In 40+ years of owning and building with Lego the only pieces I've had break or crack are parts from the 60s and early 70s. And most of those are 2x4 blue bricks (which sat assembled for 20 years) in which one of the long sides just split off... I definitly have not seen it in any of the sets/parts I've acquired in the last decade.

--Mr. Bill

Essentially TLG has issues with quality now due to the plastic being used (from what I've heard). I think a lot of it is how many pieces they are actually making and putting out just increases the likelihood that people will notice more cracked pieces?? Just my guess.

I've only been back into LEGO for a few years now, but I have LOTS of pieces cracked from new sets. All of my early pieces (pre-1996) still seem to fine quality wise, just not as crisp of colors as they used to be.

I recently built a mini scale King's Castle only with new light bley and new red and I counted over 10 cracked bricks including 1x2 brick , 1x4 arch, cheese slope, and 1x2 plate. I was surprised on some of them, but I was aware of the poor quality in the cheese slope pieces. Most of mine are cracked from new sets.

I dont understand what is wrong with the cheese slopes. I havent had any crack, but I guess Im just lucky. Or I just dont notice. On what side to cheese slopes usually crack? I should probably pay more attention in the future.

I haven't had any cracked cheese slopes....yet, but I have had cracked plates, bricks, etc., though only a handful out of thousands of parts in my stockpile.

Could the problem by where the parts are produced or where the plastic pellets are being sourced ?

I must admit, sometimes I have these problems, and they occur more often then I think they should. For example, one of my Power Miner's lime green cheese slope is cracked. I rarely ever take it out, and I have never destroyed and rebuilt it.

The cheese slopes I've had crack usually crack right on the top. The first ones I noticed were white ones on the last fire station. Then we had an orange one crack from a Friends set. I've wondered if these are the only ones I've noticed due to the light colors showing the cracks more... I'm almost afraid to look too closely, not sure I want to know how many of my bricks are cracked.

I have not seen a single cracked brick in my inventory (300.000 bricks, mostly new, about 10% is old stuff from BL), so I am not sure this "cheese cracker problem" is so widespread. But there is no doubt that TLG´s quality is not up to their former "det bedste er ikke godt nok" standard

As a kid back in the eighties, one thing you could guarantee looking through anyone's Lego collection was that it would contain a fair few broken clips and usually a few of the Classic Space helmets with a broken chin strap. As much as people say the quality has gone down, I'm not so sure that isn't a slightly rose tinted view. Maybe the cheese slope is just the modern equivalent, a little too close to the point of tolerance. I can't say I've noticed any cracking on mine, though I haven't exactly studied any for signs.

Those two pats where designed poorly (and was thus redesigned), that's not really a quality issue, imo. Today, yellow (and other colours) is all over the map, bordering useless. That didn't happen 25-30 years ago when I was a kid

That is odd that I'm one of the few noticing so many cracked cheese slopes. I can honestly say the majority of my cheese slopes are cracked. From my experience they actually crack on the back lower section the most, then second most is front lower area. Basically anytime they are connected to another stud, they will crack. I suppose I may have terrible luck with LEGO since so many of my pieces are damaged, but it is also possible that other people aren't paying as close of attention as I am. I definitely have lots of those older space helmets with a broken chin strap and then 1x1 vertical clip plates that are broken. A good chunk of my original clips are broken, but none of my bricks/plates had cracks from what I've seen, yet a lot of my newer bricks/plates are cracked. It's really weird.

Obviously with my complaining, I am still buying new sets all the time, so as long as TLG is making money, they probably won't address the problem as quickly. It isn't hurting their bottom line.

After going in my parts bin to connect bricks to save space in the drawers, I found many of my yellow 1x1 bricks, that were already connected, cracked. They look like they are of the newer variety, but I'm not sure exactly how old, or what set they are from. Also some of the 1x1 white bricks on my 7639 Camper, from 2009, have also cracked

There was another thread a few years ago about cracked cheese slopes and other bricks. I remember someone at that time mentioning the camper, and when I checked mine it too had some cracked bricks - all white bricks but of several different pieces. I wonder if LEGO went through a bad batch of white plastic around that time... and I wonder how many other sets from that same era have cracked white pieces that people haven't noticed yet.

