Intel Imac with bad logic board.

The logic board on my 20" Intel Imac failed(according to the diagnosis form the tech at the Apple Store) and will require a $900+ dollar repair....a tad bit high considering it's age, the cost of the machine in late 2006 and the going prices of the new Imacs! Anyone know of a lower priced repair option or a way to salvage the machine, or is it now a very large paperweight?

I know that I apparently should've gotten Apple Care, but I've never had such a catastrophic Mac failure in the 12 years I've been dealing with the machines. Judging by the lines/wait for service at the Apple store maybe it's a good idea next time...although with all the problems the new machines seem to be having it seems a bit like extortion and maybe they should just raise the prices and include it.

intel imac 20", core 2 duo

Posted on May 10, 2008 11:15 AM

Reply
390 replies

Sep 10, 2012 8:14 PM in response to markrut

Add my early 2008 imac 24 to the steaming pile. Logic board failure. A cool grand to repair. Less than 4 years old. This was my first mac. Still undecided on what course of action I plan to take. After reading all 19 pages worth of comments I think apple needs to step up do something good for the blatant logic board problems.

Oct 24, 2012 3:54 AM in response to ajm76

It just makes me so angry to see the new iMacs rolled out when my "old generation" iMac never really worked well and I am left with a piece of junk sitting in the corner, no money and no PC to work with. Apple really screwed us earlier iMac customers. I hope they are happy now but I also hope they don't expect us to fork out our hard-earned cash so quickly this time round !

Oct 29, 2012 3:16 AM in response to markrut

I was talking to the apple support a few weeks before and there is no defects liability for a 6 year old computer , even if its apples fault.I am really upset because i bought the imac because the PPC plattform isnt longer supported and most programm does not run on PPC, now i have a broken imac and apple does not care. It might look different when i lived in the .u.k. like this posting here shows.



http://shaungarrod.over-blog.com/article-how-i-got-apple-to-utimately-replace-my -faulty-late-2006-imac-for-a-brand-new-i5-27-imac-for-free-98729037.html

Nov 9, 2012 9:12 AM in response to markrut

Add me to the list
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4493028?answerId=20239751022#20239751022

Might be the Logic board or GPU or BGA... but still... only 4 years with a $1700 machine?


It was my first apple product... had 2 other apple products since: ipod touch-died, airport extreme-died.

3 apple products in 4 years have died.😕 😟


PC, I'm sorry I left you... take me back?

My 2000 Dell with Windows XP is running smooth (12 years and a lot of life left), never an issue.


If their customer service is not up to snuff with these issues (which they claim to be the best)... then I will be greatly disheartened.


I'm in the U.S., anyone know of something similar to the Sale of Goods Act or Consumer Rights here?

Nov 9, 2012 9:35 AM in response to TARmeZAN

Lets see.....


I have had one bad Apple product since 2000 and they are piled up all over my house.


I have 2 iPod touches still going strong after 2 years

I have 5 iPods still all working after many years the oldest is the Silver Model first issued iPod Mini.

I have 2 Macbook Pros and a Mac Mini all still kicking after many years of use


I have a Airport Extreame and 2 Expresses for the last 5 years working on a network that has gone down twice in 5 years, simple reboot fixed it.


Now on the PC side, I have a very old P4 Sony Viao still kicking all my Dell gear is junk! Which includes my current Vostro POS! I also have a Studio One that I bought for my kids that I have to reboot once a week just go get it to work. So I say if you had bad luck switch back, as I have to Apple products because they usually tend to last long for me and hold there resale value better.


Now as far as the iMacs go, I personally think there was an issue with software that created hardware failures and Apple is not going about it in the right way, so I wouldn't doubt we see some type of class action lawsuit of some kind, this always seem to happen with just about any electronics company.


My recommendation is buy a decent case for iPads/iPods, my kids have dropped my first generation iPad several times, no worries as it is in a Otter Box case thing still looks brand new. 😉 A $1700 machine should last you much longer than 4 years, I am going to buy the new iMac and if it doesn't preforme like it should I will be looking at Windows 8 Machines as well. The new iMac should include the touch screen, and I am suprised they are not, **** I could get another Mac Mini and a new touch screen Sony for the same cost as a new loaded iMac. LOL So I do feel your pain, but for me the devices for Apple have been rock soild with the exception of my 2011 iMac i7, Lion messed it up in my book, just glad they gave me instore credit.

