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Out of patience with Dell's horrible warranty service
Hi,
This is a rant/plea for help from someone at Dell. For the past 3 months I've been through the wringer with Dell's warranty service.
Short story for those who don't want to read this entire tail of woe. I've been through 3 LCD screens, one motherboard replacement, and now one entire system replacement - and I still have a computer with issues because Dell keeps sending me JUNK and wrong parts - And to top it off my warranty is about to run out.
And now the long story...
My story begins almost a year ago when I purchased a new Inspiron 7548. I loved that laptop and things were great up until Feb of this year when the LCD screen developed an issue with burn-in/image retention.
I contacted Dell tech support about this, and the tech agreed that the screen needed replacing. He said he'd send out an on-site service tech with an LCD replacement kit and a motherboard. I thought sending the motherboard was strange since the issue was clearly with the LCD screen. So I asked why they'd send a motherboard. The tech said incase the replacement LCD doesn't fix it... Strange. This should have been a red flag, but I just shrugged it off.
Jump forward a few days later and the on-site tech shows up. He says he doesn't know how to replace the screen in this model laptop. He said any time he's tried, the clips in the bezel break. He also said Dell should have sent the entire LCD assembly as there are no instructions to replace the LCD screen only. He called up Dell's on-site tech support line to see if they could supply him with instructions, and Dell instructed him TO REPLACE THE MOTHERBOARD for an issue with an LCD screen. He didn't know what to make of it, but did what they said and replaced a PERFECTLY GOOD motherboard, which OF COURSE didn't fix anything.
So, the tech says to ask them for the entire LCD assembly. So I contact Dell and ask them for the specific part number, which to their credit they send... But of course there are still issues with the screen. Dead pixels, backlight bleed, and the touch screen often has a mind of its own and causes the cursor to go crazy... Also at this point I'm noticing the laptop runs much warmer than before, there's a loud "coil whine", and the touchpad now randomly stops sometimes.... So my perfectly good motherboard was replaced with a broken one... Great
By this time, screen number 3 had arrived... But it was the wrong part. It was the 4k UHD screen, and I had the 1080p version. I am a software developer and I use Linux and a lot of Java software which does not scale properly on Hi-DPI screens.... So once again I had to contact Dell and tell them I can't use a 4k screen.
After sending the wrong part, Dell said they'd replace the entire system, with a refurbished one. Great! Finally an end to this, I hoped. But nope.
Dell sends me an Inspiron 7559 "gaming laptop" with a 4k screen... Even after I specifically told them I am unable to use a 4k screen. However, by this time I had well and truly had enough. I just wanted to be done with the entire ordeal. But as I am beginning to learn, there is apparently no end to it because guess what, the Inspiron 7559 has a few issues of its own.
1. The screen dims flickers when certain shades of blue enter the screen (lots of 7559 owners are complaining about this, it's an inherent flaw of the LG "pentle" screen used in these: There are a few youtube videos that show this if you search)
2. I could have just changed the resolution to 1080p and lived with the flicker but... It OVERHEATS LIKE CRAZY and the fan never shuts off. Even when idle. Tonight as I was trying to use it the thermal protection kicked in and it actually turned itself off right when I was in the middle of working!
UNACCEPTABLE
I've been patient and courteous throughout all this. But now I've had enough... I am not going through any more on site service calls with ill-equipped techs. I also no longer want to deal with Dell's "tech support" which has shown itself to be amazingly incompetent. I don't want any more faulty "refurbished" parts that aren't checked. I just want a laptop that works.
Is there someone higher up at Dell that can help me?
ibarroci
27 Posts
0
April 22nd, 2016 13:00
Tough luck. I've also have had more hardware issues than I can count, including trackpad failures, fan issues, lights burnt out, etc... I just continuously had stuff break on my $1400 laptop for no reason.
After months of dealing with this ***, I decided I just wanted Dell to buy the laptop back from me or give me store credit as that's really the only repayment for the amount of stress and issues this laptop has brought me. I was basically told by the highest level sales manager that I cannot return the laptop and I just have to go the Dell's support system. There is really nothing you can do except constantly call in service requests and once your warranty expires, like me, you are pretty much screwed.
That being said, I will never buy any Dell product again.
beamermt79
2.3K Posts
1
April 22nd, 2016 14:00
Hello! Generally you would want to post this on the Customer Service forum. Regardless I would talk with Dell-Robert by clicking here and sending a private message. He may be able to help you. He will need your personal information including service tag number etc.
eggbert74
15 Posts
0
April 22nd, 2016 16:00
Yeah I figure I will probably end up eating the cost of this laptop. I looked at the customer support forum (lots of complaints there), and that doesn't make me feel hopeful. Just Dell agents spouting the same scripted response over and over about going through the proper channels. But that's what I've BEEN DOING and getting no where. The "proper channels" are broken.
Anyway, I'm with you. Never ever will I even consider another Dell product. The quality of their products sure isn't what it used to be, and their customer service is horrendous.