Comments on: iMac LCD problems continue to grow

By: Gretchen K

Gretchen K — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 19:31:40 +0000

I have had lines appearing slowly for a while and then last week the right couple inches is gone. It seems that there are a lot of theories about what is wron but nothing for sure. It is very frustrating and you would think apple would do some sort of recall or something.

By: Robin

Robin — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 07:02:15 +0000

I have a four year old 20 inch iMac InteL Core 2 Duo with the white casing. A single 0.5 pica white line appeared a month ago and since my warranty has long since expired I loath to inquire how much this will cost. I did many tests on my ATI video cards which all passed with flying colors so the problem is the LCD I think and since this is an older model I don’t know where I can get a replacement LCD. My serial number is W87… so that may expand the patch of units with this problem I certainly hope that no more lines appear as the machine works fine and this is but an annoyance..

By: -Ed.

-Ed. — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:13:56 +0000

My iMac G5 (serial number begins with QP538) just started displaying a wide vertical stripe down the left side of the monitor. I’ve had this iMac about 5 years, no problems until now. Started all on its own, I didn’t do anything different or new.

By: J M

J M — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 23:19:07 +0000

Imac G5 17 inch isight, bought in 05 or 06.
had one small line down right side, today big two inch line down center. Rendering the poor beast
unusable.
JM

By: Austin

Austin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:19:46 +0000

I just got the same problem. I saw it appear as if out of nowhere. No warning. imac from 2006 17″ screen intel core duo. The machine still runs great. I just have a 1″ white vertical line directly down the center. I had coverage but the computer is 4 years old. This is a shame. I wish mac would offer me something for this problem as it does appear to be a defect…. even if it is a small fraction of the computers.

By: Edison Hulu

Edison Hulu — Tue, 04 May 2010 02:04:42 +0000

the school have 20 iMac G5, 5 of them have vertical lines problem from 1 than two lines than now have a thousand, 40 iMac intel core duo have 10 of them have the same problem. Hope apple take responsibility of this case at least find a solution.

By: steve

steve — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 10:31:13 +0000

Yes, mine is doing the same thing, I have one 2″ line on the left, but after a while, it warms up and flickers in slowly and works well in the end…. still annoying

By: Susan S.

Susan S. — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 02:51:40 +0000

I have an iMac with the same problem. My computer is approx 4 years old. It started with one vertical blue line and then another and so on. This morning I now have a 5 inch band of solid stripes which take up the the majority of the left side of my screen. So discouraging. I love my Mac and had pcs in the past that lasted double the time that this one did. I know, that’s a long time, but I don’t even use my computer that much. It’s not even worth spending the $700+ to fix. Will probably buy another LCD monitor and use both. Ugh.

By: Don Saar

Don Saar — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:49:46 +0000

I have a 3+ year, out of warranty, LaCie Photon 19 Vision monitor which has screen streaking and visual distortions. After much contact with these people out in Oregon, LaCie neither provides repair service nor do they indicate from where any replacement part(s) may be obtained! Therefore, do not buy LaCie monitors. Period. End of this discussion. Don Saar, contact@relativitycalculator.com

By: Tamara H.

Tamara H. — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:13:27 +0000

3 weeks ago I got the smame problem with my 17” iMac that I bough 3 years ago, an of course it is no longer under waranty. The computer is fine and works just as well as it did when I first got it but can’t use it since the LCD screen does not work. So I was told by the authorised Mac technitian that a new screen is $590 + labour + tax so over $750 to repair.

This is just so frustrating to say the least.

By: Leewardboy

Leewardboy — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:08:11 +0000

iMac G5 Insight – 1″ wide white vertical bar down center of screen.

Genius at AppleStore said video card – repair $1100+. Given the next line: Is Apple trying to hide a problem with their LCDs?

Bought VGA adapter and hooked up LCD monitor – works perfectly. Genius wrong – not video card.

LCD is bad – frustrating as this is the only Mac i’ve owned that did not require repair under AppleCare which ran out about last October (2008).

(1) SE/30 – mother board and two other repairs I can’t remember. Last repair may have been out of warranty but the tech looked really upset and he repaired it and did not charge.
(2) iMacDV400 – 3 or 4 hard drives under AppleCare. Warranty ran out and I had someone drop in a 30 gig HD (non-Apple) – machine has worked fine ever since.
(3) iMac G5 20″ – hard drive and mother board and possibly a power supply under AppleCare. I repaired it last time out of warranty at AppleStore (power supply). Still running.
(4) iMac G5 17″ Insight – not one problem during AC coverage. Now 1″ vertical white band in center of screen. Bad LCD.

By: FabiÃ¡n Contreras

FabiÃ¡n Contreras — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 02:29:54 +0000

Tengo una Imac17 y el problema es igual, empezaron a salir rayas verticales y ahora no se puede trabajar, todo esto ocurriÃ³ despues de expirar la garantia (1 aÃ±o y medio), en Guayaquil (Ecuados) somos muchos los afectados y esperamos una pronta soluciÃ³n de Apple pues no quisieramos llegar a algÃºn tipo de demanda por defectos y por perjuicios de trabajo
Guayaquil – Ecuador

By: M.Ichiyama

M.Ichiyama — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 06:31:56 +0000

If some of the early posters want to Google “iMac LCD lines” now, I think there will be no doubt that it’s more than just 80 iMacs with this LCD issue. A lawsuit has been filed in January 2009 and, to date, Apple has not informed owners what the issue is, what can be done to prevent the problem or whether they will take any action to correct a design or manufacturing defect.

Remember iPod batteries? The company had to deal with that. Most recently, the Nano’s scratch prone LCD lawsuit has been settled.

