[GUIDE] Fix iMac flickering and dark screen problems out of warranty

Is there a guide for disassembling the screen(or maybe pictures/video)? I want to try this way, i think it's easier to solder the socket.

Thank You

I have the same problem. This start at final of 2012, one year after I get the Mac. My iMac is French (bought in a travel), but I live in Brazil and I don't have apple care. So I called to apple support and they sad I was at the HD recall. I got a new HD, but the problems continues. I don't know soldering and doesn't have R$3000 (aprox. US$ 1500) to get a new screen, and Apple support is not so good at where I live.

Sorry my bad english.

Very nice thread.

I ve been to the Apple Store 3 hours ago with the same problem.

I recognized the same issue maybe 8 or 9 month ago. It started with a slight flickering and I thought the reason will be a driver problem. A few weeks ago it was getting worse. The left half was as dark as on the pictures before in this thread.

The one year warranty from Apple expired one year ago, but I hoped to get it repaired. I think it is so obvious that it is a failure in the production process.

The staff in Apple Store seemed to had the same view like me., but sadly not the Apple Care Service.

Here are so many people who have this problem, so I wonder why they don't accept or admit it as an own mistake. I am a little bit dissapointed.

Back to the topic itself. I pushed the lower left corner of the screen without the glass front panel. There was a remarkable change in the brightness, but more on the left side, than in the middle. Does anyone had the same problem? When I have more time, I will pull out the screen panel and try to push the connector itself, maybe the pressure from the front side was not enought.

Having just fixed the same problem I thought I'd add my observations.

On taking the screen out of the mac I couldn't work out why the little white plug/socket assembly was quite so loose. There didn't seem to be much chance of a decent connection at all but moving the wire around certainly affected the left side screen brightness to I delved further.

The white plastic plug assembly actually has three parts. The female part is embedded in the mac and not removable but has two little plastic extensions holding the wire and 2 male parts of the plug/socket assembly in place. I prised the white plastic lugs to the side and the wire with plug attached came out easily. This is the interesting part...you will notice the end of the plug is actually of the IDC (insulation displacement connector) type as commonly used in telecoms etc. The black wires with the first (black) part of the male plug fit inside the second (white) nylon IDC sleeve which has the gold plated connectors. This assembly as a whole forms the male plug part of the connector. In my case the IDC connection had not been made properly. I simply "squeezed" the black part of the plug into the white nylon sleeve with a pair of pliers and then put the whole plug back into its white socket. I am now typing on a uniformly lit mc screen again. The plug in socket assembly is still just as loose but the problem is fixed. It seems as though it was never the socket assembly causing the problem but a failing IDC contact because the original plug was never crimped properly. I'd suggest trying this first before cutting the cable an attempting soldering.

Another interesting point was that even with the whole plug/socket assembly disconnected the screen was still half lit. Has anyone else noticed this?

Gary, thanks for the great report. JP

This is really a great post, thank you to all having writtem into it. Since a couple of days my 27" iMac Late 2009 had the flickering issue, too, and today first time the screen entirely went black. Fortunately a restart from sleep mode brought the screen back, but now it shows the "lower left side darker" syndrom, as described and shown up here. I don't think that my local Apple retailer will be able to help me other than selling a costly repair action.... Maybe I will give it a try to fix it in my own. Keep your fingers crossed :-)

GL, i fixed mine after i used the tutorial 🙂 indeed is that **** contact at the back of the screen.. i didnt do any wire sticking .. just added a pad there to hold some pressure and stick it with some glue.. and works just fine 😀 heheh . Cheers Apple for this preistoric moment ! a recall would have been a pice of cake.

My 27" iMac is now dim on the left side. It doesn't get used much and therefore the problem is just now manifesting itself. Just add my computer to the list (if someone is keeping track of this).

A follow-up: my iMac is now out of action. The screen turning off so often that I don't even have time to move the cursor where I want it...

I'm feeling really disappointed. I bought this computer as my "work horse" and wanted it to have everything so I wouldn't have to replace it for a long time... I didn't mind paying extra for Apple, figuring I was buying quality and that it would be worthwhile in the long run.

Reading this thread and other similar ones, I can't help but shake the feeling I've been ripped off. This is so clearly a manufacturing defect that it boggles my mind there hasn't been an acknowledgment on Apple's part.

I am going to try to get a used external monitor and just attach it to the iMac. I don't want to pay for a new screen replacement and have the issue come up again like so many people have reported on here.

I've really lost my faith in Apple products and support 😢

Welcome to the club!:-)

OK, gave this a shot, but didn't work out well for me. No blame, I know I did this at my own risk, but I'm just hoping someone can tell me the next steps.

I got the glass off, the LCD propped up on the back and I could find the spots where if I applied pressure or gave a little wiggle/tap, the LCD picture improved tremendously. But, I couldn't make it stay, no matter what I tried. I removed the tape and I could see where it looked like the little white feet holding the plug in were not pushed in far enought. Attempting to correct them, they both bent to the point of being too flexible. When attempting to pull the plug out, it sparked up and now the LCD won't show any picture at all...solid black.

I'm hoping this is just a matter of replacing the wires. If so, anyone have any idea as to what wires need to be replaced. Thanks,

Scott

Hi

A friend of mine had this issue and saw this discussion. He heard about a company in Canterbury that will professionally repair this issue in a clean-room environment. He had to send his iMac to them from London but they repaired it and sent it back within a week, fully working. They are called The iT Store. They are on Facebook and advertise this service on eBay as well.

I'm guessing as their details are no longer on this forum Apple have removed them for advertising, but they should be glad that someone is willing to do a good job when this common issue appears.

My mate was happy to spend a fraction of the cost of a new LCD for a fully working iMac.

I'm sure Apple will take this comment down as well now, but at least some of you will know there is hope!! Sticking a piece of card down the side of the screen is not why we spend so much money on these Apple devices.

Fantastic tip, The IT Store in Canterbury...

What did you end up having to do with your iMac? I believe I had the same bad luck you did and now have a black screen.

Thanks,
Scott