Poor stuctural integrity of A8Jm series

umm.... youre going to epoxy a peice of metal so it never breaks again?

you need jb weld quick and a peice of metal from a home improvement store i have chosen yet.

 

well i just dropped off my A8Jm to Asus Canada to fix up some problems and they were really nice about it. Really quick service too... I dropped it off at 9AM and they said...is noon fast enough? I said...that's too fast... lol. I gotta go pick it up at 5PM since I don't have a ride there until then.

Here's a summary of what they are going to fix

1. Hinge problem(replace)
2. Card Reader(they are nice enough to re-install windows to test it for me, even though I'm pretty sure its only a software problem...but then again...it was BSODing in safe mode too...so I'm not sure..maybe the card reader is really broken.)
3. Tighten the screws because the palmrests are kind of creaky.

And a couple more small things, we'll see how it turns out later tonight...will report back.

 

I've had mine back to asus 3 times now and they've been very prompt each time I'm super impressed with their service, A thing the guys in fremont ( the US service centre ) told me is that my warranty does not expire in may it expires next may, so it seems like they are offering me 2yrs on my laptop, although when i purchased it only had 1yr.. so I'm not sure.. ( they could be wrong as the US never really sold the A8Jm only the Js and it comes with 2yrs )

my strategy for fixing this once I'm out of warranty would be to order a new lid from the estore, and reinforce the points where the 'screw holders' keep the screws in the lid, this is what has broken on me before, if that is stronger.. then in theory the screws can be torqued more and maybe hold a little better

 

Well good news...picked it up right before they closed... they gave me a receipt and i took a bunch of pictures of the fixed lappy...will have em up as soon as my laptop finishes installing windows xp pro

they fixed all my concerns and more...

1. The broken card reader...the technician re-installed windows and fixed it...though I'm in the process of installing windows xp pro back on it.

2. The broken hinges were fixed

3. The LCD Bezel, palm rest casing and LCD Cover(Lid) were replaced with brand new parts free of charge(I was originally willing to pay for the replacement but they were too nice and offered it free of charge).

4. Replacement keyboard because I complained of the fast KB wear and tear and the keyboard flex....they replaced it with a brand new KB and now the flex has disappeared.

All of this was completed...in 5 hours. I dropped it off at 9AM...I got a call at 2PM that it was ready to be picked up.

Absolutely stunning service which makes me a proud ASUS notebook owner.

and atom, I'm not too sure about the A8Jm having 2 years warranty....I know the A8Jm NON-North American edition had 2 years warranty. But if they offer two years warranty, that's good =) . One thing I regret though, is not buying the extended ASUS warranty.

I've got the part numbers of the casing that they put on the A8Jm if anyone needs to know what parts to order from e-store....

LCD Lid = A8J-1A LCD COVER ASSY
LCD Bezel = A8J-1A LCD BEZEL ASSY
Top(Palm rest) Case = A8J-1A TOP CASE ASSY
Keyboard = KEYBOARD W3 (USA)

[edit] Well as I was installing windows xp pro...my computer kept on turning off by itself..and I realized that there was no air coming out of the vent...so I opened up the bottom casing....and the technician being the smart person that he was...forgot to plug the CPU fan back in...I did that and everything was fine.

now for the pictures...yes...we can all laugh at the funny english and grammatical mistakes...but boy do they make good notebooks =P

 

Yeah I was shocked when she told me 2 yrs as well.. i'll get to test it in 3-4 months when the hinges go again I've had mine repaired in markham once and fremont twice I've been impressed all times. I shipped it to markham and they had it turned around in a day or so, and dropping it off in fremont they usually turn it around in 2-3 hours.

 

wow...these hinges must suck hard...

im trying to baby them as much as i can...is there any merit in that? or should i just use em up as fast as possible?

 

Wait, this is confirmation that our laptops have TWO years of warranty now?!

