Macbook Aluminum Defect

Question

Macbook Aluminum Defect

I currently have a aluminum macbook, late 2008, one with backlit keyboard.
This macbook is still covered under 1 year warranty.
I wanted know if qualify for a exchange, not repair for the manufacturing defect:

Here are the defects that my macbook is suffering from:
1) The Battery/HDD cover is loose and movable on while locked in to the macbook unibody.
2) The magnetic latch is so weak that when I put my macbook in a vertical angle, it opens.
Once, while my macbook was sleeping with the lid closed, in my bag, somehow i think it opened due to weak magnetism it kinda overheated my macbook once, luckily, no damage and didn't get too hot.
3) I do not know what this is called but i'll try to describe what it is. The black plastic that is that keeps my display screen on the unibody where the heated air comes out, the plastic is kinda loose so that when I touch it, it sometimes makes a click sound

4) The Caps Lock is a bit unresponsive somehow, when i press down the caps lock, it does not activate. I have to hold it down and then it will activate.

This is all i have so far, does anyone have these problems and do you think i can get a exchange, not a repair? I do not like products that have been "fixed" because the problem might occur again.

Thanks!!

Macbook Aluminum (Late 2008), Mac OS X (10.5.7)

Posted on Jul 11, 2009 4:24 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Jul 11, 2009 4:59 PM in response to kjkevinjungkj

The caps-lock thing is a feature, not a bug. (They decreased its sensitivity so you're less likely to accidentally TYPE IN ALL CAPS.)

Problems two and three may be related, and one is certainly a fault. Call AppleCare or your local Apple Store and have your MacBook serviced. Only Apple can determine if you qualify for a replacement rather than repair, though, so we can't help you on that front.

Message was edited by Jay Bullock to add the caps-lock link.

Reply

Answer 2

Kamil28

Level 1

0 points

Jul 19, 2009 2:42 PM in response to kjkevinjungkj

hey kevin
im experiencing the exact same issue that my macbook (bought in december 2008) opens when i hold it vertically (like 80 degrees and more) and im pretty sure the magnet is not at fault. i think both of us have the issue that there is something wrong with the hinge maybe

can you tell me if when your macbook is closed, is the screen completely touching the bottom of your mac all around? Or is there a space between the left/right corner or the screen and the base (when closed)??? and maybe does your hinge squeek or grind or make "er" noises when you move the screen?

Reply

Answer 3

Andrasb

Level 1

0 points

Jul 23, 2009 7:44 AM in response to kjkevinjungkj

Hello!
I also ran to this problem, my macbook opens when i try to put into a bag in 90 degree state. I talked to the sellers (there isn't Apple Store in Hungary only reseller shops) and the sent me to the service and they replace the whole screen and upper part of the notebook but it still opens up. If somebody have any information from Apple, please write to this thread.
Thanks
Andras

Reply

Answer 4

djkus

Level 1

0 points

Jul 23, 2009 10:47 AM in response to Andrasb

My November 08 Unibody Macbook has developed EXACTLY the same problem as your within the last week... basically when I carry it vertically, the lid pops open 1cm, the black hinge at the back doesnt feel solid like it once did although there is no noticeable cracks or noise from it.

I use my macbook preety much every day when Im away from home with work so Im guessing its down to the amount of times I have opened/closed the lid.. and it has weakened over the 9 months use.... this is surely a fault and I intend to bring it to Apple in Belfast when Im home at weekend.

How did you get on at Apple yourself original poster?

Reply

Answer 5

carl wolf

Level 6

14,631 points

Jul 23, 2009 2:36 PM in response to kjkevinjungkj

"I currently have a aluminum macbook, late 2008, one with backlit keyboard. This macbook is still covered under 1 year warranty. I wanted know if qualify for a exchange, not repair...Here are the defects that my macbook is suffering from:"

It has been 2 weeks. You've taken your poll. What have you decided to do?

Reply

Answer 6

maanco

Level 1

65 points

Jul 24, 2009 12:09 AM in response to kjkevinjungkj

I had the same exact problem with the screen popping open when i held the MacBook vertically. I sent it to an Apple Store and they determined that the henge was faulty. They resolved it by changing the screen since the henge and the screen are inseparable (all one piece).

Reply

Answer 7

Kamil28

Level 1

0 points

Jul 28, 2009 8:46 AM in response to maanco

well i dont know if i have a problem
because i didnt buy my macbook from the apple store because where i live theres only one and its miles and miles away fro my house so i bought it at Future Shop
so im not sure if i can get this problem resolved through apple or will they ot help me because i didnt buy it at the apple store?

Reply

Answer 8

JoeyR

Level 6

8,305 points

Jul 28, 2009 9:31 AM in response to Kamil28

You can contact Apple for repair service under your warranty regardless of where you purchased your machine.

