M1 MacBook Air screen failed/cracked - UK costs ideas

[danb1979]

Very weirdly; my M1 MBA's screen failed yesterday; looks like it's cracked internally, but absolutely nothing can be seen when it's switched off

It's my business Mac; so I have it connected to an Anker hub and then to my BenQ monitor etc; and the MBA sits on its stand.

It's immaculate/as new, never been dropped/damaged in any way (I baby my gadgets); so very odd that it just happened as I lifted the lid to use it yesterday, after lunch (I'd popped it onto the stand and onto charge etc)

It's going back to Apple UK today via UPS for them to fix it; agreed to pay a holding payment of £450 as it's unfortunately out of its 12 month warranty now.

But anyone experienced anything like this? Any thoughts on what it could have been and what the costs may be to fix it?

Cheers

 

[Saturn007]

Sorry to hear you've fallen victim to the M1 MBA's screen cracking issue.

Thought the UK had a two-year warranty on electronic products…. Someone posted that even after Brexit, they retained the EU's mandate that companies cover products against defects for two years.

If that’s so, you shouldn't have to pay anything! Apple may claim it was user error, but there are enough of these unexplained spontaneous incidents that shouldn't hold up.

Good luck with it all. Perhaps, Apple UK will fix it or replace it at no charge!

 

[danb1979]

Sorry to hear you've fallen victim to the M1 MBA's screen cracking issue.

Thought the UK had a two-year warranty on electronic products…. Someone posted that even after Brexit, they retained the EU's mandate that companies cover products against defects for two years.

If that’s so, you shouldn't have to pay anything! Apple may claim it was user error, but there are enough of these unexplained spontaneous incidents that shouldn't hold up.

Good luck with it all. Perhaps, Apple UK will fix it or replace it at no charge!

Will have to see. They've got it back now, hoping for an update early next week.

It's just very odd that it was fine when I closed it whilst charging it during having lunch and when I come to open it, it's broken!

OEM charger too. Nothing aftermarket etc...

 

[Saturn007]

Dan, take a look at the threads here on the spontaneous screen cracking. It's a known problem that affects some M1 MBAs. The threads include links to sources around the web about the problem.

There was a class action suit in the works at one point, too.

My theory is that the M2 MBA was redesigned, in part, and lost the wedge shape, to better support and protect the display and reduce or eliminate the screen cracking problem. It's one reason the great deals on the M1 MBAs may turn out not be for some buyers!

 

[danb1979]

Dan, take a look at the threads here on the spontaneous screen cracking. It's a known problem that affects some M1 MBAs. The threads include links to sources around the web about the problem.

There was a class action suit in the works at one point, too.

My theory is that the M2 MBA was redesigned, in part, and lost the wedge shape, to better support and protect the display and reduce or eliminate the screen cracking problem. It's one reason the great deals on the M1 MBAs may turn out not be for some buyers!

Thanks for that; a lot of info out there re this!

Had no idea it was a thing until I've Googled it!

The M1 MBA has landed back with Apple this morning, so hoping for an update in the next day or so

 

[JamesMay82]

Good luck with it. As a comparison I paid £500 for a 27 inch iMac screen to be replaced so you'd like to this it would be less than that.

 

[danb1979]

M1 MB back with me this morning, £456 it's cost to fix; they're not interested in what's said online re broken screens etc... The invoice has been paid, it is what it is... Just a pisser really

 

[JamesMay82]

M1 MB back with me this morning, £456 it's cost to fix; they're not interested in what's said online re broken screens etc... The invoice has been paid, it is what it is... Just a pisser really

ouch! I know the feeling.. best just to move on.

 

[danb1979]

ouch! I know the feeling.. best just to move on.

TBH it's spurred me on to look at the newer, larger M2 MBA. I'm finding the M1 a bit small at times and due to not being able to sit at my home desk too much due to recently having my gallbladder removed, that bit more of real estate really appeals...

The M1 MBAs still fetch good £££, more so if they've new parts fitted to them by Apple

I'll have a think; Amazon's offers make them really appealing though!

 

[JamesMay82]

TBH it's spurred me on to look at the newer, larger M2 MBA. I'm finding the M1 a bit small at times and due to not being able to sit at my home desk too much due to recently having my gallbladder removed, that bit more of real estate really appeals...

The M1 MBAs still fetch good £££, more so if they've new parts fitted to them by Apple

I'll have a think; Amazon's offers make them really appealing though!

Yeah I’d agree. It doesn’t sound like much of a size difference on paper but using it in the real world it does make a difference

 

[weckart]

Thought the UK had a two-year warranty on electronic products…. Someone posted that even after Brexit, they retained the EU's mandate that companies cover products against defects for two years.

Nobody in the EU or the UK has an automatic warranty on anything. In 1999 the EU mandated a minimum 2 year statutory guarantee for all non-perishables subject to certain provisos. The UK had already implemented a 6 year (5 in Scotland) statutory guarantee by 1976 and this has not changed. In fact, it looks very much that the EU directive was based word for word on existing UK law.

The problem with this is that after six months, the onus is on the buyer to prove that the fault was inherent in the article and not due to user error or wear and tear. Most people will do as the OP did and bite the bullet as otherwise you can easily accumulate costs that outweigh repair at your expense.

