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imac motherboard repair

Another iMac owner whose logic board failed due to bad capacitors after 4 1/2 years. My question is whether those of you who have had theirs repaired (either under warranty or not) have found the problem resolved, or have you had a reoccurrence? I need as much information as possible before committing to getting mine repaired (or else looking for another replacement). Thanks!

iMac G5, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Sep 29, 2008 1:57 PM

Reply
15 replies

Sep 29, 2008 3:02 PM in response to chuck van

Welcome to Discussions - I had mine replaced when my machine was about 6 months old, the problems associated with the board did not recur. However, some replacement boards have proven to be faulty, but they are guaranteed for 90 days, and the failures are usually well before that time.






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Sep 29, 2008 5:38 PM in response to MGW

+"However, some replacement boards have proven to be faulty, but they are guaranteed for 90 days, and the failures are usually well before that time."+

Thanks, but that is the reasoning I used for only continuing my extended warranty for 3 years, and I still lost.
Also I checked if I could renew Applecare if I had the repair done (insurance that I would be covered beyond the 90 days if it were to fail again) and was told I could not. Perhaps that would seem reasonable to me except that the original problem was identified/known but left to chance. And the lucky ones were in fact those that had the early failures.

Sep 29, 2008 6:23 PM in response to Bogey2

Please excuse my previous lack of details:
iMac G5 20"/1.8GHz
My symptoms were:
I found my computer off when I thought I had left it on. At the time I didn't think anything was wrong but it did not respond crisply when I hit the power button to turn the computer on (took 2 or 3 tries). I restarted with the Techtool diagnostic disk that came with Applecare, it ran the diagnostics with no problems reported.
The following day while sitting in front of my computer it popped once and the +screen went dark+ and the computer would not restart. I removed the back but saw no burn marks or smell. I took it to an Apple store and a genius(?) took it in back to inspect it and came out and told me I needed a new motherboard (saw some expanded capacitors) and power supply.
When I returned home I reopened the back of the computer and confirmed what he saw that was not obvious to me at first inspection.
Your problem appears to be different than mine. Sorry I can't help.

Oct 1, 2008 10:03 AM in response to MGW

Thank you to those who replied (I mean you, Miriam! 😉
I've been in contact through AppleCare and they agreed to resolve the problem by replacing the bad parts, with my responsibility being the cost of labor. This is the best outcome I could have hoped for. My special thanks to Eryn at AppleCare support for the help.

Oct 1, 2008 10:49 AM in response to chuck van

HI Chuck,

I'd just like to know what you told them exactly that you were able to get them to fix it. I'm having video issues which they said tied to the logic board. I've been trying to get them to fix it without me paying through the nose but so far no luck. I have heard of other people's stories here with the same logic board problems where they supposedly just fixed it out of goodwill.

Thanks,
Jeff

Oct 1, 2008 7:31 PM in response to Jeff Junatas

I think they really do it case by case, and I just tried to make the case the best I could for why I felt I deserved some consideration.
I visited an Apple store where their answer was very matter of fact that the computer was past warranty and told me the cost for repair. They were very polite and professional, but it was obviously not their responsibility to go further.

I called Applecare1 (800) aplcare or (1 800 275-2273) and made the best argument I could. I said I had paid for the AppleCare protection plan for 3 years, that I have a variety of Apple products in the home, a .Mac subscription member since near it's inception. My primary argument was that it was somewhat a known issue (article HT2390) and my computer fell in the serial range of the affected computers. And although my computer failed some months after I let the AppleCare lapse, I felt the difference in whether or not your computer failed was really chance, if you used your computer less you were punished because it would fail outside the coverage, where if you were a heavy user your chance to have the problem correctly identified was better.

By the way, the first contact I made through the Applecare support was very polite and professional but again could not offer a resolution; I was transferred to the next level and here is where I think I just got lucky; I found a very sympathetic ear to my plight, and she said that my case would be reviewed further and she would get back to me. Eryn was good to her word and I got a call from her the next day with the good news that cost of parts would be covered and that was enough for me. People do make a difference! I'm really very grateful for that because I think I would have been forced to put the iMac in it's box in the back of the closet.

Good luck, I hope you also get some consideration ..............

Oct 1, 2008 8:54 PM in response to chuck van

My iMAC, 20", 1.8g, first edition, purchased in Jan, 2005, failed after 8 months. Problem was the logic board and power supply. Both were replaced under Apple Care. I've had no repeat problems.

In Jan 2008, my son-in-law updated his iMac to Leopard OS, same edition as mine, to allow the use of a new iPOD. I suggested we remove the back and check the capacitors since he had only a week left on his Apple Care warrenty. The machine exhibited no symptoms. We found seven swollen capacitors. We took the machine to the local Genius bar at the Apple store and after verification, replaced the logic board and power supply without incident.

Oct 5, 2008 7:33 PM in response to Jeff Junatas

Just an FYI Jeff,
Purchased my G5 iMac in May 2005. 11/2006 the power supply & logic board were both replaced. About a month or so ago my G5 started acting up and finally showing the panic screen. Tried all sorts of methods to revive it. Several capacitors were popped up. Called AppleCare and they suggested that since I had work performed while under warranty that I take it to a genius and if it was same problem that they might take care of it. Genius bar tech said yes capacitors popped but it was the newer logic board not the old one with problems & with it that far out of warranty the repairs would be about $850. I asked to speak with a manager who was also friendly & professional as the tech. After some discussion he asked the tech how much the repairs would be and then offered to reduce it by half. After we spoke a little longer and that they could only guarantee for 90 days he offered the repair discount (approx $450) as a credit towards a new computer if I preferred to do that. Thought about it over dinner at the mall w/the kids and took him up on the offer.

Joe

Oct 8, 2008 3:46 PM in response to chuck van

Board, Logic, 1.8Ghz, w/SuperDrive, iMac G5, 17"

Could you please inform me if you can help me find Board, Logic, 1.8Ghz, w/SuperDrive, iMac G5, 17". The iMac G5 that I have requires the new part above. This Macintosh model has a defect and Apple offered a 3 year free replacement of this part, but I bought it second hand last year and the part burnt out while the 3-year replacement garantee was still valid. However, my formal complaint was taken to Apple 3 weeks after the garantee period and I have been left with an iMac that overheats and turns off automatically after a few minutes. I have not been able to use my iMac for the last 5 months and desparately need to find the part above, but the prices here in Italy are around 700 Euros. Can anyone find the above part and deliver it to me in Italy for a competitive price?

imac motherboard repair

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