Attention VGN-CS11 users and SONY!! Problem with FAN!

[Vamp1387]

Hi everyone!

If you have recently bought a new VGN-CS11 series notebook, I'd ask that you take a moment to read this post.

Since I unboxed the new notebook, I have been experiencing strange noises from the fan unit evey time it operates. Before, it used to be simply that every time the fan stopped working, it made a soft "growl" noise (probably due to some internal vibration) for a mere second or two. Recently, however, it has also begun to make a strange, barely audible "clicking sound" as the fan starts up and operates, accompanied by the "growl" at the end, like before. At first, I was led to believe that it was just the normal operating noise that the fan made (although quite annoying!), but due to these recent developments, I am more and more convinced that this is some problem or malfunction that perhaps, will only get worse with time.

Other CS11 users have already posted in the thread "Problem with fan!!" that they also experience this problem, and, from what I've been able to gather, it does not seem like an isolated problem... but this is what we need to confirm.

That is the purpose of this thread.

I would like to ask and encourage all CS11 users to post in this thread if they also experience the same "problem" with the fan (abnormal noises that are clearly distinguishable from normal operation) or anything fan-related, especially if you have experienced them since you bought the notebook and haven't done anything that could "provoke" them (like dropping the notebook or hitting it in some way, blocking the ventilation vents, etc...). This is to have a general scope that this is not an isolated problem that is only happening to a few, and that way, perhaps Sony will take an interest and take the necessary measures to correct this problem if this, in fact, turns out to be a generalised problem.

I have already created a new case with e-Support regarding this issue. Note that these are brand new laptops that have been out on sale for barely a month, and now would be a good time to correct any problems that may arise. If this turns out to be a common problem for most CS11 users, then we should all contact Vaio-Link or e-Support and report the problem, so that Sony will take this problem into consideration if enough people have it.

Remember: the sooner, the better!

Also, perhaps it would also be of interest that those CS11 users that DON'T experience this problem also post in this thread, to see how many DO and how many DON'T... it may be interesting to also know.

Ok... without taking any more of your time, I leave this thread to fellow CS11 users and to anyone that might be able to lend a helping hand. Thanks!!!

[Vamp1387]

You're right, Hugo, I agree completely with you.

I've had mine since November 2008 and like all of us, I have gone through this ordeal many times to only see that there has been no real fix.

I no longer wish to contact support, for they have failed me on all previous occasions, even after convincing me that everything would be solved that time. I didn't buy an expensive laptop to have to lose it for two or three weeks every few months for some fix that isn't real! In the age we live in, this can't be tolerated.

Lately I have been looking at many other threads around the world concerning this issue, many of which also started around the time I started this thread, and I have been able to confirm that they are having the exact same issue as us, with no real fix.

Hugo, exactly what is happening to your fan now is what started happening to mine back in July or August. With time, it will get worse until you get the noise I got the other day, an awful high-pitched whine or "moan" as I like to call it that's precisely this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9vHLwAbFxU

As I can see, the fan goes through some stages... first, it starts to make the sound Hugo stated. At first, it comes and goes, but with time, it sticks. Then, this "moan" comes. I'm currently at the stage where it comes and goes, but I'm sure it will stick too, with time. What's next? Complete failure of the fan??

This is past frustrating. Sony is laughing at us and taking us for complete ignorants with the "fixes" they propose.

We cannot take this any longer sitting down. Something must be done.

[hugpache]

Thanks for replying Vamp1387,

The sound I was getting is softer than the one on the video, so I assume it's similar to the one you experienced back in July/August.

I wonder if we can appeal to the European Union to get our money back. In the US they would just fill a mass suit but I don't know how this works in Europe

[hugpache]

EU consumer affairs :
http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/citizen/my_rights/help_advice_en.htm
(you can read the page in your native language if you swap help_advice_en to help_advice_xx xx = country code)

Like you said, we need to do something now, so I will follow the EU consumer affairs advice and Monday I will call DECO, which is the Portuguese Association for Consumer Protection, and ask for advice on how to handle this

I'll send you a private message with my email address, I don't know how Sony will react to this (we may get banned and this topic deleted), and I want to be able to contact you

[foxynats]

Right.... I am soooooooo angry with this fan noise!!

