Complain about a product or service

Gateway Service

Kevin of Bowie, MD July 2, 2009

My son, who is in college out of state, bought a Gateway M1626 before starting college last year. The machine has failed four times in one year. First the hard drive, then the battery charging cicuit on the mother board, then battery charging again - which they resolved over the phone, now the NIC card is bad. This problem started one day after the warranty expired and Gateway will only talk to you on a pay-as-you-go basis if it is out of warranty. My son just spent 1400 on a new Mac. Don't buy Gateway

Christina of Mayfield Village, PE June 10, 2009

My husband and I purchased a DX4200-09 on 12-31-2009 for a business we are planning to open up this coming fall. We have used this computer, at the most, 3 hours a week because when we are at my business we are normally working on drywall ad setting things up. Exactly 5 months later, on 5-31-2009 the computer died. It will not turn on, the light will flash and every couple of times it will beep. I have made numerous calls to Gateway about the problem and they just keep telling me to unplug it and plug it back in and it will work. Upon researching the beeps on the internet I found out that it was the motherboard.

After numerous arguements with Gateway, they told me I could mail them the entire computer, to Texas, and they would look at it. The problem is that they want me to pay the postage, on a giant desktop computer, and insurance which will cost me 3 times what it would cost me to replace it myself.

This is the first, and the last Gateway I will ever purchase. I have 2 Hewlet Packards at home, one 9 years and the other 5 years, and I have never had a problem with them. Upon researching on the internet and talking to other people, I have found that the people who have mailed their computers in have had the same problems with it once returned and ended up paying more than buying a new one from the start.

My husband uses this computer to make his schedules for work, he is a supervisor for a security company and being that it is for my business, which the peek season is from Aug. to Dec. I don't have the time to play games with these people.

Ruby of Baltimore, MD June 27, 2009

I shipped my laptop to this address, given to me by one of youre customer reps. Shipped on Mon Oct. 27,2008, rec Fri. Oct. 31 2008, 9:20 am. The package was signed for by someone named V--. As of this date June 27,2009 I have not been able tofind out where my Laptop is. I have been getting little to no help from both UPS and gateway. I would like to have my laptop returned or replaced.

Ryan of Kendall Park, NJ June 17, 2009

I have a 5 year warranty with Gateway. My computer has crashed twice in the past, not including once several months ago. As of yesterday, my computer no longer works with the power cord (the cord light will turn green when plugged in, but once I plug in to the back of the computer it turns off and the computer has no power). The computer also shuts off at random times for no reason. Gateway initially forgot to install a program on my computer in the factory (Nero) and the repetitive crashing has caused me to lose basic programs such as Microsoft Works, virus protection prgrams, as well as other expensive programs.

I have received unbelievably terrible support from Gateway (one phone line doesn't work, the other directs you to the one that doesn't work) and I am extremely upset overall with the quality of the computer that I paid 2,178.08 for. Gateway contacted me today and said "I have checked with the serial number and found that you have an account which is now supported by MPC. As per our policy we are not able to provide support for MPC customer". They never told me this and why would this void a warranty? They are not even offering to fix my computer, or even replace it. Please help with the situation.

Resolution Sought: Ideally I would like a new replacement computer, but Gateway's quality is so bad that I would like a full reimbursement. Also, I need to access files off of my broken computer, so I would like Gateway to pay for the repair I need for the computer.

Ben of League City, TX June 7, 2009

In Feburary 2009 I spent approximately 1,200.00 on a new Gateway after three weeks the power supply went down and it was returned to Fry's. Fry's replaced the Gateway with another new Gateway. Gateway #2 after a short time was connected and online, first problem with #2 the DVD drive was making noise, after the issues with the first Gateway, I decided to leave it be until it went out.

Today it is June 07, 2009 and since I brought the Gateway #2 home it has had the following issues. 1. Noisy DVD drive 2. Software problems 3. Slow start up 4. No start up

Gateway #2 has been reported to Gateway Tech support, and those idiots are more combative over the phone than anything, and not very willing to help. I finally got a Recovery disk set from them and reinstalled Windows (NIGHTMARE) Vista. Gateway #2 worked for a little while but still had the noisy DVD drive.

Yesterday after a failure at start up I went to the Windows website with the issues, Windows stated that the memory should be checked out, that was done without issue. Windows also stated that the hard drive should be checked and to set the system up for automatic/instant fix, that was done, and when rebooted the system initally showed a black screen with the tool bar looking like it was from Windows 98 with only the trash can displayed on the upper left screen. Uppon rebooting the hard drive check continued and then showed that it was deleting currupt files, alot of currupt files. Uppon completion of this task, I attempted to restart Gateway #2, everything looked normal but when the system asked for my password I entered it and it denied loading of personal settings and logged off, it has done this repeatedly. I am going to to attempt to take this expensive paperweight back to Fry's today.

This is the last time I will ever own a Gateway, never again.

Nadene of Castleton, NY May 27, 2009

I purchased a Gateway notebook in July 2007, along with a 3 year extended warranty. The computer is having issues locking up and won't power off. I called Gateway support and was informed by a computer that my computer was included in a sale to MPC and to contact them for warranty. The phone number i was given was disconnected.

