Free, temporary fix

So, like everyone else here, I've had this problem with my right hinge on my dell 5547.  Happened after about 15 months.  Definitely outside the warranty time frame, but I called Dell to see what they would charge.  $160 to send it to them (would take 3 weeks), or $240 to have someone come to me and fix it in my home.

Instead I went to a local PC repair shop.  The man looked at it, turned it upside down, tightened the screw behind the hinge, and handed it back to me.  It opens and closes fine now, doesn't make any sounds.   He said that because it took me so long to tighten the screw, there is some permanent damage (the two pieces of  light and dark grey plastic are slightly separated still, but not as bad as it was).  But tightening the screw prevents it from getting worse for awhile.

This is by no means a permanent solution -- because of the poor design, it's going to loosen again.  And if something cracks, I'll have to fork out the cash for new hinges and such.  But for everyone else that notices their hinge making weird sounds, and maybe the plastic starting to split, try just tightening the screw.  Don't over tighten it (you'll strip the screw), just keep it snug.