Greyish Smudge marks behind the glass screen.

I read all of the issues prior to purchasing my imac. I didnt use a humidifier in my appartment. Don't smoke and rarely use my imac for much more than for photo editing and some simple games. My temps are usually about 100'f but just last night noticed that the temp running 130'f probably because in its 6 moth life this is the first time my apartment seen 80', now I too suffer from discoloration behind the LCD.

Do I wait as long as i can or just get it over with and have apple replace my screen. "well hoping they dont give me the song and dance about envirnmental blah blah blah.

ColonelPanik wrote:

Now... I think SMOKING while one is taking apart their Mac that suffers from this issue is a bit like a confession. I dunno. Also... Smack my Beech Up? LOL

Message was edited by: ColonelPanik

Nah. Cigarette smoke leave a yellow-ish/brown residue. The marks are very plain grey. It doesn't add up, I think.

Some third-party Apple news sites are posting rumors about the upcoming refresh of the iMac line in June or July of this year. I'd post links here but didn't want my post deleted for potentially violating ToS!

The rumors are saying summer of 2012 will bring a full "hardware redesign" to the iMac line. I'm really hoping that means an end to the screen problems that have plagued us since this model iMac came out in 2009.

However, the rumors are also saying the new iMacs will be significantly thinner, which has me worried. Not knowing any details, it seems like the thinner you get, the closer the LCD screen gets to the heat sources in the machine, right? Here's hoping that they've either found a better way to control the heat in the new machines or at least have an improved design to protect the screen from heat damage.

Assuming the rumors are true, who's upgrading? Have you been stung too many times by the iMac line, or will a hardware redesign bring you back to gamble with a brand new machine? Or will you wait on the sidelines to see how the early-adopters make out?

I am holding out for a new iMac Launch. I have got right into X-Plane 10 and realy need some powerfull hardware to get the most out of it so am saving up for a top end iMac. A June /July launch would suit me fine. Xplane runs quite well on my 2007 iMac 27" but I have clouds in the sky all the time thanks to my screen problems, though to be fair they are not anywhere near as bad as some I have seen posted on here. To be honest it is Xplane that realy brings my screen problem to the fore. It is not so noticable in other apps, but still anoying as my 2007 iMac 24"' screen is perfect.

Does worry me a bit about being an early adopted but for a change I think I will take Apple Care out just in case. Have never needed it nor bothered before but this time I don't think I'll take a risk not having it.

Surprisingly, my local reseller just changed the screen on my iMac, no questions asked.

I'm planning on selling it before the marks begin to appear again and return to using a Windows PC.

Most expensive mistake I've ever made, giving Apple a try!

I'd stay away from the new models as well. There's a chance that they could be worse if Apple decides to make the iMac even thinner. Although, they may have finally fixed the issue in the remodel. And if that's the case, I think everyone should demand a free upgrade/trade-in of these older models.

If Apple going to do iMac redesign this year, all Apple needs to do is relocating CPU/GPU heatsink to the place that is not behind the display, i.e the chin. That way there is little to none that it will disturbing the screen.

What kind of engineering that allow heat sources to be placed behind LCD so that it could develop burn out over time?! Stupid stupid design by their iMac team, and now customers bit the bullet and have to replace the screen periodically ... ****!!

Same thing here on my 27" i7 refurb. Upper right hand corner. Glad I found this forum, but pathetic there is even a need for one. Seems like cell-phone maker Apple just dosen't make good computers anymore.

I've replied many times to this thread. I've had my LCD Panel replaced four times; twice on a 2009 model, then I convinced Apple to replace the 2009 model with a brand new 2011 model because we thought the problem was my unit, then again last week on the 2011 model. FOUR TIMES.

I have AppleCare for two more years and intend to have Apple replace the LCD the moment I see the greyish smudges (which are NOT dust, they are burst LCD cells despite the claims of some people on this thread.) and, as is my right under Apple Care, I'll have them do the repair in my home so it only disrupts an hour of my life rather than 3-5 days.

How do I know it isn't dust as so many are claiming? Here is why:

1.) A repair technician replaced the LCD in my home and said "Yup; that's burst LCD cells." Then he proceeded to remove the LCD and I took picture of the interior. While it had dust he commented on how little dust there was inside my unit. I said "Well, I have a severe allergy to household dust. We dust weekly plus we have an expensive air purifier only 3 feet from the iMac." I'm a non-smoker and an anal-retentive clean-freak. Between my known habits and the remarks of the technician it is clearly burst LCD cells due to overheating.

2.) As the technician said "If it were dust I wouldn't replace your LCD panel. These cost $450.00. I'd clean it and put it back in."

3.) One of the Apple Store techs had previously confirmed it was burst LCD cells. That's why they replaced the entire iMac for free with a newer model. They had heard a rumor of a heat shield and thought moving to a newer model would solve the problem.

