With no replies to this one, I continued to explore the problem myself.  It became clear that the spacebar keytop bends if you press it at the ends, so it hits the backplate before the keyswitch (at the centre) closes. I made a steel plate 90mm x 15mm x 1mm, painted it black and glued it to the spacebar.  This prevents the spacebar from bending and cures the problem completely.  I had two laptops fail this way so I would guess that a lot of other users will have experienced the same problem.  This looks like a design defect to me (a retired engineer).  Either the spacebar is too bendy or the keyswitch is too stiff.  If Dell have not already addressed the problem, it needs looking at.

PeterM

What OS is installed?

So when you find your spacebar not function, the first quick fix you can try is to check the Sticky Keys. Press Windows key + I key together to open Settings Window. Then scroll down to find and click Ease of Access.  Spacebar not working error is probably due to its driver issues.

Adrian:

The O.S. is Windows 10, but this isn't a software problem, it's a mechanical problem with the spacebar.  I was expecting to see some "Me too" posts, but maybe I was just unlucky to get the warranty replacement laptop show exactly the same fault as the first one.  I fixed mine and now just want to report it to Dell in case it is a common problem and they need to improve the design of the spacebar.

PeterM

Hello, I see you are looking for technical assistance. If you need our help, you can start a Private message with us and we will be happy to assist you.

Hi. I have the same problem. How did you get the spacebar 'off'. I'm scared to force it in order to do a similar repair?

Graemestown:

I didn't try to remove the spacebar because I knew it would break - the technician in the shop tried and it DID break, so they had to give me a new laptop!  See my later post - I glued a metal plate to the spacebar and that cured it for a time.  Much later it got worse again.  I got Dell to replace the keyboard (that was very expensive).  It is better now but not perfect.  I do believe this is a design weakness in the keyboard.  Maybe there should be a keyswitch at each end of the spacebar, not just one in the centre.

Peter M

Hey Peter, I had a similar issue with a Dell laptop a while back, and I know how frustrating it can be. Yes, you can usually unclip the spacebar and clean underneath, but it's a bit tricky.

Before trying anything, I’d suggest testing how well your spacebar registers presses using keyboard counter tool. It can help you see if certain parts of the key are less responsive than others.

If cleaning doesn’t help, the entire keyboard can often be replaced as a separate unit, though it depends on your model.