Two dead pixels..

So this weekend I finally have some time to play around with my shiny new Inspiron 1545, and during Vista restarting I found 2 dead pixels on my LCD screen. I called tech support, and they said that because I don't have on-site service I will have to send the p.o.s. through a courier to their depot in Newmarket to replace the whole screen, which will take 10 days.

Naturally I'm nervous that they will screw something up or that the system will get damaged during shipping or whatnot, leading to even further delays.

I tried telling them that I shouldn't have to wait for 10 days due to the nature of my work and the fact this is a business plan and I want them to make an exception and send a tech here to fix it. After all, this system is only 2 days old. They want me to purchase the on-site warranty for $200 for them to send someone out OR pay $60 for each incident.

Is there any recourse I can take, perhaps escalate it to a manager who may make an exception?

They tried telling me that even for the 2 pixel they were making an exception as the "law" says that up to 5 deal pixels is fine. What "law" are they referring to exactly? Haha... Brutal. Last time I buy a Dell that's for sure. Is there any re-course, such as escalating it to a manager?

 

Dell doesn't warranty their LCD monitors? Mine has a whole bunch of bad pixels. I'm starting to get the impression Dell uses substandard parts and then backs it up with extremely poor service. I guess you can do that when you are nearing a monopoly like status.

 

How long have you had it? Tell them it's defective send it back for a refund or replacement for new one..You should have 21 days from date of invoice for return or replacement for new since your unit is obviously defective.

They are giving you crap..and this will shut them up by your taking action in returning your lappy, and getting a refund or a replacement for a brand new lappy. Rawrr.

Edit: Actually your return policy is a bit different then the US:
http://www1.ca.dell.com/content/topics/reftopic.aspx/gen/en/policy?c=ca&l=en&s=gen&~section=018




Cin...

 

Well, they are basically saying they will replace the screen, but because I didn't purchase additional warranty, the only option is to send it for repair at the depot. If I were to purchase the "comprehensive" warranty plan for an additional $200, they would send the technician to me to replace the screen on the spot. Otherwise, sending it to the depot with a courier would take about 10 days. Personally, for this type of problem, I would prefer if a tech would do it in person in case the replacement screen has dead pixels as well. But I don't see why I need to pay extra for this considering the machine is two days old!

 

What I'm thinking of doing is call them up and tell them unless a tech is here within 48 hours, this machine is going back and I will obtain a full refund due to the fact the unit is defective as per their terms. I already told them I don't have time for their b.s. as this is a business contract and I need the unit for meetings with client. 10 days is too long. If they won't make the exception, they can take the unit back and shove it.

 

It sucks, but technically you're getting what you paid for. You didn't buy the on-site warranty, and that's not Dell's fault.

 

Agreed. I paid for the onsite service and a technician is here right now swapping out the screen on my Inspiron 1545. How fair would it be to me, if you got the service without paying for it? I would not be very happy about it.

If this is used as a business machine then you should have paid the extra for the onsite service. It might sound mean, but I'm afraid it's as simple as that.

 

I respectfully disagree. Dell shouldn't be charging for it to begin with. Every case should be on a case by case basis, especially if the machine is exhibiting problems when it's brand new. It's one thing having issues six or ten months down the line, but to send out a unit like that from the factory really shows how pathetic their quality control is. As such, they should make amends by rectifying the problem right away. It's no more pathetic than how they now want to charge US customers to actually talk to someone in the US if they don't want to be dealing with the offshore call center. Since when do customers have to pay extra to have better customer service? With all the competition out there? Come on!

By the way, I've already contact someone who may be able to help. Keep you informed.

 

I once had to deal with this on my Asus machine. I sent it in after it had a bunch of clumps of dead pixels. They sent me back a "new" screen still with more dead pixels. Obviously, I made them take it back and basically replace everything. But, this was like maybe 6 months after I had bought it.

 

Yes and Dell will fix the issue, my point is why should you get on site support if you've not paid for it. Answer: you shouldn't. Regardless of whether it is faulty on arrival.

If you buy a notebook from a retail outlet and don't buy on site support, you need to take it back to the retail outlet yourself. It is no different in this case, just that you need to send it back to Dell.

