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

I've joined the iMac 27" stand failure club over the weekend when I was not even at home! However, after reading all of the woes and how it needs to go away for repair, be prised apart and sometimes comes back mis-aligned I thought I would make a fix of my own. It took me two goes while I understood the forces acting on the stand and iMac due to the angles, but when I figured out what to do it took me around 20 minutes.

If you look at the back you will see the cooling slots that you do not want to cover, and the RAM cover which is weaker than the rest of the back. I looked aroung my garage and found a couple of bits from some bathroom fittings and a bumper fom the front of a metal desk. I pushed the metal bathroom fixing inside the hollow end of the desk bumper and placed it on the metal below the cooling grid, then when the weight of the iMac tries to push itself down to the bottom my improvised bumper stops it at the perfect angle for me. I applied double sided tape to the part touching the iMac to keep it from moving and it is now working as a correct height bumper, invisible unless you look for it.

Now, if my iMac develops a real problem that needs internal work I can get the stand fixed at the same time, if not (hopefully) I will live with it as it is. I can't tell any difference now. You will also be able to do this, maybe with a rubber door stop and something stuck onto the back below the grille, trial and error until you get the right angle. It's so much better than sending it away to be prised apart!

I went to Apple Service and they had one month service line 😟, but as I pointed out that I use this for my business, we made deal that they order new replacement spring for my iMac (iMac was with me at the Service), when is my turn at the service line, they call me and I can go there and 24h they fix my iMac stand.

So I'm at one month service line, but I can use my iMac at home when I waiting, this was good service so far 🙂

Our Apple Service says that this dilema is Warranty issue, and remember people, if you are living at EU area, all you stuff has Two year EU warranty, this concerns Apple all so here in EU.

(http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/shopping/shopping-abroad/guarantees/index_e n.htm)

This just happened to me today! "SNAP!"

My iMac 27 was purchased through Apple.com in January 2014 and this happened 9-months later. I have the 3-year AppleCare and was able to get information on where to get it fixed locally through their "chat" feature in Support. That agent said he's never had a customer with the issue, but heard of one that did.

I called the local Mac shop and he heard of it and it's a part that will have to be ordered. Glad that the diagnostics will only take about 10-minutes and then I can take it home until the part arrives. They said they have only 48-hours to do the repair (under the warranty program) so I'll have to bring it right down when it does arrive. At least I don't have to ship it from Hawaii and be without it for a couple of weeks.

I hope they'll do something about the part as I don't want to expect another fail 10-months from now!

Same thing happened to me, working away, all of a sudden crack & monitor flops forward.

I have contacted Apple and got a service operator who was very helpful and is sending someone
out to fix at my place of work, as this is my primary computer and can't be without it for a few days.

This is obviously a design fault where the stand spring can't take the weight of the 27" monitor. Glade I'm not the only one with this issue.
Apple operator tells me he's never heard of this happening, I have sent him this for his reference.

I am still awaiting technicians call, so here's hoping its soon.

After all I'm not alone😝. One fine morning I see my iMac (27" late 2013 model) is shy and refused to look up. Tilt mechanism is broken somehow.

Have give it to AASP today they said (ABM care in Dubai). They said mechanical faults are not covered under warranty however will speak to Apple to get it included, I guess it's Apples way of saying we won't accept the design fault.

WIll ill have to spend 14 days without my Mac😟

Add me to the list. I'd just gotten my iMac back from having to have the power supply replaced and was plugging it in...when SNAP!!!!!, and the screen drooped. Took it back to the store, and luckily the tech knew/found the issue and said it had been a problem with the 27" iMacs. I've got the screen currently propped up using the box for one of my guitar pedals, and am waiting for the store to call when the part comes in, a couple days from now. Ugh....computer bought in Jan of this year, and it was 11 months old.

My iMac was out of warranty. I called Apple, explained the issue and they extended my warranty.

I Called the Apple Store, explained the problem, was told to bring it in to show a Genius. I said no need, please order the part and repair it on the day for me so that I don't have to leave my computer in the city for three weeks until the next time I'm there. They said no.

Then I called the nearest licensed repair shop (4 hours drive away) they got the part in the day before I arrived, did the repair on the day, and I returned home, job done.

Unfortunately, the replacement part is identical to the original faulty part and is a small piece of plastic that holds the spring in place. Very flimsy. I shall not be surprised if (when) the same fault occurs again.

To add to the conversation, and in response to all those Genius technicians who have 'never heard of this before', the same has happened to my 2012 27" iMac. It's about 22 months old.

I was quietly working away, and without warning, or any other movement in the vicinity, I heard a loud 'crack', and the screen limply tilted forward. From that point on the screen tilt could not be adjusted to preference... it always fell back to its maximum forward tilt.

If this happens to you, please use this post to prove to Apple technicians that yours is not an isolated incident, and that the problem is most definitely a product deficiency, not caused by a user's negligence.

walkerdesigngroup wrote:

Man, I am in serious envy of all of you who can actually "take a trip to the Apple store". I'm just here registering that the spring broke in our late 2012 iMac 27". We're kind of screwed. It's our production computer, and the closest Genius Bar is about 400 miles away. Until we get a replacement computer, we're not able to send it in, so it's just the way it is. Here's a pro tip: take a stack of phone books and pile them under your iMac until it reaches optimal height in it's forward-tilting position.

I guess we're spoiled by having a few Apple stores nearby. (Although the experience isn't quite what it used to be prior to the masses discovering Apple!)

Generally an Apple Authorized Service Provider is able to take care of warranty (and in this case out of warranty) repairs. Perhaps you have one close by?

https://locate.apple.com/country

I have an 18 month old iMac. A week ago there was a loud snapping sound and the hinge gave way on the screen. It now doesn't stay in place, so is now on a prop. It seems that this is a common fault with this model. Apple directed me to a service centre as we are past their 1 year warranty. They say it could cost £500 plus VAT to fix!! and talk about replacing the stand and the rear enclosure. The actual part seems to cost £100 and it is a plastic washer that has snapped. Surely this is manufacturing defect and Apple should replace this free of charge. In any other instance wouldn't a known fault be a product recall. I wonder if UK law apply. Has anyone else taken this further?

The Apple Genius just referred to it as a "hinge". The part number is 923-00151.

There's an image of the hinge and the plastic piece that apparently breaks on page seven of this thread near the bottom.

Well, initially the King of Prussia, PA Apple Store employee who checked-in my repair said the cost to fix my "droopy iMac" would be ~$28 (cost of parts - labor would be free).

I picked-up my repaired iMac today, and the person who helped me was surprised there was a charge. She waived the $28, and sent me on my way.

iMac is as good as new!

Happy customer and faith restored... :-)

Mine just went. Late 2014 model.

Apple specialist on the phone acknowledged (without any prompting from me) that it's a known issue, and they're working through it. Apologized on behalf of Apple. Currently engineering are gathering data on the issue.

I did get my IMAC back in 3 days, no charge. They even have their payment systems set up to not put in the 28 cost for the part, so they are indeed aware they have a problem. Unfortunately the tech told me they put in the same design and do not have a new design, so I expect another POP and another fix sometime down the road. I have Apple Care so I am not sure how they would deal with this outside of the 3-year warranty. Pretty good company so I would bet they are going to fix them for free.

My stand just broke yesterday. I wasn't even touching it when suddenly it snapped. I just got off the phone with Apple Support and they require me to haul it in. I'm glad I have Apple Care support that will cover this but it makes me wonder if I didn't would they still repair the iMac at no cost?

I hate that I won't have my computer for a week. I was really hoping someone could come on site and fix it same day.