Toshiba a75 problems abound
- by Judi on Nov 12, 2005
Yesterday, Friday, I called Steve from Toshiba level 3 tech support. It was no surprise, but the number he gave me sent me right to voice mail. So much for that. I left him 2 messages anyway. Even though Steve assured me on Thursday he’d talk to James that day and get back with me, I never did hear from him. No return call in response to my 2 voice messages either.
Not to be deterred.
I called Customer Relations again… you know, you always start on the ground floor. I get to customer service, who wants to know the story, who then repeats your story to you to make sure they understand and then, they put you on hold while they call Customer Relations. I have no doubt that customer relations was beginning to cringe everytime they got a call saying “Judy is on hold for you” (yes, again).
The first time I called yesterday, I spoke with May. This was 12:30 my time here in Ohio. I have no idea what time it was for the Toshiba’s Customer Relations office, as they are not in the states (per Steve). May told me they were still waiting to hear from James. I suggested she give him a call while I waited. She told me she couldn’t do that because James was at lunch.
Wait a minute! James is at Toshiba center, in CA and it’s only 9:30 a.m. there! I told May this. May told me she couldn’t call James a liar. I asked her just what makes her think that anyway. Do they get updated every time someone in a different office (different country even) leaves the office? ::cough , cough:: I wonder if she knows when he goes to take leak too… or possibly it’s just the accepted “put off” line. I was told several times on Tuesday that I needed to talk to Eray, yet Eray was always out to lunch.
May ran out of answers and told me she’d have to call me back (heard that before but didn’t get any calls back). I told May I’d give her a call back in an hour if I didn’t hear from her first. She told me it would take her much longer than an hour, in an hour SHE would be out too. At this point, I had to chuckle, regardless of hour fired up I was.
Of course, I pointed out to May that I was told on Tuesday I HAD to speak with Eray, however I have yet to speak with him past that first conversation… instead I’ve spoke with Rachel, May and Tina. So, if May is out when I call back, I have no problem speaking with someone else.
One hour and 10 minutes later, I made my call to Toshiba customer service. This guy informs me that it shows I just called a while ago to speak with customer relations. A yup.. shows right. He transferred me -my umpteenth time being transfered.
I know that call must have come in and the whole office looked at each other and said “who’s dealing with her this time?” A bunch of Not me!’s later and Eray must have drawn the short stick. Lucky me. Lucky him.
Eray informs me that I have to send my computer back to Toshiba for them to look at it. I told him what I have told everyone, repeatedly. I want a different model. Period. This a defective Model. Toshiba knows this model is defective, so do you, so do I. Their “fix” won’t fix the problem or it wouldn’t have the problem since this unit just came from the refurbish center. I want a new computer. I’m not asking for monetary compensation. I’m not aksing for a brand new computer (though, honestly, I think that’s how they SHOULD do it, for every single person who is experiencing these issues - total recall, imo). Eray says he can’t say what they will do until they have the unit and look at it. I’m guessing I’ll get it back “fixed”. But, who knows.
Did I mention the warranty issue? My original warranty would expire March 2006. But they had my warranty expiring January 2006, because the refurbished units only have a 90 day warranty. Squeaky wheel… Eray fixed my warranty through March. Of course, with the replacement model they SHOULD send me, I will have to call and squeak some more to make sure the warranty is through March again… Honestly, I think the warranty should go for a full year from the time I get it… but I’ll settle for March.
I’m off to box up my laptop and take it to UPS. I’m including everthing. So they can replace it easier. 
But I’m also including a letter with detailed information on what issues I’ve experienced and when they happened; who I have spoke with; and what will make me happy (new, refurbished unit in a different, model - I am even requesting they send me the model number for me to research it before I agree). Most people don’t have $1600 to replace a computer. I sure don’t. I don’t think my request is unreasonable at all. I am also including a copy of the form I’ve filled out to send to the Attorney General for Ohio to file a complaint as well as the email from the attorney at Class Counsel and this page from their website.
Are you having problems with your Toshiba laptop too? Is it a Satellie a70/a75 or an M30x or M35x? Give these guys a email or phone call (I spoke with Avin). Or there are others filing lawsuits too. A google with some combination of the terms a75, lawsuit, toshiba should yeild some results… and then try other combinations of key words.
