Bad Experience at Apple Doncaster

The Genius Bar diagnosed my Macbook Air. It required a Display Clamshell, Housing, Top case with keyboard and Trackpad kit. I received a Genius Bar Authorisation for the work to be completed in 3-5 days under Apple warranty. A few days later I received a phone telling me that it would not be covered under warranty as they had found corrosion. That night, I researched corrosion on Apple computers and found that corrosion has many causes: A) Liquid Submersion, B) Humidity C) Battery problems and D) the mixing of different metals.

With regard to Liquid Immersion: the Macbook Air has never been immersed in water. The Apple Doncaster Genius I dealt with over the phone, stated that the Liquid Immersion Indicators (LSI) that are located in the Apple Macbook Air had not been triggered (white to red change). The Apple Doncaster Senior Manager agreed that the LSI had not been triggered. My research indicated that a change to red in any LSI is used my Apple to substantiate a denial of Apple's liability for warranty claims.

My bad experience at Apple Doncaster was through my dealings with the Senior Manager on duty. I asked him to email me a copy of the photographs of the corrosion. He refused to do so, as it contained "proprietary information." He stated that the Genius Bar at Doncaster had determined the corrosion found would result in an automatic voiding of my warranty. I explained to him that my research pointed to many different documented causes of corrosion. I asked for the details of a more senior manager with Apple so that I could contact them. He stated that the only people other than him that I could contact was the legal department of Apple in Sydney. His position is that he will stand behind any opinion given by the Apple Genius Bar. This Senior Manager, stated Apple was not interested in the opinions of any "experts" in Apple products, other than those who work in Apple Doncaster Genius Bar.

In summary the Apple Doncaster Senior Manager states that the only course of review for my case is the Legal Department of Apple. I felt that this Apple Doncaster Senior Manager was not a good listener, instead he kept repeating that he would stand behind any conclusions reached by the Apple Genius. This suggests that they are infallible. Does anyone else have an opinion?

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Comments

  • +2

    I don't get it. If Apple Doncaster acknowledged that LSI has not been triggered, why should they reject the warranty work? Wouldn't this mean that the corrosion is not cause by immersion in liquid? Corrosion does not void warranty but immersion in liquid would. Get something written from Apple Doncaster or this Senior Manager that states LSI was not triggered but corrosion was present.

    If I were you, I would then kick up a fuss, write plenty of emails and submit lots of customer feedback complaints on this matter so that someone else in Apple's Customer Service department would take note. Maybe even start sharing your issue on the Apple's facebook page.

  • +1

    They are Apple. Directly or indirectly they got your money, so purchase again or shove off. They are Apple. (Sorry this happened to you, though).

  • +1

    Hopefully you have learnt not to buy crapple.

  • +1

    There is something wrong when you are not even allowed to witness the corrosion of which you have been accused of making.

    This is YOUR laptop and they have made accusation of which you have not even given the opportunity to defend.

    This is, in my view, a serious misconduct on Apple's behalf which I think warrant going public and go really loud.

    A visit to Consumer Affairs would be suggestable.

    • yeah that is comical

      the laptop is yours, if you wish you can open it up yourself and take photos yourself and yet somehow its against copyright for you to see photos of your own laptop???

  • There appears to be heaps of Apple customers who have been shafted like yourself.

    Do a Google search on "Macbook Air corrosion" and you will find heaps of results. (http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2270665)

    My personal view is that Apple is a fashion brand. None of their products are supposed to last very long due to planned obsolescence.

    Sorry to hear that your Macbook Air didn't last the warranty period. Even if the corroded parts were replaced with fresh ones there's nothing to prevent corrosion from destroying the replaced parts.

    Good luck. I hope Apple doesn't get any more of your money.

  • I would try to send complaints via email to the customer service team. Also makes sense to call 133-622 and lodge a complaint.

  • +6

    Not to be a supporter (I'm not a particularly big fan of that company either), but some things to consider from my own experience as being the tech on the other side of the 'bench'.

    Liquid damage calls/notifications are the worst part about being a tech. Most of the time it isn't the owner who has done it, its usually a flatmate/partner/child/parent/random person who has actually done the liquid damage. In almost all the cases the guilty party (not the owner) denies it profusely too.

    Most techs will go 'above and beyond' for customers, we don't like confrontations any more than you do. Technicians for the most part are a passive breed. We fix wherever possible, the less angry customers we have the easier our lives are and the happier our customers are. However, if a machine comes back and there was liquid damage found that was overlooked in a previous repair, that's our job on the line. We want to do as much for you as possible, but we do need to earn our keep as well.

    The LSI is a quick way to determine liquid damage. Sometimes you don't even see it until you take a board out and there's a nice gooey layer of dried up coke between the board and the casing.

    Plain water is the least damaging (it's actually the minerals in the water that cause corrosion, demineralised water is non-conductive). Milk/coke/vomit/cockroaches are the worst. I've seen some really awful cases of milk damage and the machine has been sitting around for weeks before taking it in.. most unpleasant. Vomit machines are always a fun surprise in the morning, and i've seen tar damage (cigarettes) so bad that the fans were gunked up and wouldn't move.

    If you want to see the damage for yourself, take the machine back and have a look yourself.

    Have you considered claiming it on insurance? Most home and contents policies cover accidental damage. So do alot of credit cards. Check your PDS to see what you're covered for.

    The internet is full of facts. If you look hard enough you will find that X is a result of Y because of Z. You can substitute XYZ for anything really, and you'll find just as many people that will verify that fact!

    Don't be too hard on techs :) We want happy customers too :)

  • You could gear up for a big fight. But I'd try another Apple Store first.

  • Just an idea, if the product is under than say 2 years or so, then if you used certain credit cards to purchase the product, you could utilize the Extended Warranty Protection such as one from Citibank Signature/Select Prestige.

  • They can call it corrosion. if live north Queensland them corrosion strip turn other colour right way. i had go at apple over iphone they did in fix under WTY.

  • Thank you all for the feedback. Lots of good ideas here.

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