A 'different' problem with the MacBook casing

[X5-452]

Mine has the same thing. The whole thing kind of snapped off with a loose end facing the trackpad. I used some tape to keep it in place so it looks pretty ghetto. On top of that I have major discoloration issues. It's really annoying, but I can live with it for a short time. The closest Apple store to me is 3 provinces over in Toronto, and the closest service provider is about 4 hours away. I won't be able to get anything fixed until the second week of May when I move. It's aggrevating because I would like my Mac to stay in pristine condition, yet I'm not hating on Apple for anything. Either way, since I bought my Mac back in June of last year, would they still replace the top casing for discoloration if the crack is there? Would they do anything even though I've had these issues for a while and won't be doing anything until close to the year mark?

 

[Chile Mac]

He said that perhaps during the molding of my topcase there was a bubble in that spot that over time burst through the contact of the lid meeting the palm rest. My opinion? I think it has something to do with the right side of the lid snapping shut before the left side. I'm right handed and when i close the lid, tend to pull it down with my right hand, perhaps causing the impact tonot be evenly distributed on both sides? I really dont know but i do find it very interesting that the problem seems to only occur on the right side...

Is very interesting that theory of the air bubble... it's a real possibility I think, but since the same problem with pretty similar look alike is so common like it seems to be, is unlikely something like that. If that's the problem, so Apple must find a better machine for their assembly plant
About your opinion, yes, maybe you close your screen so hard many times by the right side, so maybe that can provoque the crack. But if that's it, then the right side is too fragile, except if you do by to force very strongly.
I close my screen by the middle and with the less force possible... and no problems until today

 

[Mattydj]

Update: Cracked bit on my macbook just snapped off and is at the moment taped on

And if that bubbling theory is true something must be going horribly wrong with the molding process if its happened this many times.

 

[Jwalker9]

Crack fixed..and then some

Well I got my macbook back today. It seems to be in great shape! i am rally impressed by how fast they repaired it and shipped back. I got a new top case with track pad, a new bezel around the screen (maybe to change out the magnet stoppers). They also cleaned it, charged it and i notice that my keys are much softer/quieter than they were when i sent it in. There is a list of several services they performed but I dont understand many. Anyways, problem fixed and I am very satisfied!

 

[hansning]

same...

I guess I made this thread so I could ask other macbook owners if they have experienced this same problem. Anyone?

same problem. i also have a similar crack on the left front corner, but that one i don't mind so much. this one scratches me, and it's really annoying.

i've already replaced the topcase because of the discolouration, and now this...

 

[Luigi239]

Well, Mine isnt cracked, but i can puse the sides and watch/hear them move. Annoying, but not worth getting it fixed.

 

[djinn]

I checked my black macbook and didn't didn't notice anything, not yet atleast. Is this something that is happening to all the macbooks? Is there a rev difference yet with the macbooks? I bought mine not even a month ago.

 

[djinn]

I guess what could be happening is the open and closing of the case, from that little bevel on the LCD can weaken the plastic on the top of the case. Over time breaking and/or cracking the edge of the wrist pad. very interesting....

 

[prawnballs]

Got my Macbook back today having taken it in for the power cable melting (right by the magsafe) exposing the wiring and the crack that has been bugging me for months. The cracked plastic had actually snapped off leaving an ugly hole. When I first noticed the crack (about 4 or 5 months ago) I thought it must have been something I'd done, or the kitten I'd just brought home, so was mad at myself. It was only on searching about the melting power cable did I find out that the cracking was so common too.

I took it to the Genius Bar at the Apple store here in Manchester, UK yesterday. The guy was really helpful and said he could change the top case and bezel under warranty due to the discolouring (which was only minor) and didn't even acknowledge the crack.

Got my Macbook back today and it is looks as good as new! New keyboard, no hole, no discolouring, sticky mouse button no longer sticky and new power cable! Can't complain. Just hope I don't get a repeat of the problems once the warranty runs out.. the guy said if it wasn't in warranty it would've cost me £193.

At least it hasn't caught fire yet.. *touch wood*

 

[faddu01]

I have noticed the same problem in my macbook too, which is almost a year old now. One day I noticed a chip on the right side of the mouse pad, and the more I used it, my wrist kept hitting against the chip. Eventually the chip grew bigger and it broke off.

I took it to the apple store in schaumburg, il and the guy at the genius bar told me its not covered under warranty and I would have to pay for it. He told me to just super glue it down. I did that, but it came off again.

My question is, does it depend on who is helping you at the apple store? Is it better to call the Apple care or to go to the apple store?

 

[Jwalker9]

My question is, does it depend on who is helping you at the apple store? Is it better to call the Apple care or to go to the apple store?

I think it depends. I called apple care and they said no, they would have to charge me. I went to my local apple tech and he said he thought it should be covered. I called back to apple care, listened to them tell me that they couldnt do it, and as soon as i started complaining, they said we will send you a box for repairs. it was back about 3 days later repaired. The sucky thing is that upon inspection when it returned i noticed to hairline cracks on the bottom back of the case by the vents where heat is dispersed. I think that the heat definitley caused those but until they crack enough to cause separation, i won't bother with it.