Perhaps Apple could take a lesson from Dell, when their laptops and SFF motherboards developed leaking capacitors (the board builder used capacitors that were defective because it utilized a design that was the result of industrial espionage), they did a one time warranty extension and replaced the system boards for one year.

By: M.Lan

M.Lan — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 03:32:28 +0000

Had the same probleim in my 17inch iMac…..

Luckily I bought the extended warranty and got it fixed…otherwise it will cost me in the reguion of USD600 to replace the LCD.

By: bram

bram — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:30:11 +0000

Now I have this problem to. 2 years and 6 months after I bought it (in belgium there’s a warranty of 2 years)
So the only thing I can do is by a new one.

By: ester hamermesz

ester hamermesz — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:11:08 +0000

I’m discouraged with Apple’s attitude. I bought a 24″ IMac that came with a fogged screen. It was exchanged for a new one. I traveled for 2 weeks and found my new IMac fogged. The problem resolved itself temporarily while I used the computer. Then there were the lines accros the screen, looking as though someone had ran his nails across the screen. They changed my lcd again. Then there was a problem of spots and different colors on two sides of the screen. They changed my video card. Now I have lines again! They don’t seem to know what the problem is. I would be willing to get my money back or exchange it for a MacPro and I would buy an Eizo or La Cie monitor, but it seems impossible to be heard! I hate to sue- most of the times it’s the lawyer who gets it all, but I think we should do something about it before we think of sueing and damaging Apple’s reputation widespreading the news by email and on the media.
I love the Operating System and would not go back to Windows, but it’s becoming an ordeal to work with a Mac.

By: Jason Rainbows

Jason Rainbows — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:46:55 +0000

Same problem here. Not only horizontal line glitches or artifacts across windows (seldom across full screen – most actively appearing in long website scrolls like this one). Also looks like my damn screen is melting – weird discolorations where the menubar is (like a physical melt-in), and slightly browned edges near the lower right and left sides. Seems to be too hot for the screen! This is accompanied by constant crashes of the OS, freeze-ups, etc. especially while using Second Life, Need For Speed Carbon, and a few other 3-D programs. Unreal Tournament does not seem to be affected (yet, thank gawd). I’ve done all the diagnostics, repaired permissions, checked disk, did an overnight looping hardware test – all came out positive. I finally reinstalled OSX, updated (repairing permissions as recommended along the way) and the problems STILL persist! I have NEVER owned a computer this lame. Hopefully I can put my humanity aside and sell it to an unsuspecting person and wash my hands of my life as a Mac Evangelist since 1984. This will be THE VERY LAST Apple product I ever purchase. It has been the worst experience ever, and at least 4 other people that I had “switched” and convinced to purchase a Mac instead of a peecee are now wishing they never, ever took my advice. So much for that crap. It has ruined my credulity and the trust others had in my advice. Thanks a lot Apple, you suck.

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 11:51:38 +0000

Yep I got an 18 month old 17″ intel imac with this problem, vertical lines 1 pixel wide growing in number by the day and as henry posted above my serial number is also W860. Spoke to Apple who told me it was a video ram failure and that I should have the video board replaced also spoke again to apple who told me it would be cheaper to buy a new machine and tried to sell me another. Not impressed!

By: DAVID W

DAVID W — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:41:37 +0000

Add another one to the list! My 17″ iMac ( serial W854.. made in Shanghai and despatched from there 9th November 2005) exhibited one single thin line from top to bottom for the first time a couple of days ago but reading other comments it looks as though it’s likely to get worse. Not good enough – particularly as this Imac was a replacement for a previous faulty one! Perhaps separates are a better option than a single unit?

By: wilfredo figueroa

wilfredo figueroa — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 06:38:17 +0000

I Bought a 20″ 1mac from COMPU USA in 2006. 6 months later I notice that one or two pixels were dead. In a month the whole display was dead. I try to contact COMPU USA in Puerto Rico, but the Store was gone.Then I went to Best Buy to check the computer and after their charge me 70 bucks for and estimated their told me that the problem was the display and that I have to spend $800 dollars for fixed(the new imac cost me $999 dollars. Now I”m using an outside monitor with a mini converter for be able to use the computer. I Know a hundres of cases like mine in the Island. Here more people dont trust anymore the (bad) Apple Company. Their are acting outside of their principles, and that is the starting point point of the crash down of the best of the best.

Wilfredo Figueroa
Box 275 Juncos, PR. 00777
787-319-1953
wilfredofigueroa@gmail.com

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:12:55 +0000

Oh… I’m in the UK

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:11:08 +0000

Hi. My Wife has an 18 month old 17″ iMac C2D which, over a period of about three months, has developed 51 vertical lines.

I called Applecare today ( It’s out of warranty ) and after describing all the symptoms they have agreed to fix it. For free. One of the key questions was ‘do the lines appear before the Apple logo on startup?’ – Yes, they do. I guess this shows that it’s a hardware fault and not software related.

Don’t give up.

I’m so, so pleased with Apple for doing this and didn’t expect it at all, though I did hope.

By: GHelzer

GHelzer — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:50:30 +0000

Add us to the list—-two year old 17″ iMac Intel Core Duo with a serial number in the same range as others are listing. We are sporting just three vertical lines on our monitor, but I expect that number to rise based on other posts.

I called Apple today and was told essentially that it’s too bad I didn’t buy an extended warranty… disappointing, based on the number of people I have convinced to make the switch to Mac. What happened to customer service? What happened to doing right by your customers? I hate to say it, but this may be our last Apple.

By: richrjs

richrjs — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:36:25 +0000

noseiaqgropped my imac was told it would take 1000 dollars to diagnose; is this true?

By: Teddyp

Teddyp — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:51:26 +0000

This problem seems more widespread than apple support has lead me to believe. Is there any recourse?