Bricks cracking... just from being connected to one another?

[rainey06au]

I haven't shared my photos around too much because Lego support are working with me. They are already sending me replacement parts and additionally if I send them back the faulty pieces as well then they have told me that they would return my postage fees in the form of a generous set or credit towards VIP membership or something like that. I don't want to make a big song and dance about it, because for all I know the packet could have sat out in the sunshine for weeks before being put on the shelf at the shop - I have no idea, but giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Though, I did now have a look at some of my other Lego Friends sets (The Beach House) and found some split 1x1 cheese pieces that form part of the roof and railings, so I am pretty convinced that the problem exists in the manufacturing process. I might examine some of my recent Creator sets for the same thing.

Edited January 16, 2015 by rainey06au

[Cara]

Makes me wonder if the cracking on sets sitting on a shelf for a duration could be caused by different colors of brick expanding differently.

[m0dulo]

... so I am pretty convinced that the problem exists in the manufacturing process.

I agree. I assumed this was a problem with one particular batch or factory because I hear quality issues like this over and over again at work. It always comes back to products made in a certain country.

[Bering]

Wow. These new finds are really making me nervous. We've only been buying Lego since March, but we leave all of our big sets (modular) assembled. If the parts are going to start breaking soon, I'm not sure that we will continue buying a lot of Lego...

Have any of you shared these photos on Facebook or Twitter? Lego seems to monitor them pretty closely. May be a good way to get them to take notice.

I didn't post the pictures on facebook. Do you mean the official page of Lego on facebook? I am willing to do that, i really think this problem should be made more clear to the world.

I haven't shared my photos around too much because Lego support are working with me. They are already sending me replacement parts and additionally if I send them back the faulty pieces as well then they have told me that they would return my postage fees in the form of a generous set or credit towards VIP membership or something like that. I don't want to make a big song and dance about it, because for all I know the packet could have sat out in the sunshine for weeks before being put on the shelf at the shop - I have no idea, but giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Though, I did now have a look at some of my other Lego Friends sets (The Beach House) and found some split 1x1 cheese pieces that form part of the roof and railings, so I am pretty convinced that the problem exists in the manufacturing process. I might examine some of my recent Creator sets for the same thing.

I respect your opinion, but i'm more of the type who faces Lego with their problems. Their service is good, but their attitude behind it isn't too good. Quality is lacking and they keep the people quiet by replacing bricks (or in your case giving a set). Hello... we pay big money for Lego. And for a product that cracks after a few months... are we gonna accept that?

I send my feedback to Lego, they replied with a basic message. I could send my pieces and i get new parts. That's not gonna solve my problem. It's a structural problem. On my second email they didn't reply, when i send the pictures. So, if you keep quiet it is good, but if you are somebody who knows there is something wrong there, there isn't a reply anymore. I will post the reply i got from Lego.

Makes me wonder if the cracking on sets sitting on a shelf for a duration could be caused by different colors of brick expanding differently.

I had also parts break the first time i assembled them, even on the same color.

I agree. I assumed this was a problem with one particular batch or factory because I hear quality issues like this over and over again at work. It always comes back to products made in a certain country.

Ok, i'm from the Netherlands, the one who posted a picture from the Ice Cream Stand is from Australia. But in this topic there a more people who report 100's of cracked pieces. I wish they join this topic again.

This is the reply i got from Lego:

Dear Barry,

Thanks for getting in touch with us and thank you for voicing your concerns!

LEGO® Fans occasionally tell us about pieces which have cracked, in particular the 1x1, 1x2 and 1x3 LEGO System bricks but sometimes others too. These are among the type of elements we produce most of (literally millions each year) and they are included in many sets - but only a tiny fraction of a percentage of all the pieces we produce have this problem.

We use the plastic material ABS to manufacture these elements. This material has been chosen because it is very high quality; especially the coupling force (how well the bricks hold together) is of great importance for the play value of the product. However the drawback to the high coupling force is a slightly increased risk that elements may get so called "stress release cracks" when they are exposed to butter, perfume, bath oil, grease or similar which exist in most households. It's likely that this is what has happened to the piece you contacted us about.

So far our LEGO builders around the world tell us that it is worth the small risk of cracked elements to get the excellent other properties of ABS. Nonetheless we're grateful that you contacted us as it's very important to the LEGO Group that we continue to receive feedback from consumers, so we can continue to improve.

