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

I just had the same thing happen to a late 2012 27" iMac, so popped on line looking for a solution and found this VERY LONG thread! Sounds like it happens quite a bit, be interested to know if the Brand New 27" iMacs have the same weak part fitted as we have just bought a couple of those for the office. Instantly temp fixed with my pen holder. Warranty period is out too so it will be a paid repair after speaking to Apple who confirmed this is the case.

Much like everyone else. I was sitting at my pc, not even using it (working on the pc next to it) and I heard a LOUD POP and then noticed my monitor was sitting forward.

I had it propped with some bricks but I like the golf ball solution better.

Mine has been out of warranty for awhile, and from what I've read, it looks like you may or may not get it covered if you are out of apple support and take it to an apple store and you are in the USA. Is this correct? Anyone had luck getting it covered in the USA without apple care?

I have no idea how frequently this is happening, but the thread likely represents a lower bound. Possibly many people, like me, just find a bottle of vitamin I to prop up their monitor and don't bother with it. What was surprising is that it happened very suddenly and spontaneously. My laptop has a loose hinge, but I am sure it is my fault, and possibly normal wear and tear. This is different in that there is no real use let alone abuse, and it failed with no warning. Apparently it is common enough that one poster here has had it happen twice. There may be bad batches of hinges, too, so it might be harder to get good statistics. Perhaps some users, like me, angle the screen down slightly to begin with, to avoid screen reflection and glare, and that puts more strain on the hinge. I have no idea; this is pure speculation. But I think it is frequent enough to warrant keeping the reporting in the thread.

Same thing just happened to my iMac. Heard a loud click and walked into the office to find my iMac screen tilted all the way forward and would not return to upright as the spring or brace let go inside. Same model year etc...have had it about 8 months. Bummer drag. Seems it is much more common than was known.

While surfing the net 30 mins ago we heard an almighty crack and the screen fell forward. We looked on this forum and was surprised to see so many people with the same issue. This is a quality assurance problem and should be investigated by Apple and the iMacs recalled. We have had the computer for only 18 months.

Propping up screen at the moment with my iPhone box.

Now will book in with Apple to resolve.

This has happened to my iMac 27 just yesterday, after having it for over a year and out of AppleCare warranty, and bought here in Dubai, UAE

After googling and finding this discussion thread and reading through the experiences of others, I was hopeful that my situation will be resolved here the same way others have had repairs done free even out of warranty. So I called up the Apple Support hotline here, and was then transferred to an AppleCare International rep who kept saying that he is "unaware" of any global action that Apple is taking to repair defective units. I told him to go to this Apple Discussion board and gave him the link, but he persistently made it a point to deny that this is a common problem with the iMac 27" and refused to have my iMac repaired free and made an "Apple Support Denied" note on my unit's serial number! This I have found out later after calling the local Apple service provider and gave them my unit's serial number. Is this what Apple is doing now? Denying that this is a common problem and will not repair this FOC and rectify their design flaw?

I have been an avid Apple user for more than 15 years and this is the FIRST TIME I have called in anything for support, and this is what I get.

Now I am left in the doldrums with a "limp" iMac 27

Any suggestions how and where I can take this further? even just to complain about the lack of courtesy and support that International reps are giving to Apple users outside the States? Or will it be pointless as they are now washing their hands of this issue??

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Add me to the list. Mine apparently gave out overnight. Came into my office to find my late 2013 iMac drooping. 18 days out of warranty. Called Apple support and the person simply told me to take it in to the Apple store. Luckily I have one close. Have an appointment for tomorrow. Will refer them to this thread and see what they say. I've had good luck before with out-of-warranty repairs. The 3-5 days without my production machine will be pretty hard, but I'll see if there's any way to shorten that.

I'll try to post my experience after the fact. Thanks to everyone who has posted so far.

I'm in the US, btw.

Finally found a good use for this Writer's Block book. 😐 The stand on my Dec. 2013 27" iMac broke today; got lots of good advice from this thread. Will call my hour-away Apple Store (White Plains, NY) and hope for a fast and effective (and free?) repair. I will also go to Apple Feedback and leave a message about this unfortunate turn of events: http://www.apple.com/feedback/

I still haven't managed to make it to the Apple Store to get mine fixed (have an appointment for Tuesday since I will traveling the rest of the week and can leave for repair), but I want to say something to all those who are offering the homebrew "just use a pencil" fixes. Those certainly work for a temporary fix to make the screen usable, but I get a new machine every 3-4 years and subsidize the cost by selling my old one. I spent about $1,900 on my 2013 iMac and sold my old 2010 for $1,100. An iMac with a busted hinge isn't going to go for nearly as much. I'm less than a month out of warranty, so the longer I wait, the less likely they'll do an out-of-warranty repair for free.

So i took the machine in to my nearest iStore who have then couriered the machine to the ONE service centre in the country (500+km away). After 24 hours I got an acknowledgement of receipt of the machine. Fully 48 hours later I got another email telling me "Diagnostics are currently being performed on your unit.

Please be aware that diagnostic times may vary dependent on the fault being experienced." For a broken stand/hinge?

So now I wait some more to see if they acknowledge the case number and the decision taken by Apple (the iStore could not access any such number on their system - suggesting the local agent isn't fully integrated with Apple's network). But the helpful lady from the Athens, Greece call centre (to whom I am copying all communication) says that because they've assigned my case a repair ID she will be able to monitor things and assures me she will intervene or not depending on the response of the local agent.

With the mountain of cash that Apple sits on and the fraternal image they try so hard to create that Apple users are all one big global family you would think that they would just come out and acknowledge this as a design fault and either do a recall or promise to pay for repairs as and when the machines fail.

I'm interested to know if when they repair them, are they replacing the old dud part with a new/improved quality replacement. Or can the unlucky expect second and third failures with the passage of time? Anyone had the stand/hinge fail after an initial repair?

denversm wrote:

They need to overcompensate with a solution here as this is down right embarrassing.

Apple do not participate here as noted in the Terms Of Use

These are user to user Forums and the only advice we can give you is to do as you have done.

Your 'next Call' should have been your first if you come to participate in thread without reading them, and advice on offer.

Pete

Add me to the list. Loud pop and screen lowered. Came here to search and found the numerous posts.

This should be replaced/repaired for free as it is obviously defective.

Good luck. Going to use a golf ball for a while.

Dave.

Add another one to the list. Mid 2013 bought as a refurb from Apple Summer 2014.

After a weekend out of town, I came home to my monitor drooping down. I went to tilt it up and thought, "Wow, this thing is heavy or maybe a cord is stretched and stuck." Unfortunately not a cord tangled or pulled on. The hinge also snapped. 😢

Will try the Chicago Clybourn Apple store to see if they are covering it.

Thanks for sharing this information. My late 2013 bought in the summer is 2014 came down too. I'm planning on getting a new iMac and once I have the new one up an running I will take the broken 2013 to the Genius Bar for repair.

Same problem. Late 2013 iMac stand gave out today. It's no longer under warranty and not covered by Applecare, so I've jammed it at an acceptable angle. I thought Apple was a quality-based company especially considering the price you pay for their products. I'm not too pleased to find so many people with the same issue. This must be a design fault and as such Apple should stand up, accept responsibility and repair for free.