M17x R4 stopped working after 2 weeks of use

Yesterday my M17x R4 stopped working i had only just powered it up and was using it for less than 5 minutes when suddenly it cut out. The AC adapter was plugged in and i tried switching it on again, it powered up for 5 seconds and then just cut out again which happens every time i try to turn it on. Sometimes it doesn't even start up at all, it has worked perfectly up until now and has shown no noticeable problems.

I called up Dell's support line and explained what had happened and they told me it sounded like a motherboard issue and that a technician would call me up today and arrange a date to come out and fix it, but i have received no call as of yet.

My question is, since the laptop is only two weeks old as of yesterday and is not fit for purpose should i not be entitled to receive a replacement system? The components are not failing due to use but because they are faulty. I would rather receive a replacement than have some technician replace parts in what is a new system as i have read mostly negative reviews on dell's technicians. Has anyone experienced this before with a new system and if so what was the outcome?

 

I would push for a replacement, unless it turns out to be something like a dead battery. if its a motherboard, get a new laptop. I believe you have 20 days to return the laptop, so if its only 2 weeks, get a new one, but only if its something serious.

There are many stories about how a tech comes over, pulls the laptop completely apart to get at the motherboard which damages a bunch of other things along the way

 

Thanks for the reply! When i had spoken to them on the phone i asked about getting a replacement and they basically told me you can only return it within 7 days, however i thought that was to return a product for a refund and not a faulty system for a replacement. They said they can replace it if they can't fix it after a third time. I am going to call them again and try to speak to a supervisor and see if i can push for a replacement.

That's exactly what i am worried about having a tech performing work on a new system, i don't what to be in this situation again having other components fail.

 

oh where are you located? In the US its 21 days. You must be in the EU

 

Yeah i am in the UK. Do you think i should wait until the tech arrives and diagnoses the problem or try and get a replacement before then? Assuming the technician actually calls me to arrange a date...

 

usually with dell, they bend over backwards when you have a new laptop and are under warranty.

Try for a replacement. Push for one. It it freaking 2 weeks old. Don't take no for an answer. If the motherboard has to be replaced, they may use refurbished parts. So you will have a 3 week old computer with a refurbished motherboard

 

Wow. Sorry for your problem!

If my R4 turns out like this I'm going ape lol.


Hope you get a replacement! Good luck.

 

Try and push for 21 days but be careful as 21 days is from INVOICE not shipping (usually a delay from building to shipping then you getting it). Or you can chat with Dell support, this is what I do.

 

Just off the phone from their support line, they just told me again they cant replace the laptop without first trying a repair and they can only offer me a return within 7 days.

I complained and complained that i should not have to get a brand new system repaired and that i wanted a replacement but he said he can't authorize a replacement without the management's approval and gave me an email address since they are outwith work hours for the day. He basically just went on and on about the repair and seemed to miss the point of my argument.

 

If only the technician will be really careful in taking it apart then it should be ok since I think there isn't much refurbished R4 motherboard so far.
When the tech replaced my R3 CPU and GPU within 1 week of getting it, I was basically telling him to be careful lol!
You can actually see whether the parts are new anyway. Be sure to check the seal in the packaging. Just hope its not tampered.
Are they allowed to use a refurbished part anyway? Is it in the warranty terms that they can use used parts?
And I can't find the warranty terms also. Any link?

Edit: I think I found it. Just got to read it

Ok, that's it. If you really cant return it, then just hope they will use new parts since there shouldn't be so much reconditioned R4 mb on stock yet. Hopefully

 

Send the email to the manager or contact the manager tomorrow. Get this taken care of. ITs a brand new laptop

 

My R4 Laptop showed up DEAD ON ARRIVAL. No matter what i did to get upset they forced me to send it away to get the motherboard fixed.

I just received a call the the the other day, and the alienware tech support told me the parts are on back order for my laptop and it will be a few weeks to get it fixed and back to me.

