About 3 weeks ago I received a comment from a user who described his experience with Toshiba Satellite M35X. Today I got one more for Toshiba Satellite A75. Even though these are completely different models, they have very similar problems: laptop heatsink gets clogged and the laptop overheats, improperly grounded top cover causes the laptop to freeze up and reboot, badly designed DC jack causes the power failure. May be your experience is more positive?
I got the laptop as a Xmas present from my boyfriend in Dec 2004. Shortly after I got it, I got the blue screen of death. Then it began freezing up on me. Toshiba told me this was a problem with a grounding wire in the motherboard. I took it to a service center and they fixed the problem. Within about another 2 months, it started doing hard shut-downs when any load was present – was unable to burn DVDs, view DVDs, play music or even view basic graphics on the internet, as well as shutting down during use of Windows Media Player. The fan was loud! Then, the AC adapter problem. To this day, I have no green light showing at all on the front of my computer. It was fine at first, then started flickering (when I pressed down on silver plate that was replaced at the service center due to the grounding wire problem), the green light would come back on for a short time and then disappear again.
The laptop is getting power while plugged into the wall and the battery is recharging…..but, what’s up with the green light disappearing?
I have a cooling pad underneath my Toshiba that has an external power source – overheating is NOT the problem with this computer. From what I can surmise, the issue is in the CPU. The motherboard probably needs to be replaced and God only knows what’s causing the problem with the LED indicator.
At this point, my computer is now out of warranty, however, because I brought these problems to their attention during the warranty period, they have essentially issued a blank check for me to have “any hardware problems fixed” as an exception to the warranty. They were too quick to authorize this, so my feeling is that these problems are systemic with this model and Toshiba is well aware of them, though why they have never issued a recall is beyond me and does not bode well for Toshiba’s PR department.
It is going in for repairs tomorrow (had to back everything up in case the motherboard has to be replaced) and I will advise what the findings are when I get it back – estimated time for repairs is 2 weeks.
If this computer were not being fixed on Toshiba’s dime, I wouldn’t bother paying to have it fixed – I’d just buy another laptop. I am very upset that I’m unable to use this laptop for any of the features they advertise. I also strongly suspect that Toshiba knew of these problems beforehand and sold the things anyway, looking for Xmas windfall revenue – this computer was introduced in Dec. 2004, if memory serves correctly.
What a sad indictment of corporate greed – this laptop was $1,500 – we’re not talking about a pack of gum, here.
Is your experience with this model any different?
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December 1st, 2006 at 10:20 am
Do you recommend to send it to the Toshiba Depot (free shipping) or take it to a premier service center?
thanks,
December 1st, 2006 at 7:59 am
Am I still eligble for lawsuit warranty if I haven’t sent my M35X to repair shop?
December 1st, 2006 at 5:35 am
I received my A75 back from the Toshiba depot yesterday for my repair under the new settlement warranty.
It was gone for 2 weeks and that was during Thanksgiving. So I was pleased with the turnaround time, esp. after the last time.
They did a top cover repair, new motherboard, new fans, new AC plug in back and even replaced the touchpad.
It seems to be running great tho it’s only been a day. (It wouldn’t even turn on when I sent it in).They did a fresh install of the OS so it got a good workout yesterday as I had to set everything up and reinstall all of my extra programs.
Hopefully it’ll be good to go now, but I feel better knowing I have 11 more mos. on that new warranty.
They sent me a free laptop box with the shipping prepaid to send it in to them. So I didn’t spend one dime.
We called first, described the problems. They assigned a case # then sent the box, which I got in 2 days.
So it’s really worth the time to ship it off and get it fixed.
November 26th, 2006 at 10:54 pm
Jack,
Why not?
How can they find it out?
I think there is nothing wrong if you fix your laptop at a repair center you like. Now Toshiba issued a warranty extension so you can take it back to Toshiba center.