Edit: Found the old thread: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=53790&st=25

Interesting that it was a 1x1 that cracked on my camper as well. I should pull that model out and see how many of the other white pieces have cracks now.

Edited April 29, 201311 yr by meyerc13

technic studless parts seem less or not concerned, right?

I've only come back to LEGO within the last year and a significant number of my cheese slopes are cracked. The only other piece I have noticed having issues being a Gimli torso cracked on the side. The cheese slope problem is a nuisance but considering LEGO pretty well always gives you an extra in each set, I don't mind too much.

I had Nori's torso and arm from a Hobbit set crack quite badly. I was able to order a replacement but only after I sent through the number on my instructions as Proof of Purchase

I have a fair number of cheese slopes that are cracked as well. It's definitely a small percentage of my overall collection, but it is annoying. My camper also had the majority of it's white 1x1's crack, and I've had a few other 1x1's crack. Fortunately for me though, I've not had anything more significant. Although, I did need the sand green Frodo torso (cracked up the side) and Barriss Offee torso (hand broke in 2) replaced. TLG customer service took care of it though.

Do you replace your cracked parts by Lego Service?

me yes

I have yet to complain to LEGO directly about the cracked pieces, but I've complained to them about missing pieces other times. They have since made me run through hoops to get anything replaced, so I just gave up trying.

All I know is Megabloks pieces never crack.

I've had the cracking problem most often with lever bases, the bases are simply too tight and they crack after a few days of being connected to a stud. Never had it with other parts, aside from minifigure torsos from the '90s.

Edited May 7, 201311 yr by Henchmen4Hire

I am saddened to see that no embassador have the will to take this topic in order to raise these issues to Lego group.

Personally, it's been years that I've been watching closely the quality of the parts, I would have a lot to say (not only about cracks).

Lego must understand that the main reason that made the success of their products are the quality and the durability. But today, the quality is gone, and that of competitors continues to increase. Lego take risks producing crap like it does today.

I've recently got back into Lego and have had 3 grey 1/2 bush pieces crack while under no stress (other than being on an axle) These were brand new pieces. Other than these I've not had a problem. Yay for spares.

Almost 30% of the white pieces in my #10225 R2-D2 cracked while building, even large ones like *both* of the 2x2x3 bricks. Called customer support and they want me to send them the cracked pieces and they will replace them one by one... That is extremely unsatisfactory for such an expensive product, especially when I don't know if they will all eventually crack (most of the set is white pieces) :(

Edit: Only other instance of cracked pieces I can remember is that all but one of the 1x2 medium blue tiles in my #6862 Quinjet cracked on the sides while building, that is worrying but not as devastating as the R2 situation. I doubt there is anything in my environment as other sets/parts in my collection are fine.

Edited June 13, 201311 yr by asksol

So now I have to disassemble the set and go through it piece by piece to carefully inspect each part for cracks, that will take me at least an hour (if optimistic).

Personally I would also feel bad re-selling this set without disclosing these facts, which probably will take from its value. Can Lego really get around UK consumer laws by replacing the parts?

Edited June 13, 201311 yr by asksol

After going through all of my old Lego, the only bricks that have cracked are the 1x1 headlight bricks: http://www.peeron.com/inv/parts/4070 I would say at least half of mine are cracked at the base in the front, right below the front stud where you'd stick a trans piece for a "light." There doesn't seem to be a correlation between having them connected to other parts or just sitting loose in the bin for 20+ years. The cracked ones still clutch fine as far as I can tell, the damage seems to be purely cosmetic.

That's odd. All of my headlight bricks that are cracked (quite a few the more I look at them) are actually cracked on the back bottom base. I've never seen one cracked on the front.

I've also been noticing a lot of arches that are cracked. I have a lot of castles, so I have a lot of light bley arches and I've noticed quite a few of my 1x4 and 1x6 arches are cracking. Most often on the sides (the narrow 1 stud width side), but on one I noticed it was on the front (or back) but on the long side either way. Really odd since I've never seen so many pieces cracking before. It might have to do with the less plastic being used, so they aren't as thick as they used to be. Didn't someone say they are see through now because they use less plastic? Interesting how prices can go up, but less product is being used...