Apple refusing to honour warranty due to smoke contamination

[JazzyCardi]

I took my iMac to an Apple Store 3 weeks ago for a repair. Part of the repair was under warranty and I had to pay for the remaining part after the work had been completed.

Today I have been told by the store manager that they are not going to honour the warranty due to 'nicotine' covering every component of the machine.

This computer has been kept in my bedroom since we bought it and nobody has ever smoked near it. I do smoke in the kitchen and living room after DS has gone to bed so it is likely that smoke has seeped into my bedroom and, presumably, caused damage to the machine.

I am absolutely gutted. I've only really used this computer as a media player. The apple representative I spoke to won't budge. He claims he would be risking his employees health by letting them work on the machine and that it is against company policy to give me the parts to have repaired elsewhere.

Do I have a leg to stand on here, or should I just collect the machine and stick it in the bin?

How old is it? If the iMac is less than 6 months old it is up to them to prove that you damaged it rather than it being faulty when purchased.

No it's 2.5 years old prh.

Very unfair that apple are treating you this way.

However can I just point out, if smoking in a different room caused this to a computer imagine what it is doing to your child?

Please rethink smoking in your home with your son in bed.

I would be speaking to trading standards about Apple selling an unfair contract/failing to honour a contract. If this has been going on so long, they should be making customers aware at the point of sale. Furthermore, I'm sure they would be able mitigate the risk (using masks, reverse pressure etc) rather than refusing to repair at all.

After all, people work with much more noxious products daily in this country, but this is mitigated using appropriate PPE.

reality thank you. I take your point about smoking indoors.

Anita I agree that they should be making customers aware that their warranties will be invalidated if they expose their machine to cigarette smoke. I couldn't admit this to the Apple Rep. but I have had the glass off that machine and the LCD out dozens of times and there was no residue on it.

I think it probably smelt of cigarette smoke due to being in my smokey home, and they've used that as an excuse not to work on it.

From the links that have been provided here and my own research it just isn't worth me taking it further. I'm using this experience to help me give up smoking.

Have you considered an e-cig? My husband gave up 40 a day habit using an ecig. He wouldn't ever smoke again.

our dds even smelt smoke they would have coughing fits, when we both smoked when dd1 was small (outside the house never in) she would still have bad chests

Legal advice on the computer, tell them you will be having it looked at by an expert to see if the claim is true and will them sue through small claims as there is no inference in the warranty that smokers cannot have repairs under warranty!

Advice from Reality - re E-Cig, I bought mine for when I couldn't face sitting outside in the cold, no intention of giving up smoking, within weeks I had gone from being a 40 a day for 30+ years to having 5 or 6 day and now, after a few months am having 1 a day if that, and only because it is the time hubby and I have always sat out having coffee and a fag. I am starting to sit with my e cig rather than a fag and reckon the real ones will be done for good. I had to go and walk around our field boundary yesterday, had real cigs in my pocket thinking I would have a fag on the way round. I never even thought about them, had e cig in my hand all the way round and it was only when I emptied my pockets when I got home that I remembered I had taken them. Sorry to hijack your thread a bit on this but I am so positive about them I can't help myself. Hubby hasn't taken to it quite as well but is getting there now.

Thanks reality and tiredout.

I have taken your advice and got myself an e-cog today. From midnight tonight I will no longer smoke in doors.

Duh e-cig, obviously.

If you want to try and fix it yourself, there's a site called ifixit that has apple spares and good illustrated guides to repair them. It might be useful.

Thanks for the link tb.

I've looked into doing it myself but the parts are too expensive. I need a new LCD unit and a hard drive.

Hi kelpeed. DP collected the machine on Monday and had the same disagreement with the store manager that I had. SM maintains that the 'tar like build up' is not consistent with issues arising from using an iMac in 'normal circumstances'.

Customers have taken this as high as the CEO and have got nowhere so I don't see the point in pursuing it.

I'm going to put the machine on Ebay for parts.

As for the machine not being fit for purpose; IMO it isn't! The bloody thing gets too hot and then has to suck up loads of air to cool itself down. It's not even been used for anything demanding. The most I've done with it is browse the internet and plug my iPhone in at the same time. It's ridiculous!

What irritates me the most is that the LCD failing is a common fault with iMac's purchased at the time I bought mine. Apple have repeatedly denied there is anything wrong with these models but there are hundreds of examples all over the web - the left hand side of the screen goes very dark. There is no suggestion that the 'tar like build up' has affected the LCD at all, but they can get out of repairing my machine by claiming it's dangerous for their employees to work on.

I am really, really pissed off about it.

It cost £1700 and I've hardly ever used it!

Not arguing with you but wouldn't it fall under the category of accidental damage. So they are not saying your not allowed to smoke near it but rather if you do and it breaks its not their problem. Ie it probably doesn't state in the instructions not to throw it off a bridge or let it get run over by a train either but they wouldn't be covered either.

Thanks kelpeed. Really good advice.

I do see your point TMOFI and I suppose Apple would class my warranty as invalidated due to my negligence. I would still argue (not with you obv's) that a significant proportion of people smoke, too many to lump smoking in idiots with using a hair dryer in the shower, for example.

I think residue from cigarette smoke invalidating warranty should be included somewhere in the small print.

Anyway, I'm moving onto e-cigs

I agree with kelpeed - you have nothing to lose by contacting the OFT. Apple may continue to deny and apply their policy worldwide, and they probably will, but if there is a ruling in the UK that they must do differently then they will. They will just make sure they don't publicise it too much.

Piss off spammer