XPS 13 9350 Motherboard Issue - Defective Part??

Question

I've had my XPS 13 state-of-the-art computer since March 2016. It would not boot up after the battery died a month ago so I sent it in. The light came on for about 15 seconds then nothing. Screen remained black. I tried removing the battery and just using the ac adapter to boot but that did not work. Finally, I had it sent in to Dell. They came back and said I was leaving my charger plugged in too long while I was using the computer and that is what caused the motherboard issue. HUH?.. I've had Dell's for years- since I was in highschool. My last XPS 15, with a disk drive mind you, had been dropped, hit, beaten up and it still functions great today. My 16 gb, 256 solid state drive, best you can buy, pretty much military grade XPS 13 that I BABIED now has this issue just under 3 years out. Has anyone else had this issue? It seems like its a manufacturing defect that Dell is trying to deflect back on me. Thanks.

ejn63 · Accepted Answer

If you have a warranty, it's covered (unless the damage is accidental). If you took just a 1-year warranty, you assumed the risk of needing a repair you'd have to pay for. Look at data published by Consumer Reports, PC Mag/ZDNet, etc and you'll see that somewhere between 20-30% of all systems will need a major repair within the first two years -- which is the very reason the $100-150 you'd spend for a 3-year warranty is a very good idea. Doesn't matter whose name is on the outside - all notebooks are made by the same small pool of manufacturers under contract, and they all fail - at about the same rate.

ejn63 · Accepted Answer

Notebook computers are designed for a 3-year lifespan -- since they're all made by the same small pool of manufacturers, regardless of the name on the outside - that's universal.

They break - about 25-30% of all notebooks will fail within three years, which is why the above advice is sound - NEVER buy a notebook without a 3-year minimum warranty coverage. With the CPU, GPU, and most of the internal hardware except the hard/solid state drive on the mainboard (excepting Apple, which now soldered the SSD to the board in most models), when anything fails, a replacement mainboard is required - making repairs very expensive.

mdp23 · Answer

It's not just you. I have a folder of bookmarks with these reports. Both on the 9550 and 9350/9360. Here's some examples:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Dell/comments/8iwbhd/dell_xps_13_wont_turn_on/

https://www.reddit.com/r/laptops/comments/5x8gbg/xps_13_9360_cant_boot_after_left_alone_to_charge/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Dell/comments/6seyp7/tried_to_enter_bios_on_my_xps_15_9550_with/?st=jh54p198&sh=303b2bba

https://www.reddit.com/r/Dell/comments/8j4vkj/xps_15_9550_no_post/

Good luck.

HenryP7777777 · Answer

Thanks for the info, mdp23. The 'cant boot after left alone to charge' post is exactly spot on. Even to the same specs on the computer. I was frustrated so I told Dell to just fix it and I'd pay for it so I'd have a computer. I will be looking at other brands on the next purchase since I believe this is a KNOWN issue and Dell did not own up to it. I wish I had those posts when I went to Dell..I suppose a reimbursement now is a day late and dollar short. Its disappointing since I've used and trusted Dell my whole life- with great experiences until now.

ffisto · Answer

Same laptop from march 2016 same motherboard problem. Doesn't charge my battery. They want 800 euro to replace. Best produit after 2 years of life. Very bad.

Robert3093 · Answer

Just had the same issue, exactly.  Tried to post a review on Dell.com and they 'moderated' it and won't post it.  Didn't say anything out of line, just simply that after a year the motherboard failed and they refuse to fix it.  I ended up paying $240 to get my $1,600 computer working again.  I can't believe they don't stand behind their products anymore than this.

MeganMC · Answer

I’ve experienced the exact same problem! I have used and trusted Dell since I was a child, my whole family has. I purchased the XPS13 thinking that Dell was still a reliable and long lasting brand and paid over $2,000 for it. Just over one year of owning the laptop the battery stopped charging and eventually it wouldn’t turn on. I had it looked at by a third party computer repairer and was told the motherboard stopped working and that they have seen this problem in Dell products - they suggested I contact Dell as well as seems like a manufacturer issue. I contacted Dell and they said it would cost $1,200 to replace the motherboard plus service fee! I asked if there had been any other customers reporting similar issues and was told they don’t keep track and as it’s an electrical product that problems can occur. It seems their products aren’t built to last anymore! And customer service is not helpful at all - not willing to help. Not happy at all. Would love to know if anyone has had any luck with their issues and Dell? Thanks

razvi · Answer

My Inspiron 15 7537 has the same problem. Started seeing it in 2016, 2 years after I bought it. Played will all kinds of BIOS settings, software settings, it's clearly a hardware problem. Seen it reported for other models too over the years. I expect this to happen for my 9575 as well, after the warranty ends. :) and the long rant: I really wish that some consumer body would force these companies to provide a list of all common issues likely to happen, based on service history, as a warning before one buys their products. Clearly Dell laptops are designed for 1-2 years of usage - most of their parts are well engineered so they last longer, but overall they become a pain to use as mobile pcs after those first 2 years (battery dies, motherboard and keyboard break, ports fail, no driver support). Laptop parts are too crammed, fans are slow in order to avoid the noise and make them smaller, so all that heat and dirt will eat into the lifetime of the product. In my experience, if you value your sanity and want to push your usage to 4-5 years, go for a custom PC built around an Asus motherboard. If you have to be mobile, tough luck - maybe buy that expensive extended warranty for +3 years and get ready for the hassle with their support team.

JJWC · Answer

How is your laptop working now? I just got the same problem on the same xps 13 9350 - it won't even turn on and only two years old. The local shop said they'd fix it for about $650 parts and labor, or I can send it in to Dell to be diagnosed.

DavidChung · Answer

Mine just died a week ago (same motherboard issue) and it was purchased around the same time you did. I'd be interested to hear of anyone chiming in on this. One of the most touted laptops in the market at the time - sad.

XPS

XPS 13 9350 Motherboard Issue - Defective Part??

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