Resetting the clock on a ThinkPad warranty...

[underclocker]

This may help others in the same situation.

Based on the warranty lookup feature on lenovo.com, I picked up a T43 that was clearly sitting in inventory for a while. This T43 should come with a 3 year warranty, but the warranty lookup showed only 2.5 years remaining.

Below is the email exchange that I believe will get the warranty reset to the correct starting date. The correct starting date is described in the warranty terms as the invoice date.

This is not to say that the reseller wouldn't eventually submit some sort of acknowledgement that would take care of this, but I didn't want to wait and see. Additionally, the actual invoice should be proof enough if in 30 months I had an issue. However, I'm also protecting the next owner, in the event I don't have this T43 the full term of the warranty. (I've already sold it actually!)

(Names have been removed, emails are in reverse chronological order, Thinkpls@us.ibm.com is the address I used for the correspondence.)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

. I understand, better safe than sorry.

. Thanks for all the help.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

> I know you think I have lost it. I see it on the status page but it's best
> to see it on the invoice because we have the same serial number for
> different machine types.
>
> I have changed the date on your base warranty
> and you should see the change on Monday. Sorry for the confusion.
>
> Thank you,
> ThinkPlus Support
> Email: Thinkpls@us.ibm.com
> Fax: (800) 628-2101
>

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

> Great!
>
> I've reattached the warranty status page from Lenovo's web-site with my
> invoice and packing material information. The serial number is on the
> status page and below;
>
> ThinkPad T43
> Model: 2668-42U
> Serial Number: XXXXXXX
>
> Please let me know when I should check the on-line status.
>
> Thank you very much.
>

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

>> I apologize I thought that you needed information on an upgrade. I just need the
>> serial number because I didn't see it on the invoice. No need to contact
>> the reseller and you don't need an authorization number for a base warranty.
>>
>> Thank you,
>> ThinkPlus Support
>> Email: Thinkpls@us.ibm.com
>> Fax: (800) 628-2101
>>

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

>> To be clear, I am talking about the 3 year warranty that comes standard
>> with this model T43 - not an extended or enhanced warranty.
>>
>> Is there an authorization for this situation? I can contact the reseller, but
>> would like to be sure I'm asking for the right information.
>>
>> Thank you.
>>

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

>>> The authorization number is a 10 digit number that starts with 4995. It
>>> is difficult to search our system without the authorization number if the
>>> registration is incomplete. Contact the reseller to see if they have sent your
>>> order to us.
>>>
>>>
>>> Thank you,
>>> ThinkPlus Support
>>> Email: Thinkpls@us.ibm.com
>>> Fax: (800) 628-2101
>>>

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

>>> Thanks for the quick response.
>>>
>>> I'm not sure what an authorization number is, can you explain?
>>>
>>> Regarding registration, are you referring to the reseller or me? I generally do
>>> not submit on-line registrations when I purchase electronics.
>>>
>>> Let me know if the previous attachments (invoice, etc.) are enough to
>>> correct the warranty expiration issue.
>>>
>>> Thanks again.
>>>

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

>>>> Do you have an authorization number? I don't think the registration
>>>> has been processed.
>>>>
>>>> Thank you,
>>>> ThinkPlus Support
>>>> Email: Thinkpls@us.ibm.com
>>>> Fax: (800) 628-2101
>>>>

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

>>>> Subject: Adjustment to T43 warranty expiration...
>>>>
>>>> Hello-
>>>>
>>>> I just purchased a new ThinkPad T43 from a reseller. It's great. However,
>>> when I checked the warranty status on line, it showed about six months less
>>>> warranty than it should - 2.5 versus 3.0 years.
>>>>
>>>> I've attached copies of the warranty status page from Lenovo's
>>>> web-site with my invoice and packing material.
>>>>
>>>> I actually received the ThinkPad on January 16, 2007.
>>>>
>>>> Correcting this would be greatly appreciated.
>>>>
>>>> Thank you.
>>>>

[Ken Fox]

Just to save some people from wasted effort I thought I'd recount what has happened with a couple of Thinkpads I've bought directly from Lenovo. The most recent would be my new T43 which I received 2.5 weeks ago. The preceding similar experience was with another Thinkpad purchased directly, but I don't remember which one.

This T43 has a model # (2686m5u) that might lead one to believe it was manufactured a year or so ago, and when I got the shipping confirmation from Lenovo (complete with serial #) I did a lookup of the warranty and found that . . . . it had expired a week or two before.

By the time I received the new laptop, however, they corrected the online warranty information and showed that it was covered from a period beginning a few days after the laptop was scheduled to arrive at my house. So, they do seem to have a system in place for correcting this information when a machine ships.

Even more interesting was that when I got the machine and started to replace parts, I found that component parts had manufacturing dates within a month or two of when I received the notebook. The hard drive, which I have replaced with a 7K100, was manufactured by Hitachi in October of 2006, obviously incompatible with the laptop having been assembled a year before I got it and inconsistent with there having been an original warranty that expired before it was even shipped out to me.

The moral of the story is that if you get a shipping notice from Lenovo and you do a warranty lookup, just realize that they may change the warranty data online shortly after the system is released for shipment and the first dates you see may not be reflective of what you will actually get in the way of a warranty. You may not need to request a change as the change may be made automatically.

[underclocker]

Update: The warranty was reset as requested and reflects properly on Lenovo's warranty lookup page. The warranty will now run for the full three years - it was reset to the invoice date.

The update to the warrranty lookup page took less than 12 hours.

Note: I agree with Ken Fox when ordering from Lenovo, there should be less concern. My T43 was from a reseller, they probably have similar practices, but in my sales ad, I mentioned the issue and that I'd follow through on this.