 

This is why I always get steered away from the Alienware lines! I swear! Every other machine is DOA or dies within the first month of use.

If you spend upwards of $1,800+ on a laptop, there should be nothing even hinting of it "possibly arriving to your home in working condition" as this should be a complete given. Clevo can manage this just fine. As can MSI. >_>

 

This is simply not true. Go over to Sagers forums/Asus/MSI or what have you. You will find just as many, "My laptop broke way too soon!" threads.

If I have said it once, I have said it 10,000 times, when you pack cutting edge tech into a tiny box sometimes things go bad. AW is no worse off then anyother manufacturer.

In responce to the OP: Get MAD! Call them up and use a phrase something like this, "I spent $ X,XXX.XX and this is completely unacceptable. I have never been so angry/upset/dissappointed with a product. I demand you do the right thing and replace this product, or I will lose confidence in your company and will tell others not to purchase products from you."

That kind of corporate speak usually motivates the minions to get someone on the line who will help you. Thats how I got my first R2 replaced 26 days after purchase (which, as you can see, is outside the normal return period).

And just so no one even makes the arguement, the quote I wrote above is for the OP to tell the Dell phone op is in no way how I actually feel about Dell/AW...its just corporate speak to get you to the people who have the authority to actually do something besides quote company policy at you.

 

Precisely the same for me dude, UK support is POOR. My R4 has had a faulty trackpad since I took delivery and now seems to have problems with the battery/adapter/motherboard and a problem with the optical drive (won't burn AlienRespawn discs) Seriously, I've asked for a replacement; I've owned this thing for TWO DAYS (since Wednesday) what are we to do? They don't seem to give damn... They're also coming off with that I purchased it for business use (as opposed to private) therefore voiding my return rights; which is BS.

 

This is all very worrying! I'd like to input my reasonably good experience (in the last couple if days) dealing with the Indian help desk for balance but first, I believe the UK law on 'distance selling' is 14 days from receipt of goods for a return/refund for any reason. 7 days is if you purchase directly in a shop.

Did you buy it through a business account or something for this attempt to void your rights, which I believe is not legal anyway, you cannot sign away your statutory rights as a purchaser. Their only legitimate claim in this is that you bought it for a different purpose than it was sold. Weak!

I've had no end of problems with my R3 since I purchased it in Jan of this year. When I called them a couple of days ago with another serious problem - sudden total crash with the speaker buzzing, they started another remote fault finding session. I followed the advice given here about 'not acceptable for a £2.5K laptop, very upset, disappointed', etc, and said 'isn't it about time you gave up and give me a replacement?'. Guy says he will speak to manager, comes back and I get an offer of a replacement or refund. Upgraded me to the best current processor and a bigger second drive.
Now waiting for my new R4...

 

Well I emailed the management last night explaining my situation and asking for a replacement, but the technician called me this morning and said he would be coming out to do the repair, I thought that he would call a few days beforehand to book a time and day but I guess not. He went ahead and replaced my motherboard (his first time replacing a motherboard on an M17x) and my computer seemed to be fixed, however after he left my graphics card (AMD 7970M) wasn't working.

I called up the support line again and explained what had happened, and he tried the whole remote connect session and tried some things over the phone with me. Eventually he started talking about another system repair but I interjected and told him I would not be willing to accept another repair and that I want a replacement system. He told me he can't promise a replacement system but he would do everything he could in his power to help, he was more sympathetic than the other people I had spoken to and didn't just quote the terms & conditions. I asked to speak to management but apparently they would only be available to call me back on Monday.

Anyway here's hoping they give me a replacement, when I speak to a supervisor on Monday I will be sure to follow the advice given here when venting my frustration! Hopefully everything will go smoothly

 

somehow i get the feeling that if you did get a replacement then they will try to fix (i.e. refurbish) the laptop you returned and ship it to the next poor guy

 

I believe they call it the Dell Outlet

 

I had to send my R1 away 4 times, and a had a repair technician came by and replace my video card countless times. Before they would send out a replacement. The process is still on going....

