T420 build quality / warranty issues

[as3005]

Hi everybody,

I bought a T420 about 3 months ago. After a few weeks I noticed a small gap between the two plastic parts of the screen frame on the upper right corner of the screen. I pressed them back together and they 'clicked' in, so I thought the issue was solved. However, the gap started to reappear after a few weeks and grew bigger over time.

About two weeks ago, I called the Lenovo warranty hotline to have it fixed. They told me they were not aware of the issue and that it must be damage caused by the user. However, there is absolutely no way that it was caused by me unless Lenovo considers opening and closing the screen inappropriate use of a Thinkpad.

Did anybody ever experience a similar problem? Do you have any suggestions how to best fix it or how to get Lenovo to accept responsibility for their horrible build quality?

Thanks

A

[jvarszegi]

How does a relatively rare manufacturing defect on your particular machine translate to "horrible build quality"? I don't think that your warranty issue will be addressed by a weak attempt to smear the company. You may have better luck contacting Mark at the Lenovo forums to follow up.

[as3005]

Hi jvarszegi,
I did not attempt to smear Lenovo nor did I try to make a general statement about the built quality of all Thinkpads. I am just saying that my Thinkpad offers horrible build quality (which it does).

I paid $1500 for a Thinkpad instead of $1000 for any other laptop that has a similar performance exactly because I did not want that kind of stuff to happen. So of course, I am somewhat disappointed by discovering the fault and that feeling is made a lot worse by Lenovo's refusal to accept it as a warranty case. It might be that you have had only good experiences with your Thinkpads so far. That's good for you. However, it does not change the fact that my recent experience is horrible.

Apart from that, I would still be happy to hear if anybody else had a similar problem or if you have any suggestions how to fix it / get Lenovo to fix it.

Thanks

A

[dr_st]

So of course, I am somewhat disappointed by discovering the fault and that feeling is made a lot worse by Lenovo's refusal to accept it as a warranty case.

This is mind-boggling. I think you just had a particularly stupid phone rep answering your call. I'd try again. Just say you have a problem with the LCD bezel not latching properly (which is what I understand from your description).

[as3005]

Hi dr_st,
Thanks a lot for your little hint. I wrote another email, complaining about their previous decision and used your wording to describe the problem. Whatever the reason was, they know accept it as a warranty case.

A

[jvarszegi]

Hi jvarszegi,
I did not attempt to smear Lenovo nor did I try to make a general statement about the built quality of all Thinkpads. I am just saying that my Thinkpad offers horrible build quality (which it does).

No, your problem is called a "manufacturing defect". In any event I'm glad your problem sounds like it is being sorted out.

[fireful]

Got the same problem. I used silicon to fix my T520 . One more is the right speaker doesn't work right (like it's broken) at the hight volume . Bye bye Lenovo.

[sportfreak]

maybe its just a bad piece .. i did see couple of T60's that had the right speaker issue .. calling up warranty, fixed it .. though their first question was " was there water spillage on the equipment " .. unless dats the case, its time to whip out the warranty leash!!!

[ThinkRob]

1-800-IBM-SERV.

Explain that your lid doesn't latch correctly, as dr_st said. If I were you I wouldn't lead off with an explanation of the issue itself, but rather the problem that it causes. I don't think the screen bezel is a CRU, so if you only have depot service... well... keep your fingers crossed.

To play the devil's advocate (and as someone who's been on the other side of my fair share of tech support calls): when somebody calls up and starts off with a criticism of build quality, workmanship, etc. we tend to be skeptical. Even if there is a problem, the sheer number of people who try to use the old "it's shoddy, so I deserve a free/upgraded/compensatory whatchamacallit" is truly astounding. On top of that, there are people with absolutely ridiculous expectations of manufacturing tolerances, performance variations, etc. (Recent example that I witnessed: "Yeah, it's pretty crappy. When I grab the lid and pick it up it bends a lot.")

Now I don't think that's the case with you, but from the point of view of a jaded tech support worker, "lid doesn't close correctly" is a lot more plausible sounding than "Lenovo has bad build quality, there's a gap, fix it!", even if the latter were true.