MBA - damage to hinge - will not close properly - AppleCare?

Hello there,

I am pretty gutted.

Today I noticed that my MBA screen was more wobbly than usual. I did not think much of it until I tried to close the lid (which is not often throughout the day).

Anyway, when I did, I couldn't. Something about the hinge was preventing me from doing so.

I applied light pressure when closing it as you do and 'crack' (gasps) - anyway, a small crack appeared slightly to the right of the left hinge (just on that central strip thing, about a CM long). This is now preventing me from closing the lid. I probably could, but fear that I may make it (the crack) worse.

The left hinge itself actually now appears to be higher than the right 1 when looking at it dead on and from the side also. This is probably what is preventing it from shutting. What's worse is that transporting it now will be challenge without it being closed.

I shelled out for the AppleCare in January - but my first reaction is that it will not cover it. I will be particularly frustrated if that is the case - as this is genuinely not my mistake - I have not dropped or banged it for example. I have no idea how it has happened.

Has anyone experienced a similar problem? How did you resolve the issue? What cost dare I say do you think I would be looking at if the AppleCare does not cover it.

Any help would be very much appreciated. Really am baffled how this might have happened (I am so careful with it - its like another child to me!).

P.S - it is a Rev B MBA purchased early 2009 - Applecare till early 2011 - I have an Apple Store in my home town Newcastle, UK.

Wow - googling the problem has not made me feel much better. With people reporting that the hinge issue is not often covered by AppleCare and at a fix cost of $800 USD!

Some have however successfully argued their case and gotten the replacement for free.

Again from just a quick scan through several websites. The crux of getting charge or not appears to be if you reported that it was wobbly before the break (like mine was).

Wobbling is a problem that you should have gotten fixed apparently - the fact that it culminating in the hinge breaking is 'accidental damage' and not covered.

I genuinely had only noticed the wobbling today - and the first time I try to close the lid and then it cracks. Seems innocent enough but I will probably pursue a line of argument with me not knowing that it was more wobbly than usual.

Quite scared Apple will pull my pants down over this one!

Well after more reading I am very relieved to hear that Apple has recently listed this as a fault:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2948

Sorry for panicking/posting before researching!

Yes it is a relief and I am very much pleased that this did not happen to me this time last year!

It is particularly interesting to read that Apple are actually also refunding those who may have paid to have this problem fixed in the first instance - which as I say, was as high as $800 USD. It is even more interesting that they are willing to do all this even for those who are out of AppleCare.

Good to hear Apple have put right one of their wrongs and are now offering this (their logic before about this problem was clearly unfair).

The upside from this appears that I will be receiving a new screen for my trouble. The downside is that I will be without my MBA for about 5 days by the looks of things - and I am in he midst of my university finals

But anyway, gonna book a genius meeting today and see what they say.