edis

Q: vertical lines - there for sure

I want to share my success of getting iMac, that was demoed for a while, before I became user and warranty time started ticking for me. Initially unhappy to discover, that unit was on display at some computer shop (via traces of activities), I am now extremely happy to be found in position to be covered by 12 months warranty, once famous vertical lines issue is there, as it should (same unfortunate serial number). Only weeks were left for this joy to happen.

On the other hand, I am posting this to encourage Apple looking at the essence of problem, and stop playing unaware - when the rest of the world knows issue very well, it would be surprising, that otherwise great company would behave like it does now. If we, Apple users, are goodwilled to slightly overpay for our gadgets, surely we do this with trust in Apple as decent manufacturer of reliable equipment. If manufacturing turns out to have defects (having that for particular serie is sure sign), we, users, and Apple are finding ourselves at crossroads: either our favorite company does right thing to protect our expectations, or we no longer expect equipment to be reliable, we though it should be.

If my PC screens are more robust, than those in Mac, and if there is nobody to stand on our side in such discoveries - well, you got idea.

Personally, I am happy to have warranty, as described. But it is only luck. One cannot expect be lucky all the time.

Apple, please address issue as needed, I want to be able buying your next product.

iMac Core Duo, Mac OS X (10.5.3)

Posted on Jul 1, 2008 2:35 AM

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Q: vertical lines - there for sure

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  • by Peter Rance,

    Peter Rance Peter Rance Aug 11, 2009 1:54 PM in response to Chris @South View
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Aug 11, 2009 1:54 PM in response to Chris @South View
    I had dipped in and out of this thread for a while as Ive had the problem with lines on my screen, but I was encoraged to see recently that some had had some luck in getting a free repair. I took my iMac into my local (UK) Apple Store today, they took alook at it, said it would be a charged repair. They looked up on some sort of database to give me a quote fir possible spare parts, but then came back and said "some good news" !! They confirmed it would be a free repair - and my iMac is 2 3/4 years old. So it seems that this repair is now official - not on the whim of the store staff but authorised from HQ . great news , and I'm sure these 23 pages of postings have helped - well done everybody !!
  • by WTMelon,

    WTMelon WTMelon Aug 17, 2009 4:35 PM in response to edis
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 17, 2009 4:35 PM in response to edis
    Very impressive. I also have the single pixel vertical lines problem on my early 2006 and just called Mac support. After a few questions the guy gave me a number and told me to take it in to the Apple Store where they'll give it a new display gratis. He even offered to set up an appointment. Way to go Apple.
  • by Doug Hogg,

    Doug Hogg Doug Hogg Aug 19, 2009 3:05 PM in response to edis
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Aug 19, 2009 3:05 PM in response to edis
    Hi,

    I called Apple today on the 800 275-2273 number and they are going to repair my client's iMac G5, even though Applecare had expired. She has 2 vertical lines in the display.

    Doug Hogg
  • by St. Paul Cynthia,

    St. Paul Cynthia St. Paul Cynthia Aug 26, 2009 2:43 PM in response to jadeyes41
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 26, 2009 2:43 PM in response to jadeyes41
    I also had the vertical line problem and called 1-800-SOS-Appl to talk to customer service (mine was up to four lines when I phoned). My iMac is over three years old and I didn't have the extended Apple Care warranty. However, just got it back from the local Apple store, and it's working fine, which is great news. Better news: Apple fixed it for free.
  • by ekalski,

    ekalski ekalski Aug 26, 2009 7:17 PM in response to edis
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 26, 2009 7:17 PM in response to edis
    I've got the vertical lines. I wonder why the media hasn't picked up on this?
  • by ekalski,

    ekalski ekalski Aug 26, 2009 7:20 PM in response to ekalski
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 26, 2009 7:20 PM in response to ekalski
    I will go to my apple store to see if it will be fixed for free. If so, what a relief.
  • by LoudStroud,

    LoudStroud LoudStroud Aug 28, 2009 6:53 AM in response to edis
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 28, 2009 6:53 AM in response to edis
    My iMac 2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 17" just developed the vertical lines within the past month. I bought it in Dec 2006 and purchased the Applecare Protection Plan so fortunately I'm within the warranty. But it took almost three years for my problem to develop. However I use this computer far less than my others (in a home music studio), so it's probably the equivalent of just over a year's usage.

