Complain about a product or service

Sony Computers

Mau of Tamarindo, Costa Rica March 18, 2010

On October 19, 2008 I bought a Sony Vaio VGN-FW285J (1700 with bluray burner) at the J&R Store in Manhattan. The laptop worked fine for a couple of months. One evening, while playing a game, the laptop suddenly shut down. I tried to turn it on but it failed to respond. When touching the keyboard you could feel the laptop was hot. I assumed the computer had turned off as a result of an overheat protection measure. I waited five minutes and turned the laptop on without any problems. I resumed playing the game and the same thing happened. This time the computer shut down after playing for 5 minutes.

I bought a coolerpad for the laptop. The problem seemed to have disappeared. As I live in Costa Rica, and the guarantee is only for the United States, I decided to continue with the coolerpad until I had a chance to go to the States and take it to support. As time passed the problem reappeared to the point that I was not even able to use the laptop normally, the keyboard freezes and the laptop shuts down a few minutes after being turned on, no matter what I do, even with the coolerpad.

I was able to go to New York in October 2009. I took the laptop to Sony Plaza, under guarantee coverage. Support there was very professional, I told them that I thought it was an overheating problem and that I lived in Costa Rica where temperature was at least 10 celsius degrees higher than in New York. They added a note in the repair voucher. In less than a week they called me back saying they had repaired the laptop and that all was ok. I picked up the laptop and was told they had changed the fan. I tested the laptop and it seemed to work fine. When I arrived in Costa Rica, I turned on the laptop and after 15 minutes of work it shut down as it had been doing before taking it to support.

Lucky for me I had a friend going to New York the following week. I gave him the laptop and he again took it to Sony Plaza. One week later my friend picked up the laptop. He was told the motherboard was changed. When I got back the laptop in Costa Rica. I was surprised to find that after running the laptop for 10 minutes it shut down!!!!

Sincerely, I don't know what kind of technical support SONY has, twice I've taken the laptop in for repair, twice I have been told parts were replaced and twice I have found the repairs ineffective. Now, I sent it back for a third time, and they say it had physical damage and that voids the warranty, what physical damage?? The laptop was physically perfect all the times it was sent to SONY.

After calling them during three days, from Costa Rica, they shipped back the computer without being repaired. The most funny thing is, when I called the day it was shipped back, they told me the computer hadnt been sent back, I asked for some pictures of the physical damage they said the computer had and for information regarding what was going to happen to my computer and how much the repair would cost. They sent me an email at 3:45pm with two pictures of the damage (no info whatsoever about the repair costs) and they shipped the computer back at 4pm without being able to even answer their email.

SONY are a bunch of scammers. DONT BUY SONY You will regret it. The consequences are a 1700 dollar useless laptop,600 on shipping expenses, 100 on international calls

Jeanne of Hopewell Junction, NY February 10, 2010

Six weeks ago I purchased a new Sony VGNNW270F laptop. One week ago, the laptop was sitting on the table and my husband moved it 6 inches. He admits to having had his thumb on the screen. Within an hour the screen went "Mondrian-like". We scoured the computer to find out what was wrong but could find no visible problem. We called Sony and sent it back, confident that they would stand behind their product. Unfortunately, that was not the case. According to Sony the screen was cracked internally and was not covered under warranty and would cost 500 to fix.

My husband is an IT professional and has handled hundreds if not thousands of laptops, he has never seen an LCD break this easily. He spent quite a bit of time on the phone with Sony explaining that it had to be defective or clearly too fragile for a laptop. They would not budge. That is their prerogative. I have since experimented with other laptops and have carried them around the house by the lid with my thumb on the screen, never mind just moving it 6 inches on a stable surface. I am finding it impossible to break them in that fashion and would likely have to drop it or bang it against a wall to break it. Clearly the Sony LCD is much too fragile for laptop use. One buys a laptop because it is portable and to be portable requires a certain level of durability - the Sony Vaio does not pass muster.

Labinot of Brooklyn, NY February 8, 2010

i purchased a brand new sony viao in dec 2009. two months later as i was working on my lap top a crack appeared on screen just near the camera. the computer was sitting on my desk and there was nothing that could have damaged it around me

Emily of Vancouver, BC January 21, 2010

It's ridiculous! I'm never buying a sony computer in my life again! I bought a dark red, sony vaio, CS110D computer last year December, and was using it happily when in march, the fan suddenly started making really loud irregular noises. Not the kind of noise that comes gradually with dust in the fan. I dismissed it as being something normal and not harmful. June comes, and the fan noise turns into a very shrill, high pitched noise. It sounded like the fan was about to turn on it's head and destroy the inside of my computer. I was traveling at the time so I couldn't send it in to sony repair center for repair, so I waited until September. I sent my computer in on September 7th and expected it back 7-10 business days plus shipping, so in 2-3 weeks. After 1 week, I call in to check the progress of my computer, and I found that the computer hasn't even been booked yet. So I try to resolve that issue.

