Greyish Smudge marks behind the glass screen.

I posted back in May this year about my experience with iMac 27" screen problems after having my third led panel fitted in about seven months. My third panel hasnt suffered at all from the same smudging and almost burned in black marking as the first two did. Both these panels had developed marking within four weeks which got steadily worse over time. I've been using my iMac almost constantly in the past ten weeks since panel three was fitted, I've checked the screen every few days and its as arctic white as the day it was fitted. Yay!

What I did notice and this may be of interest to other users who are contemplating using their apple care is that the third panel fitted to my iMac has a 5mm black border around its edge which the other screens didnt have (it makes the screen area slightly smaller but hardly noticeable on a 27inch screen) This suggests to me a different type or make of replacement panel has been fitted and I'm curious whether Apple may have a new supplier or are fitting new model iMac screens that dont suffer from smudging? I've had a look through the posts and havent noticed droves of 2011 model iMac users posting problems. Fingers crossed my iMac is well and truly fixed. It's a joy to use the full screen with my photography workflow again which is the main reason I purchased it in the first place. So far so good.

Update: It is more than a month since I submitted my complaint to Apple Russia. A new screen always "arrives shortly". My screen is getting worse. I am bitterly disappointed with the situation. Chaps, you charge twice as much for a premium product. This is not acceptable and catastrophic for your brand. I feel foolish.

I have the same screen problem on my early 2008 iMac 20in screen. There are small vertical brownish streaks in the top right and left hand corners of the screen - only really noticeable on top of lighter hues (white, etc.).

Here's something to support the thermal theory. Yesterday I restored the iMac to factory settings, clearing the hard drive, etc., a process that took a little less than an hour. Then I installed the Snow Leopard on the machine, which took another 45 minutes or so. The aluminum casing did indeed become very warm during all this - and I noticed that the streaks had grown like little cancers webbing out from their typical haunts in the corners - egad! I let the machine cool a bit and later in the evening I returned to find that the streaks had retreated to their usual size and place in the upper corners...

Imac mid-2010 bought in Norway, problems appeared from the beginning but was not really annoying. I even said to mylself "well it's normal no screen is perfect". No it is annoying. Warranty running until November.

Good environnment. And even if. hose things should tolerate some smoke or dust.

Norwegian laws says that reparation can be done 2 times maximum before the product HAS to be replaced by another one of similar or higher value/performance and warranty is outrunned by a rule saying that products supposed to work "for some time" must be repaired for free if needed the 2 first years. Meaning good for me.

Good too is that Norwegian are kinda "teletubbies" and nice, so I should not have any problem, but if they try to **** with me I'll give them nightmares. I'm almost wishing that so I can ask for a 27" Thunderbolt as compensation if it goes wrong (seen on another foreum...^^). I'm also very happy that I have an Apple Store in my city so I'm waiting for them to answer my mail and I'll pay them a visit.

I'm of course NOT going to suicide my Mac by opening it myself. 🙂

I tried leaving my iMac on for 48 hours without it sleeping but that didn't resolve it either. I really believe it's the casing because my older Macs never gave me problems like this and they were exposed to much more, drinking coffee at the desk and smoking etc which I would never attempt near this one.

Hi, I have just tuned in to this thread for the same reasons...

imac 21.5

massive grey blotching on the upper left (my left) part of the screen moving across to the centre...

we live in Delhi, India

I've never seen anything like it on a computer before...and used macs in my workplace for many many years...

I thought it was our housekeeper had sprayed something to clean it but still getting worse after ensuring no moisture used for cleaning...

I had a techie out today and he said it was the airconditioner in the room....well it is hot most of the time here and very humid as well...so a lot of moisture around

I think I'll check out the costs of replacement while I'm here and let you know...

I developed the same problem with my late 2009 27" iMac. The problem didn't occur until shortly after my warranty expired. I took it to the Apple store who quoted me $606 plus tax to replace the LCD panel. I find this unacceptable because clearly this is a widespread issue caused by a design flaw, not user error. I've just sent feedback to Apple and plan to call Apple Care to push the issue, I suggest all others having this problem do the same. We need to let them know just how many of us are having the problem so they hopefully will do the right thing and off replacements.

i will agree on that..i mean that this is a design flaw and it is actually unaccepatble!

im out of warranty and they told me that ill have to pay the lcd panel so as to be replaced...

i will say this again..i have this imac for three years and i dont plan to upfrade soon at least when a new design comes !!

im thinking to open the panel and clean it..

i have seen a few folks that they have done this with success...this is too delicate i knw...but there is no way of me paying this amount of money..either ill leave it like ths or when i ll start get annoyed from these greyish stuff ill open the panell..if there wil be any way to remove them!

I'm sure it's dust inside as well...Delhi is extremely dusty and my machine runds very hot now and games freeze as well...I'm taking it in today to have it cleaned...I wouldn't even know how to open it...and hopefully it will take care of a lot of the problems.

I don't think it should cosst a lot to just have it cleaned..and I think also referencing this thread MAY get it for free looking at how that has happened for others on this thread...

will let you know...I'm also going to price replacement LCD ??here in India..

I had the screen replaced and the glass cleaned again and I was told I can't smoke near the computer, which I don't. I can't have anything hot near it, coffee, food etc, which I don't or pets, because pet hair can get in there. I don't have pets. I was also told that this particular machine was designed more for office use, which I believe because I have a friend who lives in the same boarding house as me, she has an IBM laptop and sits in the kitchen with it at night, she has coffee and smokes near it and has never had a problem, if I'd known all of this I would never have wasted my money on buying this crap.

Got my iMac back with a new screen. It gets the same tiny border as shown in bee_berry pic above. Was not charged for replacement. Fingers crossed it will work well this time. Good luck guys and shame on Apple for quietly selling this headache to its customers.

I've now checked my screen (had it replaced for free OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY!!) and it also has the small gap between the pixels and the front black bevel frame. It's almost invisible to the naked eye due to the intense contrast between the bright screen and the black bevel.

I think anyone on this forum who has this burnt smudge problem should print out all these posts, march down to their Apple Store and simply DEMAND that their screen is replaced, free of charge. In the UK at least, in my experience, Trading Standards Officers are VERY interested in consumer abuse of this type. And in my view, this is exactly what it is - abuse of your loyal customers, Apple. You should be ashamed of your conduct over this issue. There should be a product recall.

In India

Took my machine in about the marks finally, out of warranty and said replacement is 26,000 rupees..new machine is 63,000...a third of the cost!! @#$**!!!

they tried to tell me it was an environmental problem but I cited this thread and told them that was not right (they don't understand the word "CRAP" so abuse would be wasted)

we think we'll wait till we go back to AUS in September to get a new screen under the 90 day warranty at least...

I agree tho' ...I wonder if it's worth my calling the COnsumer protection people here ..won't be covered in Aus I reckon cos we bought it here.

I was going to ring The Department Of Fair Trading again, my screen has been changed once more, ongoing replacements and screen changes here, but no more marks YET, still not confident, it's a designer fault and it's unfair. I don't smoke near the computer or in the same room for that matter, nor do I have coffee or food near it, but my LCD TELEVISION is fine and it's a Toshiba.

same problem here in Singapore and since it's out of warranty ( didn't purchase apple care) they are charging S$1400 to replace the screen.

So maybe getting my hubby to try what Controllo (Oggy) did.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=11976152&posted=1#post11976152

According to him its dust stuck within the led panel and it needs some work to get inside the LED SCREEN. There is torx screws to be removed so make sure u have the right equipment.