Dell Laptop Issues and Dell's substandard warranty

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SlugSlinger

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We have a model 5558 laptop that is 6 months old with very little use. One of the hinges broke. The laptop was not damaged, but the hinge design is very poor. This is how Dell stands behind their products.

This is the warranty on my invoice and one reason I bought this laptop:

"IN15 - 5558 : 1 Yr Ltd Hware Warranty: Mail-in; Customer supplies box, Dell pays shipping (Included in Price)"

10‎:‎38‎:‎31‎ ‎AM Dell Customer Initial Question/Comment: Left hinge broken.

‎10‎:‎38‎:‎41‎ ‎AM System You are now being connected to an agent. Thank you for using Dell Chat

‎10‎:‎38‎:‎41‎ ‎AM System Connected with _HYDSai_977336

‎10‎:‎38‎:‎51‎ ‎AM _HYDSai_977336 Welcome to Dell Technical Support Chat. My name is Sai Kumar with rep id 977336

‎10‎:‎39‎:‎31‎ ‎AM _HYDSai_977336 Hi Dell Customer, I see that you need support on computer hinge issue. I will do my best to help you resolve it.

‎10‎:‎39‎:‎41‎ ‎AM _HYDSai_977336 While I gather the system’s configuration and warranty details, could you please provide me the phone number to reach in case the chat gets disconnected?

‎10‎:‎40‎:‎33‎ ‎AM Dell Customer This is a very common problem as indicated on the Dell community site.

‎10‎:‎40‎:‎34‎ ‎AM Dell Customer http://en.community.dell.com/search#q=5558 hinge

‎10‎:‎41‎:‎31‎ ‎AM _HYDSai_977336 Kindly confirm, are we referring to INSPIRON 15-5558 with Windows 10 as the factory installed operating system?

‎10‎:‎41‎:‎44‎ ‎AM Dell Customer Yes

‎10‎:‎42‎:‎16‎ ‎AM _HYDSai_977336 Thank you for confirming Dell Customer.

‎10‎:‎42‎:‎56‎ ‎AM _HYDSai_977336 We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to you. Please be assured, I will personally look into this matter and do my best to resolve the issue to your satisfaction.

‎10‎:‎43‎:‎16‎ ‎AM _HYDSai_977336 Dell Customer, could you please confirm if there is any physical damage on laptop?

‎10‎:‎43‎:‎35‎ ‎AM Dell Customer The laptop has very little use and has NEVER been abused or damaged.

‎10‎:‎44‎:‎46‎ ‎AM _HYDSai_977336 Thank you for confirming Dell Customer.

‎10‎:‎45‎:‎41‎ ‎AM _HYDSai_977336 How many days has it been since the hinge broken?

‎10‎:‎46‎:‎02‎ ‎AM Dell Customer 2-3 days

‎10‎:‎47‎:‎41‎ ‎AM _HYDSai_977336 Thank you Dell Customer, could you confirm how did he hinge broke?

‎10‎:‎48‎:‎00‎ ‎AM Dell Customer I was opening the lid and it broke

‎10‎:‎48‎:‎16‎ ‎AM Dell Customer It is a bad hinge design.

‎10‎:‎48‎:‎36‎ ‎AM Dell Customer As indicated on the dell community

‎10‎:‎48‎:‎41‎ ‎AM _HYDSai_977336 I'm sorry to know that Dell Customer.

‎10‎:‎49‎:‎26‎ ‎AM _HYDSai_977336 Please allow me couple of minutes, while I check for options.

‎10‎:‎55‎:‎06‎ ‎AM _HYDSai_977336 Dell Customer, after checking your system’s details, I find that the warranty on your system does not cover accidental damages. However, we have a dedicated Out of Warranty Repairs team to handle your issue. Kindly stay connected while I connect you to the right department and for future reference you may reach them at 1800-288-4410. There would be a nominal fee associated to resolve the issue.

‎10‎:‎55‎:‎30‎ ‎AM Dell Customer I am not sure why you say it is damaged. It was not damaged.

‎10‎:‎56‎:‎02‎ ‎AM Dell Customer This is giving Dell a very poor reputation.

‎10‎:‎56‎:‎17‎ ‎AM _HYDSai_977336 I'm sorry for the inconvenience Dell Customer.

‎10‎:‎58‎:‎11‎ ‎AM _HYDSai_977336 I'm sorry for inconvenience Dell Customer. I have checked with my supervisor and he confirmed we cannot support on physical damage issue.

‎10‎:‎58‎:‎29‎ ‎AM Dell Customer Again, there is NO damage.

‎11‎:‎01‎:‎01‎ ‎AM _HYDSai_977336 Dell Customer, I request you to contact Out of Warranty Repairs team for issue.

‎11‎:‎01‎:‎12‎ ‎AM Dell Customer Tell your supervisor to read through the comments. http://en.community.dell.com/search#q=5558 hinge


‎11‎:‎01‎:‎31‎ ‎AM _HYDSai_977336 Sure Dell Customer.

‎11‎:‎01‎:‎49‎ ‎AM Dell Customer This is a very big issue and if Dell doesn't head it off and treat customers fairly, there will be no customers to treat unfairly.
 

YukonGlocker

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Unfortunately most PC manufacturers don't handle service any better. Cut your loses and get a Mac...one of the advantages is the first class service you receive.
 

vvvvvvv

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Unfortunately most PC manufacturers don't handle service any better. Cut your loses and get a Mac...one of the advantages is the first class service you receive.

Then again, expect your Mac to be out of service for 4-6 weeks while it's having a 15 minute memory module, PSU, or HDD replacement job done. Or when a PSU fails and fries the motherboard and screen in the process, they'll try to accuse you of causing the initial problem.