If you would like, you can send the cracked bricks to us so our quality department can have a look. Without having the pieces in front of us, it is more difficult to see what is going on. We will of course send you replacement bricks (if we still make these) so that you aren't missing any pieces.

We want to make sure we're doing a good job for you, so you’ll always find the link to a four-question survey in our emails. Please tell us how we did today:

LEGO Survey link

Please let us know if you need anything else, Barry!

Kind regards,

Nikki

LEGO® Service

"but only a tiny fraction of a percentage of all the pieces we produce have this problem"

Here i have my concerns. Lego is bought most for children. Parents really don't care for a crack in a brick and will not report. The serious builders get tired in sending the cracked bricks and getting new bricks. You can also read that in this topic.

Futhermore, i was talking about new Lego, only assembled once. I didn't wash it ofcourse. Lego can't handle grease. That's gonna explain a lot... Everybody has grease on their fingers. That's natural.

About replacing the cracked pieces. That's not gonna solve my problem. It's a structural problem i replied. My Lego was new when it cracked. I also told them i sorted 7 new boxes with 116 pieces cracked.

However, i replied with these sentences and attached the pictures. Got no reply anymore.

Edited January 16, 2015 by Bering

[AFOLguy1970]

So if I wear gloves when handling Lego and keep my wife who wears perfume away from it, then I should be OK? My biggest concern with cracked parts is that if Lego eventually discontinues a particular part or changes a color, then a replacement will be unavailable or very expensive on Bricklink to try and obtain.

[Sarah]

I have that same Ice Cream Stand! Built it about 4 months ago and immediately put it on display at the office. Just took pictures:

Stand Close Up, on Flickr

Stand Close Up 2, on Flickr

On Display:

Ice Cream Stand on Display, on Flickr

As you can see, mine does not have any cracks at all. This is near Austin, TX.

(Emma and the ice cream cone is hanging out "next door" with the cat gym, for some reason)

Edited January 16, 2015 by Sarah

[SweetiePie88]

However the drawback to the high coupling force is a slightly increased risk that elements may get so called "stress release cracks" when they are exposed to butter, perfume, bath oil, grease or similar which exist in most households. It's likely that this is what has happened to the piece you contacted us about.

I think they mean grease like cooking grease or grease for the car. And unless you're going from cooking dinner or taking a shower straight to building legos w/o making sure your hands are clean, i doubt that'd be much of a problem. As far as said substance just falling on the brick or the fumes getting to it, unless you're store legos in the kitchen or bathroom, i doubt that'd be the case.

These are among the type of elements we produce most of (literally millions each year) and they are included in many sets - but only a tiny fraction of a percentage of all the pieces we produce have this problem.

yea and how many of the problems out there get reported? Doubt every single person does it or knows they can do it.

[fred67]

Since this thread has seen a lot of activity again, I thought I'd share the latest on my collection. If you see my signature, you see a link to microscale modular castles; these are great tests for this sort of thing, because the walls are capped with 1x1 cheese slopes as merlons on the battlements. While I'm not actively working on it, the modular sections have remained assembled in a plastic container in my closet. We're talking hundreds of cheese slopes... here's one assembled walled city for explanation:

More detail on the wall sections:

I've looked at all of the assembled ones... sitting in my closet, which is in a bonus room over my garage, up against the ceiling and unheated in the winter, it's subject to cold in the winter, and heat in the summer (not terrible, but outside the temperatures you'd normally keep your home... way outside). I know this is baffling for a lot of people... but I still have NOT ONE SINGLE CRACKED cheese slope.

I think I've only ever had one or two bricks that cracked EVER, and I have well over 200k pieces in my collection. I've had broken bionicle pieces, but those are a different story.

I'm not saying you guys didn't get screwed... and perhaps my bricks are older, slightly different formula or something, but given the age of this thread, I don't think that's necessarily the only explanation.

[rainey06au]

I have that same Ice Cream Stand! Built it about 4 months ago and immediately put it on display at the office. Just took pictures:

Yeah this is interesting. I reckon some batches of Lego were baked poorly, or the mix was wrong or something, which has lead to some weakened bricks...