If you do not have Apple Care you have a helluva fight on your hand. If you do have Apple Care then use it and use it often. The only way Apple will resolve this problem permenantly is if it becomes too costly to repair all our systems again and again and again.

Thanks HP. I intend to do the same. Why should I pack-up a 27" 30lb. computer when I can call a local Service Provider and have them come to me. I do have the extended Apple Care for my computer, and will use it often also. Just as other have said: Nobody smokes in our home or around the iMac, desk and office are always clean and dusted.

I just can't believe how a company that blows their own horn for design excellence so much allows crap like this to be sold. Oh yeah, now I can: $$$$$

Just received my 2009 27 inch I-Mac back after my fourth repair (LCD panel replacement), I had read on these threads that with Apple Care the technician would come to your house (something I was not aware of previously), the Apple Care advisor, however, told me that they "will only come to your house if they know for sure what is wrong, so that they don't bring the wrong parts" I thought he was joking and tried to kick it up a level and got the same response. Either way my panel has now been replaced for the fourth time and the store told me that if it happens again I likely will get a new unit, they're still acting as if they've never seen this problem and that I must be doing something wrong, e.g., smoking, dusty room etc., etc... I've also found out that without Apple Care the cost so far would have been in the mid $600s per repair, so to date I'm looking at >$2400 in repairs on a $2500 computer, at least the close to $300 I paid for Apple Care was a well worth investment...

I too had the very same problem with 3 iMac's (including A Mid 2011 iMac 27" ) All got Grey Marks on the screen. I have Just sold on the 2011 iMac Because this fault keeps happening and it appear's this has happened to so many people. I even found many Web site Petition's on it that described the problem in Detail.

Will NEVER BUY ANOTHER iMAC ( Due to this design fault with the screen's )

I am waiting to see if Apple update the Mac Pro because i don't want to buy another Apple Computer with a built in screen i can not replace myself , Hence the Mac Pro Ticks all the right boxes.

If They Don't Replace the mac pro in 2012 then i am sorry to say - It will have to be a Hackintosh of some description or Even Dare i Say it " WINDOWS PC "

Now that's really Scary i thought i would never have to say that.

I Think Apple OS X Lion is Absolutly Fantastic but the iMac is a Real Lemon & Apple should Acknoledge this fault and put a program in place.

Wow - a lot of posts magically disappear from this thread. Thanks Apple mods for deleting things that bring out the truth and/or help people with the problems they are experiencing with your flawed product. Just keep up the black hole of disinformation.

I am experiencing this on my iMac - my first Apple computer. 😟 You will find many people that think this is simply dust behind the glass. Others that find it to be dust inside the display panel (not accessible without a massive deconstruction) and others that site it as exploded pixels.

I dicovered my smudges just after the warranty expired. I don't recall if I purchased Apple Care. Either way as you read through the thread, you'll see I'm in for a fight AND the only fix they can offer is temporary. Apple and its employees are treating this like the US Government treats Area 51 - it simply doesn't exist. Take yours to an Apple store and you'll see -- they've never seen anything like it and it must be because you live in a really dirty/dusty house.

If I get mine fixed I will be selling it IMMEDIATELY and very, very, very reluctantly buying a new HP at Costco. Super sad.

Not sure what posts you are seeing "magically disappear", but the only ones I have seen go away are ones that are attempting to drum up support for a law suit or other legal action. Those are not "things that bring out the truth and/or help people with the problems they are experiencing". They are just stirring the pot, or if you prefer...trolling.

If you purchased AppleCare, you can check your user profile and/or ask at the Genius Bar. It may be also that many employees indicate "they've never seen anything like it", it could be because they haven't. While there are over 700 posts, that isn't an indication of an overwhelming number of problems. I don't have this problem, call me lucky or anyother name you want, but this isn't anywhere near the huge problem you, and others posting here, want to make it out to be. Granted, if you have this problem, your sample is showing a 100% sample rate. But add mine and it is down to 50% in a hurry, then add the thousands of others....do the math.

Now, get off it about Apple pulling posts about legal action, what do you expect them to do? If they were REALLY trying to hide things, this whole thread would have been pulled 2 years ago when it started.

There shouldn't be a pot to stir. I love how peoople like you argue that it's so insignificant and then turn around and ask what I expect Apple to do.

What do I expect Apple to do?

I expect Apple to stop producing and selling these expensive units with this design flaw.

I expect Apple to inform it's store employees (or at least its geniuses) of this problem.

I expect Apple to replace affected units without a hassle.

I expect Apple to stand behind their product.

I do NOT expect Apple to ignore the problem, delete posts, frustrate buyers, leave its employees to speculate about this problem, tell people it's their fault for having a dirty house or whatever else they are doing other than fixing the situation.