Smoking Near Apple Computers Voids Warranty

As a former paid pc repair person, I can definitly tell you that working on a smokers pc is one of the worst jobs I have ever done. I wore latex gloves while doing it and my hands still stunk after.
 
Easy solution to the problem:

1) Don't buy an Apple computer.

or

2) Don't smoke in the same room as your computer.


In all seriousness, though, Apple has always had a very restrictive policy regarding warranties. They'll do anything to get out of having to service your computer for free, and will do whatever they can to make it sound like it was your own fault.

Because there was a single scratch on the "VOID IF REMOVED" sticker on my Apple //c computer (yes, from 24+ years ago), when the motherboard failed after a few months' use, they refused to honor the warranty, even though the sticker had not been breached.

If they're willing to do this, then invoking a "smoking voids your warranty" clause isn't surprising at all.
 
Blazestorm said:
That's what you were implying... Poorerer reading skills... :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

You missed the point- You'all are going on about the *possible* effects of smoking on computers and I have a first hand report of a heavy smokers PC which never failed even though the machine was at point blank range.. Changes are it had an ashtray on it too.

Thank God the woman stopped smoking last year, at 72 years of age still going strong.

This thread is full of FUD and peoples personal dislikes will ignoring reality.
 
But you're also dealing with absolutes... "My mother smoked smoked near her computer all the time, it still works so that must mean that smoking doesn't affect computers!"

Just like "I drank a bottle of mountain dew, and then my car got stolen...must mean that people who drink mountain dew get their cars stolen"

Your "claim" was useless... It didn't prove anything... wutvah..
 
If I recall correctly, wasn't the Apple technician's stated reason for the lack of repair that smoking qualified as a "hazardous chemical", and thus it voided the AppleCare protection plan?

If that is the official reason, then it is in fact wrong, as the AppleCare Protection Plan does not prohibit service on the basis of cigarette smoke being a hazardous or toxic chemical:

http://images.apple.com/legal/applecare/docs/NA_APP_English_v5.2.pdf

In fact, it doesn't even touch upon smoking at all.

Now, some people have stated that it falls under "neglect", but that wasn't the reason given for why the tech refused to service it.

Amusingly, the warranty does cover "acts of God".
 
Blazestorm said:
But you're also dealing with absolutes... "My mother smoked smoked near her computer all the time, it still works so that must mean that smoking doesn't affect computers!"

Just like "I drank a bottle of mountain dew, and then my car got stolen...must mean that people who drink mountain dew get their cars stolen"

Your "claim" was useless... It didn't prove anything... wutvah..
Click to expand...
Your analogy is bad however. A better one would have been something along the lines of: I used to leave my bike outside all of the time, and it never rusted. Therefore, bikes must never rust when exposed to rain.

And there's no "absolutes" involved with his story. A lot of people smoke at home. There are a lot of IT techs who smoke at home. I know quite a few myself. You walk into their house, and it smells like smoke. Almost all of these people also have at least one computer in the house. Are those computers not being exposed to smoke particles?

As it stands, nowhere in the AppleCare Protection Plan Terms of Service does it say that the plan becomes null and void when the product that is covered is kept in an environment with smoke. I would be willing to bet that if you went into an Apple store, and went to purchase an Apple computer, and asked the salesman or a tech whether the fact you smoke impacts the warranty Apple provides or AppleCare, that neither of them would say it does.

All it is is just another way for Apple to justify cutting costs by not fulfilling their contractual obligations. If anything, the people who've been turned back should file a class action lawsuit.
 
Having worked on computers for years, I agree with this although it should be noted in the warranty. I've seen and been inside computers that were so covered with residue from smoking.
 
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