 

well thats what she told me.. the test will be in a few months if it needs to go back, I was at the fremont repair centre where they would usually only handle the A8js's etc which all have 2yr warranty, so she might have been wrong when she said 2 years. When I purchased I only had 1 yr on it.

 

do u think it's better to baby the hinges? (i.e. only open/close/move the lcd screen when needed...) or should i just use em up like normal and see if they loosen as fast then get it tightened or replaced again

 

Use it as much as you can. Asus told me after 4 services of the same problem they will replace the laptop.

 

Are you serious??? frig if i had known this before I would have stopped babying my A8Jm after the 3rd hinge replacement. Dammit. My 1yr warranty just ended as well...thats just great.

Oh and all the A8Jm have 1yr warranties. The 2yr global warranty was announced just after most of us bought ours.

Wicked laptop regardless.

 

that doesnt mean they wont service it if they are nice =)

 

Yeah. They said you get 3 month warranty after the repair even if your warranty expires.

 

They will replace the laptop as long as it is within warranty, and not ridiculously abused haha. That is for sure. The company is very lenient in terms of fixing notebooks for their customers, but they are also very diligent when it comes to new replacements.

 

So if my two pieces that hold the LCD are coming apart again (so coming apart in one of the corners), think they'll reassemble it for me, for free?

 

if your unit is in warranty, yes.

even if you return your a8jm to asus for warranty repair regarding another issue, they will fix it for you.

 

Hey folks

I also have an A8Jm. I got it in October 06.

So far, i haven't had any of the problems you folks have (knock on wood). What exactly is loose hinges btw? Is it when the hinges that hold the LCD screen can physically move? or is it when the screen becomes too wobbly? If its wobbly, then i might fall under that category. Mine wobbles for maybe 2-3 cm when i flick it.

The only issue i've been having is that the hatch that opens and closes the screen gets stuck. Like right now, i cant close the lid unless i push in the button. So its a two handed maneuver.

Also, I still have my Splendid and spec stickers on. I am planning to take them off soon, but since you folks had the laptop longer than i, i have a question:

Did the paint where ur palm rests (where the stickers over) diminish and change color over time? I like the silver finish it has and i would hate to see gray blobs by the palm area after use.

Also, you think i can qualify for that extended warranty?

 

Add mine to the list of A8JM laptops with bad hinges. With mine the top case is cracked right over both hinges and the top case is very wobbley. I was sitting outside of a Starbucks today and the light breeze was causing the top case to bob back and forth. The top swings almost two inches. I've had mine 11 months and the cracking and loosness started about three or four months ago. Otherwise no problems at all.

 

Oh I opened up my hinge covers to look at the hinges. The bolts were loose I tightened them.

Where the a8jm has a missing bolt the a8js has solder in that place.
There is a crack in the plastic post on one side.
There is natural wobble as the mechanism is attached to flexible metal that holds the lcd. but when the bolts are loose it wobbles more.

 

Can anyone comment on palm rest paint fading?

 

My first palm rest was fading like crazy after 3 months, so they replaced it. This one, however, has been fine since (10 months now)

 

Re. Crack in the plastic post - I guess that confirms that the A8JS is pretty much the same as the A8JM hinges. I'm predicting there are less reports of A8JS problems simply because it is a newer laptop.

The A8JM doesn't have a missing bolt. It has the same 'solder' in that place. It's actually weld material where a small metal rod is welded to the flat bar of the hinge. That metal rod is mean to sit snugly within a hole in the plastic post.

So.. It sounds like the A8JM and A8JS has the same hinges. Which is a bummer since it means A8JM owners can't 'upgrade' their hinges to A8JS ones.

 

I dont think so. a8js being 100x more popular. A8jm owners started complaing just a few months after its release. it was not even that popular. A8js has been out over 7 months now. You are the first i have see so far to report this.. I think you are definitely jumping to conclusions. given the statistical data if this was fact there would have been hundreds and hundreds of cases with a8js. This was the most popular laptop on this whole forum for quite a long time.

