On the right hand side, near the bottom, behind the bowl, there was a small chrome or stainless lever. She had to turn it in order to lift the head, then it would snap back into place. To lower the head she had to turn the lever again. She demonstrated making icing and in the course of just two or three minutes she had to reach over and flip that thing numerous times -- enough to draw my attention to the fact that it's something I wouldn't want to be doing!

Oh, the lever. Yes, I know what you mean. But that is only used to lift the head, to release it. If I'm going to lift the head I turn the lever, but when I need to bring the head down, you don't need the lever. When you push the head down, it clicks into position and the lever moves all by itself. Maybe her icing was in the way. Not sure.

I've made regular icing once. I only make IMBC. I hardly ever bring the head up when mixing, except at the end...maybe because I have that Chef'n stand mixer spatula that curves along the sides of the bowl, goes through the wires of one of the attachments and all that, or maybe I haven't paid attention! 

I only wish the Cuisinart had a handle on the side of the bowl. I envy that.

After I could not get help from KA I had my machine repaired here by the only KA authorized repair shop. As i mentioned my son paid $75 for the parts and labor. The work so far has held up. It does not skip. Gear one like it always had and works like I had anticipated it originally would but didn't. It is just a shame it was so much trouble and KA would not step up to the plate.