EZServ woes

[Antioch]

After having had my T42 for about 1.8 years, the LCD gave out. It had a reddish-hue when set to lowest backlight setting, and on high required a warm-up time before it lost the hue. I finally sent it in to EZServ have have it fixed a little after the machien turned 2 years old.

I just got it back. I'm not happy.

The inverter and LCD assembley were replaced.

1 stuck blue-pixel when I used to have no pixel problems.
The new LCD assembley is a gloss black, not a matte black, and feels a bit loose if I look at it from the side - well, it just flexes about 1 mm.
The black stickers put on the side of the LCD assembley that cover the screws used to attach it to the lid are improperly seated, and a few are bent on the corners. Since they are hard plastic they can't be bent back and are stuck up - which makes for a nasty scratch when I run my fingers down the side of the case as I move to open the machine.
There is also a small scratch on the new LCD assembley about a cm above the T42 label.

All in all I'm rather sad.

You might call me nit-picky but ThinkPads are supposed to be superior. It just feels like crap to have taken good care of my machine for 2 years to have it get messed up in an instant.

I can live with the small scratch. It's black so you can't see it unless you are looking - and I don't look at the T42 label all that often, lol. However, the bent stickers are no good. The stuck blue pixel is a pain because I DO see it, every time I use the machine. My eyes catch that.

The stickers I'll complain about and hopefully receive a new set, for free, in the mail.

I doubt I can complain about the LCD just because of a messed up pixel.

I also doubt I can complain just because of 1 scratch - how can I prove it wasn't like that before?

I doubt I can complain about the gloss vs. black issue - as well as the very very slightly small flex (only on the left side) of the LCD assembley.

Oh my poor T42. I love that machine - so much so that I still refuse to buy an X60s.

What should I do?

- a sad Antioch

[christopher_wolf]

That's why Thinkpads are amenable to DIY repairs and engineering. I view EZServ as the very last resort.

How did you get a glossy screen lid anyway? Also, they should send you new stickers if you can show that the ones that cover the screws are really bent beyond reapir and cause discomfort when opening the T42.

As for the 1 pixel? See if it is just stuck, in which case you can fix it, or really dead...in which case you can't. The thing about that is that their replacement LCD screens adhere to the same policy that the new LCD panels that came with the Thinkpad did; around 11 or so stuck/dead pixels in a cluster at SXGA+ resolution on a 14.1" form factor to warrant a real "defect." according to their interpretation of that particular ISO norm. They aren't really going to do anything about the scratch unless it is really bad and you can show that it couldn't possibly have been there before.

I really don't know about the gloss vs. matte issue for the lid; that, from what I have seen, is pretty rare (:shock:). It would be great to have a picture of it on record as I am sure you can tell them that something like that is really not on a stock T42.

[Antioch]

That's true. I've got one of those stuck pixel fixing programs (color flasher) running on it at home now. Hopefully it will fix it. I'm assuming that IBM (and other laptop manufacturers) use TN films for their LCDs, in which case a white pixel == dead, and a colored pixel == stuck. But then the question is whether or not I can get it to unstick.

If the pixel gets fixed I'll be happy.

The stickers I can get them to replace with a little bit of complaining on the phone.

When I get home I'll take a picture of the "gloss" and post it for all to see - and for future reference. Hopefully someone can compare it to their T4x laptop - beacuse I may just be crazy. I can compare it to my roommates T60, but it might be different.

Anyways, the LCD replacement isn't a DIY-at home repair. I mean, it's doable - but I'm not about to buy the parts when I'm still under warranty. That's a few hundred bucks.

Although I must say, I did get a free ultra-nav knub cover (you know, the red dot on the stick in the middle of the keyboard). I took mine off before I sent it in and it came back with a new one =D. Although it's not worth the trade, lol.

[zverg]

If you have the proper warranty they'll send you the parts if you complain (read: "can I speak to your manager, you seem to be incompetant"). I just did my screen hinges yesterday. They originally told me I'd have to send it in or have on-site service, but after a week of calling I finally got through to someone who had no problem just shipping me the parts. Maybe he was impressed that I'm a dell certified tech but choose to stay with thinkpads for my own personal use

[Antioch]

Geez, does anyont know the FRU for those stickers?

The phone support doesnt know it, nor does he even know what I'm talking about - thus he can't get me to me and insists I have to send it back in again... to get stickers replaced.

