Complain about a product or service

Toshiba Computers

John of Attleboro MA (11/18/08)
I made the mistake of purchasing a Toshiba A135 Satelite Laptop in July of 07. Right out of the box, the computers charger/battery did not work properly. So after hours of loading updates and all the software I needed, (while thinking the battery was charging) I learned the laptop would only work while plugged in. After spending several more hours on the phone with Toshiba trying to get this resolved, they determined thet I needed to send it in for repair- mind you- it was just purchased at BestBuy several hours earlier.

I went back to Bestbuy and after some argueing, they agreed to replace it. I get the second one home and verified the battery worked first. Then again spend hours installing updates (on a brand new computer -why we as consumers put up with this is beyond me) and then reload all my software. Total time spent getting a brand new laptop to a useable state was about 12 hours.

The computer now seems to be working but has a persistent problem of dropping my wireless connection every few minutes despite being less than 12' from my router. For months I struggled with tech support trying to resolve this problem and they finally concluded it was my wireless router -not the laptop. SO- I buy a new router (different brand) and you guessed it, the problem persists. After wasting countless hours on the phone to no avail, I decide to just live with it.

Last month, after an automatic Windows Vista update, the lap shuts down and since then has refused to reboot. After messing with it for hours, and having had such poor results from Toshiba tech support, I brought it to my companies IT department and asked them to look at it. They were able to access the harddrive and deteremine there was no Vista partition to allow reloading the software. They asked for the receovery disk that comes with the laptop which appeared to be missing from the package (I kept everything in the original box). The thought was that BestBuy kept the disc when they swapped out the bad Laptop. I went back to Bestbuy only to find out that Toshiba does not provide a recovery disc with the laptop and you have to call them to get one.

SO- I call Toshiba yet again and spend hours on the phone at the end of which they agree to send out a disc for free. Except they never do! I call back again to waste a few more hours and it's escalated to a higher department with the authority to process the order for next day shipment- which they again agree to do- but don't. I call back yet again and I'm told their having system problems and even though they supposedly have the disc, and I am approved to receive it next day, thier system won't send it and they don't know why, nor can they tell me how, when or even if this will be addressed. My only recourse after almost a month of waiting with a non-functional laptop- is to continue to wait in the hope they will fix their problem and send me the disc... someday.

The kicker - This laptop requires Vista. There are no XP drivers for it. Windows will not support it because Vista came pre-installed from Toshiba. So even thought I paid for Vista and have a valid activation, the only way I can repair this laptop is to go buy another copy of Vista and hope for the best. I strongly object to this whole method of doing business and resolve not to reward Toshiba or Microsoft for practices that are so detrimental to the end users.

My hope is that Mac is better.

I've lost many many hours that I will never get back. I have a non-functioning lap top that barely made it's first birthday. I have lost all faith in how computer and software companies do business. I feel they are allowed to sell substandard products that require significant post sales consumer effort in order to meet their advertised performance specifications.

Scott of Atlantic City, NJ November 18, 2008

Scott of Atlantic City NJ (11/18/08)
I will never buy a Toshiba laptop again. I have a Toshiba A-215-4747.It had been nothing but a drag to use. One problem after another.

It started acting funny right out of the box. The screen would go dark and would not respond until I rebooted. Looking around online it seems many people were having the same problems.

I notified Toshiba who basically said they weren't aware of any problems with the A-215 and that there's nothing they can do. I took it back to Best Buy to exchange it and they said that this was not a valid reason for an exchange.

Grr.. So I finally found a fix having to do with power settings and it worked ok. But soon I was plagued by Blue Screens of Death. I can't figure out whats wrong with it and now my warranty has run out.

Lastly I try to reinstall and recover Windows Vista with the recovery CD and 99% into the install it says ERROR CAN'T CONTINUE and shuts down my computer. My Toshiba A-215 now makes a lovely door stop. Never again Toshiba.

Well... the only consequence was paying for another laptop. An HP that works flawlessly.

Olga of Venice, CA November 11, 2008

Olga of Venice CA (11/11/08)
My Qosmio G15 notebook computer was purchased in December 2004. In 2005 it had problems with its DVD drive, which Toshiba repaired, albeit after a fight. Two weeks ago, the computer was diagnosed with a failed hard drive. I've spent hours on the phone with Toshiba reps, but they refuse to do anything, saying you are lucky it's lasted this long. I do not believe it's acceptable for a 3,000 computer to suffer hard drive failure after less than four years.

The computer is not usable, & I have had to buy a replacement ~ needless to say, not a Toshiba product!

Mary of Charleston, SC November 8, 2008

Mary of Charleston SC (11/08/08)
My engineer husband chose a Toshiba Tecra for me for traveling for business because in years past, Toshiba computers had been a work horse for him. What happened at Toshiba, I wonder, that caused them to start manufacturing [bad product] and refusing to honor their warranties? This Tecra has been unbelievably set with problems. It has had parts replaced twice and the last two times I sent the thing back, they have not been able to fix it.

It is now on the fourth trip back. The Lemon law needs to apply to computers. They just mail it back to me not working properly. The one year warranty is a joke. My year is not yet up and it spends more time in the mail and at their repair shop than in my use. They refuse to replace it. They cannot fix it. My business has suffered greatly because it just doesn't work properly. Lately, they say, no one can help you, we will not replace it, and furthermore, we don't care. My option is to send it back one more time. Failure in manufacturing - failure in customer service - failure in warranty - failure in repair services.

