The Consumerist has reported that two separate readers have sent in accounts of being refused computer repair service due to the presence of damage related to smoking. The readers were reportedly told that computers with evidence of smoke damage could not be worked on because Apple considers them to be health hazards, and to have workers repair the computer would be an OSHA violation.
Employees at one Apple store reportedly told a customer that her computer was "beyond economical repair due to tar from cigarette smoke."
Both customers sent letters directly to Steve Jobs' office and both were declined service even though they had active Applecare warranties. One reader received a response advising 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."
Apple has not officially responded to any inquiries about this policy and it is unclear if it is a blanket policy or if there is a workable threshold for the amount of smoke damage present.
331 Comments
I can understand this is His Steveness himself was doing all the repairs.
just another big corporation trying to screw its customers out of costly warranties...
Ever since the inception of the warranty, companies have been finding ways any way they can to not honor them.
This is a nice and simple way of voiding your warranty even if there is no proof of anything. Next up...if you ever sneeze around your computer the warranty is null! Afterall...it might be a flu hazard...
This ought to be good reading.
just another big corporation trying to screw its customers out of costly warranties...
Ever since the inception of the warranty, companies have been finding ways any way they can to not honor them.
This is a nice and simple way of voiding your warranty even if there is no proof of anything. Next up...if you ever sneeze around your computer the warranty is null! Afterall...it might be a flu hazard...
I totally understand where Apple is coming from. I work on PC's at work and I have had to work on users notebooks that looked, and smelled like they were using it as an ash tray. Its disgusting! I smell and feel dirty after working on it.