    <Edited by Host>
    Message was edited by: LoudStroud
  • by Thomas Strang,

    Thomas Strang Thomas Strang Aug 29, 2009 2:05 AM in response to edis
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 29, 2009 2:05 AM in response to edis
    Had the same problem - purple vertical line - just develop on my nearly 3 year old iMAC Core Duo. No Apple Care but spoke to support and they agreed to make the necessary repairs free of charge! Will be on my way to the Genius Bar at local Apple Store early next week. Hopefully it won't take more than the 7-10 days that they advise to get the repair done! Apple support very helpful.
  • by Dah•veed,

    Dah•veed Dah•veed Sep 5, 2009 5:20 AM in response to edis
    Level 7 (34,815 points)
    Mac App Store
    Sep 5, 2009 5:20 AM in response to edis
    Apple approved an extraordinary, out-of-warranty repair of my Early 2006 Core Duo. I waited a week for the new display to come into the local authorized repair service. They installed the new display yesterday.

    An hour after getting home a yellow vertical line has appeared!

    I called the service center and the tech said that it could be the logic board, which I take to mean the graphics card actually, soldered to the logic board, so the whole board has to be replaced if the card goes bad.

    I do not know if there is a program for a logic board replacement.
  • by Stephen Dawson,

    Stephen Dawson Stephen Dawson Sep 5, 2009 9:29 AM in response to edis
    Level 1 (25 points)
    Sep 5, 2009 9:29 AM in response to edis
    I teach web design in a high school - we have a lab of 30 17" intel iMacs. While the iMacs were under warranty, we had two repaired with the vertical lines. Shortly after the warranty had expired we had another affected, which the School District deemed "beyond economical repair". I now have 6 others in my lab which are affected. So out of the 30 we purchased, 9 have been affected by the vertical lines. Those are not good odds. I phoned Apple support to see what they could do for us, and I was told they would do nothing and that they had not heard of the problem before. I am in charge of deciding what brand of computers to buy at our school and based on this experience I can not in good conscience recommend Macs in the future.
  • by Dah•veed,

    Dah•veed Dah•veed Sep 5, 2009 10:57 AM in response to Stephen Dawson
    Level 7 (34,815 points)
    Mac App Store
    Sep 5, 2009 10:57 AM in response to Stephen Dawson
    I had a similar experience a week and a half ago. After I read the recent positive results some folks have listed in comments I called the 800 number above. The first line agent (FLA) took my serial number and informed me that there was no further warranty on my iMac, how could he help me. I explained what I read here in the comments from July and August. I asked to speak to a Product Specialist (PS). I never spoke to one, although the FLA did twice, while I was on hold about 15 minutes each time. He finally told me, "We cannot just accept your word, we need to you to take it to an authorized technician to confirm the issue for consideration of an extraordinary, out-of-warranty repair." He gave me a Case Number, and the address and phone number of the Apple Authorized Service Center (AASC) for this part of Mexico. I called to see if I needed an appointment and took the iMac to them that afternoon. They said that they would contact Apple and confirm the issue related to my Case Number.

    The next day I called the AASC to see if Apple had approved the repair. They said they had no response. I again called the 800 number to find out what was happening. This FLA told me he needed to charge a bank card to speak to me. I explained that this was an open Case Number for an out-of-warranty repair. He said it only had a case number because someone wrote some notes. I asked to escalate my call to a Product Specialist. This person was rude and a liar. He also pretended to have never heard of the issue. He told me that I had been told "No" twice the day before, by the FLA and the PS, and again just now by the FLA, that Apple would not repair my iMac. I replied that none of that was true, that I was referred to the local AASC for verification of the problem for consideration for an out-of-warranty repair. He said that there was nothing in the case file from the AASC and that I was referred to the AASC for an estimate for my own out-of-pocket repair. I asked to speak to a Customer Relations agent (CRA).