November 26th, 2006 at 7:54 pm
since my a75 laptop went out of warranty, i got it locally repaired (solder power socket). do you think I can send my laptop to toshiba now under this new warranty extension (i have new problems) or will they reject my laptop now because I serviced it at a place that wasn’t a authorized repair shop?
November 26th, 2006 at 6:43 pm
Michael,
It looks like Toshiba extended warranty for Satellite M30X, M35X, A70 and A75 laptops sold in the USA for 12 months, so probably they will fix it even if the laptop is not under warranty anymore.
I wouldn’t because the laptop can get damaged. Call Toshiba and ask them for a laptop box, I believe you’ll have to pay for the box.
November 23rd, 2006 at 6:44 pm
Wow! Finally I have some info on just why my A70 laptop has been in the shop 6 times since it was given to me as a gift 23 months ago. It’s had its motherboard replaced once and has been in because the screen locked up once. It has been in the other times to have the connection plug soddered because I was not maintaining a connection. It has been a very frustrating piece of junk. I do not have the box–should I just send it in without it? do you think they will still fix it? Thanks
November 17th, 2006 at 6:44 am
I have aa A75-S226 that I purchased in July of ‘04. Had the shutting down and sound (or sometimes lack of any ) issues. Sent it to Toshiba for repair Feb. ‘05. They had it for nearly 3 mos. I called constantly and they kept saying the part (motherboard) was backordered.
When I finally got it back, I ask them to extend my warranty for the 3 mos. since I had no use of it then and was originally told the turn-around time for the repair would be about a week. That was a no go with them, I would have to purchase any extended warranty. I said NO WAY!
So I learned to live with the problems as they came back fairly quickly (after the warranty was up). And I’d spent $1700+ for the darned thing.
Anyway, the power plug in back of the PC recently went on the fritz so I was forced to call a repairman. Was hoping it would be a simple thing of just putting in a new power port adapter. He called to order the part (which cost $1000 by the way) and they then told him about the settlement of the class action. ( I was aware of the lawsuit but not of the settlement). So the warranty started again Nov. 7, ‘06 and goes to Nov.6, ‘07. And they’re going to fix everything that’s wrong with it!!!
They sent me a box to send the PC to their repair depot, postage paid. And also all the paperwork about the lawsuit and claim forms for $25 cash or $50 credit voucher at Toshiba for each instance you sent it in and didn’t get a ‘Top Cover’ repair. Plus you get a $35 credit voucher if you purchased an extended warranty and it expires After Nov.7 ‘06. Apparently they only inform you of this if you call or go to their website.
So I guess it was a good thing that I had a new problem that forced me to call a repairman in so that I could find out about this at the beginning of the new warranty period.
The wesite to go to to find out about your new warranty is:
http://www.A70M30Xsettlement.com
Hopefully everyone who still has them can finally get them fixed.
November 13th, 2006 at 1:49 pm
So there was a Class Action lawsuit against Toshiba for their Toshiba Satellite® A70, A75, M30X and M35X notebook computers and here are the results:
check out these sites for information on the lawsuit and the settlement:
http://www.lorisklar.com/
http://www.a70m30xsettlement.com/
http://www.a70m30xsettlement.com/notice.pdf
basically they have given a 12 month extension to the warranty. So now you can send it in for full repairs. and you can get up to 50$ if u sent it in and they didn’t fix your laptop.
according to the web sites, the 12 month extension starts November 7, 2006. I have not called in yet to see if in fact they are accepting. but if the site says so, it must be true.
If anyone has had time to call Toshiba and ask for their laptops to be repaired under this 12 month extension, please share your results.
Thank you
November 13th, 2006 at 10:06 am
I have a 3-yr extended warranty on my A75-S206 from Best Buy. Took in it to fix the DC jack problem and they sent it to their repiar center in Baltimore (I’m in Philly). I didn’t get it back for 3 weeks, and to top it off they didn’t even repair the problem! The paperwork said they couldn’t simulate the problem. Hey, how about a phone call to me for some clarification! Idiots! Now I am considering trying to resolder the jack on my own, even though my warranty is still good for another 9 months.