Water spill on T60 and stupid IBM rep fried my computer.

Last night, I spilled water on my T60 and the power goes off right away.
I couldn't even turn it back on and I called IBM tech support.
The guy told me to press the power botton 10 times and then hold the power button down for 30 second.
After that, he told me to turn the computer on and LEAVE IT ON for couple hours to dry the system.
So I left my computer on and went go bed.
This morning when I got up, my computer's dead again.
But this time, it's the LCD that's not working.
When I turn it on, the light comes on but nothing happens.
I'm using my girlfriend's computer searching for what to do list when water is spilled on laptop and it turns out that you are NOT supposed to turn your computer before you dry your system completely by leaving your computer for couple days.
I know spilling water is totally my fault and it won't be covered with my 1 yr limited warranty.
However, now I feel like I could've saved my laptop if I left my computer off for couple days and not listened to that IBM tech.support guy.
Now my 2 weeks old T60 is dead and I have no idea what to do...

 

Oh, my.
I feel very sorry for this incident.
Did you call Lenovo again ?
I think you might be able to talk them into repairing the laptop.

 

Rep advice is wrong sometimes, so its a fault on Lenovo's part. Take mujtaba's advice, and contact them again, and see what they say about it. Seeing as though they gave the wrong instructions out, the blame cannot be held all upon yourself.

 

Don't some of the Thinkpads have a spill-proof keyboard with a drainage system?

But I am surprised by the advice to turn on the computer before it is properly dried out.

John

 

There are two version of the Thinkpad T60 keyboards.One of them is spill proof while the other one is not.

 

Where is this documented?

 

One of my friends who owns a Thinkpad said it.

 

I thought ALL thinkpad with roll cage have spill resistant keyboard? There is a built in reservoir in roll cage design that handle more liquid faster, so that the spilled liquid has more time to drain.
http://www.lenovoblogs.com/insidethebox/?p=62

 

Then I think I should go and kick that guy... -_-

 

I think all T60 have spill proof keyboards. How well they work I dont know. I dont think they are optional since they are mentioned in almost all reviews. Even the T43 already had spill proof keyborads.

 

I think it depends on the amount.

 

I just talked to another buy at IBM tech support and he said that it wouldn't have matter what that guy told me to do because the system would've been damaged already as soon as the water got into the system.
So I told the guy that the system worked fine until I left my system on for couple hours and I just thought it might've saved my system if that guy last night didn't tell me to leave my system on for couple hours.
But he did not give a crap about what I was saying. The only thing he said was, there is no exception for any kind of damaged system due to water spill.
So I asked the guy why the hell would anyone call the tech support if tech support tells you to do something that would most likely damage the system. That guy said that he probably wouldn't have told me to leave my system on for couple hours if I talked to him last night when I spilled the water.
Apparently, he thinks leaving the computer on for couple hours did not do anything to my computer. He was keep saying that whether I left the system on or not the system probably have done the same thing.
But he couldn't explain how my system worked for first couple minutes.
What kind of messed up thing is this? So I understand that spilling water on my laptop is my fault but what about tech.support guy's advice?
Now I have to pay 900 bucks at least to fix my computer which is not even a month old and apparently everything is my fault including leaving my computer on for hours when the system is still wet.
Piece of advice here folks. If you're dumb like me who doesn't know what to do when your computer is not working properly, don't call the tech. support. Google it.
Google knows better than those idiots at tech.support.

 

Did they have accent by any chance ?
It seems that Lenovo is outsourcing the support.

 

Being Indian doesn't make you stupid.

 

I've come across plenty of smart guys who are of Indian and Pakistani origin. Most of them are in fact brilliant. I feel humbled by their knowledge and skill.

Many times when problems arise it can usually be attributed to differences in language usage, that is, people from India, Pakistan are accustomed to verbally express their thoughts in one way, while the same thoughts are expressed in a different way here in the U.S. Plus, the different accents also add to problems of comprehension.

But if you just give them and yourself a little time, your ears and your brain will slowly adjust to their way of speaking and accent.

 

My 2c worth:
Water damage is one of the worst thing can happen to any electronics equipment. I have seen quite a bit of it where I work. Water with the power on accelerates the corrosion process which is the main cause of the damage. In my opinion, the system board would fail without the power turned on too.
The only way to fight water damage to electronics is to open in *immidiately* and dry it the best you can. Even in this case the survival is 50%.
- Peter

 

The roll cage has a reservoir, but even older Thinkpads without the roll cage has spill resistant keyboards too, they just don't have the little icon next to the drainage holes to indicate so.

 

I believe ThinkPad support is based in Atlanta, Georgia or so the recording says.

