Apple macbook air hinge defect -closing lid is considered accidental damage

Add my 1st gen MacBook Air to the list of "broken left hinge" folks. Will be taking this into my Apple Store to see how I'm treated. I LOVE this computer -- and it's gone around the world with me since Feb '08 without a single issue. I may have to go back to the MacBook Pro until it's fixed. UGH!

Another broken hinge here. Left side. We'll see what happens at the Apple Store. I'm out of warranty since I bought MacBook Air the first day it came out and do not have AppleCare. (I've heard that the hinge wouldn't even be covered under Apple's warranty anyway.)

{quote:title=nathalie052 wrote:}Anyway, I have dropped it off at the Mac Centre, but was now wondering, as I forgot to ask, with this repair, will all my files on my computer be ok or will I lose them?{quote}

When I gave them mine they said that all hardware, including the hard drive would be tested. If there is a problem then it would be replaced. They warned me about that before taking it. When I got it back, the same drive was in place (whew!).

I brought my MacBook Air Rev. A to Apple Store San Francisco on 26 July 2009. The Geniuses appeared to know what was going on. I had emailed the lawyers, who told me that my notebook should be covered for free with Apple's new policy.

I heard some discussion about a "matrix" among the Geniuses, but they couldn't find the formal policy on their systems that describes whether they're still supposed to take Rev. A MacBook Air's in for hinge replacement still. After a few minutes, the Genius gave up: he printed a work authorization form, asked if I should provide authorization to another person to pick up my notebook, asked for my system password, and took my MacBook Air in for FREE repair. The work order notes that the following items will be replaced: (1) display clamshell, glossy, MacBook Air and (2) HARDWARE REPAIR-LEVEL 2. I'll hope to get MacBook Air back soon in brand-spankin new condition... I'll secretly hope for a Rev. B or Rev. C machine.

Message was edited by: Justin ARGH

I purchased my Macbook Air on Feb-4 2008 and yesterday Aug-2 2009 one of the hinges snapped by merely adjusting the screen angle to view a video. I immediately scheduled a meeting with a Mac Genius for today and did some research. They took it no questions asked, even without AppleCare and I should have a repaired Air within 7-10 days.

I actually had my girlfriend drive me to the closest Apple Store(Oakbrook, Illinois) so that I could hold the computer in a way to reduce any more damage. I held it the same way in the store for another half hour waiting to be met by a Genius and the guy asked what the problem was, I said broken hinge, he took it and immediately shut it letting out a loud disturbing crunch sound and said "yep, it's broken, lucky for you we cover it".

went to the genius bar and they wanted me to pay $450 for the repair. I called apple care and worked my way up to customer relations and they agreed to repair it for free, even though the computer was 100 days past warrantee and i didn't have apple care.

Heard a crack sound and left hinge is now broken. Very disappointed to say the least.

If you read the rest of the posts, conditions have improved for MacBook Air owners. Apple will cover the repair. *Any repair that is requested out of warranty must first go through a call to Apple's customer care representatives so they can set up your repair as a 'customer satisfaction' issue.*

Last night, I completed my recertification exams as an ACMT for the next year, and also attended an Apple Reseller conference in Toronto the day before, where I was able to speak to one of the 'Tier Two' AppleCare representatives. She assured me that under warranty, I can submit the repair as 'covered'. She also indicated that the issue has been made aware to Apple's upper level product specialists and not to worry about it coming back 'declined'.

Feel free to bring it in to your local Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider, and they (and I) will submit the repair to Apple for immediate repair. (Allow for a few days for the part to ship to the location).

This repair replaces the entire display assembly, (camera and ambient light sensors included). While most of the computer needs to be disassembled for this procedure, it does not affect the data stored on your hard drive.

I'm submitting an identical repair (the photos on the various links within this thread are precisely what I have in my hands) right now. All the best to MacBook Air owners everywhere!

FWIW, my experiences with this:

I have an MBA Rev A with AppleCare. Have had a hinge play of about 1/2 inch for several months. Also, been watching this and similar threads and thinking about seeing what my local Apple store would say about repair.

Then my Isight camera suddenly stopped functioning. I went into the Genius bar to get that fixed and it was diagnosed as a hardware problem and my MBA would be sent in for repair. I then showed him the 1/2 inch play in the hinge, told him it leads to breakage and told him about the threads in which Geniuses agree that this is a repairable problem.

He said that in his opinion this was "cosmetic" damage and not covered under the warrantee. He said he'd document the "play" in the hinge in my file so if it broke later, there would be a record. After I pushed on him a bit about this he said that on the Isight repair work authorization form he'd indicate that the hinge was loose.

