Warranty refused : broken USB port

[sunnyview]

I recieved my Thinkpad tablet a week ago after refusing repair.

My story is similar to yours.  I was one of those who preordered from Lenovo Direct and had to patiently wait through the shipment debaucle.  A few weeks after recieving my tablet, charging kept disconnecting and the only way to maintain charge was fiddling with the micro usb cable.

So the representative I spoke to after shipping my tablet off for repair told me something like "the sodering from the USB connector has separated from the motherboard and that I would need a completely new motherboard", all for a small sum of $750 dollars!!!  $750?!?!?!!!

I told him about this thread and he said that "we can't go by what people are saying on the forums because it works on a case by case basis."

WTH...

So I just told him to ship it back w/o repair...  now what?

[justguy]

I suggest you phone him and ask him to check the system for the note mentioned here by Mark.  I would be very surprised (and disappolinted) if anyone now had this refused unless it was clearly a case of severe misuse.  And I struggle to see how you can abuse a micro-USB socket badly enough for it to fail except by way of deliberate vandalism.

[JameZ]

@sunnyview,

Appreciate if you can drop me an email with the following and I will get a case going with them.

Name:
Mobile:
Email:
Date of Purchase:
MTM:
S/N:
Case Number from call center:

//JameZ

[ybrevic]

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ybrevic wrote:

For the record, my TPT stopped charging over the weekend, and the micro-usb was a bit wobbly.  I called customer support on Monday, and they shipped out a box to return it for service, without any questions or hassle. 

So far, that seems like a pretty good response.

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Chapter 2:  According to the UPS and the IBM EasyServ information center website, my TFT arrived at the repair center early Wednesday morning.  It was noted that it was being repaired at 8:39 am, but at 1:35pm it was placed on "Hold for Customer Information."   I was not sure if I needed to do anything about this, assuming if they needed information I would be contacted.  After no change in status by Thursday afternoon, I called the Customer Service number.  After 30 minutes on hold (with the constantly repeating check the website and check your warranty message), I finally reached a pleasant representative who informed me that this case had been put on hold for the Billing Department.  He then followed through and confirmed my connection to another pleasant person in Billing (much shorter wait), who told me that the Repair department had determined that the mini-usb had customer damage(sound familiar?).  However, he then said that there was a note that this issue was a special case, but that all these cases needed to be properly documented through Billing, which he would do.  When I made the suggestion that there was no guidance that I should call to clear up this manner, and how long would the delay be if I had not called, he apologized for the problem and thought that this would have "eventually" be cleared on its own, but things were very busy.  He was not sure that the repair would be done this week, but hoped I might get it back before the US holiday next Thursday (disappointing as I really wanted to use it for something on Monday). He confirmed that would be no charges.

I'll refrain from any editorial comment on this so far, but stay tuned for the next exciting chapter.

[184_lenovo_user]

Lenovo repaired my USB port without charging me (they initially told me it'd cost $700) and returned it to me about four days later. The repair seems to be issuing a new tablet, as my data was removed and the device feels new (though it could be my imagination).

The micro-USB port feels fixed, but when I connect a USB cable the charging icon appears in the dock and then reverts to the non-chargnig battery icon. Wiggling the cable doesn't seem to fix this, but reconnecting it repeats the behavior. I've tried charging while it's both on and off, and haven't gotten it to take a charge. At one point I shut it down, plugged in the cable, and the device turned on on its own, then repeated the above behavior.

Basically my repaired TPT won't take a charge, despite having a physically sound micro-USB port.

[stuartv]

Sounds like you got a refurbished unit that had the same problem as your original one and wasn't fixed correctly when it was refurbished.... nor tested....

[errollw]

My port broke as described in here and Lenovo were very helpful. I sent it out on Tuesday evening and it got back here this morning (Friday) and everything seems to be in working order so far. Good job!

[eKeith]

Nicely done Lenovo!

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errollw wrote:
My port broke as described in here and Lenovo were very helpful. I sent it out on Tuesday evening and it got back here this morning (Friday) and everything seems to be in working order so far. Good job!

[184_lenovo_user]

I tried charging my returned TPT overnight and had no luck. They have to send another box out and repair it.

[IanJAWalker]

Mark

You need to make sure that your Warranty Support Centre (UK) know about this and act accordingly.    I was told, when I first called, that the problem with my USB charge port was a "user abuse fault" and that I would have to pay because I did not have TPP.

I was under the firm impression that I did have TPP on my warranty extension - thanks to misdescription by my supplier (MicroP) - but in fact they had only supplied me with a 3yr warranty extension with no TPP.   That matter is in the midst of being sorted out by Lenovo HQ and the distributors.

However, what has been clear to me thus far is that the fault is a manufacturing fault - NOT a user abuse issue.  I have used Lenovo kit since it took over the ThinkCentre/ThinkPad IBM branding.  Indeed I'm a Tier 2 partner.

My kit ( which consists of a ThinkPad, a G555, a 19" Thinkvision monitor and the Tablet)  works daily.    All kit is treated with due respect at all times - and I'd say its virtually impossible that this fault would have arisen from 'abuse' by me (the ONLY user of the kit).

I have called Warranty Support again today following your post in this forum and have been told they'll make arrangements for the kit to be received (at my carriage expense) at their repair centre for the fault to be investigated.

Let us see what happens  - but I hope your grease monkeys at the repair centre actually fix the fault under warranty - as should be the case here.

The case reference is A17D70X.   I am waiting now for the address of the repair centre.  If its close enough I'll deliver the kit myself - otherwise it can go by courier - although I do think that Lenovo ought to pay for that bit too.