 

Do you happen to have the 7970m in your R4? or Nvidia gpu?

 

Okay, I must ask if ANYBODY knows...are they obliged (by the law of UK/Europe) to grant us a replacement if there is a fault? Especially given that I )and other owners) are reporting faults with our units so early into ownership?

I took out 2 years elite cover (or whatever it's called) and 2 years accidental damage cover to protect my investment, I feel like I'm being taken for a ride. Surely, the Distance Selling Regulations Act means that I can genuinely ask for a replacement without even having a technician out? It's not like I'm saying I have problems with my unit for the good of my health, is it? >.<

 

Even if people do know, I strongly doubt people will be willing to provide legal advice on a forum, which is, unfortunately, what you're asking for.

 

Yeah I can totally understand that but, as consumers we are all binded to a contract with Dell through our purchase. I'm asking if people have successfully ordered a replacement rather than the scriptual BS of "refund or repair" they usually spout. Contextualisation: my unit has 3 faults within two days of ownership, because of this I have not loaded even ONE game onto my system yet - of which I spent almost £2,000.

Whether it's legal advice I'm asking for or truthful anecdotal evidence, I think this thread serves as a good conduit for those who have experiences of faultiness with Dell soon into their contractual agreement.

If I bought a Macbook Pro, I know for a fact had I had the faults I do I could take it to my nearest Apple Store and they would replace the laptop - probably within an hour. To be quite frank, I genuinely believe that Dell people are told to ride the law as closely as they can. Surely there's now way that I cannot demand a replacement when my machine was faulty out of the box - especially given how much I paid for it. Probably funding two months worth of wages for one of their employees.

Oh, and for the record if my response seems like I'm launching at you, you have my word that wasn't my intention - I just wanted to extrapolate my reasons behind what I have said in order to gain further knowledge and experience with customer relations with Dell - who, before I purchased it, I had heard they had amazing customer service.

 

Well, I'm no lawyer first off but it seems that I made an error in an earlier post regarding the UK distance selling Act. My research show up 7 days from delivery and it includes buyer remorse as a reason. My confusion was that my first AW was giving me problems and when I called Dell they told me I had 2 weeks to decide to keep it - I sent it back. I was also told on my last service call that after 3 engineer visits a replacement will be offered if asked for. I did and got one!

We don't have the 'lemon laws' like many States do to protect consumers from continual faults from new

 

I'm not sure what the laws are here in the UK, but I do know that if you purchase an Apple product, they will replace your defective product, but chances are it will be a refurbished one. At least that was what I was given every time I had to get my iPhone replaced.

As far as Alienware goes, they don't have any local stores to just walk up to and talk to someone face to face. It would be great if we could. If you're not able to get a full replacement, than make sure the tech that comes in and does the repair doesn't screw something up. Watch him like a hawk and make sure he takes his time and does it right.

 

Managed to get myself a replacement system! the guy I spoke to from the support line called me back yesterday and offered me it. Arranged them to pick the faulty one up on Wednesday, and he told me I would receive an email with the system specification although I haven't got that yet. Do I have to wait until they receive my old system before I get the order for the new system? Forgot to ask him that.

Anyway thanks for all the advice everyone gave me I'm glad I didn't just accept the repair and pushed for a replacement. Hope i am more lucky with the next one. To the other people with problems with their M17x I hope you get them resolved soon, just don't let them push your around

 

I understand why you're asking. I'm just saying that, I'm not sure it's prudent for people to answer, even if they would like to.