That and he insists that my bluetooth daughterboard, which I had hand-installed and now discovered is missing, is physically impossible to install - "for the same reason you can't upgrade the video card". Even after I explained that the video card can't be upgraded because it is soldered to the motherboard, while the bluetooth is a daughter card that is replaceable - hence some T42s have it, some don't, yet they all have the same motherboard.

I'm very [censored].

Atleast give me my [censored] stickers!!

[zverg]

hmm I just got a pack of all the stickers for the thinkpad, it came with my new screen hinges. If you have the warranty just have them send you new hinges . I don't think my invoice mentioned the FRU for the stickers. I'd just give you mine, but the 5 along the front edge of the laptop are the only ones I put back on. I left all of the ones off my screen, I really like the look of the exposed screws.

[GomJabbar]

Geez, does anyont know the FRU for those stickers?

All you had to do was ask.

Miscellaneous service parts - ThinkPad T40/p, T41/p, T42/p

[zverg]

Geez, does anyont know the FRU for those stickers?

All you had to do was ask.

Miscellaneous service parts - ThinkPad T40/p, T41/p, T42/p

dude you're a lifesaver.. I should have ordered that screw kit a year ago haha. I'm missing one of the #3 screws from the underside, and a couple of screws are stripped from me being stupid and overtorquing.

[Antioch]

The problems just keep coming.

I noticed they replaced the hinges. On the T42 one was a lot wider than the other, thats normal. But the small one is a lot smaller than it should be, leaving a large gap between it and the lid.

I also am hearing a piece of something rattling around inside! In the back, left corner, near the USB ports.

I'm not happy. Not happy at all.

All that for a simple swapping of the backlight. They didn't need to replace the LCD housing to a new, yet scratched, one. They didn't need to replace the hinges. They didn't need to bust something lose inside. They didn't need to replace the LCD itself - a perfectly good one, with one that has a busted pixel. Heck, I even got messed up screw cover/stickers to boot.

I'm at a loss.

I went from a nice machine, to a piece of crap with so many defects.

I don't know what to do. Even if I complain to someone over the phone and I send it back in, there's no guarantees that it will come back better - it may come back worse.

What should I do?

edit: I just noticed another HORRIBLE defect. When looking at the machine from the rear, with the lid closed - instead of seeing the lid rest reasonably flush against the body (Granted there is a 2 mm gap or so) it sits WARPED, with a large gap. Instead of being ------- it bends up in the middle, like an upside-down u.

Wow. Wow. WOW. Great. Seriously. What should I do?

Are there any big words I should throw at the phone support people to have them toss me up the line to a higher level of support, so that I know when I send my mahine in it will get fixed properly?

[zverg]

I feel your pain man. I dealt with the same crap in November and December 04, also January 05. Yeah, they had my laptop for MUCH longer than the "overnight service" that my extended warranties stipulated. They replaced my SXGA+ lcd with an XGA unit, my Radeon 9600 equipped motherboard with a Radeon 7500 32MB motherboard, took my nice keyboard with the glossy thing around the top buttons, replaced it with a [censored] matte keyboard with keys that wore down after like a week of use, feels crappier, and has dead keys intermittently. On top of that, they gouged the powdercoat on my top cover, didn't put some of the plastic stickers back on, and on top of all that after they had it for nearly 3 full months I got it back with a piece of paper saying "while your laptop was in the depot for service, our tests showed that your hard drive was defective. Please call 1800xxxxxxx to order a replacement unit.".. oh and they replaced the bottom casing of my laptop, but forgot to give me a freaking windows license key. When I complained about that, they told me it was MY responsibility to call the microsoft piracy hotline to compain about it. I still haven't bothered with that as I have quite a few unused xp licenses from computers I have purchased and installed linux on.

Be VERY careful while on the phone with them. If you say the word "lawyer", they will inform you that the phone call will be terminated for using that "language". Demand prompt on-site service of your laptop to fix all of the things that got wrecked. They will give in. If they in any way object to fixing your laptop when and where it is convenient for you, file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.

I wish I could find the name of the executive that was handling my case. .. aha! xxxxxxxxx@us.ibm.com if I recall directly. She was fairly helpful, she's the one who gave in to my request for on-site service at no charge to me.

Note from Moderator: Giving out names, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, etc without the owner's permission is expressly forbidden in the Rules of the Road. Read and adhere to them.

Additional Note from Moderator: Oh, yes, and watch your language.