This product failure has resulted in many lost manhours because the computer was being sent back and forth for repair. It has resulted in lost product as well. Sales have been affected because of a missing computer at crucial times.

Rahul of Tundla, OTHER November 1, 2008

Rahul of Tundla OTHER (11/01/08)
I am a student. I purchased a toshiba laptop on 24th jun. 08. On 24th aug. 08 it turn off automatically so i sumitted our laotop to service center on 25th aug 08.In one week it check my laptop and tell me theire is an problem in mother board. So he changed motherboard in 25 days.

After this one more problem is created related to CD drive in service center. So he changed Cd drive in 14 days. After this another problem is created to board of computer so he changed the board of computer. Right now 63 day passed and one more problem is created related to CD drive. There is no response to any other...

Tonya of China Spring, TX October 17, 2008

Toshiba says because they gave me authorization to return the computer on 07/2008 and I called back on 08/2008 the authorization for repair is not valid, they are stating that authorization for repair is only valid for 5 days. I am writing about the Toshiba Corporation and hoping to have something done about a problem with my computer (part# psad6u00s00d) (serial # 17244667k) that I purchased from less than 18 months ago. To be honest, when I was looking to purchase this computer, I looked at price and the most for my dollar. I have discovered that the value of a product should not be the main determining factor in the decision of buying a product. I have found in this situation paying the addition 100-200.00 may have saved the unexpected hassles that I have acquired from the purchase of my Toshiba computer.

I am hoping that Toshiba Corporation will somehow find compassion for a consumer that would like to receive the monetary value of a product that she purchased back in 03/25/2007. I know that the Toshiba Corporation receives tons of complaints a year after goggling company's reputation.

My story begins with the purchase of a Toshiba Computer 03/25/2007 and about 6 months after owning the computer the computer would not fire on. I called Toshiba Corporation and after speaking to the service department at Toshiba they gave authorization to send the computer back for repairs under the warranty. At this point Toshiba Corporation was providing exceptional help and I returned my product to Toshiba with little thought of disappoint. Because I know things happen and the company was providing the service that was provided under the purchase. At this point, I was still a somewhat a happy consumer. When I received my computer back from Toshiba, I was excited and I thought what timing, it was right before school started and it came back in plenty of time before it was needed.

It was about July in the middle of summer session of school when I purchased a game to play on my computer, and when I installed the game, and this is when I started experiencing optical drive issues. This is when I initiated the first call into the Toshiba Corporation's service department. And at this time, this is when I discovered from the service department about the replacement of my motherboard on the first repair to the computer. When I spoke to someone in Toshiba's customer service department about the problems that I have been experiencing they told me that my computer was out of warranty at this time. I explained that I had just received the computer back about 3 months prior to the problem with the optical drive.

I was furious because the computer is less than 2 years old and I have had so many problems with my computer. After talking to support they said they are not able to do any repairs. So I decided to send the computer to a shop and be out a little money on the repairs, but not being happy about the situation. But to add salt to the wound, and 70.00 later I have discovered that the motherboard is faulty and is the problem with the computer now. I once again made an attempt to see if Toshiba Corporation would help make this situation right.

I heard back from the Toshiba Corporation today 10/15/2008 and the Toshiba Corporation is refusing to repair my computer per conversation with Jennifer. The company representative is stating that because they gave me approval to send the unit back on July 22, 2008 and I waited until August 28, 2008 to call Toshiba back to confirm the Depot address and the return authorization number and at that time the company Tech Department said, "the return authorization was expired and they are not willing to honor the return authorization".

At that time, I decided that I would be out money to have the computer repaired at a national computer company. The tech had the unit from about the first week of August after I called Toshiba until a couple of days ago, and they stated to me that the computer's issue is not a software problem that it was a problem with the motherboard. And, this is when I began to make a 6th attempt to contact the company to have this issue resolved.

Today 10/15/2008 after filing a complaint, Jennifer a Toshiba Corporation Representative said during our conversation, about the Laptop in question, "If you would have called me sooner I might have been able to do something for you." I explained to Jennifer that if Toshiba was willing to give contact information to consumers to resolve conflicts, I would have contacted who was needed to be contacted. I explained to Jennifer in our conversation, about how I felt that Toshiba should repair a defective product. I also explained to Jennifer about the computer's component (motherboard) needing to be repaired and I explained that this was the same component in the computer that was placed during the Warranty Period.

Jennifer, at the Toshiba Corporation is stating that they only stand by their product for 1 year from the date of manufacturing and any warranty service work on a component in the computer is only good for 30 days from that date. My question is, why? And, don't the American people deserve more in regards to workmanship and quality! I hope the Better Business Bureau will help me in having this issue resolved.

I have called Toshiba several times to contact management and even higher executives to inform them of the service that their company is providing. I am absolutely astonished that business is being conducted in the manner that Toshiba Corporation has conducted business in resolving this manner. I wanted to inform the BBB about how I was treated. Also, the Toshiba Corporation has several blogs that have the same kinds of complaints that I am bringing to [their] attention.

The stress that this has caused is unbelievable. The company should replace my laptop for being defective, or refund the money that I've paid for the laptop so I can purchase another laptop. I paid a company 200.00 with the intent to have the computer repaired, but the service provider told me that it is a hardware issue and not software and they refunded the money spent and charged me 60.00 for the labor to look at the unit. Toshiba should replace or refund the money paid for the computer.

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