I hope you get it resolved, but paying extra for better support is not a new thing; examples are everywhere. Third party versus Fully comp insurance for instance.....

 

I too hope it gets resolved. Like I said, I've reached someone who may be able to work with their executive office. If there's any resolution, I would be happy to post more information here so that others at least in Canada may follow to get things resolved quicker than waiting weeks for the depot to fix it.

Having said that, Dell charging people for on-site support is pathetic. At least for the first year of ownership, on-site repair for manufacturing defects should be complimentary.

 

That's precisely why I don't feel comfortable about it. First, the unit can get damaged during shipping. Second, Dell's contractors may damage the system further. There have been reports with other laptop manufactureres about how people sent the machine for servicing only to get it back scratched and dinged. Third, how would I know the new screen they'd put in won't have the same issue? What then? Send it back and wait for weeks again? Like hell I will...

 

If your case though, you don't have a choice. You could just return return your unit and buy another one. I ended up doing that my for E6400, since the original one I bought had some build issues. There's a better chance of it being better that way than shipping it off to the repair center. It's up to you, but there's no way a tech is coming over unless you've paid for that.

 

If i was you i would threaten that if they dont do what i want then i want a full refund. They should not have shipped you a faulty laptop and they should have to do whatever it takes to fix it.

 

I agree with Cin.

Call Dell and send it back then order yourself a new one. I've always done that when i've ordered any laptop that has any problems within the return policy.

 

Sure, I could send it back, but then again I need the unit for business use. And these fools at their offshore call center aren't willing to budge on sending out a tech. Such a simple solution - send a tech to replace the screen and make sure the new one works properly. Instead, they're offering to build a brand new system. Nice. But how will I know the new one won't have similar issues? They've offered to exchange the unit for a new one but this would take a month. Not only that, but what about the time spent to actually install everything? Perhaps I should be the one billing them for wasting my time with this b.s. Even with the hassles they're giving me, I would never, ever pay extra for the warranty. The exchange issue is also bothersome. They said it will be brand new, but I read somewhere on Dell's site that it's purely at their discretion. They could send a refurb.

 

Get it in writing that the unit will be new.

I believe Dell has slightly different policies based on country of purchase, but within a certain time frame Dell will always send a new machine when making a replacement. It varies country to country, which is why on these forums (and other places) you might read about people who have had refurbished systems sent out in place of brand new machines.

 

In the United States, it's 21 days from your date of purchase. They will send you a new unit in that time period. That's your best option at the moment, just ask them to give you the fastest shipping option.

 

He's from Canada...I've already in a post above linked the Canada Dell Return Policy..I believe it's 30 days from DOI..but he needs to get the return RMA kit going w/in 5 days (not 100% certain)..he needs to follow the return policy very closely. Either way, in the US the return policy is 21 days from DOV, the return for replacement is new, after 21 days..it's a refurb.

And, yes it does vary..Country to Country...

Cin...

 

Ok, so here's the update: after reading the article on consumerist.com, I sent an email to Michael Dell. Within an hour someone from their global escalations department called me and basically provided two options:

1) Send a tech out for a fee of $60 and he will replace the screen with likely a refurbished one

or

2) He would order a new system for me (I asked him twice, and he assured it is a brand new system) and it arrive here in 10 days. I specifically told him about the modifications I made and he re-assured me it will be the exact same system

Okay, so what about the hard drive? I told him there's no way in hell I'd be spending a few days re-installing everything on the new system. He said I would have to swap them myself, but he promised to have a tech on the line to guide me. I don't have any of the tools? Think I should let him know? LOL

But I feel like a shmuck! Think I should've gotten like a free upgrade or something for the inconvenience? I could really use one of them cordless mouse.

 

You don't need any special tools to swap a hard drive. All you need is one single small Philips head screwdriver.

 

Yup, it's two screws on the 1545 (turn the notebook upside down, it's at the opposite side of the notebook to the optical drive). You'll see a part that looks like you can slide it out, well actually once you've taken those screws out you can. Then a couple more screws to release the HDD from the caddy, and you're in business.

