Laptop problem, hinges broken

[Worriedinbfd]

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum mods, please move it to relevant forum if so

 

Some time ago (under 12 months though) I bought a Lenovo G570 laptop. After about 3 months the left hand hinge came loose. I took it back to the retailer who replaced the screw in the back that was holding the hinge in. All was good for about a couple of months until it happened again, this time it damaged the case. I promptly returned the laptop to the store for someone to take a look at. I was contacted by the store a couple of days later, they told me the damage was caused by me dropping the machine(which I have not). I suggested that there was a design flaw resulting in the hinges coming loose, only to be told "no it isn't a design flaw, you don't know what you're talking about". I was disgusted, but tried to be ultra careful with the machine.

Now, over the weekend the same problem has occurred with the hinge at the right hand side, this prompted me to google "Lenovo G570 hinge broken", this search threw up quite a lot of results(near 9000). It does seem that this is a common fault with the laptop. Others have tried to contact Lenovo but have been fobbed off by them.

 

Before 12 months is up, I would like to know where to go from here.

 

Any help/advice would be gratefully received.

[slick132]

Hi Worried,

 

Can you name the retailer please.

 

This is something I've heard of a few times although I'm no techy in such matters.

 

Your initial complaint will still be with the retailer, even though you say this is a common problem with Lenovo lappies.

 

Put in a written complaint to the retailer detailing briefly the problem you had each time and how it was dealt with (or not).

 

Confirm that you are most unhappy with the rude way in which you were :-

 

1. Told that you must have dropped the lappy, when you know this to be untrue.

 

2. Told that you don't know what you were talking when you suggested there may be a design flaw, because of the numerous complaints you've seen about this elsewhere.

 

Tell them you want the machine repaired with the replacement of both hinges, failing which you'll have the lappy repaired elsewhere and sue for the cost in the County Court.

 

[labrat]

 

Tell them you want the machine repaired with the replacement of both hinges, failing which you'll have the lappy repaired elsewhere and sue for the cost in the County Court.

 

 

dont demand replacement of the hinges the flaw isnt to do with the hinges, the hinges are held in by two small silver screws into the inside base of the laptop, the fault is that these plastic pegs (holding the screws) snap off the base, this leaves the hinge to be held in by the single screw that is visable in the base of the laptop which passes through the base, through the hinge and screws to the topcase, that peg on the topcase then snaps causing the higne to lever open the corners of the laptop

 

it is common in one or both hinges

 

you need the base case and topcase replacing DO NOT allow the company to do a plastics repair as these dont last

[slick132]

Hi Labrat and thanks for the input.

 

I told you I wasn't a techy in such matters !!

 

[labrat]

contact lenovo direct ask if theres a brief on the hinges

 

explain your claiming against a retailer and they might be able to help, where i work this is becoming a common enough issue that we are ussually repairing them without any extended warrenty

 

if they get picky get another engineer to make a report on it

 

ussually runs along the lines of

 

"on inspection of the laptop there is no signs of any impact damage to the rear corners of the laptop, this is inconsistant with a fall which would show marks from the impact, it would not have mattered which type of surface the laptop fell on as any fall of sufficiant distance to damage the hinges would leave distinct markings of the surface type"

 

"on internal inspection of the laptop it has been determined that the screw lugs holding the hinge has seperated from the base plastics, again there is no sign of any other plastics damage signifying a fall, the lugs are still attached to the screws and have not deformed in any fashion, this is consistant with a manufacturing defect with the plastics causing excessive wear and tear"

 

any independant shop should be able to do a decent report

[DaveBowles]

I have a Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E130 that after less than 14 months personal and careful use has had the left-hand hinge break away from the casing.

At the time of purchase of the ThinkPad from Dabs.com I also purchased from Dabs an extended warranty from MendIt (no information regarding cover was given at the time of purchase, the limitations were only advised at the time of attempting to make this claim). Both Dabs and Lenovo single out the hinges on the ThinkPad as being of robust design. If you include the attachment to the casing, this is clearly not the case.

I have tried to get some help for what can I only describe as premature failure from MendIt, they refuse to help, Dabs also refuse to help and finally Lenovo who totally refuse to be of any help whatsoever and say that this failure would not even be covered by their normal 12 month warranty. Whilst not rude, the Lenovo contact was obstructive and refused to give me any information name of the company or it's location and refused to transfer me to a supervisor. The only help Lenovo would give is a verbal quote for the labour to repair (excluding parts), that amounted to over £200 per hour plus VAT.......ridiculous

My recommendation to anybody considering either Lenovo, MendIt or Dabs.com is think again before spending your money on extended warranties and don't invest in a manufacturer or supplier that refuse to take responsibility for the shortcomings of their products.