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M14x Left Hinge Defect
A number of Dell customers have had problems with their Alienware M14x Laptops. After 12 to 20 months the left hinge seizes up and the metal hinge cracks the LCD portion of the laptop. Dell considers this normal wear and tear rather than a manufacturing defect and it is not covered if you own the extended warranty. It might be covered if you have the accident protection plan (I do not have that so I am unsure.). This seems a little bit like a car door falling off a car due to normal use (no collision or abuse) during the warranty period and the car manufacturer claiming that this is normal wear and tear.
Failianware
5 Posts
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May 24th, 2013 10:00
Well I just recently bought an m14xR2 its 3 weeks old and I can CONFIRM the left hinge problem is certainly a manufacturer defect. I have opened this laptop literally only 3 times and I notice the left hinge is starting to separate from the base. I sent it off for repair. Oh and did I mention I have bought 3 alienwares off of dell in the past month first was an x51 have had no problems so far, the m14x with left hinge defect after 3 weeks. and I put in an order for an alienware aurora r4. I noticed the m14x defect after I put in the order for the aurora.. if I seen this before hand I would have not put in an order for another. if this is not fixed you bet your I will be returning that aurora and getting my 1,500 dollars back.
RocketPowerYUL
1 Rookie
1 Rookie
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4 Posts
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May 24th, 2013 11:00
I have the same issue that appeared almost exactly 18 months after purchase in July 2011. Not only is the left hinge broken but my screen is banding and I'm getting noise on the screen. Sometimes the screen just fades, gets snowy and stops refreshing until I wiggle the screen. This is so frustrating my Inspiron 6400 is still working fine since 2006 as a home server. I thought I would be getting something even better with upgrading to Alienware. Dell you are a disgrace, your response is a disgrace and these laptops should be repaired for free. STAND BY YOUR PRODUCTS or you will become even more insignificant than you already have become with the decline of the PC business.
So I pried open the screen only to find a broken cheap piece of plastic attached to a metal plate see pic link below. Note the screw that's mangled and was never touched by me with a screwdriver, I'll swear in court to this. This is shoddy manufacturing at it's best. Luckily this is only a premium laptop and our wallet is the only victim.
Worn screw
Broken pieces found (also seems like the part left of the hinge is loose now since it broke off the metal bracket behind it).
How my screen acts sometimes (only one of many psychedelic things I see when *trying* to work
Also the two plastic rods inserted into the left metal part of the hinge seen to the left of the mangled screw are falling out as if whatever was holding it behind the metal part separated at some point. I think I nixed the screen effect by checking the connectors and tightening the mangled screen so there is no more give in that area. The screen also no longer makes that heart breaking cracking sound when I open it. I think the failure mode seen here involves the fact that greyish support structure the metal attaches too is not as screwed down as much as the right side. The right side seems to have 2 rivets and a screw, while the left side has a gaping hole and a slot for a plastic rod to slide in from behind. When I open and close the screen, you can clearly see the left side separating from the back of the lid which seems to be causing flex stress to the hinge components, eventually leading to the failure. I would like Dell to respond to the why they decided to design this structure this way, knowing how much resulting give there is. I hope the R2 has this part redesigned.
Left side
Right side
The difference is obvious no?
Left side substructure at rest
Left substructure flex clearly noticeable when I induce a closing-lid force at the top of the screen
Can Dell seriously defend this as wear and tear?
DELL-Chris M
Community Manager
Community Manager
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54.9K Posts
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May 24th, 2013 22:00
The policy will not be changed by complaining out here. You need to post these complaints on Dell IdeaStorm to get any traction.