Company Claims Laptop Battery Is Not Covered under ACL

Hogg on 22/12/2017 - 16:26

I have a refurbished Alienware laptop with a dead battery that is 11 months out of its 1 year warranty.

I called Dell who kindly tell me my laptop is out of warranty. I really politely asked them about the consumer guarantee under the Australian Consumer Law. I wasn't going all amateur lawyer on them. I was put on hold and then they come back saying they know about the ACL but the battery is considered a consumable and therefore is not covered.

I'm skeptical what they said is true however I don't want to be without my laptop which still works if it stays plugged in, so I shelled out the $126 and ordered the battery.

Surely such an integral part of the laptop is expected to last the effective life of the laptop.

Are they telling fibs?

Computing

Comments

  • Ughhh on 22/12/2017 - 16:49
    +1

    https://www.google.com.au/search?safe=active&ei=SJw8WunzHYq8…

    Looks like they're not lying

    • Hogg on 22/12/2017 - 16:59

      I guess they could be under the letter of the law but I think it's quite disingenuous of them to do that.

  • SnoozeAndLose on 22/12/2017 - 16:52

    Some laptop nowadays with build in battery, Lenovo, Ausu,so how can the battery be detachable? If not then it is not consumable?

    • Hogg on 22/12/2017 - 16:56

      It's detachable according to this tutorial if I remove the motherboard.

      Looks like the motherboard is also consumable then?

      Edit: I don't mean to be adversarial to you. My rhetorical question is directed more to the ridiculousness of the claims.

      • SnoozeAndLose on 22/12/2017 - 17:03
        +1

        I think everyone is just to find a way to get away form their liability.

        • Hogg on 22/12/2017 - 17:12

          Yeah because if I don't mention the ACL guarantee then they would have not admitted that they know it exists.

  • airal3rt on 22/12/2017 - 16:56

    I shelled out the $126 and ordered the battery.

    Bit late to be asking now?

    • Hogg on 22/12/2017 - 16:56

      I am just curious to know.

      I usually fight if I am in the right but being without a laptop would be too inconvenient as I have a huge backlog of work I plan to get through in the Xmas/NY break.

  • SnoozeAndLose on 22/12/2017 - 17:05

    Is there any geniuine battery from ebay which they are cheaper? As they are not cover by warranty, at least when u buy from ebay using paypal you get 180 days warranty

    • Hogg on 22/12/2017 - 17:12

      Doh…I forgot to even look for third party batteries.

  • scrimshaw on 22/12/2017 - 17:05
    +1

    Hot UK Deals forum (basically pom's version of Ozbargain) has a very similar topic
    https://www.hotukdeals.com/discussions/laptop-battery-is-it-…

    and a very similar answer

    Quote:
    Yep. Not long had a fight with Dell over this as the battery in my Alienware's gone kaput. Dell consider batteries to be consumable parts and are therefore only covered for 12 months. On a side note, the cheeky gits then tried flogging me a replacement for twice the price of everywhere else that has the battery in stock online, even though forums are full of people whinging about the life of the battery on my model of laptop.

    FWIW i sourced my last HP laptop ultrabook battery from Aliexpress, although I was forced to because Aliexpress was about the only place I could buy a battery for a device that was 2 generations old.

    • Hogg on 22/12/2017 - 17:15
      +1

      Damn. What an amateur mistake I made. I need to hand in my ozbargain gun and badge.

      I didn't even think of looking to buy the battery from elsewhere.

      Thanks for researching that for me.

      I feel like if I had the time to take this to Fair trading, if rationality prevails then I should have a case but alas needing my laptop to get work done means I didn't and don't want to put up a fight.

  • mskeggs on 22/12/2017 - 17:28
    +1

    If your battery doesn't hold charge for long (say goes flat in 20mins or longer) then I reckon it is worn out from lots of charge cycles.
    If your battery is faulty, and the PC turns off when you unplug the power cord, they I think you can reasonably argue it isn't degraded from use, but experiencing a manufacturing fault.

    • Hogg on 22/12/2017 - 17:48

      When I turn the laptop on, it says "Your battery has experienced permanent failure and needs to be replaced." This is only if it's plugged into a power source.

      • mskeggs on 22/12/2017 - 17:50
        +1

        I would argue from that a 'worn out" battery still works a bit, this one has had a fault. Faults are covered for a "reasonable period".
        But be warned, the ACL doesn't say new for old.
        They could reasonably replace your 23 month old failed battery with a "reconditioned" second hand one that doesn't keep much charge.

        • Hogg on 22/12/2017 - 17:54
          -1

          I really do think that in my case, it should be covered under ACL, and it it doesn't then it doesn't follow the spirit of the law (at least in my layman feeling). A battery is crucial to a laptop working properly so I would say it's a major fault.

          This thread is to satisfy my curiosity and help me in future situations but alas it is purely hypothetical at this point because I already bought the damn battery.

          I feel ashamed of myself.

  • myusername on 22/12/2017 - 17:28
    +1

    yep this is common place for dell.

    last role i worked in for one of the big 4 in IT, when the clients dell laptop batteries died it was a nightmare to get them replaced.

    GOOD LUCK!!!!

    • Hogg on 22/12/2017 - 17:48

      Did Dell give in at the end?

      I already gave in, in this case.

      • myusername on 22/12/2017 - 17:49

        some times they would but most times nope

        • Hogg on 22/12/2017 - 17:52

          Even when you mention ACL and Fair trading etc?

        • myusername on 22/12/2017 - 18:02
          +1

          @Hogg: it's dell they dont care, plus i was more than happy to spend the $$$$ of the company i worked for

  • thewinchester on 23/12/2017 - 17:01
    +2

    This is commonplace in the electronics industry.

    Batteries are a consumable part. Unless the battery has a defect or hasn’t performed to specifications (no. of charge cycles, and capacity), the manufacturer isn’t liable.

    Good manufacturers will have tools/diagnostics that allow them to test for battery condition, faults, charge cycle, etc.

    23 months is a reasonable lifespan, especially for a removable battery.

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