Oops: MBA fan died after three weeks

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Very sad to report that my beloved MacBook Air's cooling fan died yesterday, leaving the computer without and means of cooling itself. CPU ran up to 98 degrees Celsius and the fan didn't kick in. Did a system management reset but nada.



A search of the Net found one other case with the exact same error message (using internal hardware check). He will get a new machine from Apple.



I bought mine from a local shop so I have to wait for my salesman to return tomorrow. I believe their policy is practically any problem within the first month and they replace it without question (no hardware from any Japanese maker has ever given me problems so I have never had to use this program). Problem is, there are no MBAs to be had, so I may be in for a wait. At least I have my MBP to use in the mean time.



I have raved about the MBA, and still feel that it is an incredible machine. I have also in various threads posted at length about quality control (and especially about revision 1 devices); this is possibly the latter or maybe just a fluke, too early to tell.



Started noticing a clicking coming from the right side of the computer yesterday, sort of like an old clock except more of a tock-tick. It occurs every five seconds.



Using the onboard hardware check, the computer showed the following error message:



4MOT/1/40000002 Exhaust 0



Using iStat Pro, the fan speed read 0.



If anybody else who owns an MBA hears a regular clicking sound, run a hardware check and also check the fan speed with iStat Pro or some other system checker.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 30
    mzaslovemzaslove Posts: 519member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Bergermeister View Post


    Very sad to report that my beloved MacBook Air's cooling fan died yesterday, leaving the computer without and means of cooling itself. CPU ran up to 98 degrees Celsius and the fan didn't kick in. Did a system management reset but nada.



    A search of the Net found one other case with the exact same error message (using internal hardware check). He will get a new machine from Apple.



    I bought mine from a local shop so I have to wait for my salesman to return tomorrow. I believe their policy is practically any problem within the first month and they replace it without question (no hardware from any Japanese maker has ever given me problems so I have never had to use this program). Problem is, there are no MBAs to be had, so I may be in for a wait. At least I have my MBP to use in the mean time.



    I have raved about the MBA, and still feel that it is an incredible machine. I have also in various threads posted at length about quality control (and especially about revision 1 devices); this is possibly the latter or maybe just a fluke, too early to tell.



    Started noticing a clicking coming from the right side of the computer yesterday, sort of like an old clock except more of a tock-tick. It occurs every five seconds.



    Using the onboard hardware check, the computer showed the following error message:



    4MOT/1/40000002 Exhaust 0



    Using iStat Pro, the fan speed read 0.



    If anybody else who owns an MBA hears a regular clicking sound, run a hardware check and also check the fan speed with iStat Pro or some other system checker.



    There're always a few... but that's such a pain and frustration. Hope they turn it around quickly. So far, everyone I know with an MBA still have fans-a-blowin' so maybe this was the exception.
  • Reply 2 of 30
    I really hope your Macbook Air will be replaced fast.
  • Reply 3 of 30
    bergermeisterbergermeister Posts: 6,784member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mzaslove View Post


    There're always a few... but that's such a pain and frustration. Hope they turn it around quickly. So far, everyone I know with an MBA still have fans-a-blowin' so maybe this was the exception.



    What really gets me is this is not the first time I have had trouble with an Apple machine. Over the past several years, my wife and I have bought roughly an equal number of Macs and PCs. Nearly 80 percent of my Macs have had problems that required repairs or exchange. None of her PCs have had any problems other than software which actually was easy to fix.



    Yes, I hope this is just a fluke case, but I fear that Apple's quality control still sucks, as I have voiced elsewhere.



    My luck is also incredible; how do I get so many crappy machines?
  • Reply 4 of 30
    mzaslovemzaslove Posts: 519member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Bergermeister View Post


    What really gets me is this is not the first time I have had trouble with an Apple machine. Over the past several years, my wife and I have bought roughly an equal number of Macs and PCs. Nearly 80 percent of my Macs have had problems that required repairs or exchange. None of her PCs have had any problems other than software which actually was easy to fix.



    Yes, I hope this is just a fluke case, but I fear the Apple's quality control still sucks, as I have voiced elsewhere.



    My luck is also incredible; how do I get so many crappy machines?



    I don't disagree that Apple's quality control seems to be going down. But -- knock on wood -- I've been lucky. Only one of my friends (just got a Mini) has had any problems with a new machine. I wish they all just worked great.
  • Reply 5 of 30
    messiahmessiah Posts: 1,689member
    Sorry to hear about your MBA ? I hope you get a replacement quickly!
  • Reply 6 of 30
    bergermeisterbergermeister Posts: 6,784member
    The regional Apple sales rep told me a couple of weeks ago that if I had any problems that I could contact him directly through my local shop (I refuse to contact the Call Center in Japan because it is utterly useless). He will be getting a call today.



