On March 24, 2005 I purchased a Sony Vaio PCG-K45 laptop for $1399.99 (qualified for $450 in various rebates) from Best Buy #210 in Lakewood, CO. I also purchased a 3-year extended service plan (PSP) for $249.99.
On June 20, 2007, I had been using my laptop at home. As usual, it ran a little hot, so I always used a computer tray underneath to make sure it received adequate ventilation. After about 10 minutes of use, the computer powered itself off and would not turn back on.
I brought the laptop into Best Buy in Aurora, CO 13801 E. Mississippi Ave in order to be serviced. The geek squad technician, Josh R., took my power adapter and he told me that he believed the motherboard went bad. He set it up for my computer to go to Best Buy's service center (in California). The laptop was scratched up in places, but had absolutely no spilled liquids on the exterior. The initial service order was 00217-908865127. On this order the condition was listed "NWT" and the symptoms "motherboard needs replacement. unit runs hot after a period of usage. under psp...jr"
After about one week, I received a strange message from the Best Buy service center. I returned the call and spoke to someone named Andrew. He said that my motherboard went bad due to "extensive liquid damage" (his words) and therefore not covered by warranty. I told him that my wife and I were the only ones to use the computer and we definitely had never spilled liquids into the computer. He disputed this and told me that if I wanted to fix the computer it would cost about $1400 or he could just send it back un-repaired. I told him to send it back because (1) I knew I hadn't caused any liquid damage and (2) the computer was not worth that much even if it had been my fault. Andrew told me he'd be returning photos and documentation with the laptop back to the store.
On July 8, 2007, I returned to Best Buy in Aurora to pick up my computer. This time I had my own digital camera with me, because I no longer trusted them after my phone call with Andrew at Best Buy's service center. My suspicions were correct. My laptop now had what looked like coffee spilled near the keyboard and on the palm rest. I was absolutely livid! It had become rather obvious that someone spilled liquid on my computer AFTER I turned it in for service. Anyway, I took pictures. Another Geek Squad associate, John, talked me into sending back into the service center because they never sent pictures like Andrew said they would. He told me he thought there was a 90% chance they would fix the computer, so I agreed to send it back.
Geek Squad manager Mike P. took the new service order 00217-911285558 and made a note of the sticky substance on palm rest that wasn't in the initial service order. He wrote Unit came back from service unrepaired due to liquid damage. Customer is disputing that it was there when he brought it in. Please diagnose again, escalate to a team lead/manager.
On July 19, 2007 I returned to pick up my laptop again for the second time. This time, the original Geek Squad associate who took my computer repair order back on June 20th, Josh R. was present. Upon waiting for the associates to track down where my laptop was in the store, they finally brought over to me. This time, the service center appeared to have wiped up the sticky coffee spills a little, but the remnants still remained. Service manage Tyler Nielsen was confronted by me that the spills did not exist before I turned in the computer for service. I asked Josh R., who was standing right there in front of Tyler Nielsen, if my laptop had liquids spilled on it when I brought it in. Josh shook his head and said No. Tyler appeared annoyed with Josh for telling the truth and told me he agreed with the service center. Tyler claimed that the liquid damage was pre-existing and gave me the toll free number for Best Buy's corporate line. He tried to charge me $34.95 to get my computer back (even though they didn't fix my motherboard, then even spilled liquids on my laptop). I refused to pay and quickly signed the form to get my computer back.
Now that I was in possession of my laptop again, I took the computer in to be looked at by a reputable company. I brought the computer to Techno+Rescue, LLC at 6150 E. 49th Avenue Commerce City, CO 80022. They diagnosed that the cause of my laptop's failure to power on was due to a bad motherboard. Furthermore, they wrote a letter that they have given to me (and is available from them at help@technorescue.com) which states that the nature of the liquid damage indicates that it could only have been made after the computer was opened up by a technician. They also found that the liquid spilled did not even get on the motherboard and was unrelated to the pre-existing motherboard problem. In other words, even if I had been the one to cause the liquid damage (which I hadn't) there was no reason for them not to honor the service agreement to fix the motherboard.
Tom
Aurora, Colorado
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