Fix Your Stuff Community Store

HP laptop released in December 2009.

1 Questions View all

Options

Will a Laptop Continue To Work If there is water damage?

I sent my laptop back to the manufacture to resolve issue's with the optical drive. This was after the technician logged in remotely; and completed several diagnostics to determine if it was an actual problem. I was then contacted by the technician that was assigned my case and informed that there was water damage. and informed that it would cost more than it is worth to repair. I informed them that they were only supposed to be fixing the optical drive, there was no water damage and if they were going to charge me to fix the optical drive, then just ship it back; mind you it is still under warranty. I could live without the DVD drive.

They sent my system back totally fried, it will not even power on. When I contacted the manufacture after receiving my system back, now inoperable they tell me it is nothing they can do.

My question is, if the computer had that much water damage, would it have continued to work? Basically I am being told that once they opened it up, the previous water damage (which there was none on my part) prevented it from working any further. Is it possible for a computer to have extensive water damage and continue to function?

Answered! View the answer I have this problem too

Is this a good question?

Yes No
Score 0
Add a comment

1 Answer

Filter by:
Most Helpful Newest Oldest
Chosen Solution

Options

Hi @khenry01

A computer may continue to operate with water damage, however its' functionality may decrease with time until it reaches a point where it does not operate at all. Alternatively it may continue to operate, with perhaps little or no problems. A lot depends on how much water and where the water (or liquid) has penetrated and what components were affected.

You say that it is still under warranty. Is there an authorized manufacturer's service agent in your area?

If so I suggest that you contact them with a view to getting your laptop examined, under warranty, to determine the extent of the "water damage". (I suggest that you use an authorized agent because if any unauthorized person opens the laptop to examine it the warranty will become void).

If there has been, it should be quite evident. If there is no evidence of water damage and you state that there was no water (or any other liquid I presume) spilled on the laptop by you, (hopefully there was none spilled on it by somebody else without your knowledge) then if it was working (apart from the DVD drive) when you sent it in for repair, it makes you wonder what has happened to cause it to stop working.

Was this answer helpful?

Yes No
Score 3

3 Comments:

Unfortunately, there is no one close by; this is why I had to ship it back to HP. At the least I expected my system to come back in the same condition as it was. no one other than me has used the computer. I know there was no water damage on my part.

"when you sent it in for repair, it makes you wonder what has happened to cause it to stop working.". This is the argument I presented to manufacture; and there response is that when they opened it up to repair the damage was discovered, and I would have to pay for the repairs since the warranty does not cover damage that was caused by the owner.

by

Hi @khenry01 ,

Unfortunately you are in a Catch-22 situation.

You can't have the laptop opened by an unauthorized person to check whether there is water damage without voiding the warranty and you can't prove that there is no water damage without opening the laptop.

How old is your laptop?

Have you had it since "new"?

Do you know if it is a refurbished unit at all?

You may have to cut your losses and take it to a reputable, professional laptop repair service and ask for a quote to repair the laptop. They at least will either verify the water damage scenario or if there is none, at least tell you what is wrong with it. If the fault is due to some other reason then you can go back to HP and take issue with them regarding their claim of water damage and also why they couldn't fix it.

by

The laptop is less than two years old, I still have 3 months warranty left.

I purchased it brand new. Not sure what I am going to do; but sending a functioning laptop in for one small issue and getting back a fried system is still not registering in my mind why HP cannot resolve the problem. Thank you all for your assistance an advise.

by

Add a comment

Add your answer

Kimberly Henry will be eternally grateful.
View Statistics:

Past 24 Hours: 1

Past 7 Days: 2

Past 30 Days: 7

All Time: 5,450