Laptop keyboard fault just out of guarentee...

Kildare

Good morning! I'm hoping someone knowledgable can help me with this problem

Bought an Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra M3-581TG laptop 16 months ago from online store 'Simply Acer' and about 1 month ago the keyboard started to fail - sometimes the keys on the bottom row just won't work. We've plugged an external keyboard into the laptop which works fine so it's definitly a hardware issue.

So far, we've found the receipt and called Acer's customer service (rather than going back to Simply Acer) to ask for the keyboard to be repaired. The laptop hasn't been dropped or mistreated, so this is failing of the machine not customer damage. My OH called Acer customer service and mentioned SOGA, but their reaction was "it will cost £55.15 p+p + the repair cost (unknown until they look at it)".

What is the next step we can take with this, as its a failing of the hardware a couple of months out of guarentee surely Acer should repair this free of charge?

Thanks!!

Fosterdog

You have no contract with Acer, only with the retailer Simply Acer. As it is more than six months since purchase it's not up to them to prove that it's not a manufacturing fault but down to you to prove that it is.

Your first port of call should be to contact simply Acer as they may at least offer to diagnose the fault for free and as long as it's not user damage they may repair it at the same time.

If they won't do this (which they don't have to) you will have to pay for an independent engineers report, if that comes back as user damage or fair wear and tear there is nothing you can do. If it comes back as manufacturing fault or inherent fault Simply Acer then have to repair, exchange or refund you (reduced amount to allow for the use you've had of the laptop). They will also have to refund the cost of the independent report.

Have you tried a factory reset in case it's a software error causing the fault? Have you given it a good clean? Underneath the keys can get full of dust and crumbs.

Worst case is that it is user damage and as long as it is only the keyboard affected and not the motherboard you can buy replacement keyboards for a fee £ online and 5 minutes work to change it over.

Slowhand

Fosterdog wrote: »

You have no contract with Acer, only with the retailer Simply Acer. As it is more than six months since purchase it's not up to them to prove that it's not a manufacturing fault but down to you to prove that it is.

Your first port of call should be to contact simply Acer as they may at least offer to diagnose the fault for free and as long as it's not user damage they may repair it at the same time.

If they won't do this (which they don't have to) you will have to pay for an independent engineers report, if that comes back as user damage or fair wear and tear there is nothing you can do. If it comes back as manufacturing fault or inherent fault Simply Acer then have to repair, exchange or refund you (reduced amount to allow for the use you've had of the laptop). They will also have to refund the cost of the independent report.

Have you tried a factory reset in case it's a software error causing the fault? Have you given it a good clean? Underneath the keys can get full of dust and crumbs.

Worst case is that it is user damage and as long as it is only the keyboard affected and not the motherboard you can buy replacement keyboards for a fee £ online and 5 minutes work to change it over.

I'm typing this on laptop that I replaced the keyboard on for £8.99 delivered. There was so much mank underneath in the original one you wouldn't have believed it! If you can strip the original (there's online vids for most) kbd out and give it a clean up.

societys_child

Replacement KB £20
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=acer+aspire+laptop+keyboard+M3-581TG&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aacer+aspire+laptop+keyboard+M3-581TG

Kildare

Thanks! I had no idea you could replace it yourself. Think we're just a bit miffed as both my Dad and I have very similar 3-4 year old Acer laptops, no issues with it what so ever and keyboard working just fine, but OH's newer sleeker model is failing at less than 18 months. It's definitly not been dropped / spilled on but he does use his laptop more than I do.

Will take all this info and the advice on the keyboard replacement back to OH and will let you know what the outcome is.

Thanks everyone for your help!! :T

Fosterdog

Out of interest does your OH play games on the laptop?

I have seen the keyboards go earlier than expected on laptops not designed for gaming but used for games, especially games with keyboard controls and constant hammering of the space and arrow bars.