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

I had the exact experience described here. watching TV, loud crack heard from across the room, limp-hinged monitor. Now, it is starting to sound like a design flaw.

Whats the difference between a manufacturing flaw and a design flaw?

Well, guess what, kids? Out of the blue I received this email from Apple Support.

Subject: Refund Information - iMac Service Request

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Now, as it happens, as outlined in an earlier post on this thread, the fee for the service order was waived at the store by a manager after showing the Genius this message board thread and asking to escalate the matter to a manager. But for those of you who had to pay out-of-pocket, I suggest you contact Apple Support and see if you can get a refund.

Awesome! Was this done proactively on their part or in reaction to something you previously said to them? If it's proactive that's great, which means that they should be doing the same for anyone else who paid.

I'm hoping that the repair is permanent and they didn't just put in the same defective part. Otherwise, they should continue to replace that part for free every time it breaks.

Apple sent me this proactively on their part. What's a little odd is that I did not actually pay for my repair. When I dropped my machine off, I did receive from Apple a work authorization for $67.41 in parts and labor. When I picked the machine up, I escalated the matter to the store manager and my guess is that he waived the charge based in part on how much I've spent with Apple, almost all of it at that location. Past experiences lead me to believe store managers do have some discretionary power in dealing with out-of-warranty repairs.

So my best guess is that the bot that's sending out all these emails is doing so based on work orders in its system, and not how those work orders were paid for.

Anyway, it looks like Apple is finally admitting the hinge spring failure is due to a design flaw, which would be good news for everyone who had to pay for this repair. If you do not hear from Apple in a week or so I would contact them and see what they'll do.

I had the exact same thing happen to me. I noticed that the screen was in the down position and I pulled it forward and it just fell back down to the down position again. After doing some research online I saw a guy with the same model torn apart and talking about how the heavy screen adjustment spring was great but the little brittle plastic piece they used to hold the spring tension was really cheap. I am not impressed. Of course these things always seem to happen once your warranty is over.

Hi Dennis, the same thing just happened to me and as you my iMac is not on the warranty anymore. Do you think there is any risk at using my iMac following your incident?

Thanks

Had the same issue with the exact same computer. After quite some arguments, Apple stores would simply deny any faults and charge me with the repair cost. Eventually I gave in and payed 69€ for the repair –Madrid, Spain–. A few weeks later I got an email from Apple informing that the repair should've been free and that I will get a refund.

I'm unsure if this means they acknowledge that it's a defective mechanism, but something is going on.

Hope this helps future users.

Hey Mark, not sure if your asking if the hinge problem will effect your normal use of your computor but if that's what your asking then I would say no it won't affect anything else besides not being able to adjust your screen.

DC

I just had the exact same problem. Mine is a 2014 version 27". Did you replace a new stand?

Apple will fix your computer at no charge, it's not a stand that is broken. It is a hinge that was made from plastic.

Please reference the following article for additional information. Apple is covering these repairs for computer up to 5 years old based on the article.

http://www.macrumors.com/2016/11/29/imac-broken-hinge-refunds-repair-program/

Right. Normally there is a spring inside the iMac that provides tension against the gravity pulling the screen downward. And there's enough friction in the hinge so that when you tilt the screen to the desired viewing angle, the tension of the spring and the friction of the hinge are enough to hold the screen in place.

The design flaw is that the spring attaches to a plastic finger that gets fatigued over time (and probably heat). Eventually the finger snaps, and the friction of the hinge is no longer enough to keep the screen in position. It droops downward, so you need to wedge something between the body of the Mac and the vertical part of the stand to keep the screen at a comfortable viewing angle. And if you want to change the viewing angle, you need to find a different-sized something to wedge in place. I don't think anything electronic is affected.

The fix is to replace the finger that snapped. This is the repair that Apple was charging 60-70 bucks for, and apparently is now admitting was a design fault and they're issuing refunds. I hope the replacement part they're using is stronger than the original, otherwise I expect it will snap again at some point in the future.

I hope the replacement part they're using is stronger than the original, otherwise I expect it will snap again at some point in the future.

Of course the replacement part has been improved, otherwise it would cost them additional money in repairs. They didn't get to be the size they are by making dumb design and business decisions. Of course, like any company they are far from perfect and have made their share of goofs. And like any responsible company when the facts warrant a change, they make them.

what is up with this ******* forum today?

They didn't get to be the size they are by making dumb design and business decisions.

Ha, thanks for the laugh, I needed that!