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

I just joined the club too. Late 2012 27" iMac. Was sitting in my office last week and heard a loud bang - somebody previously in this thread describes it as rock hitting your windshield and that's a pretty accurate description. Monitor droops and won't stay in position. Called AppleCare, they made an appointment at my local Apple store which I had this morning.

Long of the short of it: the repair costs $28.41 in parts and $39 in labor for a total of $67.41 and takes 3-5 days. I went ahead and authorized it. A little annoyed that I had to pay anything, but I guess I'd rather pay $67 than wedge crap into the stand. 

... bit of an update. Called Apple and got told to take it to the local store, so I asked to escalate the case no. while relaying the information and following the guidance within this thread. This resulted in them being incredibly helpful and agreeing to complete the repair FOC at my local store with authorisation from Apple International Distribution.

It seems this issue does not flag on the advisors screen, but once escalated is a known issue by the Senior Staff, or that's how it appeared today. I was also assured that the fix is a modification to the original plastic washer arrangement.

Will update once the work has been completed. Thanks to everyone who's posted, great thread.

Chris.

Whoa. this literally JUST happened to me. I had turned from the iMac for about 1 minute as I was responding to a text on my iPhone. Then "POP!"

I heard a sound that startled me as it was loud and I saw in my peripheral vision that the screen on the iMac had suddenly tilted downward.

iMac is late 2013 BTO. wow. I have never ever had anything like this happen with an Apple product. If not a design flaw, then must have been a batch of fault hinges.

How long is the turnaround if I take it to the Apple Store?

I dropped mine off on Monday morning and picked it up this (Friday) morning. When I did I showed the Apple genius this 41-page thread, explaining that it's obviously a design defect and many people are reporting that Apple repaired it free of charge, but the matter apparently needs to be escalated to a supervisor for that to happen. My guy was kind of dismissive of the forum, it's an unusual problem, not affecting many units, blah blah blah, and he said this is something I should have handled with Applecare when I had them on the phone. I said well look, I wasn't aware of the scope of the problem either, but I do think it's a design defect, there's a guy with a company on here who says half of his Macs have failed in this way, and I'd really like to speak to a supervisor about it. So he want to his boss who approved waiving the fee for the repair. So based on this experience I would advise people, when they call Applecare, to escalate the issue there rather than in the store.

But in the end, Apple did the right thing and I have my iMac back and the stand is working correctly.

The same problem in the machine, iMac 27" finally 2013. I don´t know how it´s possible to put a plastic piece in combination with metallic piece. This is the result...

Final update... got my late 2013 27" iMac back from it's stand failure repair in Zürich. All work completed FOC as agreed with Apple Distribution International. Fantastic service, great quality work, not a scratch ... perfect. They said they've had many back both screen sizes and recognised it as FOC work. Well done Apple, great support.

I just had a phone call with a certified reseller, who called Apple Switzerland about this issue: since there is no official recall program, the repair should cost around 300 CHF! (~302 USD). Thanks, no.

There is an official program but for some insane reason it is not listed with the rest of the quality programs in GSX. Call again and ask the representivie to search for article OP1488 in GSX. (This repair will be covered at no charge to the customer for 3 years from the original date of purchase.)

Add mine to the list. 20 months old. Just on the phone to get guaranteed free at home fix. it is my wife's computer and she works from home! not what I expect from Apple. We paid a premium for GOOD design!

Add me to the list... I´m so ANGRY!! I don´t let ANYONE get close to my imac... And it just popped when I wasn´t even in the room.

I saw this video (https://youtu.be/06gdrDps2No   about the PLASTIC piece Apple ¨designed¨ for it to brake after we loose warranty  over the product, which made me angrier.... but it helped.. so I guess I´ll try some quick (pen-eraser-holder) fix while I find courage to open my poor baby...

She looks sad looking down.

Unfortunately one can add my 2014 27" iMac to the list to. Today I just could not bellieve when this morning I sit on my desk and found my iMac tilted down and the night before was perfectly fine.

On my opinion this is a major design flaw, and it should be taken as a flaw by apple with a recall for replacement of this part.

For now I'm sustaining in correct position with a pencil eraser between the foot and the monitor to. But this is not a way to fix a 2000€ premium machine.

Shame on you Apple.

I called Monday and asked that my case be escalated. I quickly got approval for a FOC repair and made an appointment for the next day. I took it to the Apple Store Tuesday and was told it would probably take 3-5 days. I got an email and a phone call early the next morning (approximately 17 hours after I left my Mac) to let me know it was ready to pick up.

It's now fine. Everyone I dealt with was friendly and helpful.

How much did Apple charged you for the repair?

Free of charge. I did not have AppleCare.

I have the same issue. Was probably my housekeeper. I found a simple fix that is fun;

1. Purchase bottle of wine (red/white) with "cork"

2. Open bottle of wine "not" destroying or discarding the cork

3. Enjoy bottle of wine

4. Take cork from bottle of wine and place it in the hinge behind screen

5. Postion screen to your liking

6. Purchase new bottle of wine