Sony VAIO VGN-SZ71WN/C possible Nvidia defect and poor VAIO support

[martsirt]

Hi,

I wondered if anyone had a direct email for someone of supervisor or management level at VAIO Support.  The person at customersu​pport.en@va​io-link.com is not helping - he keeps sending me stock replies and requests for information I've already provided, and I have a feeling he is giving me the run-around / procrastinating.  I've asked him twice for an email for a manager or supervisor and he simply does not respond to that request but sends me another stock response.

I also spent 50mins on the phone yesterday with someone in Germany who is certain my display problem is software related despite the fact that it persists from power on and throughout POST, with or without my hard drive connected - just because it doesn't occur in BIOS settings.  Her 'logic' is that this  isn't the Nvidia defect problem because my laptop isn't on Sony's list of defective laptops!

http://genesis.sony-europe.com/instranet/ccil_sony/selfservice/search.jsp?DocId=35880

If anyone is interested in the problem itself, the symptoms are similar to symptoms of the "Nvidia defect" reported worldwide on various machines:  the display shows a small area of "á" ("a" accent) characters almost immediately after powering on, then a small area of blue vertical strips, then a VAIO logo corrupted by lines of various thicknesses, next a full screen of vertical blue lines, then a full screen of "á" characters. (I have sent customersu​pport.en@va​io-link.com a video)

The display is fine in Stamina mode, where it uses the integrated Intel graphics chip instead of the Nvidia GeForce 8400M GS used in Speed mode.

Thanks for reading!

Message was edited by: martsirt

[markj1993]

seems you're getting the same treatment as all of us

I do recommend a visit to the Nvidia defect forum though, does give you quite a lot of good advice and im going to give it a go when i find the time.

I to have just been sent round in circles by sony email support over my AR51M, with the defective 8400M GT firstly saying it isn't a defective model, then saying it is a chargeable repair, and then saying they'll ring me. Still no reply and too many letters and emails with no help (or in some cases reply) whatsoever... i go onto the nvidiadefectforum and i see quite a few recent posts with my laptop model and cases won.

Just need to find time and keep persisting with my case.

good luck, mark.

[martsirt]

Hi Mark, thanks for the heads up on the Nvidia defect forum. Good luck to you, also.

I find Sony's procrastination extraordinary and the unwillingness to even supply an address for a complaint is bizarre.

An update:

After some 34 emails and a 50mins phone conversation, customer disservices has finally conceded this is a hardware problem (because it occurs if the hard drive is disconnected - I told them this a number of times) but is so far unwilling to extend the warranty offer to this laptop even if the problem turns out to be the Nvidia defect (which I think we both know it is).  The repair is guaranteed for three months.  The details of the repair (reflow, reball, mobo replacement etc) can't be provided even hypothetically until the repair team have examined the laptop.  The repair will have a three month warranty. The minimum fee is 57 EURO / 49 GBP.

The ridiculous thing is that it has cost them more to procrastinate - they could have told me this within the first few emails.  And after all this, what confidence can I have in their repair?

I acquired the address of Sony UK's head office from the admin of the Nvidia defect forum:

Sony UK
The Heights
Brooklands
Weybridge
Surrey
KT13 0XW

A strongly worded letter of complaint (destined for the round file) and perhaps some legal action (looking into it) will soon be headed their way.

As for who will supply my future laptops... this has been a lesson for me to look at what people think of the supplier's customer care, not just value-for-money.

Thanks again Mark.

[markj1993]

Hi,

Yeah I already discovered that address through a thread on here... sent a letter on 11/10/10 and no reply. I've gone through a good 15 phone calls and about 100 emails, but the support on this situation is appalling.

Can't trust the rapir at all by the sounds of it on the forum, i wouldn't waste my money risking it anyway.

I did have a thread on here somewhere where it says everything, but basically just sent round in circles since the beginning of October.

Seems to be a new post every day about Sont laptops, most of which aren't in the extended warranty...

Think it's about time everyone affected got together and took some action to be honest.

Good luck and pkease keep updated mark.

[martsirt]

Hi Mark,

I should have kept this thread updated.  Sorry about that.

After another few emails back and forth with Sony 'support', here is the situation in short: I can have a 10% discount on the repair should I choose to go for it. 

I asked, hypothetically, if the fault is found to be the Nvidia defect would Sony charge me the cost of repair?  Sony's position is that if the laptop model is not on Sony's list of affected laptops (my laptop isn't on the list) the customer will be charged for repair.