    The CRA was the nicest person I have spoken to with Apple. She confirmed an Apple program to repair these iMacs. She confirmed the PS had misrepresented the phone call from the day before. She also confirmed there was nothing in the case file because the AASCs have there own iChat system for communicating with Apple directly regarding cases. She said that she could help me with getting the display replaced.

    The next day the AASC called me and asked if I could return with the iMac because they needed to open the iMac and retrieve the manufacturer's serial number from the display. They iChatted with Apple, gave them the serial number and Apple approved the repair. I waited a week for the part to come in and yesterday afternoon they replaced the display in about an hour while I waited. Within an hour of getting home and setting up the iMac, a vertical line has appeared on the new display.

    The AASC has asked me to return with the iMac on Monday. It may be a logic board issue as well. I hope there is a program for that also!

    Please call Apple and ask for a Customer Relations agent. I would hate to see your school miss out on Macs because of this. I would think that this would really concern Apple because it not only represents lost sales to a school, but this could influence the future purchases of an entire district as well. Apple has positioned itself intentionally in the education market.

    Dah•veed
  • by Mac'nSince1984,

    Mac'nSince1984 Mac'nSince1984 Sep 6, 2009 8:51 PM in response to edis
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 6, 2009 8:51 PM in response to edis
    Add me to the list this week. I will be calling Apple tomorrow and if they don't help me I'll drive right up to their front door since I live an hour away.
  • by Frank Clapper,

    Frank Clapper Frank Clapper Sep 8, 2009 1:11 PM in response to Mac'nSince1984
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 8, 2009 1:11 PM in response to Mac'nSince1984
    Hi -

    Bought 17" intel iMac in Jan. 07 - vertical lines started a couple months ago. I had read the support boards here and didn't hold out much hope, so was considering an external monitor. Never bought the extended warranty for this particular Mac, though I had bought extended warranties in the past.

    But popped in here yesterday and saw this thread was still alive, and that some had had success, so called Apple support today. Apple rep was courteous, had me unplug the mac and then restart it after 10 secs. - yes, it still has 3 vertical lines. I also kept calm, called the rep by name, and mentioned I'd been a long-time Apple user (since 1986).

    So he put me on hold for just long enough that I thought I'd been forgotten or disconnected, came back, gave me a case number and told me that it would be fixed for FRRRREEEEEEEEEEE! (those who have seen the movie Bedtime Stories will know how to say the word 'free' above).

    I thanked him and Apple before saying goodbye.


    Am taking it in to an authorized Apple service dealer on Thursday, and will probably suggest to him that the logic board as well as the monitor may need replaced, because of what I've read on the boards here. I don't want to get it back, and have the lines reappear after a few days or weeks.

    I also have a 20" model iMac the same age not showing any signs - yet.
  • by Zany Ninja,

    Zany Ninja Zany Ninja Sep 9, 2009 6:11 AM in response to edis
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 9, 2009 6:11 AM in response to edis
    My early 2007 17-inch iMac also got a vertical line 2 days back - a white translucent one about 1.2 inches wide. Shoot. I don't get it, I haven't even used the iMac that much, couple of times a week on average, sometimes used to go weeks without using it. This is a HUGE disappointment, was expecting it to last a lot longer.

    Anyway...its out of warranty, I didn’t get Apple Care – won’t make that mistake next time - but i hope my apple agent fixes it for minimal cost or ideally for free. I have taken good care of it, doesn’t have a scratch on it, am not looking forward to the Apple guys roughing it up while repairing it.

    This incident – and reading this forum - has shaken my faith in Apple products, at least the iMac, am thinking I’ll go for a Mac Mini next if repairing the iMac costs too much. The all-in-one iMac is too concentrated an investment risk for ppl on a budget like me. Heck, am thinking of switching back to PC – the ability to fix it yourself and swap components is a big lure.
  • by lobo4,

    lobo4 lobo4 Sep 13, 2009 1:20 AM in response to jadeyes41
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 13, 2009 1:20 AM in response to jadeyes41
    I will try this too. Really ****** off that this is happening with machine just over 3 years old and my old ibook died of lcd problems too. I love Macs but considering a change with this BS!!!!!
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