Headphone Jack & Speakers Don't Work?

[Joe Duffer]

Craigslist ad in my area:

"I am selling my 2011 21.5" iMac. I recently upgraded to a 27" iMac so am letting it go. Cosmetically it looks brand new and the screen is perfect. I have also installed Yosemite. During the OS upgrade process, something happened to the audio drivers and I can't get the headphone jack or the internal speakers to work. Simple solution is to use external speakers or headphones through one of the USB ports. I tested it and the sound works perfectly that way. I don't have the time to troubleshoot and fix the problem so I dropped my price from $500 to $450. Maybe someone more technical out there will find a simple solution, if needed."

Does this sound like an cheap/easy fix, or is this a more serious problem?

Thank You,

 

[andy9l]

Depends if the seller is telling the truth or not. It could have happened during the upgrade process, so a fresh OS install would probably fix it, but equally it could have happened when they ripped out an AUX cable, for example, and physically damaged the input.

That said, an increasing number of these peripherals are USB connected now anyway.

 

[Joe Duffer]

Would headphone jack damage effect the internal speakers as well?

 

[DeltaMac]

Plugging in headphones would normally bypass (cut off) the internal speakers.
Damage to that headphone jack could leave the internal speakers dead (not connected)

 

[Joe Duffer]

What would be the worst case repair cost scenario if the headphone jack was involved?

 

[DeltaMac]

If the headphone jack is actually damaged, it is part of what Apple calls the Audio Cable.
Apple's part number for that cable is 922-9801
There's a repair guide at iFixit.com, showing you the steps to replace the cable. It's not difficult, but you will need a couple of special tools. The repair guide tells you virtually everything that you need to know to replace it yourself.
You can find the actual cable here, as one choice.
So, you COULD replace it yourself with a new part, for probably less than $20. Just takes some time (and the proper tools)
Or, take to an Apple authorized repair shop, and expect to pay somewhere close to $200.

But, sometimes the audio port just gets stuck, and you MIGHT free it up by inserting and removing a headphone plug a few times. That is worth trying, but doesn't always help.

 

[Joe Duffer]

Great reply, thanks so much!