iMac 27inch Display - Dark on left side :(

Hi John-Paul. THANKS VERY MUCH.....All done!

I was incredibly nervous about attaching my pride & joy! Once i managed to lift off the front, of the screen it was easy to make up a strip of foam stuff, & fit it into the gap. I could not remove it with my fingernails, so used 3 new Stanley knife blades & carefully inserted them, until it lifted slightly. It all went back together beautifully & the problem is 100% disappeared!

It is truly incredible that Apple, will not do this repair! It’s a 5-minute job! yeh!

"...it was easy to make up a strip of foam stuff, & fit it into the gap ... the problem is 100% disappeared! "

that is great news for you !!!

SOMETIMES you can fix it by wedging something in there. In my case I had to pull it all apart, remove the "silver tape" and so on, and wedge something BEHIND.

For some people it won't be fixed unless it is actually "micro-soldered" as KAOS pioneered - you have to actually fix the loose plug properly.

(Regarding removing the screen - if you use stanley blades be careful not to scratch it, etc. You really can just use your fingernails once you get the hang of it! But anyway it is irrelevant to the problem at hand.)

I am pleased to hear you saved $900, great news !

thanks again, I am over the moon, with my new monitor! I was VERY carefull NOT to scratch the glass!🙂 I have been putting this off for weeks!

I am mortified to say, that this fix hasnt been perminant & today, when rebooting has reapeared. I took the front off again & packed more material into the gaps at the botom lefet & down the left hand side, but this hasnt worked. If I press on the glass HARD it momentarally becomes bright again, but as soon as I let go, it comes back. So I have to go onto the next step of the repair. What do I have to do? I cannot solder & the only person I know who can isnt a CAREFULL person! So I cannot trust them to do it!

Mrtin, one approach.

Find a GOOD electrical workshop in your area. Tell them you have "a losse microplug". Using your iPad, bring them the TUTORIAL from Kaos with all the images - so they can see exactly what needs to be done.

Hopefully they can do the fix for $100. Better than $1000 for a (pointless) new screen.

BTW you're probably better to NOT push on it further, as you'll just break the microplug more - I guess.

Hope it helps!

OK. will try to find someone. Could you give me a link to the tutorial?

i have found the utube video, showing how to remove the panel. I dont have the specific screwdriver tool do do it. Also, once I get the screwdriver & remove the panel, I am not sure what to do next, as that wasnt covered in the video i found.

I am still experiencing quite severe problems with this. I have done the first mod, to add a piece of card or foam to the gap between the actual LCD panel & the glass cover. This has worked for 10 minutes or an hour, or so but soon reverts back. After a false start, when I have the correct screwdriver. I have been able to remove the screws & tip the panel forward. I have watched the U--Tube video, showing how to remove the 3 leads, but wasn't able to do it. The instructions are quite vaige. Can anybody describe fully how to remove the connections without doing any damage? Also, once the panel is removed, what exactly do I do, with the LCD connector? I cant find anything now, that actually describes the modification itself. I do not want to solder anything, could the connector be taped in? or maybe glued? I cannot afford to mess this up!

If all else fails, you can order the LCD separately (I've seen them go for as low as $200) Unfortunantly, you will have to look around the web to get a good deal on one but they are out there. Once you find one, its a simple DIY task of changing the LCD Panels out. (a total of 10 torx screws and 4 cables to disconnect in the back) Here is the OEM LCD Panel that is actually manufactured by LG- (27" iMac Intel (Mid 2011) LCD Display Panel) LM270WQ1) Here is a video of 27 inch iMac disassembly (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDciJHx4II4) Good luck everyone!!!

The left side of my 27" iMac went dim in Dec 2012. It was purchased in Nov 2011 along with AppleCare. I brought in in today and was told that I didn't need the AppleCare to get this issue fixed. The Apple Genius told me that there is a "quality campaign" for this issue and that I will be getting a new screen. She said that they would fixed older iMacs for free under this campaign.

Ron-in -sandiego. Thank you very much for that info. I am delighted, as its getting increasingly difficult to use my mac at all, for density corrections and in use in general.

Do you know if this is a worldwide decision?

What is the pressedure in terms of getting it done, do you know?

I went to Apple store today with same issue at 13 month post purchase, they did not acknowledge any such "quality campaign" and here is my response after 22 years of buying into the brand...

I will admit here and elsewhere, my blind, snobbish and somewhat ignorant pro Apple stance is over. If it wasn't for the expense and hassle involved in switching OS, I would.

Same problem here. 1.5 years into this mac. I took everything apart, considered soldering, though I don't trust my abilities. Looks like I'm going to have to find somebody who can handle the job. This is the first time in 10 years Apple has surprised me with a lack of support.

I have received a telephone call this morning from "Apple Care"

My request to have the monitor repaired free of charge out of warranty has been denighed.

I am really really ****** off with apple! I will not be buying any new apple products and will continue to tell my clients not to either. Not a good move from apple, in terms of customer relations!

My mac is virtually no use to me, now. I have it on a lease that has 2 more years to run to!

I have now contacted a BBC program (in UK) called "Watchdog", a consumer advice program. We will see, if they are interested in this! If they do take it up, I am confidant if a good outcome!

Meanwhile I struggle with this dark screen, that is effecting my whole operating experience of what I considered a premium product.

Incidentally, does anybody know, if the offending cable/plug, is available to simply buy as a "part", for self fitting?

When I dropped my panel forward, & wiggled the plug there was NO discernable (lightness/darkness) change.