    Have an important presentation after lunch today and was hoping to do a double impression with the MBA... lucky for me that it failed when it did and not during the presentation. Unfortunately, my client knows that I have the MBA and was looking forward to seeing it as he is a potential customer for Apple (a potential convert). He will likely stick with PCs for a while longer as he has had great success as far as hardware is concerned.
  • Reply 7 of 30
    bergermeisterbergermeister Posts: 6,784member
    My local shop said today they would give me a replacement machine, adding that they would do so up to a month; the Apple Store in Fukuoka said they could only replace the machine within the first 2 weeks. I also did not buy Apple care for my MBA because for 30% less money, I got a five-year warranty from the local shop, a 60% increase over Apple's program and the shop gets to deal with the hideous Call Center, not me.



    IMO, Apple needs to improve its service so that it is at least on par with other retailers, if not better. The Apple Store should have a 3 month replacement program.



    More, they need to improve their quality control so that things don't go wrong in the first year anyway.
  • Reply 8 of 30
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Bergermeister View Post


    My local shop said today they would give me a replacement machine, adding that they would do so up to a month; the Apple Store in Fukuoka said they could only replace the machine within the first 2 weeks. I also did not buy Apple care for my MBA because for 30% less money, I got a five-year warranty from the local shop, a 60% increase over Apple's program and the shop gets to deal with the hideous Call Center, not me.



    IMO, Apple needs to improve its service so that it is at least on par with other retailers, if not better. The Apple Store should have a 3 month replacement program.



    More, they need to improve their quality control so that things don't go wrong in the first year anyway.



    erm.. I've had past powerbooks replaced and even upgraded to a brand new model line because it had been discontinued. If you are within your first year and they can't fix it, they replace it. If you call Apple directly and they replace it do you lose the 5-year warranty you paid for?
  • Reply 9 of 30
    bergermeisterbergermeister Posts: 6,784member
    I have a long history of trying to get machines fixed through Apple Japan and the Call Center and it is not that easy, a major reason I bought through a local store. The call center here in Japan sometimes is unaware a product is an Apple product, or sometimes refuses to admit there is a problem with the machine because their database does not show a pre-existing case (Catch-22; nobody can be the first case). When I have had machines repaired, they sometimes came back with no repair, other problems or the same problem. They stall forever before offering to replace a machine, making the suer suffer. In short, Apple Japan's call center sucks, and I have informed Apple of this through two channels.



    Even the store where I bought the machine has to go through the call center it seems, but I will leave that pleasure up to them, as I simply do not have the time or energy to waste (so I will pay somebody else to do it for me!).



    I discussed my concerns just a month ago with the local Apple sales rep (he works for Apple Japan) and the assistant manager at the Fukuoka Store (he works for Apple USA). The sales rep said I good go through him if I have any more problems, so I am now waiting for my local shop to contact him. Apple USA is aware of the difficulties and are working to bring the two units together.



    Checking the net shows several people now who have had problems with the fan, suggesting that the part itself is sub-standard.
  • Reply 10 of 30
    dang, do you have any idea why it died?
  • Reply 11 of 30
    bergermeisterbergermeister Posts: 6,784member
    Never really did anything that CPU-intensive; I mainly use the MBA for writing and planning, so it should never have been overly taxed. Just woke it up and noticed a clicking sound.



    Seems to me they installed a lame part and they better get on it right away before it becomes a big problem.



    As my shop has to wait for a replacement to arrive, I will take the computer to the nearest Apple Store (5 hours round trip by bullet train; yeah, I have some other reason to be going up there) so that the genius can have a look; there are two Apples in Japan (Apple Japan and Apple USA) and I want both to be aware of the problem. A machine aimed at pros should not cough after only a couple of weeks. I will ask that the Apple rep deliver my machine himself after they have received it, opened it and thoroughly tested it (had to do this several years ago with my Power Mac G5 - 2 arrived DOA, and the third called it quits after just a few weeks). I do not want my money back; I just want a computer that "just works" as Apple's ads suggest they do, and this has not been my experience over the past six years.



    Top of the list:



    http://www.apple.com/getamac/
  • Reply 12 of 30
    Just returned from the local shop where I bought my MBA. Just out of luck, the Apple rep was there, so I had a good meeting with him as well as my sales rep and the store manager.