On the repair form he added, "Customer also states that hinge for display seems loose. Cosmetic Condition: no cosmetic/accidental damage noted at bar".

The MBA was shipped off and arrived back at my home 6 days later (yesterday). I was pleased to find that along with the repair of the camera, the lid hinge/clutch assembly had been replaced and the lid is tight and moves crisply like it did when I first purchased it. There was no charge to me for these repairs.

This seems to again point out the difference in approach and understanding of this issue between the various layers within Apple. - Frank

I'm taking my Air into the Apple store tomorrow, hopefully they'll fix the hinge for free out of warranty. Just curious though, I also have the 'no sound' problem on the Air too, I don't suppose if I mentioned that at the same time there is any chance they'd fix that FOC too?

Out of warranty means out of warranty. To further translate, that means that nothing can or will be done at no cost to you. The Apple Geniuses have no more ability to get your repair covered than I do. We all follow the same Apple service channels to carry out repairs.

Out-of-warranty coverage must go through a call to Apple's customer support hotline (not a visit to the genius bar) to plead your case. They will review each out-of-warranty repair request on a case-by-case basis, escalate it, and if they agree to do anything for you, consider yourself lucky.

As for your speaker issue, that is unrelated to the display hinge. Out of warranty, if the speaker needs replacement, it could be as low as 80 bucks for the repair including parts and labour.

Hi Fred. I took it into the genius bar today and, after checking on the computer, they were more than happy to repair the hinge free of charge. So I don't believe this particular problem requires a phonecall to Apple.

As for the sound problem, it's nothing to do with the speaker. I believe it's another common fault with the Air where the sound port gets stuck on 'line out' mode. I decided not to push my luck at the genius bar though, so didn't mention it!

hey I have had the same problem with my mba. I went to the apple store and was told it would be $755 to fix it. The warranty expired about a month ago so I'm screwed. There is a possibility of a class action lawsuit. If you want to be involved go to http://www.sfmslaw.com/pages/cases.php?id=752

Hi i had the exact same problem to such a degree that even the graphics were ruined. So the other day, i went into the apple store (fashion valley mall, san diego) and they told me it would be 750 to fix so i walked out. the next day i called apple customer service and complained and i was told that i needed to go back to the apple store with an appointment with a genius. so today i went back in there and talked with the genius. His name was Jack and he was really cool about it. Our meeting went something like this:

me: hi, i have a macbook air that has that hinge problem. (i hand it to him)

jack: wow. that's pretty bad.

me: yeah it's brutal.

jack: alright just give me a minute, I'll be right back.

5 minutes later
jack: so i can send it in to the repair depot and since you're out of warranty it will be a minimum of $280 to fix it, and it could be even more than that"

me: "280? are you serious? that *****. So many people online have said they had the same problem.

Jack: yeah, I've heard of an MBA hinge problem but never to this extent. (mine was cracked so badly that the hinge was exposed and the graphics were super grainy with weird colors).

after a moments thought he looks to the genius next to him and said something about tier 2 and then he told me he would go talk to the customer service or support manager/person in the back.

5 minutes later. he's back
jack: so, we're going to cover it for you for free.

me: really?! awesome. you just made my day.

i was starting to get livid at apple, but i'm definitely happy with them now. They're fixing it for me for free and it's more than a year old and i don't have apple care.

just wanted to let you guys know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel if you talk to the right person.

I have the same problem and sure it's not my fault!!!!!!!!! The problem started the same way as for the others on this forum or anywhere else on the internet that I came across. First, with loosen screen swinging about, then crack followed, etc. My Air is now completely broken— because I used it even then when I had the problem as I both it over internet in a foreign country, and now out of warranty as well, now imagine what situation I have—that I am using a tape on both sides of the screen to actually fix the screen to a position and to the main body of the f **** machine. This is actually happening as I write. What I suppose to do??
1/ get mad and experience a heart attack;
2/ cry and be disappointed with Apple;
3/ call for other apple users who are prepared to sue the Apple for it (as a group, worldwide);
4/ find an independent company who will repair instead of Apple (long shot);
5/ continue to use the brown tape which looks ridiculous but gave onlookers an idea what this machine is about. Or ... something else??

IS IT POSSIBLE THAT APPLE NEED TO CHANGE THE WHOLE SCREEN RATHER THAN REPAIRING HINGES ONLY BY OPENING THE MACHINE AND CHANGING THE HINGES WITH NEW ONES??? AND THAT'S WAY IS APPALLINGLY EXPENSIVE!!??

Is there anyone from London with the same problem that has experience with Apple techs and complains?