Apple won't repair my iPod and I'm ####ed

[pharrell]

I woke up one day to find that the LCD screen on my iPod had been leaking so I phoned apple repair service about it and I sent it straight away. Today I received the iPod back with a letter enclosed:

"After inspection, it was determined that the damage to your iPod resulted from accident, abuse, misuse, or misapplication. Due to the prohibitive repair costs, Apple excludes this type of damage from its offer of repair service, as set out in the repair service form. In light of these repair costs, it may be prudent to consider the purchase of a new iPod."

I called customer service today and asked to speak with the supervisor. They claim that I am not liable under my warranty to have an iPod repaired under apple's services.

I owned this iPod for about a month now and I did NOTHING to tamper with it. I have no idea what the hell just happened to it. I just picked it up one day and it was like this. It's a $400 product. VERY EXPENSIVE! I'm ####ed now because I don't know what to do. I can see parts of the graphical interface but the rest has ink leaking.

Part of the reason apple might think it was of my fault may be because of scratches. I never bought a case or an iskin for it so I always carried my iPod around either in my pocket or set it on my desk. Eventually scratches started appearing quickly from all these activities that I had my iPod go through naturally. Sometimes my sweaty hands or long nails may rub against the the screen causing even more scratches, smears, who knows! iPods were NOT made to be scratch-proof AT ALL.

I don't remember ever dropping my iPod on the ground or ever purposely banging it against the wall,

Either way, I'm still under warranty and I've heard consumers getting their iPods replaced by apple for the same problem. So I don't understand why they just won't do the same for me.

Everyone, what can I do to persuade apple to replace or repair my ipod?
I was thinking of filing a credit dispute against apple to further give them an incentive to repair my iPod.

Any alternatives besides buying a new iPod? (I cannot do this.)

[feezle]

File a credit dispute definitely. That always lights a fire under companies.

[TurtleBomb]

take it to a apple store, you may have a better chance there

[XxPumaxX]

Apple is the devil.

[DRAGON88]

Double post... ops:

[DRAGON88]

There is a website that does LCD replacements... I think it might be http://ipodmods.com but I'm not %100 shure, search the fourms there was a thread about it the other week.

[Zimtim]

Sorry about your problems. The screens on all these devices are very soft...you have to protect them. You were lucky....my ipod just refuses to do anything except show an apple logo...won't go on or off just sits there until the battery goes flat. Any ideas on fixing it? Can't send it back - I bought it in a foreign country....

[DRAGON88]

Re-format it, If you can get it to connect it to your computer. try restarting it plugged into an outlet, if none of that works, try taking it into an apple store to flash it back to new specs. If that doesnt work, fill out a service report and ship it back into Apple and see if they will take care of you.

[Zimtim]

Thanks for the help - I've taken it to an Apple place and it looks like they might be able to help

[codvx]

Keep phoning at different times, you just have to find the right person nice enough to agree.

[FallN]

Since you carry it around, unprotected in your pocket, that could have been the cause. It doesn't have to bee a hard shock to damage any portable electronic's inards. You could have gently pressed against something and the iPod didn't like it. Or a quick blunt force that didn't even register to you but the iPod took the brunt. Who knows but I, and obviously Apple, has never heard or seen anything like that happening to the screen without some sort of user misue or abuse.

Regardless, you should take it to the Apple store and show them. See what they have to say. If they don't help you then definitely contact your credit card company. Check to see if they have "coverage" for purchases made on their card. If they do, they will cover your damaged iPod and you can go purchase a new one. If not, then definitely look into a charge back, but ONLY as a last resort if Apple refuses to help you and you don't have credit card insurance.

Best of luck to you.