Seriously it is insane - it sounds like my laptop is either going to fly away or explode. This is not good - it has already been back once for repairs and i think it is going to have to go back YET AGAIN!!

It makes me so angry that we all paid out more than the average price for a laptop and we have been left with a below-par product.

What I am worried about is sending it back and then getting it replaced with ANOTHER cheap fan.
Anyone any ideas?

[Vamp1387]

Foxynats,

That's what we're trying to figure out. Most of us have had the same issue even after sending it three times (like my case) or more. If you contact Sony again, all that they'll do is arrange another pickup and replace your fan with another cheap one that will only last a few months noise-free if you're really lucky... and then what? Do that all over again?? You must understand our frustration, those of us who have been through this so many times. If you want proof of this, just take a read of this forum or go to any of the many other forums on the web concerning this issue. I have still to find someone whose problem with the fan has been permanently fixed.

What to do? Well, that's up to you... and I say this not only to you, Foxynats, but to all who read this and have the same problem. You can either send it again and try out your luck, AGAIN, or you can contact consumer affairs of your country and comment your case to them, and see what advice they give you. If we all did this in our countries, perhaps this would put the necessary pressure on Sony to actually do something to fix this whole embarassing issue that they've been hauling since November 2008 when this laptop was released on the market.

I see no other course of action. For those of us that have sent it so many times, (i.e., three or more), I think that we have given Sony enough opportunities to solve this. I, for one, am tired of being lied to, since each time my fan was going to be replaced I was assured 100% by the technicians that the problem was going to be solved and that I would never have to worry about the fan again.

We can't just sit here and wait for this problem to solve itself anymore. If we don't do something, Sony will keep doing what they're doing and in the end, when our warranty expires, there'll be nothing we can do.

Now's our chance... it's up to each of us to take and use this opportunity.

[foxynats]

Vamp1397 - As I sit listening to this fan noise after it being 'fixed' just a few months ago, I could not agree with you more!

The fact that I am going to have to send it back a second time is frustrating enough, and I feel for those who have had to send it back many more times as it is just not fair. Sony obviously know about this problem and should fix it.
If the case is that they cannot find a fan to sort this problem then they need to recall the products or automatically offer the user a better laptop in exchange. It is unacceptable that we should have to send the laptop back time and time again until (as you rightly say) our warranty runs out and we are left with that annoyingly loud fan noise....
Sony have acknowledged the problem which is why we have an extended warranty but what they have failed to do is provide a suitable and long-lasting solution.
We are on the official Sony forum so surely this has to be the best way to draw their attention to this. But what is the next port of call... Watchdog in the UK? I have no idea but we do need to get this problem escalated so we have a permanent fix.

[jackalmarbella]

Hi,

I am new to this thread, but have the same problem.

I have a VGN-SZ4XN, bought it in March 2007, the fan noise used to be intermittent but now it is constant, really a loud, whirring sound, drives my girlfriend crazy 😞

Thanks for providing the good background info, if I learn anything else interesting, I will post it as well.

[hugpache]

great, bios update available but the download link is down..

http://support.vaio.sony.eu/computing/vaio/downloads/info/info.aspx?l=en_GB&url=VAIO/Updates/EP00002...

[Drioz]

Sony has made clear that the last BIOS update only adds the possibility to enable the VT feature on Intel processors. I'm pretty sure it won't solve the fan noise issue and since I won't be using that feature I don't even want to bother with the upgrade..

[hugpache]

I'm aware of that but I need VT.

I haven't called Consumer Protection yet because I had a really busy week but I plan doing so on Monday