Nvidia G84m/G86m faulty chip happen to Vaio??

[6800gt]

I just wonder if anyone has the alleged graphic problem with your vaio series. I got AR51J with 8400m GT early this year. So far it works fine, but not sure it would die shortly :smileysad:. What's the sony's response?

origin story: All Nvidia G84 and G86s are bad
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/07/09/nvidia-g84-g86-bad

Channel Vendors Demand Graphics Cards Suppliers to Recall Potentially Faulty Nvidia GeForce Graphics Cards.
Resellers Want to Return Potentially Faulty Nvidia GeForce Graphics Boards to Makers
http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/video/display/20080725123120_Channel_Vendors_Demand_Graphics_Cards_Supp...

[sirusse47]

Hi Guys

I've just sent off a letter to Sony Head Office giving them 7 days to respond, so let's see what happens...

LETTER BEFORE ACTION

Dear Sir/Madam

Laptop Model: VGN-SZ61MN (PCG-6S4M)

Serial Number:

Place of Purchase: Sony Style UK Website

Date of Purchase:

Order Number:

Price Paid: £1414.01

Date Failed: Summer 2010

I write to you with reference to the above laptop, purchased from the Sony Style website. Unfortunately my laptop has failed due to what I believe to be a defective Nvidia graphics chip.

I have been in touch with both your telephone helpline and email support however neither channel was able to help me satisfactorily. They claim that since the laptop is out of warranty they cannot help.

I have spoken to a number of people who are well versed with regard to the problem my laptop is experiencing and have been informed that this problem is affecting thousands of laptops.

This problem is very well documented and is recognised by HP, Dell, Apple and Nvidia.  A simple Google of “Nvidia Defect” will provide you with all the evidence you need as to the scale of the problem.

You have to appreciate I paid a lot of money for this laptop and would have expected it to have lasted far longer than it actually did.

If I do not receive a satisfactory resolution to this matter then I will have no alternative but to take action through the Small Claims Courts.

I am therefore giving you this last opportunity to remedy this situation. I am formally giving you 7 days from the date of this letter to either:

• Replace my laptop with an equivalent model free of charge
• Refund the purchase price of the laptop

If you do not respond in the positive within this time then I will have no alternative but to obtain an engineer’s report, the costs of which will be claimed from yourselves.

I will then use that report, along with the myriad of articles of information that are available to pursue this matter through the legal system.

Please note that in this matter time is of the essence

Yours faithfully

Simon

[vgn-fz11l]

Sony have acknowledged this problem with the Nvedia graphics chipset and extended the warranty upto four years on some laptop models. I got mine repaired after going through the same reminders, as yourself, from Sony that my laptop was out of warranty. After my persistance they collected it and took it away where they put a new motherboard in, a few weeks later that graphics chip packed it in again, I complained and had it collected again, going well since.

   I hope this is of help. Be persistant and remind them of their promise to the world to extend their warranty for these known faulty chipsets.

  I hope this is of some help.

[shahid]

hello.sorry to bother you, could you please tell me how did you contact sony? I am not getting any clue how to resolve the issue!

thanks

[Thalamus.]

Hi shahid,

You can find the contact details for vaio support by either clicking Support at the top of this page or by using the following link:Vaio support

Under Log-in option 1: Enter your vaio models serial number, which you should find on the bottom of your Vaio.

Then next Select Model..

Then click Log-In

Once logged select Get In Touch.

Then Click on the Out of Warranty tab, then Phone support.

Or

If you want to contact one of Sony's authorised repairers to arrange a repair

Once logged select Get In Touch

Then Click on the Out of Warranty tab to locate the nearest location.

[markj1993]

Hi Simon,

Just wondering if you've had a reply to your letter from 3rd november yet?

I still haven't had a reply to the original letter i sent on 11.10.10 so have gone back through the timely way of email support. Tried several times to contact me but the phone line is to bad with crackling and interference to hear what they are saying.

Now awaiting for my email response to see what can be done. Just wondering if you've had any luck?

Mark.

[sirusse47]

Hi Mark

Nothing yet, will wait until I am a bit less busy middle of next week to chase up. Have given up with email/telephone support, next port of call is an independent engineers report.

Good Luck

Simon

[markj1993]

Pretty much the same, no reply to my letter sent on 11th october, and the email and phone support is painful. Email just keep asking the same questions and when they phone me you can't hear a thing due to interference and crackling on the line.

Now awaiting for another reply to see what they can do, think the engineers report is going to be the easiest option.

[sirusse47]

Hi

Got a reply from Sony on Friday. I quote "The chupset identified in the media as having the inherent fault is not the GPU used in any of our SZ chassis VAIOS..(sic)"

Slightly confusing as the 8400GS is used in models that Sony recognise in having a defect AND in the SZ...

Anyway they offered a 10% discount on the repair cost. Which made me laugh.

Now though, at least, I have an email. Get on to Darrell Huntley, darrell.huntley@eu.sony.com

I will be on to him in the latter part of next week, once work has calmed down a bit

Good Luck

Simon

[markj1993]

Wow simon, seems you're getting further than me at least.

Still no reply to my letter... and as for the email support, it's a joke! just asking me the same questions over and over, and i'm pretty sure it's purposely now. The furthest i've got is them saying they'll pick it up and for me to tell them a pick up date, only for me to read at the bottom of the email hidden away 'the repair will be chargeable as it is out of warranty'. I've clearly stated on every email that i refuse to pay for any repair because it is not due to me.

As for the laptops we have not having the faulty chip is a load of crap, a lot of the laptops on the list of the extended warranty also have the GeForce 8400M GT graphics card.

Like many people are saying, Sony are a good company for other products, but never again for VAIO.

Might have to email this Darrell Huntley then if nothing improves quickly. Good luck with your case

Mark.

[AnnoyedAlready]

Hello Pablavo,

I too have the Vaio VGN AR51e  and have just developed the same problem. I am writing this with four 2" wide vertical multicoloured bars on the screen that I cannot move. So the only way ican use the laptop is to move whichever window I am using around so that I can see behind the bars. I'm getting eye strain. I am just wondering whether it is even worth bothering phoning Sony based on what you report. I am wondering whether getting in touch with the press and or the consumer association Which? would yield better results. I can see me vowing to boycott Sony in the same way. The RAC haven't had any new business from me in nearly 20 years and that's because they too had useless customer service. When will these MegaCorps realise it is in their long term interests  to do right by their customers?. Sorry to rant. Good luck though and if you get anywhere, paritcularly as we have the same model please can you let me know? Likewise will do the same. By the way, do you know if the AR51e is on the extended warranty list? I haven't been able to find the list. Thanks.