Settlement Reached in Lawsuit over Frayed MagSafe Connectors

[Signal-11]

Perhaps a little common sense is in order. When I wrap the cable around the winder for my wife's MacBook, I allow the cord to come straight out of the power box, then create a very loose "loop" which puts absolutely no strain on the wire or connection, then I very carefully wrap the wire around the convenient fold-out brackets built into the box. If people will learn to treat things "as if" they are very fragile, they will last much much longer.

Yeah, I've been doing that on my MB/MBA/MBP power brucks since the original PowerBook bricks, when my second replacement started doing the same thing.

The following isn't directed at you, but at some of the Apple defenders on this thread. Apple has admitted to a design flaw and are claiming ownership of the problem. Go look at the Apple Store reviews. Or the Amazon reviews for that matter. It's among the worst reviewed products made by any major CE manufacturer.

Yet, when people say they've gone through a great number of these flawed power adaptors, adaptors so flawed that Apple will retroactively pay you, you have the gall blame the user.

Apple really has become a religion for some of you people.

 

[Skoal]

Never seen a Mac with that issue.

But good news for clumsy folks.

The only reason this is happening is because folks are too lazy to pull the magsafe away from the device by the connector and instead are just pulling it away by the cord. A small amount of brain power will tell you this is NOT a good idea! My 17 year old daughter has mangled two iPhone power cords this way even though I've explained how to do it properly! Teenagers!

The outrageous price Apple asks for these things is akin to rape!

 

[tuna9720]

I'm confused. I have a macbook with a t-style charger having this issue but I've never purchased a new one. I use the original charger taped from where it's frayed.

So can I get a replacement or not?

 

[chris7777]

Didn't read the whole thread.

But my kid had her Ipod touch charger fray exactly like the magsafe cord, and all she did was gently wind the cord around the ipod when she put it up. It lasted 3 months.

The problem is the material the wire sleve is made out of, its all cool anf flexible, but durable it is not, I also suggest if anyone from apple is reading this to not only change the material on all future wires, but to run some reinforcing like virtually all other manufacturers do on their power plugs tapering from the plug into the wire.

I do know if their isn't a lawsuit on iphones/pods etc, I suspect we will see one over similar issues soon enough.

 

[acurafan]

My 2008 Macbook had the "T" style, and after a good year or two frayed out and stopped working. Being cheap, I had the repair done by my father, an electrical engineer. The housing of the connector had to be removed and a 2x4 lego was a perfect fit. A little hot glue, some super glue, and a small hole later I had a perfect charger.

Image

that is so cool, kudos to your dad

 

[pwilling]

MagSafe power adapter

My opinion of Mac engineering is pretty low. My photos will tell the story. Why dont they just step up to the plate, admit a mistake, replace all the failed units with something durable, and make good on it, instead of leaving all this bad blood around to haunt them?

 

[.nox]

Does this mean the USB cables will get redesigned too ? Back when I worked at EAMobile, you'd see dozens of those frayed on the daily. They're basically the same design flaw.

 

[applekid]

Anybody have any luck with Apple's duplicate receipt email system? I submitted my info, but they couldn't find either of my purchases at the local Apple Store. I'm going to dig through my basement because I vaguely remember keeping the receipt for at least one because I had a feeling a lawsuit was going to happen. (My carpet almost caught fire once.)

I don't understand why the reimbursement shrinks for newer purchases though. They were the same $79 every time I had to buy a new one...

 

[She]

Guess this means I can finally get my broken one replaced now

 

[myrtlebee]

My opinion of Mac engineering is pretty low. My photos will tell the story. Why dont they just step up to the plate, admit a mistake, replace all the failed units with something durable, and make good on it, instead of leaving all this bad blood around to haunt them?

What the hell is this? I hope it's a joke. If not, learn how to spell "Macintosh".

 

[Tarzanman]

I think the main problem is that Apple is trying to keep the cables too thin.

Electronic devices are not new technology. There have been consumer appliances using power cords since the 1930's.... its a little ridiculous that any company with a history of making consumer electronics would fall prey to this kind of issue.

Apple Reality Distortion Field Failure.

At least they are making good on their mistake.

 

[Lara F]

I just called the reseller store I'd purchased mine at - the good news is they still have a record, the bad news is that it was bought in fall 2007. Oh well, was worth a check. I must have gotten it right away as a spare after getting my Macbook.

I had to toss one of the two away last year since it stopped charging properly and the plastic tip was turning brown as if it was burning. So I'm hoping my current one lasts till my next upgrade...

 

[esposimi]

Got this in the mail yesterday. Legit?

 

[jekyl]

Heat / dryness due to constant A/C is most likely the culprit.

I've done almost 1000 battery cycles and haven't had any problems with mine (but Stockholm / Frankfurt don't have A/C in most places.)

I am guessing the most likely culprit may be alcohol based hand sanitizers. Having trace amounts of this stuff on your hands might be enough to affect the vinyl in the cables. I know the vapors from "super glue" is pretty terrible on vinyl as well, but I doubt many people are subjecting their cables to that.

 

[kironin]

My opinion of Mac engineering is pretty low. My photos will tell the story. Why dont they just step up to the plate, admit a mistake, replace all the failed units with something durable, and make good on it, instead of leaving all this bad blood around to haunt them?

Agreed. I'm on my 4th replacement cable for my Macbook and it's already falling apart.