 

Any chance someone could post pics of an A8JS hinge with the hinge covers off to compare then? We already have good pics of an A8JM hinge here

http://forum.notebookreview.com/show...t=loose+hinges

It would be great if they really were different. I'd love to know if my A8JM hinges can be upgraded to A8JS hinges.

 

Well I would say that actually every single bolt involved was loose. where the posts just have one bolt each, the other side of the hinge has 2 bolts. So thats 6 small bolts. All 6 were loose so whoever said to go look was smart, it would be best to keep the bolts tight before extra flex breaks into the plastic.

What the a8jm owners are complaining about is that even though the hinge is like hardened steel where it connects to the chassis is just plastic.
If that were to go, youd have to buy the whole black peice called bottom chassis assembly at the estore.
And with the bolts loose your lid is torquing on it from every which angle.

 

Well, I just got my A8Jm from repair. Now my warranty is over so I hope they have permanently fixed this hinge problem. I'm going to use the hinge excessively because if it breaks within 3 months I can send it back again so at least I'll know.

Funny thing is, my keyboard came back gimped. When I opened the box if found the keyboard wasn't even popped into place properly so I popped it in but all the keys on the left are extremely loose and makes a rattling sound when I press it. Asus is sending me another keyboard for me to replace. Hopefully it will resolve this issue. I hate mailing the laptop back and forth.

I must say, this has been the worst notebook experience I have ever had. I have owned a Toshiba and a Dell and I never had to use the warranty on either of them.

 

Sorry that you are having issues... it is a real shame that so many people bought this computer, to me! Other Asus models are built solid, with this one exception so it seems. It is a nightmare to open up and fix, and can be attributed to the overall design that is all. Very difficult compared to other models.

About your keyboard...i suggest getting some double sided tape to tape the keyboard down where it rattles. It will most definitely reduce the bounce and annoying rattle.

 

This is off topic but...

Does anyone know which of the 2 RAM slots (under keyboard or underneath) are used in the stock build? I am assuming that we have 1x1GB

 

When i bought it, it was 512mb x 2.

 

I'm noticing some issues with my A8Jm now:

- Loose hinges (the screen sways a bit if i tap it)
- Cracks on the right side of the cover next to the right hinge
- The casing by the left palm area (where the lights are) seems to click and screech
- My A and Q keys sound longer than the other keys
- My lid hatch doesn't work, so I have to press the button and push the lid in to close it

These are all first time problems for me. If I venture to Asus Centre Richmond Hill, would they fix all of these problems free of charge? I am still under my first year warranty, but I bought my laptop October 06 and I am not sure if I qualify for the extended warranty.

 

I know they will fix it under the year warranty. as for the extended, i have no idea

 

Yeah they will fix it free since you are under the warranty. They'll probably replace everything that is broken including the keyboard and casing.

 

How long do you think it will take? a 1 day miracle?

 

If you drop it off, I think ppl usually get it back the same day. If you ship it, it takes aobut 3-5 days to get it back.

 

I assume this is not covered for free after the 1-year warranty? I purchased mine in late-April/early-May of 2006, and I just started experiencing the loose hinges a month ago. Just a few days ago I noticed the gapping seams.

Any idea how much it costs to fix it out of warranty?

 

You can look at the Asus estore and figure out what parts you need and their price. You double that to cover labour i assume...or you can fix it yourself.

You can always give you nearest Asus RMA site a call and find out.

 

you could argue that this is due to a design fault by asus and that they are responsible for fixing it. i know that in the past, gateway has fixed notebooks that formed cracks around the hinges when they were out of warranty b/c they knew it was a known design flaw.

 

take the hinges off and the bezel and a small screwdriver and tighten the bolts.

mine ha ve come loose either twice or 3 times.

 

I have similar problems with my A8jn, big crack in the left corner near the hinge and broken pieces of plastic are falling out at the moment. ASUS has been letting me down bad lately.

Have you guys gotten this problem fixed inside warranty?

 

Has anybody sent their laptop in for repair lately? I know Chaos said it took a few hours, but that was then.

