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2007 White MacBook palmrest cracks repair: what to expect

T

treestar

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 28, 2010
366
5
I have a 2,1 White MacBook from 2007. Early last year, 2009, my casing cracked on the palmrest. I know this is an extremely common problem and the repairs are fully covered by Apple, regardless of warranty. My case also has a few of the hairline cracks near the exhaust vent and hinge.

I have yet to have these problems repaired. At first I just didn't feel like going to an Apple store. Now that the MacBook casing has changed to the unibody design, I wonder if the future repair will be affected for better or worse.

I have AppleCare for four years, until 2011.

Does anyone know how Apple is fixing these casing problems in 2010 now that the unibody MacBooks are out? I expect it is very likely that Apple has plenty of the old hardware on hand, but I would like to think I could get a very nice uMB upgrade for free, even if I need to wait longer to get it.
 
They'll repair it. They have plenty of spare parts.

They won't give you a brand new computer because of a cosmetic issue. Not a chance.
 
they'll repair it but the problem there is that new cracks would probably appear eventually and you'd have to have it replaced again.

I dont know if these are still available but you can buy palm rest protectors for the old white & black MBs that can minimize (not eliminate) the occurrence of the cracking.
 
Until today, I had the Early-2008 13" MacBook.

It had 3 palm-rest replacements due to the cracking issue. Each one around 6 months apart. With the 3rd one, I complained via email to executive relations and they got in touch the next day asking if they could give me a call.

Two days after the call, I have a brand new uMB and they are giving me one week to transfer my data from the old MB before collecting it.

Absolutely stunning, first class service as usual.
 
davidjearly said:
Until today, I had the Early-2008 13" MacBook.

It had 3 palm-rest replacements due to the cracking issue. Each one around 6 months apart. With the 3rd one, I complained via email to executive relations and they got in touch the next day asking if they could give me a call.

Two days after the call, I have a brand new uMB and they are giving me one week to transfer my data from the old MB before collecting it.

Absolutely stunning, first class service as usual.
Click to expand...

Congrats, but IMO you're definitely not the norm....
 
Just an update...

I've have the cracks in the palm rest for a while and finally called Apple and asked for a fix. Although my Applecare expired, they said as long as long as I was within a three warranty period they would fix it for free. I took it to the local Apple store and they fixed it in a day (March 18th). Good as new (for now).
 
I got this problem on mine ages ago, I just stuck some tape on there and left it. I can't really be bothered to take my MacBook back for a cosmetic issue really, but now I know they'll fix it free within three years I might get it done before I sell it.

Thanks for the info :D
 
davidjearly said:
Until today, I had the Early-2008 13" MacBook.

It had 3 palm-rest replacements due to the cracking issue. Each one around 6 months apart. With the 3rd one, I complained via email to executive relations and they got in touch the next day asking if they could give me a call.

Two days after the call, I have a brand new uMB and they are giving me one week to transfer my data from the old MB before collecting it.

Absolutely stunning, first class service as usual.
Click to expand...

Same story for me here. I just called customer care and they said after three repairs my macbook was illegible for a replacement.

They offered me a 13" White Macbook, but i said i needed a firewire port (which is false) so they gave me an 13" Macbook Pro.
 
neez0 said:
Same story for me here. I just called customer care and they said after three repairs my macbook was illegible for a replacement.

They offered me a 13" White Macbook, but i said i needed a firewire port (which is false) so they gave me an 13" Macbook Pro.
Click to expand...

So.... did you just sign up to brag?
 
Do they replace it for the top plastic cracking too? Mine cracks where the magnets are on he top and where they connect on the bottome. Also willtheu still replace it if there is a crack that was definitely caused by a drop. It's on the bottom outside of the case which I am assuming they don't replace in this process anyway.
 
standingquiet said:
so did i not need to by a new top case for my macbook then as Apple would have repaired for free?
Click to expand...

Just took mine to my 'local' Apple Store, and the guy took one look at it, checked stock, then told me to come back in an hour. 20 minutes later I get a phone call telling me it's ready to be picked up. So, in a word, yes. They would have replaced it for free.
 
My case has the cracking entirely on the bottom casing, both under the trackpad and the vents on the back. It has been this way for a few months, is it something that I should get repaired even if it doesn't really bother me (will it get worse) or should I just not worry about it? Also, how many of you have had the bottom casing repaired on your computers, and has the replacement part held up?
 
I am considering a macbook to use for travel is the cracking still a problem with the new models

Phil
 
So I have an Early 2009 MacBook with the same cracking issue. Do ya'll recommend calling up Apple first or just making an appointment and bringing it in to the local store?
 
I had mine crack twice. The first time I scored a new plastic case and a new keyboard.
The second time I scored a new plastic casing, new keyboard, and new touchpad.

The Genius Bar rep told me that this was a 200 dollar repair.
 
davecom said:
So I have an Early 2009 MacBook with the same cracking issue. Do ya'll recommend calling up Apple first or just making an appointment and bringing it in to the local store?
Click to expand...

In the past month I've had my topcase replaced free of charge out of warranty twice. Just make an appointment and go in.
 
Expect for it to happen again and again and again, because they are not fixing the flaw in the machine that causes this, just putting in another new part to break.
 
We had a lousy, lousy experience in dealing with Apple over the cracking case and discoloration. Despite having an Apple extended warranty, their not-so-genius bar told us that it's "cosmetic" and "not covered under warranty."

My wife is a teacher and uses it in her classroom daily. It sits on a desk hooked up to a projector--it has not been dropped or damaged. However, this computer has cracked three times in the same exact places.

We were refused repair service by Apple's genius bar until we called Apple customer service. This happened three times in two separate retail stores, only Apple customer service offered to repair the computer and sent us a box. That's what happened with my wife's MB the 2nd (pics) and 3rd (pics) time. Each time it was sent to Apple's repair depot in TN, it came back either unrepaired or in worse condition than it was sent in.

The computer was finally replaced by Apple customer service with a Unibody model and is now being sold on eBay.
 
suzuki343 said:
:apple:Heat stress by any chance?
Click to expand...

Probably, this Macbook didn't have any real ventalation except behind the lid. There was heat discoloration all over the bottom of it as well. It sat on a flat, hard desk in an air conditioned classroom. Personally, I think they didn't design this thing very well.

Anecdotally, my 13" Sony Vaio has vents all along the bottom, on the side, runs a much slower 1.3Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo ULV processor. That said, this Macbook had a 2.16Ghz Core 2 Duo in a nearly sealed case with one single vent out the back and none on the bottom or sides. Perhaps that would explain why the fan was running all the time, and that the case was bulging and discoloring.

The flickering late '08 MBP my wife is currently using in her classroom doesn't get nearly as hot as this Macbook did, doing the same things in the same environment. We are debating whether or not to sell this thing as well b/c of the flickering but that won't happen until the semester is over.
 
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