Took me maybe 3 minutes to replace my HDD, and that included the time to go find my screwdriver set.

 

Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill... No offense to the OP, but I really think the demands here are getting a bit out of control. Most, scratch that, virtually all LCD manufacturers put limits on the # of dead pixels a unit must have before they'll do ANYTHING about it... and that number is generally in the 5-8 range. Does it suck that you get a screen with a couple of dead pixels? Absolutely... But DEMANDING that Dell give you a service you did not pay for and every single other person on the planet has to pay for is... well... outrageous.

The OP keeps mentioning that the machine is for business use... Well then why didnt the OP purchase a business-class laptop, like a Latitude? No, he purchased a consumer-grade laptop -- and he did not upgrade the warranty to include in-home service. Therefor, he's getting exactly -- EXACTLY what he purchased. Frankly, that's only FAIR.

Either pay the $60 to have a tech come out and swap the screen, or ask for a new machine... It's amazingly that simple.

*shrugs*

 

First of all, of course I'm demanding service or a replacement. Even if I didn't pay for the comprehensive warranty, sometimes you just gotta have hutzpah if you want to get anything done.

Second, I considered the Latitude but then again odds are the same company that makes it makes the Inspiron. It's not like Dell have their own factories. All the work is subcontracted. There's absolutely no guarantee you actually end up with a better product. I've read about the ISO standard regarding the suggested number of dead pixels before the item can be exchanged. It isn't really a standard but more of a guideline but whatever. While my case is well below these standards, I'm a perfectionist.

The truth is the quality of LCD display went down significantly in recent years as manufacturers cut down on costs and resort to cheaper and less precise manufacturing techniques. Doesn't mean I have to put up with defective products and accept inferior quality as the new norm. I expect accountability, and if it is isn't forthcoming, well then I'll just continue to bug them until I get what I want. And this approach really does work... most of the time

 

Fragile you are already my favourite poster. Next time I'm in the UK we'll go for a pint.. my treat!

 

Just have them send u a display. they're real easy to replace on ur own. If you have hard time, google "dell service manual"

 

I don't want to do it myself because I don't have to. Also, the display seems very fragile and I'm not going to take the chance to do it myself. I'll take the new system. And if that one has even one dead pixel, it's going back as well. Maybe that way they'll learn to get things right.

 

if you,re goinguse this laptop for business and can't afford to have no laptop for 10 days, then why in hell would you NOT spend money on a better warranty????? What happens if the laptop fails at some point, are you going to sue Dell because you can't work anymore?

 

It's been said already, this problem though, as far as I know, is being resolved, why be so nasty about it?

 

Yeah, that'll show them and their faulty display buying habits .

if it fails at some point down the line, outside of warranty, then it's the owner's fault. But what's going on with cookiemonsta is a defect in manufacture, which means that they have given you a faulty instance of their product, and that it doesn't fulfill the terms of the contract that you entered into with them by purchasing their product. Hence, legally, it's their responsibility to rectify the problem somehow.

This is also part of the reason why many companies have such strict rules with regards to their warranties. If it breaks in normal use, its their responsibility because of the warranty. If it breaks because of something outside their warranty conditions, then the warranty is void, and they have no obligation to fix it. Most accidental damage is not covered unless specifically featured, and so most of these warranties are more or less pure profit for them.

 

Why should I pay extra for a company to take responsibility for servicing its defective products? AFAIK Dell has a much better dead pixel policy for their premium laptops. Just because I bought an Inspiron model doesn't mean I should receive any less. I mean, it did end up costing over $1,000. The way I see it, this gives them an opportunity to earn my business. If they won't do as I want, the system is going back with the 30 day policy.

Obviously they made the exception so it is worthwhile for them. I just think they're complete idiots for giving me a brand new system. Ah well, they have money, it's a big company.

Besides, what happened to taking pride in getting things right the first time?

 

*shakes his head*

 

cookiemosta, it seems to me that Dell is being very rational with you thus far.

How would you feel if a client was calling you up not just to fix a problem but for free stuff, especially if the stuff you gave him was working perfectly fine when you sent it?