[draco2527]

All I can say...I've been down the same road, after what seemed years out of my life, they got me a new machine!


Make sure you call, morning and night...you will get IBM in Atlanta Georgia if you call after regular business hours..any other time and it is almost guaranteed that you are talking with solectron...the great provider of depot repair...IBM will give you much better service...best of luck

[Antioch]

Well, my laptop had originally gone to Solectron. Thats what it says on the shipping lables.

I did call back this morning and I immedately asked to be stepped up to tier 2, which I was. A nice guy spoke with me on the phone and set up a new ticket for me.

We spoke for quite some time, maybe 30 mintes, and I went into detail about everything that was wrong with the laptop when I got it back - even the dead pixel. He was nice and understanding, and went out of his way to get clearance to replace the LCD again since he agreed I shouldn't get it back in worse (pixel) condition than I sent it. Heck, I even complained about the scratches and he marked those down.

He told me that it would be sent to the quality control, higher branch of the repair team - and to prove it, I would receive a crate to ship my TP in that, while looking like normal, has the red word "RADE" on the cover. He didn't know what it stood for, except that was the higher-up repair level. He said that a manager should be working on it - some guy with years of experience.

So, after having talked with him I felt satisfied that I should be getting my TP back in the condition that it should be. - Oh gosh, I hope it comes back like it should.

Otherwise I will be demanding onsite service. I'd be in a fury of rage...

Anyways. Here's hoping.



It's just so sad to reflect back on the moment when I first opened the machine after getting it back. Though it was black and had the IBM label on it, it literally felt and looked like a Dell (in terms of quality). I'm sure you all can appreciate how that felt --- Like a big, fat punch in the gut. It felt so bad I didn't really even want to use the machine any more. It was really bad.

*sigh*

[underclocker]

Many have had similar issues. It seems the first team to try to fix laptops these days do hack jobs. Maybe they're only given one blunt tool to do the repair?!

I had to send a ThinkPad back three times, but IBM was always nice on the phone and finally fixed every original and newly created problem (inferior LCD, scratches, etc.)

Just keep pushing.

[ZoneMan]

All I can say...I've been down the same road, after what seemed years out of my life, they got me a new machine!


Make sure you call, morning and night...you will get IBM in Atlanta Georgia if you call after regular business hours..any other time and it is almost guaranteed that you are talking with solectron...the great provider of depot repair...IBM will give you much better service...best of luck

This is incorrect information you are giving out Draco2527. Solectron does not provide any phone support for IBM, even if you call the ezserve number you will not get Solectron, you will be routed to Atlanta and speak with Depot customer service department.

All phone support is provided out of two Altanta locations with one of them being the primary location for thinkpad support. The other building is CDT or desktop support. Last I heard they were moving CDT into the location with Thinkpad support.

All this support is provided on a 24/7 basis out of the Atlanta location. So no matter what time a customer calls for support they will be x-fer to the Atlanta call center.

Keep in mind that depending on what number you call you may reach call centers located in other areas. These are not technical support centers and you will be promptly x-fer to Atlanta upon a request for technical support.

The only additional thing I can mention in terms of time frames in the Atlanta call center is this... If you call during Eastern business hours..8-5pm then you have a much better chance of getting a more experienced technician. This is not always the case but in call centers the NEW techs (Any call center usually means high turnover) usually dont get a choice of shift and are placed where demand is. This means that new techs (usually have a lot to learn) are on the 2nd and 3rd shifts. Like I said this is not always the case but senior techs or techs with high stats usually get choice of shift.



Antioch,

Any update?



Zone

[K. Eng]

Well, my laptop had originally gone to Solectron.
Thats what it says on the shipping lables.
...
He told me that it would be sent to the quality control, higher branch of the repair team - and to prove it, I would receive a crate to ship my TP in that, while looking like normal, has the red word "RADE" on the cover. He didn't know what it stood for, except that was the higher-up repair level. He said that a manager should be working on it - some guy with years of experience.
...
It's just so sad to reflect back on the moment when I first opened the machine after getting it back. Though it was black and had the IBM label on it, it literally felt and looked like a Dell (in terms of quality). I'm sure you all can appreciate how that felt --- Like a big, fat punch in the gut. It felt so bad I didn't really even want to use the machine any more. It was really bad.

The higher level repair people should take care of your machine really well. Lenovo had my T40 unit shipped down to their facility in North Carolina, and they did a superb job of repairing it.

I really hope someone from Lenovo is reading these posts.