I have definitely discovered a few more cracked 1x1 cheese slopes in my sets now that I am looking for them, but nothing anywhere near as severe as what my Ice Cream Stand looks like! Out of all these sets I have on display below, I've found perhaps 4 slightly split (front only) 1x1 cheese slopes and AFAIK zero 2x1 slopes that have splits like on my Ice Cream Stand. The Shredder motorcycle set has heaps of 1x1's and none of them are cracked in that set (stored in exactly the same place as the Ice Cream stand - on the shelf with our Superhero's/TMNT collection, but built exactly 12 months ago for last Christmas) So I am not totally freaked out about it yet. If it were a big set and 30 odd split pieces I'd be a bit miffed.

Edited January 17, 2015 by rainey06au

[Boettner Builds]

Just finished my second brand new, unopened Prince Of Persia Battle Of Alamut (7573) . The 2 Pieces that cracked in the other set, didn't crack in this. I'm pretty happy.

[trisha]

Hmmm, does it mean that my unikitty id not safe? I have kept it assembled since I got it?

[Bering]

In the 80's my parents bought me Lego for its durability. I have played so much and really tortured the bricks. 35 years later my Lego is chewed ;-) but not cracked. Now people are happy if their Lego set contains no cracks...

It's sad to see new Lego sets crack after first assembly or after few months. It's true: in earlier times things were better. You bought things for life.

But i still have hope Lego will be Lego again some day. And people will be buying quality again, not only the visuals.

Just my two cents.

[1974]

I think I've only ever had one or two bricks that cracked EVER, and I have well over 200k pieces in my collection. I've had broken bionicle pieces, but those are a different story.

I'm not saying you guys didn't get screwed... and perhaps my bricks are older, slightly different formula or something, but given the age of this thread, I don't think that's necessarily the only explanation.

Same story here, several hundred k's of new bricks, no cracks. It's REALLY strange how this is effecting people. It just seem so damn random and yet it's often not a single brick in a set, but many

It's must be a nightmare for TLG

[Bering]

It's must be a nightmare for TLG

For the TLG? For the customers you mean, right? The TLG really don't care, they don't even answer emails if you don't agree with replacing bricks and go into the never ending circle of replacing parts.

But as you mentioned, it's strange to have so many complaints in Europe. Most of the problems don't exist in the USA as i can read here. So the bricks produced is not everywhere the same quality?

[antp]

it's strange to have so many complaints in Europe. Most of the problems don't exist in the USA as i can read here.

The latest complains were from European members, but previously I had the opposite feeling, it seemed to me that in this thread most of the people having these problems were in North-America

[therealjustin]

I posted this in the Technic section but I felt it was important to post it here too.

I dusted off my 8070 Supercar today and noticed that all of the 32184 pieces were cracked in the same place. It has sat on my shelf for three years so the pieces were never stressed.

[incomplet]

I haven't come across any cracked bricks yet; but so far reading all the daunting encounters.

Has made me look through some of my old bricks.

[Boettner Builds]

The replacement bricks I got from LEGO for my Persia set are crack free! :)

[LEGO Dog]

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.

As a LEGO ambassador, I have not only contacted TLG about cracked torsos, arms, legs (back side of foot), headlight bricks, 1x1, 1x2, 2x2, 1x1 cheese, I have given bags of broken elements to CEE reps over the past 5 years. My cracked LEGO seems to be mostly torsos and arms. Mostly from the 90's and newer from small sets including impulse and polybags. Large sets with minifigs are fine. Temps, lighting, and humidity in my house are normal. Also note there is very little direct sunlight. My 90's minifigs were all fine until a few years ago. The cracking in my house seems to be a discouraging epidemic. I'll also note that I have been working with TLG regarding the yellowing issues of light bley and whites. I've done studies on retrobrite and everything no go.

I think after a while TLG turns a deaf ear to us. We probably complain far more, 1 being adults and having the access and time to do it, 2 we purchase on average far more than their target market does so we would have more broken parts then the general population.

Here are a fwe examples and I'm sure we all know the age of the figs. My LEGO are built for display, events with my LUG, and stored built together between shows.

[mediumsnowman]

I just found two white 1x1 bricks on my X-Wing microfighter had cracked. I contacted LEGO about them but haven't gotten a reply yet.

