Nvidia G84m/G86m faulty chip happen to Vaio??

[6800gt]

I just wonder if anyone has the alleged graphic problem with your vaio series. I got AR51J with 8400m GT early this year. So far it works fine, but not sure it would die shortly :smileysad:. What's the sony's response?

origin story: All Nvidia G84 and G86s are bad
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/07/09/nvidia-g84-g86-bad

Channel Vendors Demand Graphics Cards Suppliers to Recall Potentially Faulty Nvidia GeForce Graphics Cards.
Resellers Want to Return Potentially Faulty Nvidia GeForce Graphics Boards to Makers
http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/video/display/20080725123120_Channel_Vendors_Demand_Graphics_Cards_Supp...

[roblishm]

You can resolve this easily.

I have a Sony All-in-One Desktop (VGC-LM1M) which went down with the graphics chip failure 16 months after purchase, in May 09.
Sony would not repair free of charge, saying it was out of the 12 month warrenty, and Lasky's.com (whom I bought the machine from) said exactly the same thing.

This was all before Sony admitted that the chips were faulty.

I contacted my local Trading Standards Office, and, under their instruction, downloaded and completed their "template" "Sale of Goods Act (ammened) 1979" letter and sent it to Lasky's head office (Comet plc) by recorded delivery.
14 days later I rang them and they denied ever receiving the letter, even though I had electronic proof of delivery.
So I then rang back to the Trading Standards Office, gave them all the details and they took over the case.
The next day I got a call from Centric Solutions who are Laskys (Comet) repair company to arrange (free) collection of my machine ... for (free) repair.

OK, it took 4 weeks to come back, but it has been repaired free of charge, and I even got (several) phone calls from both Comet & Centric during the repair time keeping me informed as to what was happening.

The reason it took 4 weeks was that Centric needed to confirm that it was the grahics chip that was at fault (which was not exactly rocket science!) ...which took 2 weeks. Then it had to go to Sony to have the motherboard replaced ... (because Sony will not release any of their spare parts to other repairers), and it was with Sony for one week ... then it went back to Centric for a final check over, and finally back to me (another week)

So ... even if your machine is not one of the models listed in Sony's recent announcement, Trading Standards will fight your case (free of charge).

The main thing you must remember ... (unless you bought your Vaio from the Sony website) your contract under the Sale of Goods Act is with your retailer ... not Sony, so don't waste time trying to get Sony to affect the repair ... you must deal with your retailer.

Three cheers for the Trading Standards Agency. Trust me, as someone who has been through this process ... they do an amazing job!

[blaufisk]

Hi,
I posted on here a while ago about my Sony VAIO FZ21Z, that was exhibiting this now infamous graphics problem.
I sent the laptop back to Sony for repair and they have had it for about 3 weeks.
The good news is that Sony have just accepted that the problem is theirs and have informed me that they have fixed the Laptop( replaced the motherboard ) at no cost to me.
However, they have also informed me that my VAIO has another, unrelated hardware problem, something to do with the DC power input, that needs to be repaired at wait for it.. .a cost of £219.
I'm not a happy bunny. As far as I am concerned there was nothing wrong with the laptops power before I sent it back to Sony. I have no idea how it could be broken. I'm a little suspicious that they are trying to recoup some of the money that they must be losing over this whole sad affair.
Has anyone any ideas what this extra fault could be and why it should cost £219 to fix?
Has anyone had a similar experience?
Does anyone have any good advice regarding what to do next? ( they still have the Laptop and I still have my £219 at the moment).

[mackmn]

Now it's definitely confirmed. Sony's service SUCK! Yesterday I got my computer back for the second time in one month. The motherboard has been replaced for the second time and according to the service letter the computer has been cleaned and tested and has successfully passed every diagnostics test. It's just one little problem. I think they are lying! If they would have turned the computer on they should have noticed that it has the same f....ing problems as when I sent it to service for the second time. When I got it back yesterday I immediately turned it on and nothing had changed. According to the status of the graphics card Windows tells that the graphics card has been disabled, code 43.

How the heck is that possible if they have changed the motherboard twice? Yesterday I rang up Sony service and they told me that they are sorry and that there was nothing else they cold do than collect it for service again FOR THE THIRD TIME! I asked if they will change the motherboard again but I didn´t get an answer. I also requested a new computer but that was totally impossible. This time the top panel has also been scratched so that will also have to replaced. The computer has now been opened so many times that the whole computer isn't even flat any more!

I also rang up the consumer agency here in Finland and they told me that it would be time request a replacement. I rang up Sony again ant told them that I've contacted the consumer agency and now they want to have a written description of the whole story. And believe me - they will get one. I also, as you can see, have pictures to corroborate the story. It will be interesting to see how they will react.