I ended up calling every day. Yes EVERYDAY to rush the people to work on my computer. The customer support people kept on telling me different things like "The mechanics are telling us that it is a physical damage so you have to pay 500," When all I do is place my computer on my desk and not move it. And so I spent over 50 on my phone bill, calling long distance trying to get a hold of the repair center in Toronto to discuss this issue with the mechanic, when one day, I called back to the support center, just to have them say "I'm sorry, that was a mistake." With various issues going on, people telling me different things, and my fan issue not being fixed, I got annoyed. Apparently the fan was on "back order" and they had "no idea when it was going to arrive." This was week 6 of the whole ordeal. One and a half month have passed and I still haven't gotten my computer back. How can one live for one and a half month with out a computer especially when one is a student and needs the computer to do various projects including programming?

I got fed up, and told the customer support person that this was not acceptable. 7-10 business days, this has been over 1.5 months! I want a new computer. Since you can't fix my current one, you can replace it. After more phone calling, with the people saying "Oh, someone/manager will call you back tomorrow" (Of course no one calls back, What was I expecting) They finally decide to replace my computer. I expected the computer to be in 3-4 days since the factory was very close to my home, but after 2 days, I call in, asking for more information, they told me the order to send out a computer hasn't even been placed yet. I got mad, and tried to rushed them again. I find that whenever you get mad, the people CUT YOU OFF to try to calm you down. When you get cut off, you just want to lash out more.

People kept on telling me things like "mam, we can't see the status of the order. We have different systems." but miraculously, 5 minutes later, when I hung up, and called again, the next person told me they could see the information. Lying much? What was it about "I can't see the information, we have different systems?" What a bunch of lying people! So after another week, I FINALLY got my computer again, and happily I open it, just to find instead of a red computer, I got a black one. I was not pleased. I bought a sony computer solely because it was red. I decided to suck it up and leave it at that since I didn't want the hassle again.

Using my new computer, end of November, comes December, and surprise surprise, my NEW brand new Factory condition computer's fan broke again, with the exact same problem as my previous computer. I called back again early January (as December I was back in my hometown) and tried to resolve this issue again. Again with the support people who don't return calls, and the rude cutting me off during mid-speech. The only option they could give me was to "send the computer in and have it checked out." Needless to say, sony has lost all my trust. I will NEVER send it in again, who knows, it could be 2 months this time. I told them that, to find another option, such as sending me a fan, and I'll find someone to replace my fan, or send in a technician to check out my computer. But I felt like I was talking to a wall, the person could only repeat like a broken machine "I'm sorry, but the only thing we can do now is have you send it in to our repair center to have it diagnosed."

They talked to the manager and couldn't even have a spare fan part sent to me? I mean wouldn't it have been easier to just send me a fan, rather than spending all the money on having a technician work on it and shipping on sending it to and from the factory? Since they aren't willing to compromise, I decided to drop it and just wait for my fan to explode on me. Needless to say, I'm HIGHLY unpleased and will never buy a vaio computer again in my life. If you are looking into getting a VAIO computer, hope that you have don't buy a computer with such a high rate of breakage. Get another brand. Don't ever get sony.

Linda of Cincinnati, OH January 15, 2010

I purchased a Sony Vaio laptop (vgnfw139eh)in August 2008 including a Sony extended service plan covered by Service Net with an expiration date of August 2012. The first claim was covered by the warranty (repair on an external port), but when I made the second claim (replacement of the hard drive cover) in December 2009 I was denied coverage and told by Service Net (Rachel) that the amount remaining on the extended warranty was more than the purchase of the computer and Service Net was going to buy out the remaining money that existed on the extended warranty.

I could not believe that Sony Corporation would allow this to take place and it must be a mistake because the expiration date was not until August 2012. I called Sony Headquarters consumer relations service in Florida and talked with John. He stated that was correct under the terms of contact I signed. The extended warranty coverage was only for the total amount of the cost of the original amount. I was definitely mislead by the Sony Style Store 76 in Cincinnati, Ohio - telling me what an outstanding extended warranty Sony was offering on this Vaio computer. I have lost complete trust in Sony products and will not purchase any Sony products again.