 

He's pretty much right. If you don't have accidental insurance (i.e. water spill insurance), spilling water is not covered in the standard limited warranty. It doesn't matter what the tech support guy told you to do, because the problem started with a water spill. The keyboards are spillresistant, but not spillproof, additionally, there are other holes in the computer water could enter through.

You could try to speak to a tech support guy's manager and then his manager, and if you complain enough, or maybe even threaten legal action, you might get lucky. You could also actually take legal action, and I believe tech support might have recorded your conversation, but legal fees would probably outweigh the $900 to repair it.

 

I have no problem with them don't take me wrong.
I just had heard that Lenovo is outsourcing the support.So if they have not taught the new support staff good enough, bad situations like these arise.

 

I would call again and complain that the tech support destroy your computer. The first thing tech support would do if the customer admits its their fault, they would not go out of your their way to help you. Say whatever you can to make them repair your laptop. Doesn't hurt to try. If they won't budge, ask for their supervisor or manager.
Actually I won't even mention the spill, i would just say it stopped working one nite. Let them figure it out what happen.

 

Actually, like cellphones, I'd bet there are water reactive stickers inside to indicate whether liquid entered the system at some point, thus voiding the warranty.

 

.... Can't believe they told you to power on your system. After the System shut off I would have kept it off, pulled its power source(s) opened the mofo up and start drying it up.

The advice to leave it on, and hope that the water that may still reside in the computer isn't blown on something important, which would eventually kill the entire board was brilliant. Top notch training these folks get.

Don't get why he wanted you to pump the Power Button too, did he have you disconnect the power and battery first? I could see having you do that to discharge any residual power but doesn't sound like thats what he had you do. Is there some unknown drainage action activated if you turn it off and on 10 times? Does the door to Narnia open!!!!

Raise hell bro, you have nothing to lose at this point.

 

I will call again on Monday and talk to the manager if possible.
There is no way I'm paying for 900 dollars.
NO WAY

 

This is weird, but I have 2 friends who both have a T60. And when they compared their T60's (they both bought at the same time, day, and model and everything) and one of my friends had this light greyish black keyboard and it looked nicer than my other friend's keyboard which just looked just a plain black keyboard.

Can someone explain this to me??

 

I think there are 3 keyboard suppliers for Lenovo.

 

Yes, as posted in the stickied Thinkpad F.A.Q.:

Though I believe the parts numbers have changed for the T61 (there's a topic in this forum about it somewhere).

It's said that the best to worst keyboard manufacturers as placed in ThinkPads goes like this: NMB, Alps, Chicony. At least, that's what was said in a NotebookReview ...review.

I'm not sure, being only a prospective ThinkPad buyer.

 

I destroyed a thinkpad by spilling water on the keyboard, and i did NOT power it on for 24 hours. It was dead anyway.

 

Leaving it on may or may not have worsened the situation. There's really no to tell either way. Bottom line is Lenovo did not spill the water on your machine, it's unfair to expect them to fix it.

 

As posted by others, had he acted differently, the machine may have survived.

At face value, the advice given by that rep surely would have turned a close call into certain death in such a situation. His, or anothers. It's unfair for him to bear the entire brunt of the incident when you take that into account.

He should go for broke in pursuing his claim, although I don't know if he should expect the entire repair for free. If I were a rep, and it were in my power, I'd split the difference at least.

 

$900, might as well get a new one...

 

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Notice that the thinkpad was on all the time.

Disclaimer: Don't do this!

 

Some people have more money than sense, really.

 

Stop posting these ogrish videos!!!!!

I won't be able to sleep tonight.

 

Was that your notebook?!?!? and it still works after that?!?

 

If you're gonna go to the trouble of doing that why don't you at least show us how the drainage system works and if the computer lives through it. However, I doubt their is any chance it works when you spill that many cups of water on it

 

That is NOT my notebook, I'm not crazy!

 

Well, this is very crazy. This is an R40 notebook, the same model that I had. I spilled at least such a cup of coca cola on it by accident. It survived, but because it was switched off, disassembled and cleaned immediately. There are many gaps between keyboard or some parts near keyboard and the rest of the case, so any overflow can get into system. Period. I agree that a cup of liquid will be drained safely (if the notebook is not tilted before that), but I am quite sure that in this video watter got into the system. Power indicators are rather poor indicators how well notebook is doing. Was the OS still running or did it stopped already before movie?

BTW. My notebook was still functioning just after spill. I was even trying to shutdown windows, before it stalled. The power button was not functioning immediately after spill, windows stalled, then I just switched off the notebook by removing power sources.