 

[daavee80]

Nobody in the EU or the UK has an automatic warranty on anything. In 1999 the EU mandated a minimum 2 year statutory guarantee for all non-perishables subject to certain provisos. The UK had already implemented a 6 year (5 in Scotland) statutory guarantee by 1976 and this has not changed. In fact, it looks very much that the EU directive was based word for word on existing UK law.

The problem with this is that after six months, the onus is on the buyer to prove that the fault was inherent in the article and not due to user error or wear and tear. Most people will do as the OP did and bite the bullet as otherwise you can easily accumulate costs that outweigh repair at your expense.

Excellent post. It’s absolutely down to being able to prove that the fault was inherent. And essentially in most cases one has no chance whatsoever of proving this with things like screens spontaneously cracking. They - Apple in this case - simply won’t take your word for it and eat the cost. And Apple are better than most retailers in the UK with warranty stuff. Try returning a faulty product that clearly has a manufacturing defect to most major retailers in the UK within the guarantee period but outside of the statutory 14 day cooling off period and you’ll be laughed all the way home. Generally they’ll just wave their hands and refer you to the manufacturer even though by law the contract and thus the guarantee is with the retailer and the burden is on them to organise a repair or replacement. Such guarantees aren’t worth the paper they’re not written on. Better off using home insurance in these cases if you don’t have product insurance.

It’s a broken system but it is what is and banging your head against it will only give you a headache. At least we have some rights. But expecting huge, corrupt, capricious corporations to ‘do the right thing‘ time after time is, at best, naive.

 

[Andeddu]

Has anyone actually diagnosed the problem regarding M1 MBA screen cracking? I watched a Louis Rossman video and he said that glass screens don’t crack themselves and he believes it to be user error as it is not a new phenomenon as he has had customers complaining about spontaneously cracked screens for the last decade.

I am interested in an M1 MBA because I can purchase it new for a $200 discount and would like to know if the screen cracking issue is a genuine problem which has been demonstrably proven to be a fault with the product.

 

[danb1979]

Has anyone actually diagnosed the problem regarding M1 MBA screen cracking? I watched a Louis Rossman video and he said that glass screens don’t crack themselves and he believes it to be user error as it is not a new phenomenon as he has had customers complaining about spontaneously cracked screens for the last decade.

I am interested in an M1 MBA because I can purchase it new for a $200 discount and would like to know if the screen cracking issue is a genuine problem which has been demonstrably proven to be a fault with the product.

Buy it and enjoy it; hell of a lot more don't have issues. It's just you only ready/hear about the bad stuff etc...

They're a superb device (typing this on mine now)

I was tempted to upgrade to the M2 MBA; but it's not worth it for me currently, so will keep driving this until the next decent MBA crops up that is worthy of an upgrade

 

[Andeddu]

Buy it and enjoy it; hell of a lot more don't have issues. It's just you only ready/hear about the bad stuff etc...

They're a superb device (typing this on mine now)

I was tempted to upgrade to the M2 MBA; but it's not worth it for me currently, so will keep driving this until the next decent MBA crops up that is worthy of an upgrade

I don’t need the extra horsepower of M2 MBA and the price difference is too significant when the discount is taken into consideration. The M1 MBA seems to be the perfect laptop for me.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[naddrof]

I was able to get my cracked screen repaired by Apple, out of warranty. Saved myself $500-$1000 per what I was quoted. I posted my experience on the Apple community forum thread about M1 screens cracking and it was rejected “because it contained off-topic or non-technical posts”. So I'm posting my experience on other sites in the hope that it helps a few people. The exact (rejected) post is below:
I just had Apple replace my screen despite being 1 year out of warranty. My story is that I’m in New Zealand. I bought a MacBook M1 in 2021. I only use it for business so I virtually never close the laptop because it’s left on a desk in my home office hooked up to some screens. One day about two months ago I closed the screen to take the laptop upstairs. Upon opening the laptop upstairs, I find that the screen is cracked in the lower left hand corner and I have lines running out the left-hand side and all along the bottom of the screen. A quick google search revealed this is a common problem so although the MacBook was out of warranty, I felt I would have a claim against Apple under New Zealand consumer law. Our law here says that a product must be “fit for the purpose it is sold for” and should last for a “reasonable amount of time” in line with what a reasonable consumer would expect, and this law supersedes any manufacturers warranty. I felt that I should be able to expect my MacBook M1 to last up to 5 years given the price point and lifespan of Macbooks I’ve previously owned. I also felt I should be able to open and close a laptop without the screen breaking for no reason at two years of ownership. So I talked to Apple online and told them my thoughts & intention and they told me I have to take it to an authorised repair outlet to be assessed. So I took the computer to the authorised repair outlet and told them that I wanted the computer screen assessed, not repaired, as per Apple‘s instructions, so that I could make a small claims court case against them for the cost of the screen repair. The authorized repairer came back to me saying Apple would cover and I now have a fully repaired screen covered by Apple despite being 1 year out of warranty. I’m 100% confident I would have won the small claims court case under NZ consumer law and I’m also sure that’s why the repair was done. Good luck to others with this issue and I hope my experience gives you some hope if your country has some reasonable consumer protection laws.