[manish249]

Hi all, Sony have picked up my laptop almost 4 weeks ago after telling me that they would call me within 5days to update me about the repair (the courier who picked it up told me thats all he's doing at the moment - picking up faulty sony vaios), and I've heard nothing since. I've tried to get in contact with them several times so far by email and I've had no replies. Does anyone know what I should do or who would be best to contact, my case is 4131817.

[Thalamus.]

Please see Blencogo's reply to your other post HERE

[NewYorkCop]

I have a Sony Vaio FE31Z with Go7600, (first used in March 07 and bought for £1200)
I've had the same problems as most on here (with the lines running through the screen etc). After the first time this happened I left it for a day and was able to start up in normal mode, I downloaded NHC software to monitor the temps. I ran a game which would rely heavily on the graphics chip. I noted the temp at 75^C before it froze and went through the same process. I now can't start the laptop i normal mode.

After seeing most people haven't had much luck with Sony, I think I'm going to persue with my retailer (Play.com) using the Supply Of Goods And Services (Jersey) Law 2009. And also after speaking to Consumer Direct, they recommend I make an equal liability claim against the credit firm (my credit card company i purchased the laptop with) under section 75 of the CONSUMER CREDIT ACT 1974.

I'm currently gathering a letter from a repairers to confirm it is an inherited fault and it is indeed the graphics chip doing this.

Bobbyfirth - have you got any further with Play.com?
How is everyone else doing? Has anyone got any further with Sony?

[Thalamus.]

After seeing most people haven't had much luck with Sony

Not sure I understand your comment..

Hi NewYorkCop,

welcome to Club VAIO..

Sony have released a statement confirming that some Vaio models can have distorted video, random characters or blank screen issues due to failure of the NVIDIA graphics chip.

The models concerned are as follows..

VGN-FZ11x, VGN-FZ18x, VGN-FZ21x, VGN-FZ31x, VGN-FZ38x
VGN-AR11x, VGN-AR21x, VGN-AR31x
VGN-C1Zx, VGN-C2Zx
VGC-LM1xx, VGC-LM2xx
VGC-LT1xx, VGC-LT2xx

I suggest you contact Vaio support, use the following link to find the contact details: Sony Vaio Support

To view the announcement open Vaio support, either by clicking Support at the top of this page or use the following link:Vaio support

Under Log-in option 2: Select your VAIO model, next to Select Model Category - Select your model from the drop down list, in your case VGN FE.

Then next to Select Model - select VGN-FE31Z

Then click Log-IN

Once logged in copy & paste - Distorted video, random characters or blank screen issues due to failure of the NVIDIA graphics chip into the search box and click on the search magnifying glass.

Under the words Useful Links, click on Distorted video, random characters or blank screen issues due to failure of the NVIDIA graphics chip

You should now see announcement as attached below.

Hope this helps..

[NewYorkCop]

Hi Thalamus,

I have seen the announcement Sony have made already; my model is not one of these yet there are people with Dell laptops that contain the same graphics card as mine with the same problem. So I will contact Sony about this, but majority of people on this thread don't seem to get anywhere with Sony:-

Now it's definitely confirmed. Sony's service SUCK! Yesterday I got my computer back for the second time in one month. The motherboard has been replaced for the second time and according to the service letter the computer has been cleaned and tested and has successfully passed every diagnostics test. It's just one little problem. I think they are lying! If they would have turned the computer on they should have noticed that it has the same f....ing problems as when I sent it to service for the second time. When I got it back yesterday I immediately turned it on and nothing had changed. According to the status of the graphics card Windows tells that the graphics card has been disabled, code 43. 

Also, once i've logged in under my laptops' model number, this does NOT come up:-

Under the words Useful Links, click on Distorted video, random characters or blank screen issues due to failure of the NVIDIA graphics chip

Thanks for your help though

[vikasnaugraiya]

Hello All,

I am also facing the same problem with Nvidia graphics card 8400 from my laptop VGNFZ21M.
Dot-dot lines are coming in the screen as posted before ..i have given my laptop to the repair centre from the past 5-6 week before so many times i called them and email to sony support .. but no proper reply ..how long they will take .. i read in the thead lot of people are facing problem after repair too...sony is bluffing with the consumer.. i paid approximate 1300 euro for my laptop only to buy sony ... and i was not thinking that sony has such a bad services..from the now onward i am not going to buy any sony product i think we shoud combine together and go to the court for the justice..my contact nr is +4917625899072..
sony should return the money or provide a new laptop if than cant repair in one time.. what make sance that after repair also it does work as posted by other in above thread..
i am from the germany.

[NewYorkCop]

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