LCD Issues

[JWJ624]

I recently purchased a Model: G60-235DX laptop and within 6 weeks of the purchase date the LCD was gone.  The laptop was working fine when it was shut down for the evening and when I opened it up the next morning, there was a black spot at the top of the screen.  According to the service center, the damage was my fault and the replacement cost was about the same as the cost of the brand new computer.  I was told that it is easy to damage the LCD in these laptops, has anyone else experienced a problem with their LCD?  If so, was it from closing the computer down normally?

[unhappycustomer]

The same thing happened to my wife tonight.  She was using the same model G60 235DX laptop, (it was sitting on the coffee table) and had walked into the kitchen for a few minutes.  When she returned to use it again, a large black line appeared diagonally across the screen.    We rebooted, but it reappeared.    HP tech support immediately told my wife that it was her fault, that it was accidental damage, and that she would have to pay $350 to have it repaired, or buy anew computer.     We have had this laptop for six weeks!    There is not a scratch on it, no physical damage whatsoever, and she absolutely did nothing more than USE the computer.   So far, HP's way of handling this situation has been absolutely pathetic.

We are waiting for a call from the second HP supervisor tomorrow, but I won't get my hopes up.  We have had to deal with three foreign tech support people, probably from India, who obviously have no authority to do anything but blow off any customer who even suggests a manufacturer's defect that warrants a recall.

We have had a GATEWAY laptop for two years, and can pretty much beat the crap out of it, and have never had a single problem with it.   This HP LOOKS really nice, but I am extremely upset that it has only lasted six weeks.   Come on HP!  Stand behind your products and issue a recall on this piece of junk!

[jessicav26]

I bought a G60-230US notebook in January and loved it.  The hinges were always a little stiff opening and closing, but I leave it on my desk and don't move it so I didn't think it was a problem.  Last wednesday morning when I turned it on my LCD was cracked, it wasn't like that the night before, so it must have happened when I opened it, but it was obviously cracked.  It had a black jagged line diagnol across the top right corner (where I grab to open and close the notebook) with horizontal lines to the right and vertical lines under it.  I went to the online chat support to find out how to order a replacement and had to explain the whole story about 3 times, and told them I knew that was what it was and it looked exactly like the picture in the help section that said "cracked liquid crystal display".  He still had me download 2 things, and told me to restart and hit F10 to see if they were still there.  I told him that I knew what it was and knew they would be there but I think he was just trying to get rid of me, and wouldn't give me a straight answer when I asked what to do after that.  So I did what he said and then had to log back on to chat and explain the entire thing again.  I gave her the referance number from the last chat session, but she couldn't find it.  I tried again to ask how to order a replacement LCD, but she also tried to get me to do the same thing and didn't clearly answer my questions.  She then told me that my notebook was under warranty so I needed to ship it to get serviced.  I asked if there was a way to ship me a replacement part because I didn't want to ship the laptop (I knew it probably wouldn't be under warranty anyway) but she assured me it was under warranty and she was shipping me a box (once again not answering the question) At this point I had been on there for about 4 hours so I gave up. 
 
I recieved the box friday afternoon, and shipped my laptop out saturday morning.  I got a confirmation that they recieved it tuesday morning.  It is now thursday evening and I recieved a voicemail to call about my laptop repair.  I called the number back and spoke with a "case manager" named Derick who informed me that my laptop had a broken LCD and is not under warranty.  He said that I can pay for the repair, which would be about $400 (my laptop only cost me $650!!) or they would ship it back.  I did not agree with the options given to me since I had been misguided by 2 of their customer service reps over a week ago, and asked to speak with a supervisor.  He informed me that he was a manager and there was no one else to speak with.  I know that in customer service this is never true, so I continued to ask to be transferred to someone that could help me.  He said that anyone above him was only administrative and did not take phone calls so I could pay or he would ship it back.  I then asked him how much it would be to order a replacement LCD (the same question that I tried to ask over a week ago) and he said he didn't know, and could give me the parts department phone number.  I didn't want to get off the phone and start all over, so I asked him to put me on hold and find out or transfer me, neither of which he would do.  After a 20 minute phone call, he hung up on me.  I called back and waited about 5 minutes and ended up having Derick answer again!  I said "Derick, you hung up on me"  and he replied "Well I can't stay on the phone with you all night.  I gave you your 2 options and I have no choice but to ship the laptop back to you and disconnect this call" and hung up again! 
I can not believe the customer service, I have NEVER been treated this way and have never dealt with a company that will not help me find a solution to a problem (that was their own customer services fault in the first place)  I get better service from Wal-Mart.  I will never buy another HP again, and I will post this complaint anywhere I get the chance.  I guess I learned a really expensive lesson...............