 

But the point is it wasn't working properly from the very beginning.
It's a manufacturing defect. If they feel it is necessary to put a brand new system for me, well good for them. I didn't ask for it. All I asked was for them to send a tech out to replace the screen and make sure the new one is ok. That's all.

 

You still don't get it though, man... Its not your RIGHT to ask for them to send a tech out and replace the screen for you! You did no purchase on-site service, so you can't demand that they give you on-site service. That is not the contract you entered into with Dell, and you have to live with that.

Dell is doing what your purchase agreement with them allows you/them to do: request a replacement... OR... you pay for a tech to come out and do the replacement. You chose to let them build you a new machine. Great! That's your right and their right under the agreement. So be it.

What happens in 3 months when, say, your DVD drive dies? Are you going to *demand* that Dell send a tech out to replace it? You can try, but again that is NOT in your agreement with them. You did not purchase on-site repair, so that means your option is to send it in to "depot" and have it repaired -- or at that time pay to upgrade to on-site service. Again, that is what Dell is contractually obligated to offer you, nothing more, nothing less... because that's the agreement you entered into with Dell.

You can whine all day long about how they should have better quality standards and better support options and this and that, but you do realize that having higher quality control, and better support options, cost money right? Where do you think that money is going to come from? Its really REALLY simple. You buy the upgraded warranty from Dell, they offer you on-site service. You don't buy it, you send it into depot for repair and wait.

Whew, I apologize for the long-a** rant, but seriously... I just don't get the arrogance and this attitude you give off like you are somehow better than everyone else who purchases a Dell machine and that you should somehow get different service than everyone else. I wanted next-business-day on-site service, so I purchased that option. To me, it's worth it. Simple.

Just my .02...

 

While I appreciate your two cents, you do realize that if many people have the same attitude like you, companies like Dell would be able to get away with far more dubious things. We may have a difference of opinion, but ultimately sometimes you have to use brute force to get things done even if it's not in the "contract."

Oh, did I mention my issue ended up being in the newspaper? And my new system should arrive on Monday. Should there be even one dead pixel and both units are going back on the same truck. This will actually be very good for people who buy refurbished from Dell. The two system would be virtually brand new.

 

I totally agree with you, I bought the onsite warranty because I didn't want to send my notebook away if I needed warranty, if you want onsite waranty then pay for it like everyone who wants it.

 

It seems that both of you simply don't get the message I was trying to convey. I realize the warranty I bought does not provide me with on-site service. I realize that Dell doesn't have to change the rules of the game for me. But that alone shouldn't stop me from trying to get them to make an exception.

As a business owner and self-employed individual myself, I pride myself on the service I provide to clients and I would never charge them extra for meeting with them during off-hours or provide any kind of "premium" support, within reason of course, for a service that I provide.

I realize my line of work is very different from Dell and that my strategy obviously won't fit other businesses. However, it's all about examining each case individually to see if you can perhaps capitalize on an opportunity to further solidify business relationships.

Initially Dell failed badly, saying no exceptions can be made and that I would have to send in the unit to the depot. However, with a little nagging and reaching the right people, I was able to get a brand new system off of them. Clearly demonstrates to all that persistence pays.

 

Are you aware that Dell's dead pixel policy is 6 or greater? Your laptop was shipped to you in perfect order as far as I can see:

http://support.dell.com/support/top...dsn/document?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&dn=1018431

I'd consider yourself lucky they're even servicing it, unless you have a different policy/warranty with your laptop.

 

Shhhh, cold hard facts (and logic) have no place in this thread!

(Officially signing out of this discussion... I've given up.)

 

Ooookk.. thanks so much for pointing out

 

Three magical words. You have no idea how many times I hear these words every day. The way I see it, I'm either stubborn or a perfectionist. Or maybe both.

 

New system arrived today and from initial testing, no dead pixels. Yay! Thanks so much for everybody's help!

 

Congratulations , I hope you can enjoy your new notebook now.

 

Thanks but I think the celebration is a bit premature. I swapped the hard drives and I'm now getting freezing when I try to check for devices on the system through device manager. System boots fine but when I try to check for devices and drives it hangs.