    Only about a month ago did I have a long chat with the Apple rep about quality control and other issues, so he was a little red in the face to have me there so soon with a hardware issue; it also put me in a very good position to demand good attention.



    The basics:



    - The store's policy is a replacement for any hardware issues within the first month

    - I asked for the replacement as soon as possible; the manager agreed, as did the Apple guy

    - I requested that Apple first completely test the machine and certify it; Apple agreed

    - I asked that the Apple rep hand me the machine at the store; he agreed



    What would really make me happy would be if Steve would come visit and explain to me why I have had to put up with so many hardware issues with products sold under the banner "It just works" and with down time while stock-holders got rich and to tell me that my future purchases could be made with confidence.
  • Reply 13 of 30
    Just returned from the shop where they had my replacement MBA; the Apple rep was there and all and said the machine had been tested and was in good working order, but I would need to upgrade the software to get the new cooling driver.



    However, I could not accept the machine: its display was tilted very noticeably to the right. My old machine was behind the counter so we turned it on to find its screen was perfectly straight.



    This brings back bad memories of my past machines that I have sent off to have fixed or replaced only to receive them with new problems.



    The Apple rep was rather embarrassed and ashamed. I said I did not want my money back but that I wanted two things: 1) a machine that "just works" as advertised and 2) an explanation from Apple as to why it is so hard for them to make a quality machine, and that as this is obviously a rather serious quality control issue at the highest levels, I wish for that explanation to come from the highest levels. I suggested Steve as a good choice in who should attempt the explanation because I feel he is not informed of the the problems; he certainly would not put up with this sub-standard crap.



    The primary reason Apple lists for people to choose Mac is "It just works". Well, it doesn't, so they are pushing the bounds of false advertising.



    What crushes me the most is there are people out there with Apple stock making money while lots of users have to put up with shoddy, sub-standard workmanship.
  • Reply 14 of 30
    Apple removed my post on this from their discussion boards within a couple of hours, claiming it contained feedback or feature requests and was therefore in the wrong place on their discussion boards and I should have sent it to their feedback page (where it would go un-read).



    Telling my fellow users that the MBA also has a tilted screen problem is feedback?



    Asking when they would have better quality is a feature request?





    The feedback page also only has the ability to post under individual product lines, with no place to put a broad issue like general quality control or poor service from the call center. At the top of the page, however, they do write, "Apple strives to bring the best personal computing experience to (its customers)", but that isn't exactly what I am experiencing.



    Apple has serious problems and I really think Steve doesn't know about them. I wonder if Apple has peaked?
  • Reply 15 of 30
    I've bought a ton of Apple equipment over the years (well over $100k worth) for both me personally, and for work.



    I never had a problem with Apple's ability to quickly rectify a warranty issue. I have never had a warranty "repair" performed on any Apple equipment - they've only given me new equipment as a replacement. Nice. Knock wood.
  • Reply 16 of 30
    Here's to hoping that I get a properly functioning MBA in the very, very, very near future.



    Some people seem to have it lucky, others not. I seem to get a large share of bad machines, even ones that Apple has inspected and certified fit to go.



    Anyway, I am on a trip right now with my MBP and sorely missing the MBA's lightness and portability. Would have taken the MBA out on a short walk today that took me to two coffee shops; the MBP was checked at hotel's front desk because it is just too heavy to lug around.
  • Reply 17 of 30
    pbg4 dudepbg4 dude Posts: 1,611member
    I've owned 4 Macs so far. 3 of them had to be repaired for serious defects within the first year.
  • Reply 18 of 30
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by PBG4 Dude View Post


    I've owned 4 Macs so far. 3 of them had to be repaired for serious defects within the first year.



    Ouch. Care to elaborate a little? How was the customer service? Hopefully it was better than what we get here in Japan.
  • Reply 19 of 30
    Slipped into my shop today hoping that there would be an MBA waiting for me... there wasn't, and they couldn't give me a definite time frame as Apple has not yet moved on the issue despite having three business days.



    Personally, I would have liked to have seen Apple take the initiative and have a computer ready by now or at least some communication as to when one would be ready. Once again, they fail to value the customer's needs. I have now been without my computer for two weeks; only used it for just under three weeks. We are talking about a 2ooo dollar purchase that is not being honored.



    I asked my salesman today to arrange a client meeting with a Sony rep early next week so that I can look into purchasing a Vaio. Yep, after 25 years using a single computer brand, I am making my first serious move towards switching... to PC.
  • Reply 20 of 30
    You should have told them how loyal of a customer you were.... and how you attack posters on this site for questioning Apple in the manner you are now....



    Good Luck with your machine....
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