For the past couple weeks, Apple has been owning up to shortcomings in their products. With regard to the same, Apple’s service document has acknowledged that the 27-inch iMacs shipped between December 2012 to July 2014 may have defective hinges. There was a problem with screen adjustment and it was just titling forward.
Since the issue has been acknowledged by Apple Authorized Service Providers (obtained by MacRumors), Apple will issue refund to the customers who paid to get the hinges repaired. Based on the user complaints, the repair cost could go upwards of $100.
The details of this repair program have not been made publicly available yet. Instead, the company has sent internal communication to Apple Authorized Service Providers with information about repairs and refunds.
The issue has been frequently reported by many users on the Apple Support Communities and at many other places on the web. The iMac owners describes it as hinge makes an audible popping or cracking sound and then stops working.
The report says that the underlying problem seems to be the use of plastic washers in the hinge’s spring mechanism. The washers are evidently not strong enough to support the weight of the iMac’s display. In many cases, the washers break under the load, causing the popping sound reported by users.
In September, Apple announced the extension for iMac hinge repair program to cover late 2012 and late 2013 iMacs for up to five years from the date of their original purchase. Apple will replace the hinge mechanism on affected iMacs at no charge, regardless of warranty coverage.
For the affected customers, Apple recommends to contact the company support by phone or web to initiate the refund process. Customers who still have a broken hinge can book an appointment with the Genius Bar at an Apple Store or visit an Apple Authorized Service Provider.
