Apple won't fix my MacBook after a coffee spill What should I do

I accidentally spilled coffee on my MacBook and I have AppleCare for three years with one year left. I took my laptop in for repair and they quoted me 429 for it. I agreed to that. A week later I got a call saying there’s mold and it’s a biohazard so they can’t fix it They asked me to pick it up get it cleaned and bring it back or I can call Apple support since I have AppleCare

Fun fact My laptop was in the Apple Store for repair less than three hours after the spill

I’m starting my MBA in less than two weeks and I don’t have a working Mac right now Please help me I’m really stressed

Update I visited the Apple Store again The technician said there was no mold when he checked in the MacBook but after nine days when the parts arrived it was discovered I was told Apple doesn’t provide cleaning services and it’s not my fault the laptop had mold I was treated rudely until I spoke to the store manager who apologized He offered me a new Mac at a lower price if it can’t be fixed

What bothers me is he could have advised me to get the laptop cleaned in the first couple of days instead of waiting nine days and making it worse

Apple support suggested I go to Jump+ and they accepted the situation so now I’m just waiting for updates

Update It took a month and three trips to the Apple Store but they finally fixed it I paid extra for accidental damage under AppleCare+

Call Apple support AppleCare is supposed to cover accidents

Kade said:
Call Apple support AppleCare is supposed to cover accidents

I did The call didn’t help at all They just repeated the same info But when I texted Apple support they gave me a better solution and said the store was in the wrong and they raised the issue

@Parker
That really sucks As a former Apple Genius I can say that experiences vary greatly I’m also a daily Mac user but my view of Apple changed after seeing how their employees treat customers

Sam said:
@Parker
That really sucks As a former Apple Genius I can say that experiences vary greatly I’m also a daily Mac user but my view of Apple changed after seeing how their employees treat customers

Sounds like it’s all about the money

Sam said:
@Parker
That really sucks As a former Apple Genius I can say that experiences vary greatly I’m also a daily Mac user but my view of Apple changed after seeing how their employees treat customers

They honestly think they are geniuses and view everyone else as beneath them

@Lyle
I really dislike the genius title I’m tech savvy and know more about macOS/iOS than they do and it shows in my experiences They are just first line support with some sales mixed in

@Lyle
Yeah and Apple fans can be nutty They act like true supporters and then stab each other in the back to get ahead

Also some of the employees will stretch the truth to push you into upgrading your hardware

And they definitely know when you’ve tampered with commands to mess with the motherboard

@Sam
I don’t believe entering commands in terminal can actually damage hardware

Max said:
@Sam
I don’t believe entering commands in terminal can actually damage hardware

People have tried Believe me I’ve witnessed someone try to swap his MacBook under warranty claiming it was a lemon

Sam said:
@Parker
That really sucks As a former Apple Genius I can say that experiences vary greatly I’m also a daily Mac user but my view of Apple changed after seeing how their employees treat customers

Is it that bad Also is it okay that Apple support sent me to Jump+ since it’s part of Apple and the store won’t fix it

@Parker
It seems a bit strange but they are essentially sending you to another Apple authorized store It could be easier or maybe the store manager is just shifting their responsibility

Sam said:
@Parker
It seems a bit strange but they are essentially sending you to another Apple authorized store It could be easier or maybe the store manager is just shifting their responsibility

That might actually be solid advice Apple Stores can only fix devices that aren’t considered end of life They frequently update that list Once they do the authorized retailers can still work on older devices

Kade said:
Call Apple support AppleCare is supposed to cover accidents

There are exclusions to all insurance policies For example in the UK AppleCare+ terms state smoke and fire damage isn’t covered

@Brady
But this was just liquid damage which should be covered

Parker said:
@Brady
But this was just liquid damage which should be covered

If there’s any biohazard or bodily fluids involved it won’t be covered If you got your computer in time there’s no way it should have mold already What they saw as mold could be corrosion because they look similar

@Riley
OP said it was with them just 3 hours after the spill There’s no chance there was mold that soon after a coffee spill lol

Young said:
@Riley
OP said it was with them just 3 hours after the spill There’s no chance there was mold that soon after a coffee spill lol

I spilled a cocktail on mine and there was fuzz on the components but I think it was just some corrosion not mold

They quoted you 429 for repair You shouldn’t be okay with that What is AppleCare for if it’s not for situations like this

Vesper said:
They quoted you 429 for repair You shouldn’t be okay with that What is AppleCare for if it’s not for situations like this

I’m not sure where the OP’s 429 comes from but I’m sure you don’t know what AppleCare actually covers Here’s the relevant part

Unlimited incidents of accidental damage protection each subject to a service fee of 99 for screen damage or external case damage or 299 for other accidents plus taxes

I spilled tea on my Mac and my Mac shut down Then I used AppleCare They cleaned it and charged me about 100 which was just for a part