Please let me know if anyone gets a response from HP because they have not replied to any of my complaints........ I guess a part that probably costs them about $50 to make means more then a customer

[JAB19]

I agree with all on this subject.  I bought my G60-235 on May 27, 2009 on May 31, 2009 the screen is now cracked (as I am being told by HP).  My son was on the computer at the time playing an online game.  He touched the screen to point out something and it just went.  Now my son is 11 yrs old, 73lbs and him touching the screen should not make it go.  Of course HP does not cover it and say I damaged it since purchasing it.  Really.  Wow wonder how my Dell I bought in 2002 has made it so long, maybe because they used better products. And I can tell you there are fingerprints on that screen from where he touches it.  Really, I brought it home, took it out of the box and sat it on our desk in the living room.  How could a couple of touches make it go.  When I asked the customer service agent about issues in transit all I got was he could not talk to that subject.  Then how does he know I damaged it.  Sounds like others are having their screens go without anyone touching it.  Sounds like HP has an issue with the supplier of the products that make up the LCD's on these models and they need to look into the quality of products they are purchasing and putting in systems with their name on it.  <text deleted>Times are tough these days and you need to sell reliable good products.  Guess it is time to go back to Dell.  First and last HP I buy.

Message Edited by WendyM on 06-12-2009 08:28 AM

[HPscrewedme]

I also have the same type of problem. I purchased a G60t that was shipped from China March 25, 2009 and received by me March 30th.  May 28th, with the unit just two months old, I notified HP that a horizontal black line had developed in upper left corner.  This unit had never left my family room since the time I received it and I am a senior living alone so no one else had touched it.  What followed was a month of frustrating contact with off shore support, they did diagnose problem online as a motherboard problem.  I was promised twice that a return box was shipped during this month and I finally demanded that they provide a tracking number or a supervisor.

June 22nd I got a call from an english speaking HP representative, Kimba.  She assigned a repair # and shipped a return box which I received next morning.  I packed the unit and returned it June 23rd.  By this time the single black line pencil thin line had developed into what looked like pencil scribble.  June 26th Kimba called me to state that they now diagnose it as a cracked LCD that is not covered by warranty!  I questioned where in the warranty LCD's were excluded.  She had to go off the call to look that up, she returned after a long time on hold. She then stated that it was the accident, abuse, misuse section.  I protested that none of that applied and the unit had sat in my house untouched other than normal use as a computer.  She stuck to the company line and said that it would cost $400 to fix it!  I was floored by that and told her that I could not pay $400 to fix a $600 item, ridiculous!  This unit I feel had to be defective when I bought it, it never left the room I unpacked it from when it was received and the lines developed.

I am now awaiting it's return to me and I will compare the screen condition to pictures I took of it June 23rd just prior to shipment.  I also plan on notifying my consumer affairs office as I do not believe this product is "fit for the use intended" as required by law.  I will also contact my credit card company with the same complaint.

[jessicav26]

Isn't it funny that HP doesn't seem to respond at all to any of these complaints?  I sent a complaint everywhere I could on the HP website and also filled out the survey that was emailed to me, and have had no response at all.......

[HPscrewedme]

While looking for better instructions for replacing the LCD screen I came across this thread... http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=51&threadid=2292811.  Some on this thread suggest notifying BBB also, may not be a bad idea.

There is a step by step instruction written there for the G60 series, the general instructions I have seen did not apply to this model.   There are again people on that thread having the same type of problem with HP.  I received my laptop back with a CID sticker firmly in place in the center of the screen.  I had to dig at it and then use denatured alcohol to rub off the adhesive.  That didn't cause any damage to the screen which I think verifies that the problem I have in the corner is a defect!  BTW Kimba from HP called me to see if I was happy with the repair, I reminded her that I refused repair and that changed tone of call quickly.