One thing I’d highly recommend, and this applies to any time you need to call any customer service department. I am not a really forceful person typically, by phone. Knowing that I can’t give up on this issue, I had to do something to help keep my focus. I wrote on notecards each issue I have. I wrote reasonable solutions. I wrote standard answers to give (like “No, I am not taking this to my authorized service center. This unit is defective, as my last one. If it could be fixed, the Refurbish center would have fixed it before sending it to me. It’s defective and needs to be replaced.”). I said these things over and over and over, with confidence, so they knew I was serious. It made it much easier on me to stand firm and sound convincing.
This squeaky wheel is making some sort of progress. Look for updates later this week. I’ll be calling Customer Relations mid-week to find out the status at that point (nothing, I’m sure, but at least they’ll know I’m not going away.)
Past entries regarding my Toshiba laptop problems:
1st post - Satellite A75 - National Class Action Attorneys :: Toshiba
2nd post - My daily battle with Toshiba
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Tags: class action lawsuit, satellite a75, Technology, toshiba
15 Responses for "Toshiba a75 problems abound"
[...] Other related posts: 2nd post - My daily battle with Toshiba 3rd post - Toshiba a75 problems abound [...]
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Man, the arguments that I have had with Eray in the Customer Relations Dept. Infact, I cursed him out well and good yesterday. Needless to say, I would LOVE to see Toshiba hit with another class action lawsuit.
Here’s a quick background on my situation.
I work for a MAJOR entertainment company. Although I’m based in Canada our head office is in the U.S. thus all our laptops came from Toshiba USA.
I have a Toshiba Portege M100 and since June 2005 my hard drive has crashed 6 times. Yep, you read that right! Oh, the motherboard has also been replaced in between the numerous hard drive crashes. Praise the good Lord for warranty!
The company who takes care of my warranty under Toshiba was at a loss and didn’t know what to do to stop the hard drives from crashing. They even believed that my laptop to be defective and had to fight with Toshiba to get me a higher quality HD (They actully wrote in their service notes, This laptop is back again and the situation is ridiculous!). The latest HD has been in for two weeks and so far so good…it’s longer than the other 6 have lasted.
Anyway, I’ve spoken to Eray like 20 times requesting a new unit. It’s not an unreasonable request with all that I’ve been through, nor is your request.
Eray told me all the same things he’s telling you. He tried to tell me my warranty was up this year, and offered to extend my warranty. Too bad for Eray because I pointed out that my warranty expires in 2007 so he can keep his extension.
He also tried to tell me to have the Toshiba certified company that services my laptop fax him all of the service reports. I told Eray “no go.” I made him call the company and do the leg work. Was he out of his mind to ask me that? Surprisingly, he did it and then called me back to say I’d have to send it to their office to have it checked. I said, “what’s the point what are you going to find that the company you have certified to work on my laptop won’t find?” Eray said if I sent it to them he was, “quite certain that if they can’t fix the problem the unit would be replaced.” Again, is he crazy? They had done nothing but give me the go around so I didn’t trust them. Sooooooooo, I called the people that service my laptop and begged them to dismantle it, do whatever necessary to fix the problem so that I never have to talk to the fools at Toshiba again. Like I said, the service company fought and got me a higher quality HD.
So why did I curse Eray out today? I told Eray that I want some form of compensation for my troubles 10 days ago and he said he understood and would set up an account with a credit for me to do some online shopping (a credit that pales in comparison to my laptop issues). Fine, I called today to see if the account was setup and it surprisingly was. But wait, it gets better! Because I’m based in Canada and (which Eray and every other person I spoke to in all these months knew) I can’t use the credit!
I had been so patient up to this point but today I let Eray have it. He actually said that he didn’t know that the credit couldn’t be used in Canada. Hello, as a Customer Relations Manager isn’t it his job to know these things? The answer is yes…and i don’t think he wanted to hear that because he hung up the phone on me.
Anyway, I come across your posts and I just had to share my story. Best of luck with your situation.
Maybe one day I’l tell you more about when Eray sggested that while I was on a business trip to San Francisco I drive to Irvine to have them look at my computer. Hello, if I’m on a business trip (a trip that I had to show up sans laptop because my hard drive crashed again) I don’t have time to drive to Irvine, nor shhould I even have to go out of my way.