 

I sent my ASUS for repair this week. I sent it before in late December/early January for hinge cracking/opening LCD case. This time, the hinges were loose and the LCD case was slightly separated.

Originally, it was supposed to be picked up for Monday, but the service rep wrote my email wrong and I never got the RMA/Shipping info. ASUS rescheduled for the next day and Fedex picked it up on Tuesday.

I got my laptop back this morning, and it looks great. On their repair report they claimed to have changed the LCD casing type from my last RMA, and that these "reworked casings won't break the hinges anymore." They even changed my battery that had 6% wear.

Overall I'm impressed once again with the quality of service, even though I'm slightly disappointed in the quality of the product. Hopefully, they are right and the hinges won't be a problem anymore.

 

i have an a8jp with a similar problem. the casing is starting to break and i see an opening. whenever i open and close it i hear this crack sound? nobody seemed to have mention this. i have sent it in for warranty repair.

asus USA warranty repair thus far is excellent. they are very prompt and i got to send my laptop overnight and i expect the same. i will report further when my notebook is returned to me

 

Hello,

I bought my A8Jm in France in September 2006. Have had the same hinge problems, and had them changed 7 months after purchase.

Unfortunately, my laptop fell off my desk a few weeks ago and the motherboard seems to have packed up. (computer just switches off after 1 second) Thinking of ordering new one (does anyone have one to sell ? ). Not that this really seems worth it, because the hinges are packing up again and the black plastic attach points are seriously cracked, again.

Also have a friend with a A8Jm who has had his hinges changes twice in less than a year. Basically going to have to buy another computer. Don't know if I should boycott ASUS, because service was great but quality terrible. Is this hinge problem really only on the A8 series?

 

If you want to buy another A8, I think they fixed the hinges issues for more recent models.

Usually when an expensive component like the motherboard or LCD breaks down, it's more money-effective to get another notebook rather than fix the old one.

 

I have an A8Js, bought in Canada in July '07, and the left hinge (with laptop open and looking at screen) has cracked. Probably started to crack over a month ago. Not just a little crack either, like on my old eMachines m6805. This one has worked it's way around and now the front bezel has started to crack. Doesn't get a lot of wear either, maybe opened and closed a half dozen times a week, max.

Also, to answer someone else's concern, the palm rest has faded noticibly. I took the stickers off after owning it for a week, and at that time there was already a slight difference in color, since my left hand rested half over the sticker and half on the palm rest.

Still, I love this laptop.

 

I've had my A8Js for a little over a year, and the screen was fine. But a few days ago, suddenly it got really wobbly.

At first I was worried that something had gone wrong, but reading on this forum it sounded like it was the screw in the hinges. Sure enough, I followed the pics on this thread, tightened the screws, and the hinge and screen are nice and tight again.

 

My laptop just developed a crack in the plastic seam that holds the monitor in place. I'm going to take it in next week. I hope they have done something to remedy the situation.

What a hassle.

driftwork

 

Just got my A8Jm back from ASUS today. Good news, according to the service receipt, my notebook was fixed with parts A8E-1A LCD COVER ASSY and A8E-1A TOP CASE COVER.

On the previous receipt, it was replaced with A8J-1A components.

Also, on the ASUS e-store, there is a note under the A8J-1A LCD Cover page, "1/09 Please use the following LCD cover as a replacement:
Name: A8E-1A LCD COVER ASSY
Item#: 13GNNW1AP030-1"

Definitely a different part than the A8J-1A LCD Cover ASSY that it was replaced with in April/07.

Now, we know that A8E is a recent revision but will it stand the test of time, or will it fail like the pitiful hinge mechanism previously?

If it actually starts to get a little loose, I'm going to go and tighten the screws and put some threadlocker blue on them.

 

So...has anyone tried to fix the problem themselves? The hinge post is on the Top Case ASSY right?
And I can't take it off...I can't seperate the part around the Touchpad and Card Reader...

Josh