MacBook Air Screen Cracks

I bought my first MacBook Air just over a month ago and couldn't have been more careful with it. I used a case everytime it went anywhere and didn't bang it on anything, drop it or knock anything against it. So I was obviously confused/annoyed when a relatively small crack appeared on the LCD behind the screen literally out of nowhere and without anything happening to it. At my local Apple reseller/repair store they took a look at it but like me didn't have a clue how it happened. Anyway we contacted Apple and a replacement was sent.

So I've had this new Air for around three weeks and this time I've been even more careful with it, with nothing at all happening that should have caused damage (trust me, I'd have remembered if even the smallest thing had happened!).

Just now I've noticed a crack that looks exactly the same as the one before but on the oppisite side of the screen. Like before I was just sat with it infront of me, the crack wasn't there one second and then suddenly it was.

I haven't had the chance to contact Apple yet, but I highly doubt the guarentee will cover this again.

Has anyone had similar problems? If the MacBook Air is so delicate that damage happens this easily, literaly without anything to cause it, then it's just crazy and a massive design flaw.

Thanks.

MacBook Air, iOS 4.3.3

Posted on Sep 4, 2011 7:18 AM

Top-ranking reply

Xandris

Level 2

164 points

Posted on Jan 25, 2012 1:02 AM

You guys have to remember that the screen assembly on the Air is INCREDIBLY thin. Even though it is made of aluminum, it still has flex to it. ANY pressure that is exerted on the screen assembly might be enough to crack the screen, as it is made of GLASS. If you are putting the Air in a bag, or backpack, perhaps you should invest in a little protection in the form of a hard plastic shell case? I know its not much, but it might be enough to additionally protect your $1000+ investment from getting a cracked screen.

Also, consider the orientation of your computer when you put it in your bag. I use my Air at college, and accordingly, carry my computer in a backpack. MY backpack has a dedicated computer slot that is between my back and the carrying compartment where I keep my books and things. When I put my Air in my bag, I am ALWAYS mindful of putting the display part of the computer FACING my back, so that the body of the Air is facing the carrying compartment. This way, there is nothing that is oddly shaped pressing into the thinnest part of my Air. The screen assembly is always resting against the padding that is between my back and the Air.

Maybe this really makes no difference in the end, but it SEEMS to me that it COULD matter, in my case at least.

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91 replies

medua

Level 1

0 points

Oct 7, 2013 5:45 AM in response to CT

thank you so much for repeating and emphasizing! In fact, I don t know if you read the post, it says the sales rep suggested this. I did not confirm the presence of a dustcorn, or any "other corn-like substance" on my keyboard. Also, I am not sure you know the size ranges of dustcorns as they come, but I am sure someone as smart as you can find out. In fact, the sales rep could also have said, it looks as if you had bombarded your screen with a solid rock (this is how it actually looks ), which to your special notice, I did not do, although it sounds like it.

medua

Level 1

0 points

Oct 7, 2013 6:50 AM in response to 33Nicolas

thank you 33Nicolas, and I am really sorry, I was germanizing my english, with dustcorn I meant a particle of dust or grain of dust 🙂 , had a strange feel to it, I admit. (sorry CT if it sounded like it was a corn made of dust, but I don t have such a thing either on my keyboard). So it gets worse, this was what I was fearing. I haven t called apple support, but I will do later on.

Nov 10, 2013 7:54 AM in response to 33Nicolas

Have you had any success? The same thing happened to me. I put my Macair 2013 away for 3 hours, and I opened up the screen and had a huge crack from the centre of the screen where the apple logo lights up behind which makes the right side completely impossible to see. I placed it in a padded case, and in a bag. Horrified.

Jan 6, 2014 5:58 AM in response to gdiana

You said it well. That is what happened to many of us and we were brushed off as baboons handling computers. I'm twice as older as the idiot "geniuses" telling me that. You are right, when enough people will complain, those companies will have to act. In the meantime, my confidence in Apple's previous great quality and stellar customer service that attracted me in the first place, has fallen down to the ranks of Microsoft ten years ago. That is something companies rarely survive, even Toyota and Apple are not immured. It's sad and frustrating..

Jan 6, 2014 6:04 AM in response to CT

Yeah we have a lot fairies and dust bunnies around here. Are you a psychic? We're you there when it happened? Did you see something I didn't see in my own house? How many times have you had something like that happen? Are you a time traveler?

i get a kick out of people like you. No idea what you're talking about but happily repeating what Apple says.

Unless you were here when it happened, your opinion to replace a weak screen for $400 without the assurance It won't happen again, is not welcome.

Jan 6, 2014 6:10 AM in response to Osamede

II've gone to two Apple stores, and spoken to countless of so-called geniuses who insulted me by saying I did this, all of them. I was one of the early ones whome this happened to. I even sent an email to Tim Cook but to no avail.

Insist a company fixes the problem it created? You're right, we should always do that, but after a while, it gets old and in the end, I can build a Hackintosh for a fraction of the price with better performance. Guess what will happen. This is ridiculous and not how we've come to expect Apple's previous customer service glory. I'm afraid it will take a class action lawsuit to wake up this arrogant company now.

Sep 19, 2014 4:44 AM in response to liammarcrobshaw

i had the same problem here. day by day the cracked lines is increasing without my knowledge. i had no idea how a brilliant brand of laptop can face problems like this. in time, i didn't do anything with my macbook about a week. but then i realized when i opened it, i see cracked lines everywhere. what is this! how am i gonna solve it.

Jan 11, 2016 5:47 PM in response to liammarcrobshaw

Im having a similar problem just now. I got a new mac pro just 8 months ago. I have been very careful. Today, it's all normal, but I just closed my laptop to pick something up to find that when I open back the laptop lid, I find a ******* crack at the bottom left side. WTH?????

Macaby

Level 3

923 points

Apr 8, 2012 6:00 PM in response to suchaSADday

suchaSADday wrote:

Solution? I think we should start a website where people can register their cracks. Lets just see how many spontaneous MBA screen cracks are out there.

Now that's a good idea.

Apr 13, 2012 5:44 PM in response to Macaby

ditto!

Apr 30, 2012 7:45 PM in response to jinn_baba

From the number of same cases a class action lawsuit could remedy the situation unless the garantee cover it with no question ask...

gtsivin

Level 1

0 points

Aug 29, 2012 9:48 AM in response to AshCairo

I've been having the same problem. Here is a video of my problem: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtORmuEXKVc&feature=plcp

Sep 6, 2012 10:24 AM in response to Joy Denton1

bend over and join this exclusive club!

Sep 6, 2012 10:44 AM in response to lbfowlerjr

Gee thanks! I feel so special.

Oct 31, 2012 6:14 AM in response to Aung Tin

hit or miss . . . that ****** me off! I switched to galaxys3 because of this ad only prod i will buy from apple in the future is the imac

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MacBook Air Screen Cracks