In a very general sense, when you purchase a product from somebody or something, there are a whole bunch of laws and regulations that might become applicable. There are also basic principles (e.g.: contract law) that could well come into play. All of these things have an effect on what sort of remedies you might have in a legal sense. It would be ill-advised (at best) and potentially harmful (at worst) for someone who is not licensed in your jurisdiction to try to walk you through these things. It's somewhat analogous to asking people on an Internet forum to tell you what complications might arise from a particular surgery. Sure, we could do the research and formulate some degree of opinion, we might even have anecdotal experience, but we're not the right people to be asking.

Separate and apart from any legal remedies you might have, there are a whole class of remedies you might have because brands like Dell (and Apple) invest a lot of money and effort in maintaining their "pro-customer service" image. The example you provided with respect to Apple has nothing to do with the legal remedies you might have and everything to do with their corporate philosophy. Apple wants (and hopes/expects) that their customer service reputation will result in people being loyal to them, resulting in increased profits down the road. It is a business model that has a fair bit of merit. It is completely possible that Dell, while not at the same degree of responsiveness as Apple, might respond in a similar way if you contact them.

Good luck.

 

Congratulations - good news.

For me, a couple of days ago, I got the email with the replacement spec in less than an hour of them offering it.

When I got a call to arrange collection I told them I would not release it until the working replacement was received. Guy just said 'what's your EDD?' and when I told him he said they would call back a couple of days after that, so there should be no dependency on you returning.

You still own it until a replacement arrives so I would expect you to get get your spec next business day. From there you confirm it is OK and they place the order same as if you had purchased it. 2 days for me from call to order confirmation.
I also am hoping I am luckier this time

 

Nice, I've found that the only real way to get any appreciable support from Dell is speak with American managers, though American reps can also be helpful they were oddly harder to get a hold of.

It's unfortunate Dell decided that outsourcing it's support was a good idea, it may be cheaper for them, but it often causes significant consumer frustration.

 

Add me to the list as well. Should I call today or wait until Tuesday to call and ask for a replacement machine??

 

Depends...if its just ram (as concluded in the other thread), then no. Get the ram replaced. Its a minor inconvenience

 

Hey, which region are you located? Europe/UK? Thanks.

 

I'm from the UK, as I guess you are too? Have you managed to get a replacement or are you going ahead with a repair?

 

Yes, UK based too. Well, they said the "can't" as the MOST they can offer is a repair or refund. Was yours custom built or stock? I know the laws/protocol are slightly different depending on if it was custom built. Is yours completely dead, if not what is wrong with it?

Final question: how did you go about getting your replacement, especially after two weeks? Thanks man.

 

Hi another UK user here.

I get the feeling that they (ofshore support) are just being a little lazy. You would think that Dell would much prefer you to get a replacement rather that your money back and the option of going elsewhere but processing a replacement is just extra work for them!

My first AW ordered (MX18) had a faulty MB out-of-the-box. Anything plugged in on the left side needed wiggling. Can't remember how long it was before I found the problem but I think it was between one and two weeks. Anyway, when I called they were offering a refund. I asked about just sending a replacement and a supervisor came on telling me that it was 'easier and better' that I just get my money back and re-order. I did this but of course that added a week to the lead time for them to receive the unit back and the money to get into my account.

If they are offering a refund (or repair) then I think that is probably all they need to do to comply with any applicable laws/regulations and may well be going beyond if it is after 7 days.

This time around I did get offered a replacement (or refund) but it falls under their internal policy of '3 engineer calls' and is nearly 6 months old.

Good luck n try to get some empathy (not easy when you are communicating with someone that does not speak your language as a first or live in your culture) from the support contact.

 

Mine was custom built, the motherboard was faulty. It wouldn't power on at all. I called them up and asked for a replacement and was told they had to do a repair, so i accepted it. After talking with some people here i decided to call them up again and demand a replacement. They ended up sending a technician who fitted a new motherboard, but then my graphics card wouldn't work. They tried to arrange another repair but i asked to speak to a manager instead and that i would not be willing to accept that and i wanted a replacement. This guy was way more helpful than the others and said he would try anything he could to help and he ended up calling me back and offering me a replacement.