Edited December 23, 2015 by mediumsnowman

[fred67]

Yeah this is interesting. I reckon some batches of Lego were baked poorly, or the mix was wrong or something, which has lead to some weakened bricks...

OK, after my latest experience, I'm going with this. All those years, and I've never really had a problem. I can understand a particular set having problems (from perhaps a bad batch), but I've just never felt that there was particular part that was just bad or poorly designed.

So we did a family build yesterday of the Fire Brigade... pulled out the box, dusted it off, made space on the shelf to put it when built (that's why all my sets aren't built yet, no space). Anyhow, don't want to go off topic - the problem I had was with dark red 1x1 tiles. 19 of them. Every single one broke. I actually stopped after 12 or so, but my wife and kids didn't believe it, so I gave the unused ones to them to try for themselves, and they proceeded to break all the remaining ones. None of the other 1x1 tiles broke; I went and got dark red out of my own collection and they all worked with no problems - so it was just (at least) one bad batch, of just one part type, in just one color.

So... off to complain to TLG.

Edited December 25, 2015 by fred67

[antp]

I got one cracked 1x1 dark red tile like that from my parts stock (I think it is the only case I got, except a few from the 70s/80s that died due to heavy play or age)

Maybe it was an extra one from the Fire Brigade... I haven't checked all those on my Fire Brigade; the few I quickly observed seem fine, but it is built since I got it; maybe they'll crack the day I'll dismantle/rebuild it.

Maybe it was one coming from somewhere else, possibly from the same bad batch as yours then.

Edited December 25, 2015 by antp

[splatman]

(snip)

So... off to complain to TLG.

Strange. They almost all broke from corner to corner, essentially following the path of most resistance. One thing they all appear to have in common, is the break crosses the injection point, so the injection process must have something to do with it.

Do bring this to TLG's attention, if you have not done so already. This should not even be a thing.

What are those tiny patches of gray on some of the fragments?

On any injection-molded plastic article, there is tension round the injection point, probably because that part cools last, after the rest has already cooled and contracted. And therein lies my theory: the static tension eventually leads to a type of stress weakening, that leads to failure when the article is stressed. Why that only affect some dark red tiles (so far), is still a near-total mystery. This might be why countless cheese slopes have cracked/broke.

Edited December 25, 2015 by splatman

[fred67]

Least resistance... the corner will break easier than a side. The gray seems to be stripped from the studs I was trying to put them on... perhaps the hole is too small. I need to stress/repeat that I'm not heavy handed with LEGO - all the other 1x1s fit just fine, as did the dark red from my collection that I replaced the broken ones with. I do not know if it was brittle plastic, or, as it seemed to me, the hole size was wrong, and when pressed on, they just broke in two. Occasionally the piece didn't fully break, but just cracked, but that was a minority - maybe 5 pieces. It was not the studs, because the replacements fit just fine.

Unfortunately, I went though the shop at home customer service pages where it gives you all of 80 characters to explain the problem, and it let me pick the dark red tile for replacement. I entered 19 (the maximum) and just noted that all 19 broke. They did not give me enough space to explain anything, or post a link to the image. I hope it gets flagged and they ask for more information instead of just sending me the parts.

Edited December 26, 2015 by fred67

[OmShanti]

As of yet, I have not encountered any cracked pieces in my collection. I also do not use perfume, hand sanitizer, lotion, air fresheners, etc. I make my own soap and moisturizer, so chemicals never touch my Lego. I never touch Lego after eating until I've washed my hands. I never touch Lego with dirty hands. My house is not temperature controlled and the heat is dry. My sets all appear to be just fine.

I believe the breakage is due to certain batches not cooling properly, it can cause tiny air bubbles in the plastic, which will eventually pop and crack the plastic. Also, if the bricks were too close to a heat source and cooled too quickly, they may crack. I've seen this happen with my son's Lego. The new injection process could be to blame for the increase in faulty parts. But I'm willing to bet that it's simply a heat issue. Either not cooling evenly, or being exposed to heat and shrinking slightly; which would make it stretch slightly during building and crack.

I have a theory that manufacturing country could play a part in this. Perhaps quality depends on where it's made. For example, China distributes so much product that it wouldn't surprise me if quantity over quality is their business. They're a large manufacturer for pretty much everyone, always trying to cut costs and corners. It's cheaper to outsource to China, which is why most things these days are made in China.