MacBook Air Rev 1 faulty hinge issue resurfaces

Cleve Nettles
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February 28, 2009
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Engadget is covering an issue that appears to be happening more and more frequently since we first heard about it a few months ago.  The hinge on the original MacBook Air seems to weaken with continued use and, for some, cracks and breaks.  Apple is telling most customers that fixing this problem will cost $800 (ouch) and it (surprise!) might be a better idea to buy a new one.  If you get the right customer satisfaction manager, you might be able to slip one by, but it appears to be Apple's official policy to turn away customers and not acknowledge this as a known issue or flaw.

Read - Apple Discussions forum thread
Read - MacRumors forum thread
Read - Crashzone's link roundup
 

For the record, the Rev 1 MacBook Air that has been floating around the 9to5Mac HQ doesn't seem to have this issue, but the screen hinge has been getting a bit looser recently and now we are all paranoid as hell that the hinge is going to break.

Comments (9)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | February 28, 2009 - 5:37am

I have had one for a year now and the hinge is becoming looser.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | February 28, 2009 - 5:44am

One fine morning a few weeks ago, I opened my Rev1 Air, got about half-through the arc of the hinge allows and I saw a HUGE crack on the right side. Stopping I inspected the belly and lo, a crack! SHOCKED! I did some googling and found fotos of EXACTLY the same cracks. And read that people were asked to pay for the repair.

So I went to my local Apple Store (Zürich Glattzentrum), gave him the Air, the genius didn't even flinch. A day later I had a call to come and pick it up, it was handed to me and he waved me goodbye. Not even the slightest hint that Apple might want so see a measly cent for the repair!

So, no complaints from my side. And I believe, none of you should pay either as it's CLEARLY a design mistake in my opinion!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | February 28, 2009 - 6:36am

If that happend to me and my macbook air was under apple care, I would take their ass to small claims court for breach of contract. Every single person they try to screw over should do the same. Costs less then $100 dollars to file and serve them and if you win, you get your money back.

Best part is they cant have a lawyer go to small claims court on their behalf.

powers | February 28, 2009 - 4:47pm

LAME.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 01, 2009 - 12:28am

If this happened to me, I would never buy an Apple laptop again. Apple is screwing themselves with this policy.

xenti (not verified) | March 01, 2009 - 8:52am

Same thing happened with my wife Powerbook G4. We've never bought an Apple laptop since.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 01, 2009 - 10:57am

From what I hear, blame for the cracks rests with the design department for not allowing engineering the extra 1mm of material on the INSIDE (where only techs would ever look) so that where the hinge mounts wouldn't fatigue and crack. FWIW, Apple is giving engineering everything it wanted on the new MBA which code named the "Bimbo" by procurement because it is cute but dumb.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 01, 2009 - 5:42pm

I had the broken hinge, the very same crack, and the genius was really obnoxious, telling me that I should not try to "Steal from apple" by trying to get a warranty coverage. Very nice when a week later I see all over the web that Air's are failing en masse.

I got a Customer Service to approve the fix for free after much debate, but not without Apple telling me at each contact (over the phone, droping computer, picking computer, etc.) that i "got the computer fix as a favor" and that they don't "know of any design problem" wit the MacBook Air. Sure. Oh, and my screen is a Rev. B screen, and now have the famous grey lines. Genus at pickup say he don't see them. Great !

By the way, I'm wondering :

- Kernel_task problem making the computer unusable half of the time
- Falty hinge hardware
- Screen with thin grey lines
...

Where is the class action ?

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 02, 2009 - 12:37pm

When I worked for Apple as a Mac genius, It was the same story with the MacBook over heating. Day after day people would come in and yell that there was a heating problem with the MacBook. It took awhile but Apple finally admitted to it.
Then they had the issue with the plastic top case on the white macbook.
Apple replace the top case only if people complained. ( the top case would turn different colors)
I own a first gen MacBook Air that show no signs of wear. But i do keep it protected and away from friends and family! They can by there own ;)
A (former) Mac Genius from Apple Fifth Ave