Plastic layer is cracking

With all the talk lately about cracks I gave my MacBook a good once over. I noticed at crack about two inches long running parallel right below the fan intake on the back of the computer. There is also a chip about an inch from that. Might be a good time to have the case replaced. When I purchased my MacBook, one of the rubber feet under the laptop was pushed up into the case so it barely poked out. Also the area around the iSight seems to be coming apart from the rest of the case - I can push it in a bit like the glue didn't stick.

I just got my macbook so I haven't experienced any of this issues except when I got it I noticed that the left side seemed a bit loose. I was wondering if anyone else experienced this.

Don't worry about the left side being loose. That is true on all of them, and there is a metal bar inside that keeps the computer innards protected.

I've been wondering, with so many people experiencing cracked palm rests, are any of these MacBooks the ones with the original, discoloration prone palm rest material, or all with the newer plastic?

From what I've been reading it seems it's the newer, more rigid and less rubbery feeling plastic that is cracking. Could it be that while this type of plastic won't discolor easily, that its increased rigidity is resulting in stress fractures?

I have a white MacBook, ordered the day it was announced. I'm careful with the computer but don't baby it during daily use. The palm rest material has discolored as expected, but no signs of cracking. I've been holding off replacing it until towards the end of the warranty, which is coming up soon, but am now thinking I might live with the discoloration if it means avoiding a cracked palm rest once the computer is out of warranty (I have no intention to purchase Applecare).

It's a guess, but perhaps the original, discoloration prone plastic was the correct structural choice, while the replacement, cosmetically more pleasing plastic, was rushed in as a replacement for the discoloration problem without adequate durability testing.

G5 2.3DP 4GB RAM & white MB Core Duo 2.0 2GB RAM Mac OS X (10.4.8)

I strongly agree that the cracking is due to the manufacturer's design problem. I bought my macbook 6 months ago and I take really good care of it as other users do. I also noticed the cracking a month ago and I brought it to applecare, however, they said this is a "normal" phenomena and they will not replace it for me. If I wanna repair it, I have to pay more than $1000 hk dollars in order to fix it and they said it might have the cracking even if they fixed it. They told me to accept this defect and do nothing. But I just can't accept my new macbook to have this damage. And after one year, it will worsen and after the one year warrenty period, they won't care about my macbook anymore. I really wish them to reconsider in repairing these manufacture defect as it will continue to crack and eventually dusts will go into the gap and might cause other problems. I wish the applecare from HK will make some action to this seriously!!!

There's a difference between a design problem and a manufacturing defect, and unfortunately, I think this is a design problem.

The MacBook is just built a little too flimsy, and especially in the area where the cracking occurs. I'm not certain they'll ever be able to correct this without a complete redesign of the case.

The top case (the part that holds the keyboard) is supported around the edges on a very thin piece of plastic. This will be subjected to stress from flexing of the case in normal carrying, from the pressure of the lid closing, and from the pressure of palms on the palmrest and typing. Maybe they can fix this be redesigning the top case with a space-age, kevlar- or carbonfiber-reinforced plastic, but I'm not optimistic.

Mine is almost two months old, and still perfect, but if it develops problems over time, I won't sit still for any attempt to call this normal. If normal use causes these parts to crack, it's not cosmetic, it's structural, and certainly covered under the terms of the Apple warranty.

Quad G5, PB 15" 1.5Ghz,MacBook 2.0GhzCore2Duo Mac OS X (10.4.8) Logic Pro 7.2.3, Focusrite Saffire...

I have it to same crack plus another sliver. 2 macbook

It's not a design problem, otherwise everyone's macbook will crack and that's not happening. Not every part is perfect.

Time will tell - but even so, a good design is one which isn't too susceptible to problems caused by normal variations in quality of materials or process.

I hope they can produce parts that don't crack with this design, since this is the design I've got, but I'm not as confident as you are that they didn't blow it on this.


Quad G5, PB 15" 1.5Ghz,MacBook 2.0GhzCore2Duo Mac OS X (10.4.8) Logic Pro 7.2.3, Focusrite Saffire...

When the same problem occures in the same place repeatidly, that's an engineering problem. To say it doesn't happen all the time is not an argument. You have no way of knowing the frquency of the cracking. A design problem doesn't have to affect every single product. I recently had to take my truck to the dealership on recall, to have the stop light switch replaced as some of them were malfucntioning. Mine worked just fine. That was an engineering defect.

macbook 1.83 GHz Mac OS X (10.4.9)

PS: Mine is cracking too.

I agree. This guy should read up on smoking and lung cancer. I wonder if he would believe that smoking doesn't cause lung cancer because it doesn't in every single smoker.

It is this kind of reasoning that makes convincing some people so difficult.

In epidemiology, we have something called necessary and sufficient causes. Some can be necessary, some can be sufficient, some can be both.

Causality is a tricky thing, but requiring that it be all or nothing reveals that one is not thinking deep enough about all the elements that go into outcomes.

Best,
AB

Mine from Apple Australia (sold on Nov 2006) had same crack few days ago

Mac from Brisbane

got an orig mac mini ppc, now planning to buy a mac book. (when i win the lottery hehehe) Based on the forums, articles I read http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/apple-macbook/ these are all flaws of apple and they are covered by the warranty. Which means, they should fix/change it for free.

However, the plastic cracks according to a friend of mine who sells apple products is case to case basis, in short, bring your macbook to apple store and they will check if its one of their flaws.

In addition, my friend who sells apple said that these problems are seen mostly in European (near that region) and she never encountered any problem like this yet. (though she has seen a burnt adapter from a client who bought his macbook in the US)

Im sorry for my english. I'm new in the mac world. I dont have any crack like you (I hope not). I asked about this issue to a premium reseller in Montpellier, France (I didnt buy my mac there).

He told me if he never has the clients who had this problem. And he tolds me, if I have it, I can go to their store and repaired for free (under warranty), even I didnt buy my macbook on their store.

I think nothing to lose you call Apple Care.