I found an email address for MPC and the response from them was that they were not honoring the warranties as they were in bankruptcy. I emailed Gateway and they responded that they could not help me that I needed to contact MPC. I emailed them again advising that MPC was refusing to assist. Gateway responded that they needed permission from their "authorities" before proceeding. When I questioned what that meant they couldn't answer me. This computer was 1400+ plus an additional 300+ for the warranty.

Maria of Middle Village, NY June 4, 2009

I bought a Gateway GT5662 desktop computer, January 2008. I recently had to reboot the computer where my entire hard drive was erased. When this happened it also erased my Windows Vista which I paid for when I bought the computer. Gateway is telling me that I need to purchase the Windows Vista disc again. I paid for it already, it should have been part of the original computer. They want me to pay for something twice which is ridiculous. They also say that since my computer is no longer under warranty it's non of their concern. I need that Widows Vista disc to make my computer work.

veronica of hueytown, AL May 29, 2009

i purchased a laptop on 3-03-09 the Md series from office max a gateway model and i purchased the extended warranty the max assurance. it is 5-28-09 just two months later and my ac adapter has a shortage and my multimedia lights on volume touch panel has went out and i was told when i first bought the computer that my extended warranty would cover any damages whether accidental or power surge and even if i just did not like the color that i would receive a new computer, of course i found out that the last part was not true although this is what was said by the sales associate.

I too my computer back to office max and they told me that they could not give me a new computer although i was told that i would be able to at the time of purchase. the manager told me that had to contact office max by phone, so i called the number at the bottom of my receipt and they told me my max assurance warranty does not go into affect yet until my manufacturer warranty is up after the first year and that office max can give me gateway number and email a complaint against that store and sales associate

i called gateway and after telling the situation over and over witch they cannot understand me and i cannot understand them. they first said no way i can't get a replaced computer even though i have their warranty witch is two months old. i also have extended warranty but i can send in my computer at my expense. are you crazy or what? no way i would ever do that

i asked to speak with an English speaking person, English being their first language due to our poor communication in understanding one another. i was poorly told no like that existed i then informed them that i as a customer had the right to be able to communicate with the company in order to resolve my problem. YOU CANNOT SELL A SERVICE THAT YOU CANNOT PROVIDE

after still not being connected with someone i could understand i hung up and called max assurance. the first rep informed me of that i was under gateway warranty and that i had to talk to them. i requested to speak with a general board member or a way to contact them, she put me on hold and her supervisor got on the phone and after telling her what i request she told me that they (max assurance) does cover what i needed done in the first year warranty and they will pay for the sending to one of their repair center not gateway and it takes 7-14 days and in 3 days i will receive a new ac adapter and send the old one with the computer, and after three attempts if not fix under their warranty i will receive a new one. HOPEFULLY THIS THE TRUTH! GATEWAY NEEDS TO BE PUT OUT OF BUSINESS DUE TO THE NONE COMPLIANT CUSTOMER SERVICE!

Kerry of Springfield, MA May 16, 2009

I bought my laptop entering my freshmen year and since I tend to have bad luck with electronics I purchased a three year extended warranty.I spent over 1,400 on this computer, which is more then I spent on my first car. Recently, I have been have some trouble with it, like the sound is just completely gone and the other day it stopped taking a charge, so now it won't even turn on. I called the gateway customer service line to send it back to be fixed and the annoying computer operated system told me that my account had been sold to MPC CORP and gave me a new number to contact. Confused, I called the number only to find out that the line had been disconnected.

I went online to find a new number to call and the only thing I found was that MPC CORP filed chapter 7 bankruptcy and closed its doors. It then took me another two hours to get an actual human being on the phone and they told me there was nothing they could do for me. In the mean time I had emailed a tech and he emailed me back saying: I apologize for the inconvenience. As per our policy we are not authorized to provide support to MPC Customers.

The funny thing is I'm not an MPC customer, I bought the computer from gateway, so I'm a gateway customer. I'm not asking for anything i don't deserve. I paid for a three year warranty and all I want is it to be honored and for my computer to be fixed. Instead then tell me that they can't help me because I am being taken care of by MPC, yet MPC is no longer in business so I am stuck with a computer that doesn't work.

They don't know how to run a business and are a bunch of incompetent numskulls. I have already contacted the better business bureau and plan to get in touch with the attorney general of Massachusetts as well. What gateway is doing is illegal and unethical and they will not get away with it

Gerri of Perrysburg, OH April 27, 2009

My husband and I purchased a computer for our daughter two years ago and also purchased a warranty. Extended warranty. However they ran the warranty's side by side and the computer's mother board went out. Third time. The third time it went out was after the warranty went out 26days later.

I now own a 1,000 computer that the computer company say's would be cheaper to toss away after two years. I am not happy. You got me once Gateway, however. I will make sure you never get any business in this great state of Ohio again! The mother board went out three times! Don't buy a gateway! Noting like standing by product!

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