Nov 25, 2012 2:36 PM in response to greenais

my 27" late 2009 iMac has gone bad. The hard drive failed three months ago. The finally admitted that the seagate drives were bad about a month ago. I tried to bring my machine in to get a replacement drive but now the logic board is gone. I don't have the money to fix this yet. I don't know what to do with the machine now.

Nov 28, 2012 6:16 AM in response to markrut

Same here, iMac 27" late 2009, logic board is dead - that's just about 3 years !! I had the super video chip like many others, but it's seems that standard configuration are also failling at a high rate.


Now the question is : How is Apple tracking these failures?

Mine was never repaired, they started by changing the RAM and then the HD before calling back and saying that it was probably the Logic Borad - but i never got the repair price for that as those "Genius" know that nobody will pay half the price of the original computer to get it fixt...


Has anybody reported the probel to Apple? Has anybody actually filled an official complaint?


Well, i will, to my local Apple store and Apple Canada, and i encourage you to do the same. That's the only way we'll get a replacement program for this faulty part.

Nov 28, 2012 8:52 AM in response to BadLogicBoard

I had a June 2011 iMac go through the same thing... Apple stating it was hard drive, replaced that twice, then the memory and then graphics card. The 4th and final time, I said quit BSing me and just give me instore credit, they gave me $3200 bucks back on a silver apple CC card. I bought my wife a Macbook Pro, I bough a Mac Mini and Display and all has been good so far. Just not sure if I am willing to go the all in one route as it doesn't matter what manaufacture you go with, they all seem to suck because heat levels get too high and the boards fry out, this goes for almost every all in one unit, and since Apple techincally has sold more of these "iMac" it doesn't supprise me that they are not holding up. I am tempted to go back to a Mac Pro come January, I am possibly going to give Apple one more shot at the iMac as it is the first device that has failed on me from Apple. Wait I take that back my iPod Mini first Generation just died yesterday, not bad for 8 years old.


Check this out as their might be one that pertains to iMacs!



http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2012/08/class-action-filed-against-a pple-for-defective-macbook-logic-boards.html

Nov 29, 2012 10:23 AM in response to bobsled

I have just received today the 2nd diagnostic about my iMac 20" (early 2008) saying that the Logic Board is damage. I did it twice because I could not believe when the 1st Apple Authorized Service Shop said that this would cost me R$ 2.790,00 (nearly US$ 1,300.00) to have it repaired and they can not do anything better. That prohibitive cost is also due to Brasil taxes policy for import goods and spares.


My love and tragedy history with Apple (specially Apple displays):

  1. Performa CD 5215 - worked very well until the display started to become yellow more and more and died with aprox 6 years from purchase.
  2. iMac G5 - worked very well until the vertical lines appeared after aprox 3 years of use. Repaired for free but the problem showed up again after the warranty has gone. No more recalls available.
  3. iMac 20" (early 2008) - black screen caused by the logic board after 4 years since new.



Future (means NOW): get back to PC (maybe DELL, SONY or HP)

Nov 29, 2012 11:30 AM in response to SergioLibera

SergioLibera: I feel you pain, but I have not faired better with Dell or HP, in fact much worse. This is one of the main reason I switched in 2004 to Apple even through work I still have to us a XPS Dell.


1. My iPod Mini the first generation just died after 8 years. Hard drive, but I am repairing it for cheap.

2. My lovely iMac June 2011 model fully loaded died shortly after Lion was put on it, they gave me an instore credit, and so far my Mac display and my Mac Mini are doing fine.


Apple needs to go back to better customer service and get back on track to making better products especially when it comes to computers. I think they been so focused on hand held devices that they have taken there eye off the ball when it comes to computers. I am debating on if I am going to try the new iMac out, but if I do I am buying Apple Care once again for peace of mind.


Good Luck, I would look into the link above.

Dec 2, 2012 1:18 AM in response to BadLogicBoard

I'm not buying an iMac again. I can't recommend other people doing the same. This thread alone has many examples of iMacs going bad anywhere between 1-4 years after purchase. Whether it's the all-in-one design that predisposes or otherwise, It's not worth buying such a computer. Apple should cover such non-accidental repairs;they don't make enough money to make that happen? If someone really wants an Apple desktop, i would recommend getting a mini, the parts are more salvagable if one part fails.

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Intel Imac with bad logic board.

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