Take care,
Invictus
Intersting you do not want to deal with an authorized service department. I’m having better luck with them then Toshiba. I bought my a70 in 12/04. Out of warranty 12/05. Having problems with the power jack 3/06. Called Toshiba and they basically said I was SOL. They gave me an authorized service center to have it repaired at my cost. Called them to get a quote and they said “This is a known issue and we can get fix it as a ‘warrenty waiver’, no cost to me”. Brought it to them yestarday and they are going to replace the motherboard with one that apparently has a re-engineered power jack in addition to replacing the top cover because of the static problem. They are doing it as a warrenty repair at no cost to me. We discussed all the other potential problems that the A70 could run into and he said they would look into them on my unit. Looks like they are running a pretty good business repairing A70/75s and billing Toshiba as he seemed to be VERRRY familier with all of their issues.
I have to admit, when I first called the service center I was a bit skeptical. I just wanted a quote as I was told by others a power jack problem was like a death sentance for a laptop. May as well use it as a door stop…or pitch it off the roof of a building to see how far it will fly. The service center would not give me a dollar quote. They said you can bring it here or you can go through Customer Relations yourself. The way it said it made it sound ominous and that I would be in for a world of aggrivation. After thinking about it I realized as a 5 star rated center they probably have a better relationship and better contacts with Toshiba then I do. I don’t need the hassle and they are only a mile from where I work.
The moral of my story I guess is don’t be so quick to dismiss the “Authorized Service Center”. I tell you, I have better things to do then play phone tag with ERay or whoever.
I should have been more clear. It’s not that I have any issues with my local authorized service departments, but more that I shouldn’t have to repeatedly take my machine to them to fix. I have read/heard that the more times Toshiba themselves has to fix a unit, the quicker it gets replaced. The authorized service center by me is awesome - but shame on Toshiba for not taking care of this issue (for everyone) correctly, but issuing a recall and refunding the cost, or replacing with a working model.
Hai,
I have A75-S226. I have lots of problems like overheating,lots of noise,hangs and shutdowns..
I would like to know what I can do to get rid of this.I saw that there is a class action suit against toshiba.
Did some one join that
I would like to know if i can get rid of this and get a better model and am ready to pay them the remaining amount.Please email me @ bhaskar.bhaskar@gmail.com
Thank you in advance,
Unfortunately, probably not (getting a better model). Not unless you can pull strings no one else has been able to pull.
Apri 12th,2006
Wow, Nothing but problems with the A75s226 Laptop. I found out just2 months ago their was a problem with the Toshiba laptop, on the toshiba website. So they repaired for free without charge. Now its still does not work. Its completely dead. This is my second motherboard.
It did nothing but lookup for over a year before I was aware of the problem. Now Toshiba will not help me due to the class action law suit.
I dont even know if im apart of it.
I will never buy a toshiba laptop again. I think they new about the problem and never told the consumer about it ans sold the the product to us with all its defects. Now we all who have this balsted A75 machine are in laptop hell.
thanks for nothing toshiba
carmen baggiano
I have taken my computer to an authorized tech and/or shipped it to Toshiba five times since I purchased it in Feb, 2005. Every time, they did something different to the thing, it worked for awhile, then went haywire again. I have spent countless hours on the phone with May and others, and have sent six emails to corporate headquarters (none of the emails were answered). Finally, someone from customer relations told me there was a class action suit against my A75, so I signed on. Who knows when there will be a settlement, and if it will cover a new, comparable computer. Toshiba should be pleased to know, however, that they will never sell another product to me or anyone in my family ever again.
P.S. I recommend that you go here http://www.classcounsel.com/news/toshiba.html
to sign on to the lawsuit.
Corporate number for Toshiba 949-583-3000 x0, ask to speak with Consumer Relations, or keep hitting key combinations until.
I guess I have all the problems + one I have not heard of. I purchased my A75-S231 in March of 2005. My initial problem was a line through the center on my screen soon joined by a second developing halfway between the first line and the left hand side. Took it for repair (under warranty) and received it back after 1 week.
Then the fun began. Well sort of anyway.
I had had some shut down problems in the past but now they were happening more frequently. Then I noticed the power connection problem. The computer was now out of warranty, and Toshiba said so, but that they would have a “Customer Relations Rep” call me. I had decided to give them a chance to do so.
They did not return the call.
