Bubbles in ATG Display

I have exactly the same problem.  Started a month ago.  It seems that the displays on the ATG D630 system will not last more than about four years before springing a leak.  It is ironic that you pay a premium to get a ruggedized system (and lug around all that extra weight) and it is the ruggedization that is responsible for the failure of the system.

Looking round the web it seems that Dell are replacing some of the failing displays, but have not issued a full recall, despite this clearly being a manufacturing defect.  My warrantly expired in January and now I can't find any way to email Dell support.  Have you managed to contact them?

No.  I've not tried because my system is also out of warranty.  It's not so bad an issue for me because I've attached a military grade external monitor now for the application (navigation computer on boat).  The laptop display is no longer the primary monitor.

I'll ask the IT guys at work (an exclusive Dell site) if they have an email address for such questions.

Contacted them via chat.  Found the display is no longer available.  As a result, they can't do anything.  I tried to lead them down the road, but they didn't offer a discount on a new laptop.  You would think that they would offer a new one at or near cost because it's clearly a design flaw.  And they don't even carry replacement parts.

A car dealer is not going to give you a new car at cost after having used the car for 5 years and you now find that the tires wear unevenly.  There are few manufacturers that have system Design Life Cycle of more than 5 years.

The Current ATG models are E series.

Tires are a consumable that the owner expects to replace during the life of the car.  The laptop display is not a consumable.  It's also attached to what is supposed to be a rugged computer.

If your car had an electronic dash and it failed because of a design flaw one year after the warranty expired, you might expect the manufacturer to make good on the repair and own up to the fact that they made a poorly designed product.  If they cannot supply the replacement part, they might offer you a discount coupon towards the purchase of a new model car.  Happens all the time, you may just not be aware of it.  It's called a "Silent Recall".

Jim

My laptop failed after just over three years.  I am amazed that you compare what is either a design flaw or manufacturing defect with "worn tires".  But if you insist on the worn tyres analogy then please let me know where I can get a new set of tyres to get my car on the road again?  I don't think shillijf or I are looking for something for nothing here, but is is not reasonable to write a laptop off after only three years of use.

I think it may be a defect due to high heat. The screen can just not handle the sun. On one of the hottest days so far this summer I noticed a bubble form at the top of my E6400 ATG touchscreen. It started that day as a slow leak and now it's just a bubble that sits at the top of the screen. I've gotten used to it so far but I'm concerned about health and a cascading effect now that the seal is breached. There are other complaints of this problem. You can read some of the comments at notebook-driver:

http://www.notebook-driver.com/fi/specs/dell-latitude-d630-atg-laptop-tech-specifications/#thecomments

I'm not sure what we can do. Luckily for me I'm still under warranty. It is set to expire next spring. I might wait until the problem gets worse before reporting it. I don't know what Dell's policy will be on the replacement screen. Will it be another three years or does the warranty just expire at the same time as normal? If it's the same time I mind as well wait until right before my warranty expires before sending it in, if I can get that far.

Most of the used screens that are resold for the ATG have a bubble or bubbles and that's why I think it's a defect.

If anyone finds out more information please post it here, thanks.

I don't know and am also interested so I can use an appropriate solvent to clean up the mess.  Maybe we should alert the EPA and have them ask Dell.

Since I last posted two months ago my screen has gotten worse, there are a lot of bubbles now and they are slowly merging over weeks. One interesting thing I've noticed is that when I googled for this problem I found a bunch of people in arabic countries with the problem. Maybe they have more heat in their countries? I am in the United States.

Same issue seen here on both the D630 atg and now the E6400 atg.  Frustrating to think these are rugged systems. 

I have had the same problem, now twice on a DELL ATG D630 purchased around Mar 2008.   The original display failed after 2.5 years, fortunately I had the 2 yr extra warranty and Dell replaced the screen no problem within one business day.

However, another ~2 years later, the replacement display started failing, bubbles slowly growing, until I noticed that actually something was oozing too - wasn't aware of  this thread, too busy.  No warranty left, totally having had it with Dell, after buying from them for about 15 years, two weeks ago I removed the screen cover plastic bezel, found a LTN141W2-L01 engraved in the metal of the display under the glass cover, found and ordered exactly that from a supplier in China via aliexpress.com (alibaba) for $78  (I chose to pay +$38 to get it via UPS express) and for a total of $117 a week later had my screen.   I didn't come with the small, high-voltage board for the fluorescent backlighting that the web-videos showing the screen replacement (which is relatively simple) have already mounted on the 'replacement' screen.  It wasn't difficult to carefully disconnect this little board, un-mount and mount on my new display, finishing the reassembly and now my laptop is almost like new again...  The annoying part was getting rid of the oozed fluid from this little board and the plastic bezel -  rubbing alcohol worked.

The new LCD is missing the glass surface - and that gave me a thought with hope:  it is possible that the fluid that was oozing out is only a gap filler between this glare/whatever-reducing glass that was added on top of a beefed-up backlit (2 fluor. lamps as opposed to just one) and the LCD surface that I can now touch on my new replacement screen, which is soft, just like regular lcd displays are.   The gap filler fluid may have been necessary to reduce light back-reflections an air gap would have left - this was (no great surprise) a really cheap and low cost way of producing a "whatever super feature" this LCD was originally advertised as.   The manufacturer (Samsung) system integration specifications for this display (find it on the web if you like) state that it's maximum operating temperature is 40deg C under 90% humidity.   Now I have been in a lot of not so rugged environments like that  - and then add a bit of heat generated by the powered up laptop and its display, and even a 35 deg C environment will create a 40 deg operating condition for the display.  Ruggedized, eh?

Thank you Dell for this wonderful product that you sold me.  I hope that with this last display, with no smart-fluid to ooze out, it will serve in a little corner for many more years.  In the mean time, my sons, me, and my wife each had bought  Macbook Airs and Pros.  I love my Air for reasons too long to get into here, hopefully the moderator will forgive me.

I have the same problem with the screen , Obsolete and nearly empty before it´s 3 years old. Dell can not deliver the screen or any replacement.  This is my last Dell computer. It was expencive and I expected a longer service life for a "tough" product like that. And a better service.  Maybe Dell has enough customers at the moment, but with products like the ATG  and their service, it could turn.  I hope someone at Dell is aware of their bad image and products.

Eric

Mine has been in warranty service. They wrote me after they received the unit and said this:

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Thanks for being a Dell customer.  In the spirit of providing world class customer experience we wanted to provide an update on the status of the repair on your system.  The part(s) we have identified as necessary to fully repair your system are currently not in stock.  However, in most cases the wait time for replenishment is less than 5 days.

In the highly unlikely event that event we are not able to source the required parts within 30 days, we will contact you with available options in order to provide a resolution in a satisfactory manner.

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I haven't heard back from them yet. My warranty period is technically over (they received the laptop before the end date) so I'm not sure what they're going to do for me. I need a replacement that works outdoors. I think it's a design defect. Look at what that guy wrote ZKay wrote earlier in the thread: "maximum operating temperature is 40deg C under 90% humidity. " And how many of us are using our laptops outdoors in the sun? The bubbles in mine formed during the summer.

Dell offered me a Flat panel monitor P2012Ht as compensation. It was a take it or leave it offer. My ATG was tecnically over the warrenty period ( 2 years) when I got round to reporting the problem. I still believe that the construction is so poor that Dell should step up and get it solved. I wonder if the glue etc. is harmful in any way?  I live in Denmark and we don`t have extreme high temperatures. It could be about 30 deg.C for a few days in the summer, but 18-25 is more normal.