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

Hi everyone

I just came back from an Apple authorized service provider.

They fixed my computer and gave me the broken part as you can check in the image. The total cost was 245 USD to fix the failure. I know, its absurd the price here in Brazil: 53 dollars only for the new part and the rest of the money for the service. I forgot to make the apple care protection plan before my computer made 1 year of use, my mistake.

It's very sad that a 3000 dollars computer relies it self on one cent plastic ring. I'm not an engineer or designer but I think that a plastic ring holding a metal spring is not the best choice. I think this ring should be made of metal or any harder material that properly holds the tension of a metal spring.

As you can check in the uploaded image, the plastic ring highlighted in red fits under the screw and holds the spring.

Good luck with your broken mechanism, the fix of my computer was expensive but was made in 8 hours.

ps. Please don't delete these message, is the third time I try to write to this discussion group to show solutions and answers about this problem. I'm not using anything in these text that is against the company policy like rants or complaints. Im just exposing the problem with real facts.

Thanks.

Best regards

Picked up my iMac after repair... They had me sign a authorization for $28 - but did not charge it when I picked it up after repair completion... maybe they read this post or it was just to keep me informed that they may charge $28. 🙂

Came into the home office and my 27" iMac screen was pointing down ~ ok... who in the household was in my office! Oh, no one. It's friggen broke! REALLY! PLASTIC WASHER?

(Had to reply to a post as page 7 of the comments would not recognize my login...)

Mine just broke yesterday after 14 months.

I just want to make sure if this damage covered by the apple care? Because yesterday i was told by QCD customer service that the casing might not be covered…..

I just dropped my iMac to service, and it not cost me anything, this is covered by Apple warranty. (Finland), repair time is 1-3 days.

nugroho4 wrote:

Mine just broke yesterday after 14 months.

I just want to make sure if this damage covered by the apple care? Because yesterday i was told by QCD customer service that the casing might not be covered…..

Not to worry, AppleCare will cover that for sure!

My 15 months old 27" just broke like 5 minutes ago. It gave me a scares. Luckily I have AppleCare and apparently this is not a stand-alone issue...

I just found out mine gave way too.

I wasn't even at home when it happened. Got home wondering what is wrong with the monitor.

Lasted from last year Feb till today, about 19mths.

Luckily I'm covered, but do we have to send the machine down or can they come collect it or fix on the spot? Its not that portable ya?

Just adding myself to the list. Bought Jan 2014 ... only 9 months before the 'smack and tilt' this afternoon.

In warranty and have extended applecare in any case but am still using a pair of headphones to prop it up as I cant afford to be without it for even a couple of days never mind a week or longer (I'm in Israel so doubt it would be sorted quickly).

Between this and the earlier issues with sound (SSD related) I'm not quite as impressed as I was at point of purchase.

Hi, again.

After explaining the issue to the people at the Apple Store, as long as the iMac was under warranty (10 months after purchase), they took it to be repaired at no cost.

It was the first time they had to fix such an issue. Even they had some problems to classify the issue under warranty as long as the iMac is not considered to have any physical malfunction but with void warranty.

I had to wait 5 working days for the spare part to get to the store. Not only the spring was broken but it also damaged the heat dissipator of the motherboard. They changed also the whole motherboard. The hard disk was changed and now it works fine. Nevertheless you have to sign a paper acknowledging the you may suffer complete data loss: So doing a full backup is a good thing before going to the store.

After the repair I purchased an AppleCare protection plan. Now I know that the iMac can have this kind of issues and it is safer to be protected.

The people at the store where very kind and behaved in a timely manner.

Add me to this happy family. I took it to the local apple store and they told me that I am 155 days out of warranty. My response was So? It is a hinge. Should not fail. They ordered the part and I will have to take it back. I told them that I did not expect to have to pay for a design flaw. She politely told me that I could speak to "somebody" when I came back. I said "thank you" and choked back the comments that had come to mind. Comments like - This is like coming back to your car and finding the door just fell open and won't stay in place because the hinge failed. This like coming home and finding your front door askew and unable to stay closed because the hinge failed. Really? Pony Up and fix your engineering failure.

My story:

-iMac stand broken.

-EU warranty 24 months.

-Official Apple service repair line was 1 month long.

-Official Apple service took my problem at the one month service line, and let me keep my iMac home that time, so that my work does not suffer.

-Got message that it was my turn at the line, got my iMac to the service, Official Apple repair fixed my iMac "leg" one working day.

-This cost me nothing and was warranty issue, there was no any questions or arguing that was this issue warranty or not case, everything went smooth and fast and free of charge.

-My iMac 2013 is in working condition at my home now, all good.

-Finland 2014 (hope that this does not happen again after one year)

My imac has this exactly same problem tonight. When I was sitting in front of it, a loud crack noise "PA', the screen tilts forward, and can't hold its position.

Can't believe this.

My imac 27" (top-line) was bought January 2013, today is September 12, 2014, the screen hinge last 1 year and 8 months.

I have no Apple Care. BAD !. I thought it should be ok in 3 years because it is imac made by Apple.

Purchased mine in Dec 12 - no cracking noise just found it had dropped - Apple advise I can use my consumer rights to claim a free repair - will see what the authorised seller says!

I had the same problem 20 days after my 1 year warranty. I called Apple and they set up a service call at the Apple store. From the stories above, I'm dreading that it is going to take a week to get this fixed 😟

But they are covering it under warranty. I hope that it doesn't come back with more problems that it goes there with. My appt. is later this week. I'll post more once I know more from them.