Chosen Solution
Hello, I recently got a thunderbug that died under the glass display of my 2013 iMac (the version that has the glass closely laminated to the LCD, so you cannot just remove the glass front like in the 2011 iMac). In the past, I already opened that iMac once to install an SSD, so I would have no problem removing the whole display itself and installing a brand-new one. However, before I do that, I was wondering whether there are options other than buying and installing a new display unit. If I remove the display unit from the iMac, would I be able to somehow lift the glass from the LCD, and remove the bug through this?Would it be possible to somehow blow the bug away with a vacuum cleaner after removing the display unit? I don’t remember whether I saw any ventilation holes on the display unit when I first openend the iMac, however, given that a bug found its way inside, there should be a way to suck air out of it, wouldn’t it?Could nature do its work and decompose the bug after several years? I would probably just wait for this if the bug would really decompose after some time, but I doubt that a dead body “conserved” between the display would be able to fully decompose. For instance, a corn of dust stuck under those kind of iMacs (I had that once in a 2012 version) doesn’t really move as well, so where would all the organic parts of the bug go? Given that all of this really “bugs” my mind, I’d be thankful for any insights on this issue!
If you have a local Apple Store near you I would visit them ASAP and see what they say. It should be covered under the extended warranty program they had for this. Why I say this is you are on the late side here. Apple had a run of infested displays ;-} somehow a bunch of displays got hit with this exact same problem! The logic on why Apple owns this problem: Apple made a big deal of the display cover glass being sealed so there is no way a wayward visiter could get in from your desk so the only place it could have is when the display was manufactured. In this case an egg was laid by a bug and it sat dormant until the conditions where right for it to hatch which is why it took awhile for the bug to be visible. I’m suspecting the foam tapes edge (when it was still in a roll) looked tempting to the mother to lay her eggs in the factory or where the tape was stored (open to the air). If they give you a hard time push the issue to the manager and you may need to go up the ladder to the regional support manager to get this fixed for you. If that stalls out talk to your local consumer protection (government) or even a TV/Radio station that offers help in disputes. Apple will give in it just may take a bit of effort. Lets look at what you need to fix this on your own: Sadly, opening the display glass sandwich to get to the bug is not easy! And you may in fact damage the display in the process and in addition getting it back together so it look good will be tough as well. It may end up being easier to just get a new display assembly, which is not cheap! That is why you want to get Apple to deal with this even if you need to pay the bench fee (they pay for the part) if that is as best deal as you can get. Good Luck!
Under EU law you have a two year guarantee on all faulty goods starting from the date you received the product. From what I’ve read above this is manufactured as a sealed unit, Apple has to repair this as a warranty issue in one of its stores as the policy should be honored in all stores worldwide. http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/con…
@atomsk - Heres what you’ll need: TheBookYard (UK) - LCD Panel & Front Glass Assembly (12/13) - Apple P/N 661-7109iMac Intel 21.5" (2012-2017) Adhesive Strips And here’s the guides you’ll need to follow: iMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 Display ReplacementiMac Intel 21.5" EMC 2638 Adhesive Strips Replacement
As a follow up: I contacted Apple, and unfortunately, they won’t replace my iMac’s display, also telling me that it’s not theirs but the vendor’s responsibility to honor EU’s warranty laws. That means if I wanted to have the display replaced because of EU laws, I should contact the vendor (however, I bought the iMac second-hand from an online store). I went to an Apple Premium Service Provider nearby who said they would replace the iMac’s display with a new one for 680 EUR. I think I’ll just bite into the sour Apple and replace the display myself. Do you know a good source for premium Apple parts? Preferably ones that came straight out of Apple’s manufacturing, but without bugs this time.
Hello all, I’m starting to get the same issue with dust inside my iMac 27” (Late 2013) screen. I found this video on YouTube which shows you how to separate the LCD from the glass to remove the dust. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE6Vm1yx… Unfortunately it doesn’t go into the finer details of what goes where but might be a good place to start if you want to try and clean it yourselves. Maybe someone can make a newer tutorial based on this one?
