Brand new Sony Vaio Laptop screen broken internally!?

[MMostafa]

I have bought a Sony Vaio Laptop (model VPCEH1L8E/B) from PC World online website on the 31^st October 2011 for the amount of £479. On the 28^th December, I finished working on the laptop, shut it down and closed the lid. I woke up the next morning, switched on the laptop and the screen was blurred with white, green and blue lights showing a clear issue with the screen.

I called Sony support who got the repair centre (operated by Flextronics) to pick up my Laptop. The next day, the repair centre called me to say that the cost of fixing the laptop is £355 (!?) and that if I need it to be sent back to me without fixing, I have to pay £65 to get it back on fixed. The repair centre claims that there is internal breakage inside the laptop screen and despite the fact that there are no external cracks, dents or breakage on the outside of the screen, the centre is claiming that I should pay for the repairs costs.

When I spoke to technical support they said it could be that someone have applied a very small amount of pressure on the screen and this is enough to crack the screen internally!!! and it means you have to pay for fixing it! No one applied any pressure on the laptop but even if this happened, how can Sony Vaio laptops be so fragile that if the slightest pressure is applied to the screen it breaks it internally (without any signs of external damage or dents)?!?!

According the Sales of Goods Act 1979, products need to be in good condition and continue to be in good condition for a reasonable time. Since I have only had this laptop for less than 2 months and the fault in the laptop and I have not damaged the product in any way especially that there are no external damage or cracks on the screen, I hereby give you notice to repair the laptop, replace it or refund back the amount of £479 by the 21^st January 2012.

Unfortunately, if the response I will get from you is similar to the response I got so far, I will be left with no choice other than: 1) taking the matter to court and I mean it, 2) speaking extensively to the media about the shameful aftersales support and service I got so far and finally 3) writing an official complaint to the industry regulator asking to apply penalties for the unacceptable customer service and product support you provided (or have not provided) in addition to the very bad quality of Sonvy Vaio laptops.

I am very disappointed in Sony Vaio Laptops, their customer service and Sony in general.

[rich912]

Hi MMostafa,

I see that your post has been escalated to Support but my guess is that the response will be that you will need to pursue this with the retailer (PC World) as (under the sale of goods act) your contract is with them.

Have you spoken to, or communicated with, PC World regarding this issue?

Rich

[MMostafa]

Hi Rich,

Thanks for responding.

I have spoken to PC World who told me I have to speak to Sony especially that my Laptop is with Sony not them at the moment.

How do you know my post ahs been escalated as I'm not sure where to look?

Regards,

Mostafa

[rich912]

Hi Mostafa,

Regardless of where your notebook is at present your contract is still with the retailer and any action has to be pursued in that direction. I suggest that you seek advice from CAB.

Only members with admin privileges are able to see when a post has been escalated, but rest assured that it has...

Rich

[MMostafa]

I'll try again with PC World but it does seem right that only Sony can do something about this as they have my laptop and it's a manufacturers warranty.

I'll wait and see if Sony support here will take any action. Otherwise, I'm heading for the small claims court. I have wasted a lot of time on this. I'll never buy a Sony product again. I have already talked my company out of buying a batch of Sony laptops. I had no issues whatsoever when I had a problem with my HP Desktop before and was never told we will charge if we fix it or we will charge you if we don't... You have to pay in both cases!!

Thanks for your response though, Rich. I'm awating their answer here.

[rich912]

Hi Mostafa,

Good luck with your contact with PC World and don't be fobbed off with it is not their problem - as they sold it to you it is their responsibility to resolve the issue. Again, I advise you to seek advice from CAB.

You will not receive a responce here from Support - If it does happen it will be a phone call or email, so make sure your contact details are correct and up to date.

Rich

[t3bav1]

Hi i work in a repair workshop we also do screen replacements for vaios, the screen does take a lot off pressure to break and beacuse its led it isnt always visible someone might have stepped on the back off the screen. anyway to replace the screen and labour we only charge £95, so it seems the repair centre is over charging. You should take it up with pc world because the sale of contract is with them and not sony.

Message was edited by: t3bav1

Message was edited by: t3bav1

[MMostafa]

Thanks for the advice t3bav1. I'm pretty sure no one stepped on the laptop to break the screen!

Message was edited by: MMostafa

Message was edited by: MMostafa

[Danglennan]

I have just had exactly the same thing happen to my Sony laptop. I closed the lid and placed it down then when I picked it up about an hour later to use it  there was a black arc across the screen and it was unusable.  The laptop was bought in February and is not used every day as I also have an IPad which I do use daily and take with me when I travel.

The shop I bought it from contacted Sony who have said that the screen must have been damaged and I have to pay for the repair.

The laptop has not been damaged, the casing is in perfect order as is the surface of the screen.  The problem is clearly internal and Sony should take responsibility for it. 

I would be interested to hear if others are experiencing the same problems with unbelievably poor service from Sony.

[laurenbowmer92]

Hi

i recently did a similar thing with my mums laptop closed the laptop obviously this is too much for a sony to handle and a crack appeared it seems its on the inside and looks like the led has leaked in to an arch around the top right hand coner . would this be £ 95 also ive been quoted ridiculous prices and i have to pay for the repair myself

who would i contact ?

such an expensive price to pay for being to lazy to get my own laptop out