How can you get HP to honor its warranty?

[tommygunsf]

I bought a HP SLIMLINE CTO DESKTOP PC S3400T in April 2008. I noticed that sometimes it would reboot by itself but I thought it might be a power issue. I got a new surge protector, etc. Finally, in September of 2008 I called HP for technical support. I told the tech that the error message was about the NVIDIA card but that was dismissed. The problem was never resolved and I continued to call and each time pointed out the NVIDIA card warning. The computer then started to go to the "crash dump blue screen" whenever idle for too long. After many, many hours of phone calls, HP finally told me that I needed to replace the hard drive and they sent me two. I copied off my data, which is again, very inconvenient. After reformatting my drive and the two new drives, the problem continued. I was assigned a case manager who assured me, "he takes responsibility and the problem will be fixed or I will get a new computer." And even GREATER inconvenience, I boxed up my computer and borrowed a laptop from work so that I could do homework for an IT grad program. The computer returned and the problem continued. I've since found out that the repair center only reinstalled the system software -- something I had already done 3 times. So much for communication.

 

At this point, my case worker was nowhere to be found -- HP seems to hide it's customer service reps with great facility -- and I was assigned Marina, who was not only incredibly rude but told me that she was doing me a favor by "letting" me return my computer for repair. I was not pleased and called Executive Support and was reassigned to Joyce from Ottawa who assured me, "she takes responsibility and the problem will be fixed or I will get a new computer." My computer was returned a week later and within a couple of hours, the blue screen with the crash dump message. And of course, I cannot find Marina or Joyce and HP tech support has no way of finding them.

 

Now I have Tara, who learned her "people skills" at Abu Ghraib," and told me that I once again must send my computer for repair and tells me that she is not responsible for the promises of other case managers but -- surprise, surprise, "she takes responsibility and the problem will be fixed or I will get a new computer."

 

I don't want to send my computer back, the problem seems too complicated for the tech staff at HP and I am sick of the process. Maybe we can send it to Apple, who is right across the street in Cupertino -- they fixed my laptop in a week, and on the first try.

 

I also own an HP MediaVault. I'm thinking the right thing for HP to do is to come in, buy back every HP product in my home, and right me a check for the full amount I paid. The nice thing would be to compensate me for the year and numerous hours of work I have wasted with HP.

 

William Hewlett and David Packard are rolling over in their graves. It really is a shame that this has happened to a once great company.

[1badGuard · Accepted solution]

We're just people like you. We come here to help others with issues concerning their PC.

You need to address this issue through HP's HQ. We cannot control the warranty issue your having.

Sorry

[lk]

Consumer beware.  When I called Tech Services with a computer problem they told me my warranty was expired but I could buy a 1 year extension that would cover telephone support and hardware/software problems.  They even emailed me a printed list of the full coverage including hardware problems.  After four hours troubleshooting with the Tech Services rep they determined that it was a defective wireless card and claimed it was not covered by the warranty.  It turned out that the person who sold me the warranty entered it system as Tech advise only.  They refuse to honor the hardware warranty even with the written confirmation. 

I spent another two hours with a very unfriendly case manager that could not help me and did not have a supervisor that took phone calls.  She suggested that I take it up with the HQ but, of course, did not have a department, phone number or name she would give me.  I don't know who coined the phrase "Award winning customer service" but HP must have paid them well.

I have three HP PC's in my household and I would return everyone today if I could.

If anyone knows how to get real customer service at HP please let me know.

[RoyalSerpent]

Extended warranty is a big $ maker for retailers.  Quality hardware + Quality assembly = Reliable PC.  I've built a lot of PCs over the last eight years.  Only major problem was the crappy Antec SP350 power supply.  It passed my 1/2 torture test, but only lasted a few weeks under normal use.  PSU was replaced under warranty.

You pay a little more $ for a custom rig, but you're getting 3-5 yr warranty on major components like hard drive, motherboard, CPU, PSU, GPU, and RAM.  The labor to replace the damaged component after the first year is usually $50-$70.

[Ron3243]

Hey, at least you are getting them to do somthing, after 18 days and 4 calls telling me they would, they won't send shipping material.

[Buggy]

I have been trying to gt them to honor the }In-home Total Care Warranty" for 2 years. First the PC failed to boot up. I sent it back and then when they told me it would be 6 to 8 weeks to get my PC repaired I flipped. I said forget it I want my money back. At that point a "Senior Technician" said the PC had "rodent or insect activity" and he marked it as such and not to ever return my PC again. Coincidence? I think not. Anyway the CD/DVD disk failed and after a year they came to my home and replaced it. That worked for about 2 weeks and then it lost **bleep**'s mind. Every reboot would push the hard drive farther down the list until it was one. At that point I returned it. They never even opened the box. They re-boxed it and sent it back. I sent it to my brother who took it to a repair shop and they found silicone or some other substance that is used to protect the processor chip footprint during assembly. He cleaned it, replaced the processor chip and it runs like a top. They are still going to weasle me out of a refund. The tech who could barely communicate in English found something somewhere that says if so much as an ant is found in your PC yoiur warranty is void but you still have to pay for it! I have perused every single downloadable and printed document I culd find and no such caveat exists. Besides the problem was theirs - they skipped a step in the PWA process. They have also charged me 2 late fees as I stilled "owed" them eighty something bucks which has grown into about 180 bucks. They owe me about $180 + interest! If they are not going to honor their warranty they should give me my money back! [Edit: discussion of lawsuits is a violation of community guidelines] I am disabled and my hands are very bad with RA. The pain and suffering alone shoulkd get me something when they insistef I go through all these painful trouble shooting steps. Keep me informed please.