Warranty Issue / IPS LCD Panel not available

Message

rgrossha · #1 Post by **rgrossha** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:50 pm

The Flexview / IPS screen on my T60p 15" cracked. I have a warranty (with 2.5 years more to run on it) on the system. The crack is my fault, but the warranty covers it! Lenovo tells me that they do not have an IPS screen to fix it with, so they're going to fix it with a non-IPS screen.

I obviously would prefer to have the computer I spent nearly $3,000 on (including the warranty upgrades), rather than a substitute screen.

Any tricks / hidden stock / places to complain to that I should know about?

Thanks ahead of time.

Rob

#2 Post by **erik** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 12:51 am

the FRU number for your panel is most likely 13N7076 if it's UXGA. you can find these online for around $300~350. check the sponsor link above to AG parts as they might have one in stock.

Brad · #3 Post by **Brad** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 1:26 am

Did they say when the part would be available? I don't see why you should accept anything but what you already have. Any other LCD would make your ThinkPad significantly different.

Let us know what they say.

Brad

pianowizard · #4 Post by **pianowizard** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:02 am

A non-Flexview UXGA screen is worth much less than a Flexview one. Rob, have you asked Lenovo whether a Flexview screen will be available eventually, or did they tell you it will never be available again? If they may be able to get one in a few weeks, then I would wait for that if I were you.

rgrossha · #5 Post by **rgrossha** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 7:52 am

Unfortunately, the tech doesn't know about future availability, all he had to go on were the published parts (FRU) replacement lists, which don't show a direct replacement.

And, the screen is more or less unusable, so waiting to see if it changes isn't an option.

I opted to get the UXGA screen, but I don't think that number is IPS.

pianowizard · #6 Post by **pianowizard** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 8:09 am

rgrossha wrote:I opted to get the UXGA screen, but I don't think that number is IPS.

It's probably the type of UXGA screen that IBM used for the A21p and A22p series, so it's 6-to-7-year-old technology.

DenTP4rm · #7 Post by **DenTP4rm** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 1:23 pm

I would like to suggest that one of the mods either make this post a sticky or create a new one related to the topic of non-availability of IPS panels for warranty service.

If true IPS panels are no longer going to be available even for service replacement I would like to know that and I think a lot of other forum members would too.

What say, mods?
thanks,
DenTP4rm

#8 Post by **erik** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:09 pm

DenTP4rm wrote:I would like to suggest that one of the mods either make this post a sticky or create a new one related to the topic of non-availability of IPS panels for warranty service.

If true IPS panels are no longer going to be available even for service replacement I would like to know that and I think a lot of other forum members would too.

What say, mods?
thanks,
DenTP4rm

there's already a T60/p display sticky at the top of this forum encompassing all discussions regarding LCDs, issues, availability, etc.

rgrossha · #9 Post by **rgrossha** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:10 pm

While Lenovo didn't have a direct replacement, they sent what turned out to be the 1600 x 1200 IPS/Flexview screen.

Once again, I was very happy to have bought the Protection Service warranty with the onsite option. I called Tuesday, and Wednesday morning the tech called me to arrange a time, and Wednesday afternoon the computer was fixed.

I do have to squint a little more (I bought the lower resolution screen on purpose) and I think the colors aren't quite as vibrant, but the additional screen real estate is good.

To top it off, I got a message from a Lenovo person who'd heard of my issues, and who was volunteering to make sure I was happy.

I'm considering buying a tablet, and there is no way I'll consider anything other than a Lenovo. Service is a very, very important feature.

Brad · #10 Post by **Brad** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:24 pm

Glad to hear you are satisfied with your "upgrade" repair.

I think it is Interesting that Lenovo has followed up with you to be sure you are happy. This type of followup in my experience is unusual.

Did the Lenovo person who contacted you say how they heard of your trouble?

Brad

rgrossha · #11 Post by **rgrossha** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:53 pm

I'm not sure how they came across me, but I'm happy they did.

NathanA · #12 Post by **NathanA** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 1:22 am

Hmm, that's actually kind of a cool story. I'm willing to bet, though, that there was some initial miscommunication by the IBM support peoples to the OP. My guess is that it went down like this:

1. OP buys a T60p with 15" SXGA+ IPS screen, and ThinkPad Protection "insurance"/accidental breakage coverage.
2. OP breaks LCD.
3. IBM doesn't currently have replacement SXGA+ panels in stock, and decides to substitute in a UXGA one in order to fulfill the TPP coverage (!).
4. IBM person who initially relays this information to OP is clueless and describes the UXGA upgrade as a "non-IPS" screen (he's wrong).
5. OP chooses to go for it, and it turns out that he got a UXGA IPS instead of an SXGA+ IPS as replacement.
6. And everyone lives happily ever after. The end.

I'm impressed that IBM, when it was discovered that they didn't have the correct parts in stock, was willing to give you an UPGRADE in resolution in order to get you back on your feet again as quickly as possible. I'm also guessing that if you didn't have TPP and the screen breakage wasn't your fault (the LCD just failed or whatever/manufacturing defect), IBM would not have been willing to make such a trade. Although I do upgrade my ThinkPads to on-site service, I have never considered ThinkPad Protection; I always figured that I'd get something like that covered under my homeowners/renters (which I have a special computer equipment "add-on" policy to). This story will make me think twice about this on my next ThinkPad purchase.

As there have never been any non-IPS 15" 4:3 screens on any T-series laptop since the T4x line (with the exception of the XGA model), I don't see how the original person at IBM that you spoke to who indicated you would be getting a non-IPS model could have been telling you the truth. I very much doubt that IBM is taking 15" non-IPS models from ooooold laptops and modding them to work on T4x and T6x 15" 4:3 models that come through the repair center. The IBM guy was most likely simply confused because the FRU that was being prepped as the replacement for your cracked screen didn't match the one listed on your original order manifest, he was too lazy/didn't bother to research what the replacement FRU actually was, and just gave you some off-the-cuff made-up answer.

I'm also kind of surprised to hear that they didn't have any more SXGA+ left. My perception of sales both for T4x and T6x 15" models is that the SXGA+ IPS screen way outsold the UXGA option for whatever reason (price, customer preferred resolution, parts availability, etc.), so I would have thought that they would keep more of those panels on-hand. However, I guess on the flip-side, if there ARE more of those screens out there, perhaps they go through them more quickly than they do the UXGA models.

In the end, I'm guessing you just happened to hit them at a bad time, when they just happened to be out of the SXGA+. they will probably have more stock available to them soon. When I had my T42p's UXGA screen replaced last August, it took IBM a good 2-3 weeks to get the screens back in stock.

-- Nathan

pianowizard · #13 Post by **pianowizard** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 7:30 am

rgrossha wrote:While Lenovo didn't have a direct replacement, they sent what turned out to be the 1600 x 1200 IPS/Flexview screen.

Oh, I see. You had a 1400x1050 Flexview. Congratulations, the 1600x1200 is much nicer. Lenovo always had 1600x1200 IPS for the T*p series, but was forced to start offering 1400x1050 IPS when 1600x1200 panels became hard to obtain.

Brad wrote:I think it is Interesting that Lenovo has followed up with you to be sure you are happy. This type of followup in my experience is unusual.

I dealt with Dell's customer service 3 times and received such followup phone calls from them for two of those incidents. Perhaps Lenovo is learning from Dell.