Faulty Dell laptop

WeaponX

Hi,

I bought a Dell laptop in 2015 which is barely two years old. I've kept it in excellent condition through out that time. It's out of it's warranty period also.

Lately when I press the power button it doesn't turn on at all and the power button lights up before turning off after 10 seconds.

I phoned Dell support and troubleshooted the issue and it seems I need a new motherboard which will cost upwards of £700+.

Also there are several threads on the Dell support website with several other people experiencing the same problem for this particular laptop.

I feel as Dell couldn't pin point the exact fault and it looks like there's a fundamental fault with the motherboard, do I have any consumer rights on this matter?

DoaM

Did you buy it direct from Dell?

You're entitled to seek a remedy from the seller. This remedy can be a repair, replacement or refund, and any refund can be reduced to account for the time you've owned it. You can request a specific remedy but the seller effectively gets to choose the remedy which is most cost-effective.

The seller can require you to commission a report that proves (on the balance of probabilities) that the fault was inherent ... present at the time of purchase but not apparent. The reasonable cost of such a report (assuming it provides the necessary proof) would become the liability of the seller. (You'd likely still need to pay for the report first ... up to about £60-£70 would be reasonable).

dauphin

It's unlikely that a new motherboard is required. The symptoms suggest a fault with the power sub-board, which should be capable of repair or replacement at moderate expense.

In practical terms, I would suggest that you find a decent repairer willing and able to undertake this sort of work and obtain a diagnosis from them, together with a quote for the repair. Ask them as part of that for their opinion as to what caused the problem.

On the basis of that, you will be better placed to decide whether you have grounds for a claim against the seller and whether, in any case, it is worth getting the laptop repaired.

If, as I suspect, the power sub-board is the problem, this could well be the result of the power cord straining the power connector socket and you may be hard pressed to show that this was due to an inherent fault, as opposed to wear and tear.