askankman

askankman: #sony_vaio_f_series_vpcf112fx UPDATE: DO NOT BUY A SONY VAIO!!!!!

I want to share a consumer in-warranty complaint that I have against Sony Electronics that Sony refuses to repair despite the defect.

I purchased a Sony notebook PC on May 4, 2010 on Amazon.com and received the computer on May 12, 2010. The product came with a 1-year express warranty. Less than three months into my purchase and on Saturday, July 31, 2010, I noticed that the display panel had developed a dead pixel that is quite noticeable to me.

I called Sony Customer Relations and they referred the matter to a "Sony Product Specialist" who stated that less than 3 dead pixels is considered "normal operations" and Sony will not repair the display panel at this time. I was also placed in conference call with the San Diego repair center which was willing to send a box to me and ship the unit for "evaluation only" and no promise to repair the unit. The Sony computer 1-year warranty comes with in-home repair. The express warranty does not disclose the additional warranty terms and conditions pertaining to dead pixel display defect.

I was told by the Sony agent in San Diego during this conference call that if the defect was deemed "normal" then I would have to pay for the cost of repair. I called a local computer repair center in San Jose and was given an estimate of between $400 to $500 to replace the LCD panel. However, the repairman I spoke to said that Sony's cost is far less than my cost since they purchase these parts in quantities of thousands.

There appears to be a debate as to when a LCD display is deemed defective. But we have to look at this matter from the consumer's perspective. Sony is known for building reliable and precision made displays. My Toshiba notebook PC is over 6 years old and used for many thousands of hours and NEVER had a pixel failure. Bottom line: Sony plays hardball. They could fix the display if they wanted to honor the EXPRESS terms of their product warranty. Keep in mind also that COMMERCIAL LAW requires that when a manufacturer provides an express warranty, those terms in the written warranty govern the purchase and repair of the product. The fact that Sony did not mention the so called, "normal operations" standard for what constitutes a defective display panel is a violation of the Uniform Commercial Code, Article II. Sony is required to disclose this standard of repair in its express warranty in order to give the consumer timely and adequate notice.

I spoke to two independent computer repair centers in San Jose and both of them were shocked that Sony would not repair the display panel, that clearly a dead pixel is a product defect entitled to in-warranty repair.

What really bothered me was the customer relations rep actually tried to say that this repair was at the option of Sony. I responded that this provision in the express warranty is in reference to whether the customer is entitled to an entire replacement unit, or in those specific instances where it is determined that the unit was damaged due to customer abuse or mishandling. Aug 6, 10