I'm not abusing the cable either. These have been the ONLY cables on portable devices that I have owned that have shown this persistent problem.

 

[lbjandai]

Correct me if I'm wrong guys, but if I bought my mac in July of 2008, and replaced my magsafe adapter just last month, so I should be able to get $35. However, I don't know if I have my receipt fro that purchase. :/

 

[Rameshg]

Hi
Its very Interesting.

 

[Sectaguy]

My T-shaped power adapter is behaving erratically/damaged. I'm thinking of replacing it but it does NOT have the strain. Has anyone intentionally done the strain by pulling it or cutting the cord to expose the wires? I only want to do it so I can take it to the Apple store and claim a free replacement.

I'm sure I'm not the first to think about this.

 

[CaptainChunk]

I notice a lot of people crying "user error" whenever someone complains about a MagSafe adapter. Okay, so if yours hasn't given you any problems, good for you. But this is a REAL problem for a lot of people (especially for those who travel a lot) and it 100% has to do with the poor strain relief design.

I'm on MagSafe adapter #4 and it's already non-functional after about a year. Same problem as the last three: frayed cord on the connector. This has nothing to do with abuse or neglect, either. I have no pets, and there's barely a scratch on my 2008 MBP. The strain relief design on the MagSafe connector simply sucks. I've NEVER had this problem with the old PBG4 "pin" style adapters.

I do know people that are still on their original MagSafe adapter after 3-4 years. But guess what? Their laptops rarely leave their desks.


I just spent 30 minutes on the phone with AppleCare regarding my most recent MagSafe failure, citing the support article from last November. A senior advisor couldn't do anything for me over the phone. Instead, I have to make an appointment with a Genius locally.

I guess I'll see what happens. The last three MagSafe adapter failures I've had my local Apple Store wouldn't cover, citing "abnormal wear and tear". That's $240 worth of out of pocket replacements since the laptop was new. I'm just hoping I won't get that same runaround again, now that they've finally issued a recall. I'm just really sick of paying $80 for an adapter that will eventually have the same issue. Yes, I've heard that the new "L" adapters aren't much better.

 

[Signal-11]

I guess I'll see what happens. The last three MagSafe adapter failures I've had my local Apple Store wouldn't cover, citing "abnormal wear and tear". That's $240 worth of out of pocket replacements since the laptop was new. I'm just hoping I won't get that same runaround again, now that they've finally issued a recall. I'm just really sick of paying $80 for an adapter that will eventually have the same issue. Yes, I've heard that the new "L" adapters aren't much better.

Your experience with the durability of the Magsafe is much the same as mine - high travel/movement, was on my 4th or so MagSafe.

Your customer service experience, OTOH, has been quite different. Apple's replaced every MagSafe failure at no cost to me.

 

[theluggage]

I'm on MagSafe adapter #4 and it's already non-functional after about a year. Same problem as the last three: frayed cord on the connector.

OTOH I work with a group of half a dozen Mac users who travel frequently and often take their Macs home in the evening. Power leads are always a weak point on any laptop, but if the failure rate was as you describe, I'd be continually ordering new PSUs. These people have been know to throw Macs across the street, leave them running swaddled in bedclothes to cook themselves, or throw the circuit breakers in half the building because the mains lead was broken (that was an ancient G2-era "discus" power supply) or generally leave their Macs looking like a failure from "Will it blend?*" so these aren't being treated with kid gloves. Actually, I've seen more failures with the old plug-in connectors (but then we were using those for longer).

...but then, evidence is not the plural of anecdote. If we assume that the people getting through a new connector every few months are not idiots then maybe the leads are coming from different factories or there's some environmental factor (e.g. heat or air conditioning leeching out the plasticizers - or maybe if you are in the US and flying on a weekly basis: economy class certainly leeches my plasticizers ).

The old magsafe design was bad because you couldn't get a good grip on the body, which encouraged people to pull it out by the cable. The new right-angle connector lets you get a grip, and encourages you to "peel" the magnets apart and is much better. I think there has also been a rev. of that - the 2011 and later cables seem to have thicker cable).

(* Interestingly, even PC laptops won't survive being sent through the mail in nothing but a Jiffy bag...)

 

[diane143]

Ugh! I totally missed this deadline and I was going to use the funds towards my iPad. Is it worth talking to the Apple Store? I bought my MP in 10/08 and had to buy a new adapter 12/10

 

[lgwells1]

I am very careful when rolling up the MagSafe cord. This morning my SO wrapped it up very tight, so when I got to work to plug it in, I noticed several cracks at the base on the side where you plug in to the wall. If it gets any worse can Apple help me out with an replacement, even though I am two hours away from a Retail Store?

2011 MBP purchase in September.

 

[Starhorsepax]

I probably don't count since I bought my macbook refurbished.

But it came with that connector and it only had the 'blocky' part not the regular kind of socket you can switch too. So I had a rather short cord to work with.
It did fray where it connected to the macbook. I noticed that depending on where I was and where the plug was, it tended to get caught in the 'crack' where the lid closed very easily. (For instance, if the socket was to the right, the connector is on the mac's left). Even though I usually caught it right away, I'm sure that helped cause it.

I think the thickness had everything to do with it. I got the new one a few months ago. The L shaped one is working fine but it's also a LOT thicker than the old one.
(I still have the old one, technically it still worked. I was afraid of a short or something though. One wrong move and fried mac seemed more expensive than a new cord!)