Alison of South Pasadena, CA January 13, 2010

Within 14 months of purchase, the power cap (which, when damaged, makes it impossible to charge the battery) has broken THREE times. I purchased a Sony VAIO on the Internet directly from Sony Style. The model is VGNFW290JVH. Within two weeks of its arrival, it was broken. The A/C power for the unit plugs into a power cap which is located on the left-hand end of the hinge area. The power cap, it turns out, is made of a flimsy plastic material. I took the unit into the local Sony Style store.

They were very kind and swapped out the unit for another. They also sold me on an extended warranty to the tune of 279. Two months later, February 2009, the unit was broken again, in the exact same place, the power cap. I sent the unit in to be repaired by the extended warranty company. In December 2009, the unit would not power up. I called the extended warranty folks. They had me send it back to the same people who repaired it before. It was no surprise to hear that it was the power cap once again. Only this time, Sony extended warranty is denying coverage on the ground that the two repairs are exceeding the cost of the unit.

Alex of Brooklyn, NY January 13, 2010

I purchased my vaio notebook on 1/1/09 received it on 1/11/09 and it was misconfigured with an extra partiotion. I informed Sony of the problem and they currently refuse to address the issue. I spoke with jennifer francois from the flagship store on Madison Ave. and she tried to shake me down by telling me that she could fix it, but I would have to pay her. I explained that I had just recieved the warranty but she didn't care. I also called Sony and spoke with a manager lee id# 616065 He couldn't help.

John of Tuftonboro, NH January 11, 2010

Sent to Sony Corporate offices: I purchased my Vaio, after having a couple of Dells, because I had heard great things about your service and quality. Neither appears to be true. My computer has had two at home repairs, in the past two months, one for a recall, one for repair. Then my computer screen started to go out. I was traveling at the time, and while I knew that my warranty was almost up, I didn't know the exact date. I had a cell phone with me only, and I was in class so my window of opportunity was small. I finally reached someone at 6AM on the 8th, apparently, your records indicate that my purchase date was the 7th. So, I was 6 hours out of warranty when I reached someone. I offered to send copies of dated e-mails that I had sent to my wife at the beginning of the week regarding the screen problem, but that was not the issue apparently. The final answer from a customer service manager was that they would do a one time "accommodation" in that if I sent my computer, at my expense, to San Diego, they would fix it assuming there was no apparent damage.

Frankly, I do not consider this accommodation to be all of that consumer friendly. If I were a month out of warranty, it would be very accommodating, a week out of warranty, okay. But seeing as the issue occurred in warranty, and I finally reached someone 6 hours after your records indicated out of warranty, I do not feel it is accommodating at all for me to send my computer to San Diego at my cost. My wife doesn't either, she was about to replace her Dell, and will now be spending the extra 1000 for a Mac. I agree with her, wish I had done the same. Service is more important to me than initial cost, if the price were the only factor in buying a new laptop, I would buy an Acer for half the price, I am sure it would last me as long as this Sony from what I have seen.

George of Spring, TX January 8, 2010

I have purchased a new laptop computer from their Sony Styles website, but it arrived with a defect. It had a loud buzz sound when the screen saver is on or when you it is running on the battery. I informed Sony and told them that I rather get my money back. They told me that I must get an "E" number from technical support for Sony to pay for the shipping. I was supposed to take the pre-paid shipping form to FedEx, but FedEx could not read the shipping barcode.

I called Sony while at the FedEx facility and spoke to a young woman who could not speak English well, she repeatedly asked me the same questions. She finally said that she do not know how she can help me, I told her that I am heading out of town and I had to have this resolved before I leave. I then told her that I would pay for the shipping cost and have Sony reimburse me the cost. When I tried to get my shipping cost of 20.83 back, Tracy T told me that they would not refund me the shipping cost. I explained to her that they sent an improper pre-paid label and that they did not send the correct label until I had already paid and shipped the item back to Sony. She still refuses to refund my shipping cost.

Sony told me that they would refund the computer cost of 1621.63 as soon as they receive the computer. Well they received the computer on 12/21/09 and I am having a very hard time receiving my refund. This is the worse purchasing experience that I ever had. I have always had respect for Sony products; I think this was a big disappointment all the way around.

HUEY of SANTA CLARA, CA January 7, 2010

I purchased a Sony Vaio all-in-one computer has been repaired 5 times and the computer over heated to 150 degrees ferinheit the computer has been to their repair facility in San Diego California for repair when I received the computer back at my home the computer stop working again. I payed 2000 for the computer. The computer stop working more that 5 times in less than 10 months I purchased the computer 4/24/2009 they refuse to replace the computer I have all the receipts and the computer burned me once I told them I do not wish to sue them but I would like a replacement.

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