That was a couple of months ago. Since I have a child with a recurring medical condition I let it slip to the back burner. As time went on the condition continued to deteriorate.
I purchased it for personal and business use. I am no longer able to take it on presentations or training sessions. Today 14 July 06 I have had my first contact with the infamous Eray who pushed everything off on the lawsuit.
The waiting game continues…….
Wow! I had no idea of this! I to am having the same problems with my Toshiba A75. It just turns off in the middle of whatever! I also had the line down the right side of the screen. I sent it off to be repaired and after them having it a week they blamed it on the motherboard. guess what? problem still not fixed and warrenty ran out in June. My first laptop from Toshiba A65 just stopped working.. would not turn on. I sent it for repair and they sent it back only for UPS to leave it on the front porch and be stolen. Worse part of this all is I was home and on the phone with Toshiba wondering where my laptop was. They said it hadn’t been sent out!! I use it for pleasure and work and well I was losing money each day they had it. Toshiba of course replaced it after a very long wait. I had to be not so nice to get this done. It wasn’t their fault etc. I refused a refurbished laptop! I was not having it. I had only had my laptop a month when it messed up. Was I mad? You better believe it. I spent a pretty penny buying the A65 and was not having a refurbished laptop with a 90 day warrenty. They sent me one model and straight out of the box it had issues. It would NOT turn on.. Just my luck! Again, another call to them. The cycle continues. I was not so happy now. This is when it all broke loose. I demanded what I wanted. This is where the A75 comes into play. They HAD to wait for one to be in stock to send me. I was like ok now you manufacture computers and have none in stock? What a joke. 2 months or better into my battle I got the A75..
The shutting down problems is a pain.. the cpu gets to hot I cannot use it. doesnt power back up.
Also it doesn’t always save my settings. I have my desktop set to windows classic.. the bubble of XP doesn’t impress me. When its powered on the classic is gone and I get to look at that lovely bubble. I have to reset etc. I get many explorer errors which I have never gotten before using the A 75. I lock up all to often just using windows programs. I am afraid to download anything onto this thing as I don’t want it to crash on me again. I have gone through many disks saving stuff off it in fear of losing my data. oh yeah and half the time i cannot get the dang things to burn or read disks.. what a joke toshiba is with this model.
i took a friends advice buying toshiba and well i am sorry i did now.
hey the results of the Class Action is in
check out these sites for information:
http://www.lorisklar.com/
http://www.a70m30xsettlement.com/
http://www.a70m30xsettlement.com/notice.pdf
basically they have given a 12 month extension to the warranty. So now you can send it in for full repairs. and you can get up to 50$ if u sent it in and they didn’t fix your laptop.
according to the web sites, the 12 month extension starts November 7, 2006. I have not called in yet to see if in fact they are accepting. but if the site says so, it must be true.
If anyone has had time to call Toshiba and ask for their laptops to be repaired under this 12 month extension, please post your results.
Thank you
This is true Adnan. I just received some offical looking letters regarding this. Honestly, I think it’s a bunch of bull. The laptops are defective. Mine has been “fixed” something like 9 times? I forget now.. and replaced with a refurbished laptop which was not in working order itself.
Under warranty, toshiba was happy to fix my laptop as many times as I was willing to send it in to be fixed - whether to them or to the local authorized repair center - free of charge. Yet, within a day, a week, 2 weeks, a month, I was again having the same issues.
For me, every time but the last, toshiba “fixed” my computer.. i.e. they replaced the “defective” part - what this class action lawsuit isn’t addressing, imnsho, is that the actual laptop is defective, and they can replace the parts as many times as we can send it in… in a sense “fixing” it.. do we get credit for all the times they fixed it, but it wasn’t fixed?
After another year of dealing with toshiba’s customer service, sending or taking the laptops in to be repaired, I imagine most people in the lawsuit will drop it altogether - get a new laptop and move on. Heck, my laptop has been packed and buried in the bottom of my closet, marked as useless. That was the most money I have every thrown away and hope it’s the most I ever do in the future.
Class Action Lawsuit Against Toshiba
Did any of you good people ever talk with a Pam Saunders at consumer relations in NJ? She seems to be very responsive to the needs of consumers and is quite professional. As a consumer advocate I have contacted her concerning a couple of issues with Toshiba Laptop products and she has been quite helpful.
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