How can I have my 21.5-inch iMac replaced?

Question

In October last year, I decided to buy a 21.5-inch iMac, but I have had a few problems since receiving it in November last year.
Firstly, about a month after receiving the iMac, my son noticed a grey "mist" forming underneath the glass display. Due to it being beneath the glass, I was unable to clean it. I took it to an Apple Store where they removed the display and explained that it was caused by my partner and myself smoking around it. Since we discover that smoking had caused the "mist", we have had a total ban on smoking in our home, but I have recently noticed that a "mist" seems to be forming underneath the screen again. Only this time I do not know how nor why.
Additionally, we are unable to play DVDs on the iMac. During some DVDs, the DVD Player application becomes unresponsive and displays the "skipping over damaged content" message, and other DVDs are ejected a few seconds after being inserted. Strangely enough, CDs seem to work without any problem. There is no issue with any of the DVDs as they are all in perfect condition, undamaged and work on other DVD players in our home. I have read online that if the iMac is still under warranty, I should be able to have the SuperDrive replaced, and that may fix the problem.
However, since I am still having issues with the reoccurring "mist" under the display, despite having had the problem "fixed" and taking precautions to prevent it from happening again, I would prefer to have the iMac replaced. There is no issue with content on the hard-drive as it is relatively new. I would also like to mention that when we received it, there was a "dead-pixel" in the centre of the display that is still present and does bother me when using it.
I am happy I brought it as it is a very good computer, but these small faults are very annoying and are ruining our experience with owning an iMac. I was wondering if someone could perhaps advise me on what to do? It is still under the one-year limited warranty, and I have an AppleCare Protection Plan, but I have yet to register it incase I have my iMac replaced, or would the AppleCare Protection Plan be transferred to the new iMac if it is replaced?
Thank you.
*Additional Details*
The "mist" is like a greyish tar on the underside of the glass. It extends from the far left corner with a radius of approximately 5-inches. It is located only on the left of the display and is visible when the iMac is switched off, and when the iMac is switched on. When switched on, the "mist" is not as visible, but it dilutes the colours of the pixels, thus making it visible. The coloration of the pixels in the "misted" area appears less saturated, with some small areas appearing almost black-and-white.
This "mist", as I have described it is very much a problem. Over time, it appears to be moving down the display towards the bottom left corner.
Message was edited by: Patricia Bywater

Answer 1

As the anti-smoking people will point out at every turn, that stuff gets into EVERYTHING, and you'll never get rid of all of it. It's like the joke about Indian food, and how you have to burn the house down to get rid of the smell.
The "mist" is likely remnants of the tar from the cigarettes. It doesn't matter if you're smoking outside or 10 miles away, it will get on your hands, in your clothes, you'll even exude it from your skin. It could also be that this is just whatever managed to get into the system before you took it in to be cleaned off the first time. It may take a few more cleanings before it's more or less gone. You will probably never be completely rid of it, but the problem will likely decrease in frequency if you continue to smoke elsewhere.
Personally, I wouldn't push this issue too much. They probably would have been well within reason to just void your warranty when you took it in the first time. They didn't so, take that as a gift. You keep pushing the replacement idea, you may find you run into someone who has no problem just saying that you've damaged the system, and refuse to service it.
Now, the DVD thing could also be a result of you having smoked in the house. That tar and other garbage in cigarettes is just as bad for electronics as it is your lungs. It will have a way of coating, and sticking, to things where you don't want it coating or sticking. Like the lens that focuses the laser to read DVDs. That has to be very precisely calibrated for it to work. Anything that messes with the focusing of that laser is not good.
However, since you have other devices that work, and presumably have been exposed to the environment of your home for far longer, you probably just have a bad drive, and you can get that replaced. You can also ask them nicely to clean off the glass again since they have to take it off to replace the drive. But I would not take my chances if they give you any kind of resistance to that idea. You can go on all you want about how unfair you think it is, but unless you're willing to take it to court, where your odds of success are probably pretty low... Unfair or not, that's how it is.
The AppleCare plan I'm torn on. Normally I'm all for this, but I'd hate to see you end up wasting your money because they decide that the effects of smoking are the cause of the damage, and thus lumped in with things like liquid damage. I'd call Apple's AppleCare department, decline to give the serial number for your system, and just ask them what their policy is on smoking related incidents as far as warranty claims go. Then you can make a decision about whether or not you want to return the AppleCare package for a refund, and your system won't necessarily be flagged, unless they do it at the store.