Apple Launches 27" iMac 3TB Hard Drive Replacement Program

Apple has determined that a small number of 3TB hard drives used in late 2012 27-inch iMacs sold between December 2012 and September 2013 may fail under certain conditions. The company has initiated a replacement program to replace affected hard drives free of charge through Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider (AASP).

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Apple is contacting affected iMac owners that provided a valid email address during product registration to inform them about the new replacement program. iMac owners can check if they are affected by entering the computer's serial number on Apple's support website, and visit the Genius Bar, locate an AASP or contact Apple Technical Support to initiate the replacement process.

Apple advises that customers who paid to have their hard drive repaired contact the company for a refund. The replacement program covers affected iMac models until December 19, 2015, or three years from the affected iMac's original date of sale, depending on whichever is longer. Read about the iMac replacement program on Apple's support website for further details.

Apple announced a similar replacement program in mid-2011 for select 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMacs sold between May and July of that year with Seagate 1TB hard drives that could also fail under certain conditions, later expanding the program to include a much broader timeframe. That replacement program expired on July 23, 2013 after being extended for a year. Apple also launched a repair program for early MacBook models in 2010.

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Top Rated Comments

AngerDanger Avatar
129 months ago

"A new computer built by my company ships with a hard drive potentially prone to failure and file corruption. The drive fails and loses thousands of documents depended upon by the user. Now, should we initiate a hard drive replacement program? Take the number of computers in the field, A, multiply by the probable rate of failure, B, multiply by the amount lost from a lawsuit, C. A times B times C equals X. If X is less than the cost of a program, we don't do one."
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacFather Avatar
129 months ago
Deleted.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JustThinkin' Avatar
129 months ago
My parents literally just died last night and has a 3TB Fusion Drive from 2012...probably this...going to Apple on Sunday with it.
Punctuation is awfully important. You sent a shock of horror through me when I first read your comment. If you'd just put the apostrophe in I would have known your parents are fine.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
scaredpoet Avatar
129 months ago
Apple needs to stop using Seagate drives ('https://www.backblaze.com/blog/3tb-hard-drive-failure/').
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
topmounter Avatar
129 months ago




UGGH... I saw this and hoped it was an announcement for the updated 27" Cinema Display :confused:
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SHNXX Avatar
129 months ago
Thanks MacRumors!
It looks like mine falls within this date range.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)