Service Center blues

How is it that the service center people always manage to fix some things while screwing up others? On my latest support case for my EliteBook 8530w, it's happened yet again.

Here are the issues I was having, and what they did to fix them:

Fingerprint reader wasn't working:
They replaced it, even though the ribbon was entirely missing. It broke when I tried to move it, after their flub from previous servicing -- they got the ribbon pinched under the ridges that hold it in place, so it made the top deck bulge. (That time, the fingerprint board wasn't even fully adhered to the top deck.)

Fan bearings were worn out:
They replaced the fan -- good.

GPU glitched (screen jumped downwards for a frame) once in a while:
They replaced the GPU, even though I acknowledged that I couldn't reliably reproduce the issue. This was a pleasant surprise.

LCD has permanent big yellow smudge, that leaks light against black;
LCD is dimmer than it should be;
Lid kept popping open;
Plastic bezel had a minor crack (that I didn't care about):
They replaced the lid and the bezel... but with one that said "8530p". They didn't replace the LCD -- and the LCD was a primary reason for me sending it in!

I could've sworn partsurfer had those two as one assembly, only -- and the 'p' doesn't offer 1920x1200! Also, now the screen ripples at the bottom whenever you so much as blow on the lid. Quite distracting, and likely hurts the LCD as well.

120W power brick squeals when laptop is in suspend.
I asked for a replacement brick that doesn't squeal, or confirmation that all 120W bricks squeal.
What they did: replaced it with a 90W brick. Sure, it doesn't squeal, but the Quick Launch Buttons software warns me that that's too low, and it gets very hot when playing games. (Nowhere near "going to melt" level, but hot enough to make me wonder if I'm overloading it.)

Now, how do I get them to fix these last few things (namely, by sending me the correct lid assembly)? I can't afford to send it in again. I sent it in during my vacation for a reason -- it's my primary work laptop. In fact, I even sent a sheet with clear, concise descriptions -- with bold, yellow-highlighted titles for the critical ones: fan, LCD, lid.

I'm also wondering: if this is the business support, what does the consumer (especially Envy) support do? =/

 

Yeah, back in the day when I had an HP I sent it in for a squeeling fan....3 times! The third time ended with a physically damange notebook.

I worked up a storm and spend probably 2 hours with various managers within HP. It ended with a call back the next day and my choice of ANY notebook on the HP website.

I sold the laptop they sent me and bought a Dell.

I will NEVER buy a laptop without an ONSITE warranty.

 

In my case, my lingering issues are way too minor to deserve a new notebook, and I want to keep the current one when I decide to get a new one. All I need now: a new, correct LCD+lid, and a non-squealing 120W brick. They could let me keep the 90W one as a spare for on the go, as a gesture of good will... .

Unfortunately, I made the mistake of not getting onsite, and I never found a clear answer of whether / how I could add it to CTO (KW950AV) after the fact. The HP Care Pack Lookup Tool was broken for at least two years, and though it now works, the answer is still unclear.
My present warranty ends on December 24 -- 3 years plus 1 month.

I'd consider extending it, if I could find Care
Packs for my specific SKU. I'd have to decide whether that, or a new notebook, would be a better value.

 

@Dana:
You still have more luck than me. In Spain, my country, the service is even worse. They accused me of breaking a DreamColor screen without any evidence, and they told me I handled the screen in a bad way and this was not covered by my warranty (ONSITE warranty, BTW). The repair costs about $1000. Fortunately, my technician prooved it was not my fault and they replaced it with another screen for free, but the new one had the aluminum cover unstuck. So they replaced the screen for third time and now I have the pink and blue tints on the sides and some blemishes.

After sending a complaint to a consumer organization, I'm waiting for a brand-new computer, without any ETA...

 

Sorry to cut out most of your post, but it is there in full just a few ahead of this. I wanted to both sympathize with you, as I am having similar - worse, if you can imagine - problems with an 8540w. I also wanted to tell you that, surprisingly enough, at least in the US, the support for HP's consumer products is far better than for it's "business class" products!

Good luck!

 

HP business thingies: local Repair Center is 15min drive away (about 10km thru city) and I've never had any problems with them. I always deal with them in person, much better service that way.

Consumer devices, some of the products are repaired at huge multi-branded repair center near the capital area only, rest are shipped somewhere... Poland I think?

 

Dont Feel to bad... I jut filed a complaint with the BBB, Filed a criminal charge for conversion, and wire fraud with my attorney general and a State lawsuit for violations of the magnuson-Moss Warranty act against HP. They dont seem to get that I am not some flunkey stoner college kid they can BS.

I contacted HP about my Probook 4520s Overheating, locking up, Flashing errors so fast I couldnt read them, shutting down and getting so hot it left red marks on my legs..

While I was talking to HP online support as he helped me remove my hard drive to protect my customers privacy i booted up my system and as soon as it hit bios I heard a pop and my screen was bulging and exploded. i told the tech a soon as it happened. he filed my ticket and sent me a box.

Sent it into the repair depot, and they told me my system was fine, and that I broke the screen. Never mind the fact that it was working fine until I rebooted, and that it sits in the same place 24/7/365. I told them I refused to pay for parts I didnt break and that should be covered under warranty and that I wanted to speak to a supervisor. I was told there are no supervisors hebob said something about it being 740am and all the supervisors had gone home. and they sent my unit back and I didnt get to speak to a single supervisor. Upon recieving it I began to reassemble it and noticed that parts were missing, things werent hooked back up, and looking at my motherboard what i assume are resistors of some kind are cracked or missing. I have a 1900 dollar plastic paper weight.

I am thoroughly not happy with HP and I dont know who to contact.