Keyboard stickyness

[squawkBOX]

Hi,

Being the slight idiot that I am, I managed to knock a little fizzy juice/soda onto my T42. Since it was only a tiny amount and I managed to catch it quickly, I swicthed off, dried up the mess and took the keyboard out.

I managed to get most of the traces of the juice away. Due to the fact that it was just a small spill, I removed the keys where the spill was and started cleaning around there. Put the keys on and everything is fine.

However the stickyness has come back for the keys Insert, Home, PgUp, Delete, End, PgDn, +/= key, backspace and return.

If I take the key off and wipe the under area with a damp cloth, it makes the stickyness and clicking go away - that is until a few hours later and the same thing happens again.

My next question is. I have a four year warranty (UK) - would IBM be able to send a new keyboard if I said that the keys were sticking. If they did would I have to send the old one back?

If not, where am I able to purchase a new UK keyboard from?

[mattfromomaha]

You can try these vendors for parts:
http://www.indexcomputer.net/index.html
http://www.acsparts.com/
http://www.bluestarusa.com/
http://www.thinkpadmedic.com/default.asp

I guess it is your choice to ask IBM for a new keyboard. I don't know if they'll make you send it back, but if they do and find the spill, they'll charge you a hefty price for the keyboard compared to buying one at the places above.

Plus, not to get on a moral rant here, but is it right to ask them to replace a "defective" keyboard at their expense when it's not their fault that something happened to the keyboard?

[squawkBOX]

Thanks for the reply.

Today I handed it into IT Services at university, who deal with IBM directly.

I told them what happened but they said I was to log it under "faulty keyboard" - however I'm guessing that when IBM check it out, they will realize that it is a spillage.

Therefore I'll get charged for the call out and also for the keyboard. I was wondering if anyone had any idea to how much a UK keyboard will cost and how much IBM will charge for it?

[atlacatl]

As per the moral issue - If you bought the extended warranty when you got the computer, you are covered by such accidents.

Check your warranty terms.