NC 8430, damage to LCD crystals

I recently sent in my HP NC8430 for repair,
I bought this laptop almost two years ago because of favorable reviews I read on the website. Since then, the keyboard has broken not twice but three times, and a short while ago, my screen went completely gray, and I couldn't see the screen. However, when I positioned the laptop in certain positions, then I could see it briefly before it grayed out.

I have never done anything to this laptop, never dropped it, never applied excessive pressure, or left it in a microwave oven. (as the outsourced billing/warranty department is now implying I have done) It has said that extensive damage has occurred to the LCD monitor through misuse (overheating or excessive pressure)

Now I can tell you that the last time this laptop was in a backpack was over 2 months ago, and the laptop has worked fine up until last week when it grayed out. The last time any sort of heat was applied to the laptop was when I left it on my car overnight until 11am. When I entered the car, the inside temperature was approximately 85-90 degrees. The next day the laptop wasn't working. Aside from the monitor, the processor, the HD, and everything else seems to be in working order. I have always taken extra care of my laptop,which is why I am bewildered that it would all of a sudden crap out on me about a month before my warranty was set to expire.

I have never ever mishandled it, dropped it, or applied "excessive" pressure to it. But now it seems like HP is trying to stick me for a 450$ bill to repair the monitor. Is there anyway I can dispute this claim? or am I going to have to pay the ridiculous 89 dollar handling fee it takes to return my laptop, because I dont want to pay 450 dollars to repair something that should be covered under my warranty?

 

It is a little wierd that HP is already reaching the conclusion that the failure is the result of misuse before they've even opened up the screen.

At this point it is your word against that of the manufacturer; the best you can do is strongly insist and be firm when speaking to a manager. Be especially firm when they try to imply that the failure was caused by misuse, because that is the reason why they are trying to charge you for the repair. If you do decide to send it in, insist that they look into the cause for the failure rather than just billing *you* right away.

 

Bog's right; HP is being a little shady about the whole misuse claim.

Now I'm a little paranoid about letting my notebook sit in hot environments after reading your story

Just curious, how did the keyboard break on your nc8430? (What were the symptoms?) I've never had any keyboard issues with my nw8440 (aside from some additional flex forming around the "s" key), and I consider myself a pretty heavy typist.

 

I have no idea how it broke, but it would fix itself after leaving it there for about 3 days. But yeah, it wasn't flexing or anything. What I need to know now is what else could cause damage to the LCD crystals if I didn't do it. anybody have any suggestions? thanks!

 

High/low temperatures and pressure on the LCD panel could cause those problems. However, you probably should argue that the damage is the result of defective manufacturing.