Reply

Answer 9

djkus

Level 1

0 points

Jul 31, 2009 5:30 AM in response to JoeyR

I brought my unibody nov 08 macbook to belfast apple store yesterday, the guy looked at it in genius bar.... didnt really see a problem with it.. then started to try and blame the bag i put my laptop in! I use a high end leather laptop case, its not tight like what he was sugesting.. i can put my hands in and out and its not squashed.. he was implying that hinge was squashed a little.. my arse...

anyway, after much talk with him and telling him it wasnt like that until a few weeks ago.. and the demo models dont have lids that open up automatically....

they are going to change the screen on it.. so its away for a few days with them.. hope they dont **** it up .. i dont have much faith in the apple store for repairs..

Reply

Answer 10

djkus

Level 1

0 points

Aug 1, 2009 11:42 AM in response to djkus

Ok guys.. got my macbook back from belfast apple branch today... looked ok in store for the 5 seconds i had it turned on...

brought it home, using it a few moments.. noticed a few dead pixels.. then... few mins later... white screen with large horizontal lines going across the screen..

totally ****** now! Looks like they used a refurb screen that was faulty...

Rang up applecare to complain.. im not bringing it back to the store as they are a joke.. plus its a while away from my home...
.
Local company macsys will be doing the repair to fix apples **** up now....
still under the warantee as they are an authorised service centre.. and they can collect..

Not happy 😟 cant even use it at moment.. ffs

went from a simple no big deal fault.. to a system i cant use..

Thanks Apple Belfast store!

Reply

Answer 11

Jas819

Level 1

0 points

Aug 26, 2009 7:39 PM in response to kjkevinjungkj

I have the exact same problem.
I sent to Apple service center in Japan and they returned it back saying "this behaviour was normal and within the normal parameters..."
Rubbish! The lid used to stay closed when I bought the computer, and none of the Macbooks on display anywhere else remain closed.

Since I dont have an Apple store nearby, the phone support basically said that I need to "live with it" and use a protective sleeve.

I think that Apple is well aware of this problem, and since it is very difficult to replace the magnet, they have resorted to 1) ignoring the problem or 2) replacing the screen with a refurbished screen.

I dont want to have the screen replaced with a refurb...and have new problems.

Apple....do something about it.

Reply

Answer 12

Aug 29, 2009 11:06 PM in response to Kamil28

I took mine to the apple store and told me that it was definitely a defect.
They told me that they will replace the whole unibody and got it back with a happy result!

Reply

Answer 13

Sep 23, 2009 4:58 AM in response to kjkevinjungkj

So did they replace just the screen part or also the unibody?

Reply

Answer 14

wxlsxn

Level 1

0 points

Sep 30, 2009 6:41 PM in response to kjkevinjungkj

Yeah I have the same problem, except I purchased the early 2009 model. I work at a company that's second to Apple in Michigan and they're authorized to work on and repair etc. Anyways, I spoke with some of the techs and they said they tried repairing this issue on another machine and found that the same problem arose even after replacing the entire screen/top piece. I'm not sure if I should let Apple work on it or just deal with the **** thing...anyways I'll post any additional info that I come across and I may just send it in and find out.

Another thing I need to mention is that when I look at mine in profile view from the left side, mine seems really tight at the hinge and the magnet ends. It almost looks bowed or being strained because of the hinge. A technician and I loosened up the hinge in hopes that it would help and it didn't make a difference. I think I'll wait until they come up with a standard resolution to this problem so I don't get a worse screen or any other crap. I have a 3-year warranty so I'm not too worried, but I would like the newer macbook pro 13" screen as a replacement 😉

Message was edited by: wxlsxn

Reply

Answer 15

Nov 10, 2009 8:25 AM in response to wxlsxn

I have the same problem with the lid. When hold with the hinge down and the lid facing up, it pops open about 1cm.

It's not the magnet, it's the hinge causing the problem, and from what I have heard and read it's not even the screen sideb of the hinge, it's the body side.

I took it to an official Apple retailer and they said that they had seen it before, and that not even changing the full screen it was resolved. They contacted Apple, and Apple said that this is normal behaviour of the screen. Yeah right!

So I called Apple and told them my problem, a customer support representative told me that Apple officially hasn't acknowledged a problem with this yet. But that many users have complained and they have an engineering team investigating the issue.

So, he said to me that I have to keep checking Apple support news to see if the aknowledge this as a problem and I can get it repaired. This is ridiculous, there are lots of guys complaining about the same, so there's obviously a flaw with the hinge design.

They should admit there is a problem and find a solution. This is a very expensive laptop to tolerate any kind of fabrication/design flaws.

Reply