--
To OP:

I quit using Dell in 2008. I had ordered a laptop from them and specifically requested that they not ship via DHL because of delivery issues in the area where I was living. They shipped DHL, and I had to wait two weeks past the delivery date for them to decide which driver's territory it was in and ship it back and forth between their hubs, and even then it was delivered (with signature required) to an abandoned property at the wrong address. Yes, the delivery issues were DHL, but my problem with Dell was that I informed them of those sorts of issues likely to come up and their sales rep acknowledged my request and confirmed that they would ship it UPS.

I haven't bought a computer with a warranty since 2009. Since then, I've just shopped the refurbs (and specifically looked for refurbished closeout models). A good refurb buy can be replaced once or twice during the average lifespan of a computer. That said, my current desktop and laptop are both 2012 models. The closest current Macbook Pro (still lower specs, though) costs 2.5x what I paid for the laptop. The closest current Mac Pro costs 4x what the desktop did and still has only half the RAM and video memory.
 

YukonGlocker

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Then again, expect your Mac to be out of service for 4-6 weeks while it's having a 15 minute memory module, PSU, or HDD replacement job done. Or when a PSU fails and fries the motherboard and screen in the process, they'll try to accuse you of causing the initial problem...
We've had multiple service requests in the last 5 years (we house about 100 Macs and 50 PCs) to Apple and they typically take less than 2 weeks in total. And maybe we're just lucky, but they've never accused us of causing the problem (even when we did). We have a high turnover on computers, and on average the Macs have significantly fewer problems (including those requiring outside service) and last longer. We get a much better purchasing deal from Dell than we do from Apple, but in the end we save money with Apple (and deal with fewer issues).
 

vvvvvvv

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We've had multiple service requests in the last 5 years (we house about 100 Macs and 50 PCs) to Apple and they typically take less than 2 weeks in total. And maybe we're just lucky, but they've never accused us of causing the problem (even when we did). We have a high turnover on computers, and on average the Macs have significantly fewer problems (including those requiring outside service) and last longer. We get a much better purchasing deal from Dell than we do from Apple, but in the end we save money with Apple (and deal with fewer issues).

My experience in a past job was the opposite (150 Windows PCs and 20 Mac PCs). We were able to do repairs in-house and submit warranty claims after to restock parts (had spare warranty parts on-hand for 3-10% of machines based on the failure rate of that particular component). But we could not touch the Apples. We had to first get an RMA from Apple, then we had to send it to an Apple-certified service provider in OKC whose job it was to diagnose the issue and ship it to Apple with a work order. I never had one of those take less than 4 weeks. Another thing that gave me a bad taste from Apple was their login screen appeared ~45 seconds before the network interface was brought up. When users are required to login via AD/LDAP, that results in a lot of unnecessary "I can't login" calls. At that time their commercials and reviewers were comparing time-to-login-screen to claim a faster boot time.

The only thing that makes me even consider a Mac is battery life when I'm on the road or in the air. But that's easily fixed with power inverters or business class.

I generally recommend to most people to go the refurb route. It can feel a little uncomfortable at first because it obviously had a problem at some point. But how many hardware issues does a brand new device typically have over it's lifetime? Usually those refurbs have other parts tested to make sure the root cause is addressed rather than just the symptom. They are often 30-40% below the normal price, and if you can find a refurbished closeout model it's not uncommon to find them as much as 70% off.
 

BReeves

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Only bought one computer new in my life and that was back when the Pentium first came out. Have 3 laptops and all 3 were referbs, over the years bought and retired over a dozen referb laptops without narry an issue other than simply getting outdated.
 

Catt57

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Dunno how mechanically inclined you are but here are the hinges (Not my listing / know nothing about the seller):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Inspir...-Screws-AM1AP000300-AM1AP000400-/381583206520

And here is the "how to" on replacement
http://blog.parts-people.com/2015/12/08/dell-inspiron-15-5558-lcd-hinge-removal-installation/

I know it doesn't address the warranty issue, but maybe it does offer a possible solution to repairing it.


FYI, I have always had good luck with the quality of Toshiba laptops.
 

Commander Keen

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That's pretty poorly handled, really. From the text there's no way they should have decided you dropped and broke it. I'd try a different rep, and flat out tell the new guy what the old one said (not that he probably didn't leave notes associated with your machine).

As a general rule, I'd never buy consumer-level computers. Going up to a business class one will cost a little more, but the parts are higher quality (more metal vs plastic, easier to take apart/put back together, etc) and the warranties are much better.

Basic support from any computer company is likely based out of India/Panama/Philippines and it will be very difficult if not impossible to get to a rep in North America from them.
 

SlugSlinger

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Just an update. I have chatted with 5 different customer "service" reps. The first 4 were smart a$$es, especially when I told them I was on my HP that I never had any trouble with. The last chat is posted above as the original post. I did get a supervisor on the chat later who wanted pictures. I just sent them to the email address given to me. We will see what happens from there. The supervisor did say they would call me at 7:00 tonight. We will see. Here are the pics I sent. As you can see in the chat, they keep saying I damaged the laptop. And as I kept repeating, the laptop is not damaged, the hinge is broke which deforms the screen when you try to open it.

I am fairly mechanically inclined. I can fix the laptop or even pay Cougar to fix it. This is all about principle now and they may see how much a pia I can be. And if I cant this resolved, I will pull out the big guns and have my wife deal with Dell. Then it will get ugly as she likes writing letters to the state AG and I believe this is a perfect example of a fraudulent warranty representation by Dell.

Oh, btw, this is a refurb...

IMG_2044.JPG IMG_2045.JPG IMG_2046.JPG IMG_2047.JPG IMG_2048.JPG IMG_2049.JPG
 

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