02 PM in response to Perth Phil
    Level 9 (50,963 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 27, 2016 7:02 PM in response to Perth Phil

    Apple have already acknowledged this fault.

  • by lochinver lady,

    lochinver lady lochinver lady Mar 30, 2016 3:13 AM in response to translucent18
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mar 30, 2016 3:13 AM in response to translucent18

    I bought my 27'' iMac in February 2014 and last week the screen flopped.  Looking on line for a solutions - is there  screw I could tighten or what? - discovered lots of people with the same problem and an excellent video showing strong metal springs supported  only by 2 plastic washers almost certainly destined to fail within a short time.   Definitely a stupid design fault which Apple so far - refuse to admit or to rectify free of charge.

    My local Apple store in Glasgow is currently closed for renovation, but the Apple repair centre nearby want £99 to 'investigate, repair if possible and to completely overhaul my machine and software'.   To repair the fault means taking the back off the machine - risky, they say!   Nothing they can find from Apple admitting to this problem.

    My machine doesn't need overhauled, it's fine.   I will wait until Buchanan Street re-opens and try again to get some sense from Apple.

     

    I covered a brick with matching curtain fabric to use as a doorstop.  It fits perfectly on the the mac stand and holds the screen in any position I want.   I will leave it there until I can get the hinge fixed either free of charge or at a sensible cost - certainly not £99 to have the same fault happen again in a few months!

     

    I loved Apple machines, but recent so-called upgrades have been down-grades as far as I am concerned - useful editing functions removed and unnecessary fancy stuff and gimmicks marketed as 'improvements'.   Still no 'delete all' emails on my iPhone.....   Please get your act together or find someone on the same wavelength as Steve Jobs.   These machines are tools not toys.

  • by pokey b,

    pokey b pokey b Mar 30, 2016 6:58 AM in response to lochinver lady
    Level 3 (654 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 30, 2016 6:58 AM in response to lochinver lady

    As I understand it, no, there is no adjustment that will help this condition. It is the failure of a plastic washer-like piece in the hinge assembly. If you look back through the more recent posts on this discussion you will see that Apple is repairing this condition at no-charge. However, you do have tout up with the hassle of taking your machine into an Apple store or to an authorized apple repair facility. The repair requires the disassembly of the machine to get at the hinge, not something the average user wants to tackle. If you refer the local Apple team or the folks at the repair this conversation thread I think you will find all charges waived.

  • by lochinver lady,

    lochinver lady lochinver lady Mar 30, 2016 7:16 AM in response to pokey b
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mar 30, 2016 7:16 AM in response to pokey b

    Many thanks!   I will take my iMac to Braehead - you can park there, Buchanan Street is pedestrianised.

    This is at it should be - but is not the info I was given uyesterday.

    I am grateful for your help.

  • by TIVITY,

    TIVITY TIVITY Mar 30, 2016 7:16 PM in response to Mr Mo-Fo
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mar 30, 2016 7:16 PM in response to Mr Mo-Fo

    I brought my mac 2.5 years ago and I love it but the screen tilt has been broken for about a year   I had no idea so many people had the same issue and you would think that Mac as part of their customer care programme would at least have a recall to fix it since it seems to be a ongoing fault.

     

    I don't change the angle so I have no idea why it broke but I shall carry on using a foam ball to keep it upright!  A low tech solution but I don't want them to pull it apart and risk damaging it since it's not in warranty.

     

    Maybe Apple should send out a foam ball to everyone

  • by Steved1979,

    Steved1979 Steved1979 Mar 31, 2016 4:03 AM in response to Mr Mo-Fo
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mar 31, 2016 4:03 AM in response to Mr Mo-Fo

    Tilt Mechanism on one of our late 2013 screens gave up overnight, having sat on the same desk since new.  Apple store trinity, Leeds, UK, charged us £43+VAT to replace the mechanism, £19 for the part, £24 for labour in Feb 2016 (I referred them to this thread and suggested it was a design fault and should be repaired free of charge, they were not interested!!! )

  • by Girshon Rutstein,

    Girshon Rutstein Girshon Rutstein Mar 31, 2016 6:50 AM in response to Steved1979
    Level 2 (358 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 31, 2016 6:50 AM in response to Steved1979

    @

    Squeeze 2 thin plastic cards, thickness of a credit card to the bottom and the top, will do the trick. You will be able to adjust the angle of the screen. The most valuable thing that you don't' have to take apart your computer.

     

    Works even better than the original spring that broke.

  • by Udinpetot,

    Udinpetot Udinpetot Mar 31, 2016 8:40 AM in response to Perth Phil
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mar 31, 2016 8:40 AM in response to Perth Phil

    How does OZ apple store respond?

    I bought mind in Sydney, but now the iMac is in Indonesia. Will they replace it for free when you mention ACCC?

  • by iSasCloud,

    iSasCloud iSasCloud Mar 31, 2016 4:18 PM in response to Mr Mo-Fo
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mar 31, 2016 4:18 PM in response to Mr Mo-Fo

    It happened to me again and this time they charged me 438€ Naples Apple Store, Italy.. very disappointed!! not happy at all... Apple knows about this problem, but don't care about it.. doesn't care about all of us.. 3000€ for a computer with a limp screen.. awful!

  • by lochinver lady,

    lochinver lady lochinver lady Mar 31, 2016 5:01 PM in response to lochinver lady
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mar 31, 2016 5:01 PM in response to lochinver lady

    phoned Braehead today, but while waiting (they said 5 minutes) because it was a technical issue, I got put through to Ireland.   Lovely guy, checked and said since mine was a late 2013 model (bought February 2014) it would be repaired free of charge and he got me an appointment for next Tuesday (April 6th).

    I hope I don't have to do without my machine for 5 days!!

     

    I will let you all know how I get on, but if this info is correct, if anyone has a late 2013 model, do ask ab out about a free repair - but it should be free for everyone when this fault is so common.  Bad show Apple, there should have been a recall.

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