Meanwhile my 2008 iMac running Linux Mint works perfectly, using it for daily tasks and video streaming. Never experienced any problems. It's almost two decades old and works without issues. Turns out, I have saved thousands of dollars by NOT buying the latest and greatest. Apple don't want people to know that they no longer make quality products, but they certainly know how to ever-increase their product pricing.
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M1 iMac Owners Complain About Horizontal Lines Appearing on Screen
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I'm not trying to defend Apple here, but plenty of 2008 Macs had GPU failures early in their life. I'm glad your machine is still running strong but it's not like Macs of that era were any better than today's.
I genuinely hope Apple addresses this issue through their Apple Service Program. When I visited an Apple Authorized Service Provider in my country, I was quoted over USD 1,000 for the repair because they said the entire display needed to be replaced, not just the display cable.
My AppleCare coverage expired on November 3rd, two days ago. This is what happend today. Apple's Agreements Team refuses to cover me. Heartbroken.
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I agree. At the price quoted to me for a screen replacement, I could get a used or renewed unit on eBay.
I’ve got some great news! Apple has agreed to cover me.
Their Agreements Team initially tried to back out, but when I escalated the matter to a Senior Advisor, he took more notes and built a strong case for me. He spent a couple of hours but managed to get the powers that be to approve my coverage this time. It all came down to the fault occurring so shortly after my AppleCare expired.
Earlier today, I got a call from my Authorized Repair Centre, who confirmed that the problem was indeed caused by the display itself, not any other component. They’ve ordered the necessary part(s), and I’ll have my iMac back in about a week or two.
I’m so relieved that Apple stepped up to take responsibility and kept themselves in good standing with me. Honestly, I’ve invested a lot in their ecosystem, and I expected them to value my loyalty. It was a real shock to be abandoned so suddenly at the beginning.
I only hope they do a good job and get it fixed once and for all.
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Great to hear you've made some progress! Unfortunately, my screen developed lines just six months after the three-year AppleCare coverage would have ended, so even if I had purchased it, it likely wouldn’t have helped.
I really hope the replacement addresses the root cause of this issue; otherwise, it’s only a matter of time before it happens again. It’s frustrating that Apple won’t acknowledge the problem, leaving M3 or M4 iMac users uncertain about whether they might face the same ordeal. Interestingly, when you go through their trade-in process online, one of the assessment questions asks if the screen has lines, and answering "yes" reduces the trade-in value by about $200. This suggests they’re aware of the issue, yet they charge users like us four to five times that amount to get it fixed!
I received my iMac back today. They replaced the display with a new one; 90 days warranty.
IF anyone wants a gander at the technician's report:
My faith in Apple is restored: AppleCare is worth it. I expected to get five years out of this machine, and Apple should have done a better job, but thank goodness for AppleCare.
I didn't receive a detailed technician's report when I visited my local Apple Authorized Service Provider. The invoice for the diagnostic simply stated:
- Diagnosed faulty display assembly. To be processed as Out-Of-Warranty repair.
Which country are you in; maybe there are some alternatives we could suggest for getting better support ?
Thank you for the offer. I'm based in Trinidad and Tobago, so unless there's an update to Apple's Service Programs listed on their website, I don't see how my iMac can be repaired without incurring nearly USD 1,000 in costs.
Hi @Jay Tee I'm out of warranty, and in a country (Chile) where there's no official Apple Store, but a couple of Apple Authorized service center.
My iMac is out off warranty and no Apple Care, I tried taking to support over chat, but with no luck on it.
What do you suggest?
Guys, as an update I was able to get Apple Support to grant me a free display replacement. I posted a full update on the interaction here: tiny.cc/5spyzz. It may be a strategy you can try on your own.
Can confirm this. MacBook storage drive crapped out on me in 2008 after maybe 18 months of ownership. I've been pretty lucky since then with various Apple devices.
If you're in a country where AppleCare isn't offered, I recommend taking HoundTT's lead.
It sounds like escalating to a Senior Advisor might be necessary when you contact Apple. Be sure to be polite and cooperative when explaining the situation – that usually helps! It's definitely a plus that you have an Apple Authorized Service Center nearby.
You could also mention how disappointing it is that AppleCare isn't available in Chile, or that you aren't able to extend it for your iMac.
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