"Kindly be  informed that in the case of all VAIO’s with these chips, extensive  investigations in cooperation with NVIDIA have been conducted and we  have found that a number of units are affected, and your model is not  found among the affected models. Therefore, the repair will be  chargeable."

Unfortunately I don't appear to have any legal grounds to challenge this. But other people should be informed that the "list of affected models" could be irrelevant to their specific situation - it doesn't in itself affect their legal rights, so they must not be persuaded otherwise.

Now, let's say the cost of repair is £150 - that doesn't seem an unreasonable guess (could be lower, could be higher).  It's guaranteed for three months.  So, for £150 I will get three months use; that's £50 a month.  But for £50 a month over 12 months, ie £600, I can buy a new laptop with at least a year's warranty (and six years 'warranty', in effect, under SoGA). 

Also, after this rigmarole I have no confidence in Sony at all:

• If they believed what they were telling me in emails and on the phone they are incompetent.
• If they did not believe what they were telling me they were being deliberately misleading - lying, basically (in my opinion, of course).
• They won't answer some direct questions, and they won't even supply contact details where complaints should be sent! Ludicrous.

With that in mind, and the fact that the repair will only be 'guaranteed' for three months, I think I'd be foolish to give them any more money.

I will buy a new computer soon.  I don't think I will look at Sony computers for a while! The really stupid thing is that had they been more reasonable in the first instance - acknowledging it is a hardware problem instead of being silly about it, for example - I think I would have accepted their point of view and not developed this negative perspective about them.  Never mind!  I am sure they have plenty of other customers.

This has turned into a bit of a rant again, sorry about that!

Good luck with your computer, Mark. nvidiadefect.com was a great recommendation, by the way.

[MrChrisP]

Hi guys.

Hopefully I'm not too late in replying to this thread!

I've had the same problem with Sony since July last year. Customer service is a disgrace etc but I finally managed to get them to collect my laptop to diagnose it.

Because of the problems I've had with them they are offering me a 50% discount on the cost of repair, however they have also confirmed as I said all along that the problem is due to the faulty NVidia chip.

I told them I want the repair free then but they of course said no because my laptop model is not on their list of affected models.

This however is rubbish. Under the Sale of Goods Act (1979) any company which has sold a product which suffers from a production fault MUST repair or replace the product free of charge or provide a full refund for the original cost of the product.

I have explained this to them in several letters and emails but one week on no-one has bothered to call me back. As a result I am going to meet my solicitor on Monday to discuss taking this case through the Small Claims Court.

I will try and get back on here and several other forums to keep all updated on progress.

Cheers,

Chris

[danros0]

Hi guys,

I had a similar problem last week and thought it was a virus so reinstalled the whole thing but the funny display persisted. I get "glittering" horizontal lines that are more obvious when you have a darker background. Using a word processor is fine (black fonts on white background) altought some letters are a bit green and glitter.

The funny thing is that I used the snipping tool to email friends a copy of my screen but the picture looks OK on another computer! Can't explain this...

My model VGN FZ21E (NVDIA GeForce 84000M GT) is listed in the "applicable models" and is less than 4 years old and therefore covered.

Sony makes it SO difficult to get in touch with them and after reading about all the difficulties you had, I wonder if I can muster the courage to go through the 400 emails and phones calls with Sony before I get anywhere with my claim (if I'm lucky).

One thing is certain: I won't buy a Sony laptop again!

[davricha10]

hi, i've just got the same problem with my vgn-fz38m and no very little about this and getting any info about it from sony is like getting blood out of a stone... If anyone can give me any info about this it would be very much appreciated as i dont no were to go to get it repaired or if i can get it fixed by sony.

[Blencogo]

Those having problems here do not have models on Sony's applicable list.

Both davricha10 and danros0 have applicable models as they are on this list: -

  •    VGN-FZ11x, VGN-FZ18x, VGN-FZ21x, VGN-FZ31x, VGN-FZ38x

  •    VGN-AR11x, VGN-AR21x, VGN-AR31x

  •    VGN-C1Zx, VGN-C1Zx

  •    VGC-LM1xx, VGC-LM2xx

  •    VGC-LT1xx, VGC-LT2xx

AND are less than 4 years old.  If the cause is the nVidia chip, Sony will repair your Vaio free of charge.

I would contact Vaio Support by phone.  You will have to use the Out-of-Warranty premium phone line but the 2-way conversation should make the cost worthwhile.  You can always ask for a callback.

The phone number from the UK is 0905 0310006.

Go for it!

[davricha10]

Thanks blencogo i bet by the time i've done on that call i could have bought a new laptop... lol