A day or two before I made my original posting on this thread I had written a review outlining this problem on the G60t series at HP.com, it was not positive and in same style as posting on this thread.  It has not been posted to date, must be why they show a 98% positive review status, bad reviews are not counted!

[HPscrewedme]

I have also filed a complaint with BBB after receiving no responses from HP.  If you use their corporate address in Palo Alto the BBB online complaint goes to the BBB in that area.

[samschilling]

The HP techs are confused.  They are under the impression that the issues with your screens are accidental damage.  You just need to call them back and inform them that the issue is not damage related.

[samschilling]

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jessicav26 wrote:

I bought a G60-230US notebook in January and loved it.  The hinges were always a little stiff opening and closing, but I leave it on my desk and don't move it so I didn't think it was a problem.  Last wednesday morning when I turned it on my LCD was cracked, it wasn't like that the night before, so it must have happened when I opened it, but it was obviously cracked.  It had a black jagged line diagnol across the top right corner (where I grab to open and close the notebook) with horizontal lines to the right and vertical lines under it.  I went to the online chat support to find out how to order a replacement and had to explain the whole story about 3 times, and told them I knew that was what it was and it looked exactly like the picture in the help section that said "cracked liquid crystal display".  He still had me download 2 things, and told me to restart and hit F10 to see if they were still there.  I told him that I knew what it was and knew they would be there but I think he was just trying to get rid of me, and wouldn't give me a straight answer when I asked what to do after that.  So I did what he said and then had to log back on to chat and explain the entire thing again.  I gave her the referance number from the last chat session, but she couldn't find it.  I tried again to ask how to order a replacement LCD, but she also tried to get me to do the same thing and didn't clearly answer my questions.  She then told me that my notebook was under warranty so I needed to ship it to get serviced.  I asked if there was a way to ship me a replacement part because I didn't want to ship the laptop (I knew it probably wouldn't be under warranty anyway) but she assured me it was under warranty and she was shipping me a box (once again not answering the question) At this point I had been on there for about 4 hours so I gave up. 
 
I recieved the box friday afternoon, and shipped my laptop out saturday morning.  I got a confirmation that they recieved it tuesday morning.  It is now thursday evening and I recieved a voicemail to call about my laptop repair.  I called the number back and spoke with a "case manager" named Derick who informed me that my laptop had a broken LCD and is not under warranty.  He said that I can pay for the repair, which would be about $400 (my laptop only cost me $650!!) or they would ship it back.  I did not agree with the options given to me since I had been misguided by 2 of their customer service reps over a week ago, and asked to speak with a supervisor.  He informed me that he was a manager and there was no one else to speak with.  I know that in customer service this is never true, so I continued to ask to be transferred to someone that could help me.  He said that anyone above him was only administrative and did not take phone calls so I could pay or he would ship it back.  I then asked him how much it would be to order a replacement LCD (the same question that I tried to ask over a week ago) and he said he didn't know, and could give me the parts department phone number.  I didn't want to get off the phone and start all over, so I asked him to put me on hold and find out or transfer me, neither of which he would do.  After a 20 minute phone call, he hung up on me.  I called back and waited about 5 minutes and ended up having Derick answer again!  I said "Derick, you hung up on me"  and he replied "Well I can't stay on the phone with you all night.  I gave you your 2 options and I have no choice but to ship the laptop back to you and disconnect this call" and hung up again! 
I can not believe the customer service, I have NEVER been treated this way and have never dealt with a company that will not help me find a solution to a problem (that was their own customer services fault in the first place)  I get better service from Wal-Mart.  I will never buy another HP again, and I will post this complaint anywhere I get the chance.  I guess I learned a really expensive lesson...............

Please let me know if anyone gets a response from HP because they have not replied to any of my complaints........ I guess a part that probably costs them about $50 to make means more then a customer

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Except for you.  Yours wont be covered by normal warranty (as you know) because there is a physical crack in the LCD.

Right where you grab it to open and close it.

Message Edited by samschilling on 07-05-2009 05:41 PM