Apple Refuses to Fix Smokers' Computers
Reports from two Consumerist readers say smoking will void your AppleCare.
For those of you unfamiliar with AppleCare, it's basically an extended warranty service offered by Apple. You can get up to three years of service and support for your Mac as long as you're willing to pay. However, what Apple doesn't tell you is that if you're a smoker, your AppleCare might be worthless if your computer actually needs repairing.
Consumerist reader, Derek, sent in his MacBook to because it was having issues with overheating. Suspecting the fan might be the issue, Derek assumed Apple would just have to replace it but was surprised to hear that they actually couldn't fix his computer at all because he was a smoker.
… The Apple store called and informed me that due to the computer having been used in a house where there was smoking, that has voided the warranty and they refuse to work on the machine, due to "health risks of second hand smoke". Not only is this faulty science, attributing non smoking residue to second hand smoke, on Chad's part, no where in your applecare terms of service can I find anything mentioning being used in a smoking environment as voiding the warranty.
A second reader, Ruth, wrote in a few months later, reporting the same problem.
I bought an iMac for my son (for school) along with the extended Applecare warranty. A month ago, it quit working. My son took it to the authorized Mac service center. The "tech" informed him it would be ready in 48-72 hours. … They informed me that his computer can't be worked on because it's contaminated. When I asked for an explanation, she said he's a smoker and it's contaminated with cigarette smoke which they consider a bio-hazard! I checked my Applecare warranty and it says nothing about not honoring warranties if the owner is a smoker.
An Apple rep spoke to Ruth and told her that nicotine is on OSHA's list of hazardous substances and Apple would not require an employee to repair anything deemed hazardous to their health. A fair point, but Ruth points out that sucrose, chlorine, talc, calcium carbonate and isopropyl are also on the list.
Months later, Apple's PR department has yet to return comment as to what the official policy.
Read the full story here.
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If smoke had contaminated parts in the computer, then I understand that. But if they refuse to replace a faulty component because the person who owns it smokes outside, that's just plain ridiculous.
I'm a no-smoking evangelist but I really doubt there's no smokers in Apple's staff.
A Win-Win for non-smoking PC users.
Funny. Used to work at an Apple store and I've seen some disgusting tar covered motherboards in my time. About time they started refusing warranty for them.
Although I'm not a smoker (yet) it's a bit strange that they refuse to repair a machine just because it's contaminated. There are various ways to protect the hands and lungs while working with such machines, for those who repair them can use gloves , masks if they find it a hazard.
However, for the money that charge for such services in the guarantee, they could easy clean the whole machine form top to bottom as part of repair.
Other than that it's an excuse what they have stated.
I agree with AW-Levi because last year, in the end of my notebook's warranty period, it's lcd backlight stopped working, I had some scratches on top of it because many times, when gaming or reading at home I just plugged my 19 inch monitor, closed the lid and used an optical mouse on the top. They fixed the backlight and polished it. That was no big deal materially but i'm not looking for any other brand after this.
Apple really do need to start being careful.
For a company that has grown and captured so many markets in recent years, I can see they're beginning to rest on their laurels and return to being the self-righteous, arrogant, unpleasant organization they were before they began to gain momentum. All the propaganda-filled ad campaigns against PC's and stories like this really aren't doing anything for the cool and trendy visage Apple once had. I'm no smoker, but this is ridiculous behavior from Apple.