 

[j26]

I have this problem which happened a few days ago (it's come away already), and I've just noticed a hairline crack on the bottom of the casing. It's not lack of care that's causing it. The MB goes into a padded sleeve and the padded sleeve goes into a padded bag when travelling.

It's really annoying, but there are no Apple Stores in Ireland, so I can't just pop in, and since I'm preparing for exams I can't afford to be without it, even for a few days.

I'm going to have to ring Apple and see if they can do anything

 

[PDE]

I have noticed the same problem in my macbook too, which is almost a year old now. One day I noticed a chip on the right side of the mouse pad, and the more I used it, my wrist kept hitting against the chip. Eventually the chip grew bigger and it broke off.

I took it to the apple store in schaumburg, il and the guy at the genius bar told me its not covered under warranty and I would have to pay for it. He told me to just super glue it down. I did that, but it came off again.

My question is, does it depend on who is helping you at the apple store? Is it better to call the Apple care or to go to the apple store?

How come all of you accept when Apple tells you that it is not covered? This is a hardware manufacturing fault, not the result of abuse. If this happened to me, I would be complaining through the Better Business Bureau, Consumer Affairs department and whoever I could complain too. I would also talk to my credit card company to see if they can do anything. I would write to Apple and complain until somebody fixed it. You paid for a machine that should not crack in the first year of ownership. No computer should, not even the cheapest emachine! I doubt many PC laptops crack like this within a few months of opening the box. If PC manufacturers produced notebooks that cracked after gentle usage, they wouldn't survive. Ridiculous that we even ask the question whether Apple will cover it under warranty.

 

[faddu01]

I called Applecare and they said they would fix it. I thought maybe the store would fix it for me now. I called them and the lady said they wont fix it if its cosmetic damage. Thats what the first guy told me as well. I told him it was not cosmetic because I treat my laptop like its my child and I am sooo careful with it. I think I should go to the one in downtown chicago, where they might have had more cases of this problem.

 

[madmaxmedia]

I have a CD white MacBook, just saw the crack on the right side near the mousepad and remembered an old thread here...

The first few times, no one at Apple's going to know that there may be a defect, so I'm not surprised they were telling people that it was likely user error (since it's physical breakage.)

But by now, it seems they've seen enough cases and done enough internal investigation that hopefully they're fixing them.

Fortunately I have many Apple stores nearby, and will take mine in soon. It's not a big deal, but over time I know the edge piece is going to break off.

As others have said, it seems quite likely that the repetitive opening and closing of the LCD gradually stresses the case until it breaks. I know I treat mine very gently, but with those little obtrusions on the LCD, the force is concentrated into a small area.

 

[faddu01]

i went to my apple store again last week and asked the man at the genius bar. He said they will fix the problem and it will be covered!! yeahy!!

 

[madmaxmedia]

Does anyone know if the replacement shell is stronger or different than the original?

I don't want to send mine in, only to have it happen again 6 months from now. If the problem is relatively frequent, I hope that Apple uses a slightly stronger plastic or something like that...

I don't mind waiting a bit to see what happens, since it's a pretty minor cosmetic defect.

 

[Mattydj]

_

 

[Cybergypsy]

Had that on my macbook Apple replaced it

 

[Mattydj]

_

 

[fr0]

Is this limited to the orginal CD Macbooks?

I too have the dreaded crack over the IR sensor. I called Apple and they agreed to repair it, but the only problem is I am in the midst of writing a thesis. Not a good time to be without the old blackbook. In any event I noticed that slight pressure over the IR sensor on the right side produces a distinct flex in the plastic that is absent on the left-hand side. My father has a C2D blackbook and I pressed on his in the same spot over the IR sensor and it felt rock solid. It appears that Apple knew about this problem and chose to remedy it. Has anyone with a C2D Macbook had a cracking problem?

fr0

P.S. This is my third blackbook. The first two had some flavor of RSD.

 

[virilep]

fixed

took the compusa guy 45 minutes. he even gave me the old keyboard top. it's the whole top part. the keyboard and bezzel are one huge part. good times.

 

[iCheese]

My top casing cracked again, after just a few months. This time however it is along the right edge, instead of near where the wrists would be. I am also having more random shutdowns. Time to bring it in to get fixed again...

 

[lovemymac4sure]

I just noticed a problem with my white macbook case, and it isn't discoloring. The two spots on the wrist area, where the two magnet latches make contact with the case when the macbook is closed, have started to seperate into a fine crack that I can seperate with my finger. This really pisses me off, I know Apple will replace the top case after I bring it in to show them, but it is just such a hassle when this shouldn't have happened in the first place

I guess I made this thread so I could ask other macbook owners if they have experienced this same problem. Anyone?

Nope no problems here!!! Sorry dude...that is unfortunate!!

 

[madmaxmedia]

That's what I was afraid of-

It's great for Apple to repair MacBooks with the cracks. But if they are simply replacing the top shell with an identical piece, there's a good chance you will run into the problem again. (even being as careful as possible, you never know.)

I'm going to wait a few months before taking mine in, and see how things sort out. For now I taped the edge so the plastic sliver doesn't break off, it's no big deal.