Dell complaints

htsource · one bitch wonder Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 4

I purchased a Dell W3000 LCD TV exactly 13 months ago, warranty was over and now the TV wouldn't turn on.

Contacted Dell tech support a week after the warranty had expired, told them the issue but the tech was able to get me going back then. It's now totally dead - couldn't turn it on AT ALL, just the LED standby light turns green when power on.

Dell would not do anything to extend the warranty even though it was only out by a week. Fair enough, I didn't purchase the warranty up front!

Now I found out I could make a claim over my credit card company as I get extra year of warranty protection. I was on the phone with Dell for over 2 hours, called tech support first to find out if they could send me a written estimate for the repair, nope, they sent me to parts. Parts told me they wouldn't know what parts to order, transferred me over to customer service, they told me it's probably financing dept, got me there but the financing dept was actually outsourced, so they wouldn't even know what to do with my call.

Called back customer service, this time the guy told me it should have been either parts or tech support as they would know the cost and what to repair. Just before he hit the transfer button, I told him I was already on the phone for hour and a half, waiting between queues and getting bounced everywhere. He went and checked, came back and told me I would still need to talk to tech support to figure out what parts I need to replace, write down the part numbers, call parts department to find out the cost and have a written estimate done.

Called tech support again and told them the story again, this time they told me there is't really anything to replace when it comes to Dell TV. There's absolutely nothing in their database for parts???? I told him what I just went through and I really need something for the claim. They told me they don't have a repair depot for TV's, so to replace it would be to buy a new one. So I told them to write me an estimate is to replace the TV. Then he told me I have to go through parts dept. as they have the pricing information for a new TV. I bet they're going to forward me to sales as I don't think a whole TV qualifies as parts?

I basically give up for the night, what else can I try? So basically once the warranty is out with any Dell TV's, good luck getting it fixed.

Rocke_T_Sinetist · Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 10:59 am Post subject:

A streetcorner repair shop can fix almost any tube TV. But data is skimpy about how to get flat panel TVs fixed. Look in the yellowpages under TV repair, call a few and see if they can work on flat panels.

The good news is, it's not really a Dell TV. The same thing is probably sold under a bunch of different names. That gives the streetcorner repair shop a chance to fix it since it's 'standard'.

Let us know what you discover, and welcome to the forum.
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Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...'

sickofdell · Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 11:02 am Post subject:

Basically, all you have to do is go to Dell.com and customer the dell tv that you have with the 1 year warranty and print out the detailed invoice for you cc. company, that should be enough, but who really knows for sure. I used to do support for TVs and yes, there are no parts, other than a power cable and remote, that can be replaced. By they way, you can switch the power cable from your computer and try it on the tv and see if that works. good luck with the endless cycle that is Dell
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Have you seen my dell laptop?

http://www.tgdaily.com/picturegalleries/gallery-20060731-1.html

(ok, so it's not mine, but it's freakin cool)

htsource · one bitch wonder Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 4

Thanks guys for the replies. I've filed a claim with the Credit Card insurance company this morning. They'll send me a claim form and go from there.

I guess in this case, if the TV is not repairable (no parts available), maybe it's better for me since they'll have to buy me a new one? Or refund the purchase price?

I just hope it'll go smoothly and I don't have to take the TV to a shop back and forth for an estimate.

Will update as soon as I get more information.

sickofdell · Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 12:40 pm Post subject:

That's cool, good luck with it all. I know anytime you have to deal with insurance and the like, they want your money, but don't want to give it back to you when it's necessary. Hopefully you will get refunded the original purchase price as the tv's are much cheaper now. Very Happy

_________________
Have you seen my dell laptop?

http://www.tgdaily.com/picturegalleries/gallery-20060731-1.html

(ok, so it's not mine, but it's freakin cool)

htsource · one bitch wonder Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 4

I hope I'll get a full refund too. This way I can get a better TV - NOT DELL THIS TIME!

sickofdell · Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:40 pm Post subject:

Keep this in mind when searching for a new tv - Philips makes the dell tv, so you may wanna stay away from them as well Very Happy

_________________
Have you seen my dell laptop?

http://www.tgdaily.com/picturegalleries/gallery-20060731-1.html

(ok, so it's not mine, but it's freakin cool)

htsource · one bitch wonder Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 4

Looks like it's not going well with my claim. Since nobody will fix Dell TV, I'm having a hard time getting an estimate. I need an estimate before I can send off the claim to the insurance company. I've talked to the adjuster, explained my situation of how hard to get things done with Dell. I don't think he likes me at all, he's probably thinking I'm just trying to scam for a new TV. He wasn't helpful at all on the phone.

Basically they need some sort of formal written confirmation to confirm there's a problem with the TV. I asked if I could just take it to any shop, even though they can't fix it, but they might be able to tell what's wrong. The adjuster told me to watch for the warranty clause with Dell as far as having 3rd party to open up the TV while under warranty. The insurance will basically follow the manufacturer's warranty so if the TV has been tempered with, it will void the credit card warranty. I told the adjuster the manufacturer's warranty is next day exchange, he said they couldn't just get me a new TV.

Something is not right here!

Any other suggestions? Appreciate your help.

Rocke_T_Sinetist · Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2006 10:55 am Post subject:

Very revealing--Dell TVs "can't be fixed". The creditcard warranty extension is underwritten just like insurance. And when you file ANY insurance claim, the adjuster's greatest effort goes into finding a way to NOT pay. Something's wrong here alright. Nothing particularly unusual though. It's what you get when corporations rule the world.

Sorry, that sweeping observation won't go very far toward solving the TV problem. As for the 'core' problem, that corporations have evolved their relationship with government to the point they can do anything they please, or nothing, with impunity... whaddya gonna do, vote?
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Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...'