Microsoft Surface Book Failure. Screen edge browning, case distortion and screen bowing out

Question

I bought a Microsoft Surface Book, 2 years ago having been told it was the best notebook on the market. I spent a lot of money on this purchase and would like a better product and service.

My purchase is now proving to be a mistake being beset with continuing downward spiral of failures and lack of Microsoft support. This is after all their Flagship Product

The screen show lines of discolouration on both sides of the screen and the upper edge, probably due to the battery overheating. This discolouration is also air pressure sensitve.. At 4000 plus meters elevation it appears immediately as soon as the computer is turned on. Perhaps this is due to the battery heat. Maybe the fan has stopped working. This browning seems to grow with time on and fades when the computer is turned off.

The upper part of the computer with the screen is now bowed and the screen bulges out

There is of course no error message to indicate the fan has failed, nor is there a heat sensor to warn about the battery.

I have seen no definitive information about this problem either from Microsoft or from all the various organizations that live off presenting third party information on Microsoft products. The only thing I see is that is is a rather vague hardware failure. But this failure affects tens of thousands of Surface books now and as certain parts fail an ever increasing number of Surface Books

Then again Microsoft would not want to draw attention to these failings, even so they should to ensure a regular maintenance of their products. I think like car problems Microsoft should be forced to disseminate regular maintenance  updates on their products.

I reported this failure of the Surface Book to Microsoft and was told to take the Surface Book to Microsoft Repair Centre in Hong Kong. Having got there I discovered that this service centre did not exist. They were merely Microsoft Offices. My computer was bought in the USA and now resides with me in China.

Now I have the cost of the trip to Hong Kong and no remedial action from Microsoft.

Now the question is, what is Microsoft going to do about this problem. I have it in writing that they will replace the computer at no cost but it remains a problem to actually achieve this.

So here are the pictures of the problems.

Left side discolouration. This turns a dark brown as the longer the computer is on.

Brown spot to the right of Site Feedback.

Here you can see the case bent into curve. You can also see the reflection of the keyboard showing the outward bowing of the screen.

Answer 1

First see

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/surfbook-surfdrivers/surface-book-screen-is-gapping-at-top/e7cd4daa-6bf3-44fd-af1f-dfa9043f1656?messageId=6dfff01a-9613-4990-b5ab-0149f3453bd9

If this is a battery bulge, it is dangerous to use.

Microsoft seems to be replacing these if and only if within 3 years of purchase.

If you are in the US you should go to the closest physical retail Microsoft

Store (there are also 5 stores in Canada and 1 each in London, UK and Sydney,

AU)

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/locations/find-a-store - if you are not

able to get to a store, contact support

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4051701/global-customer-service-phone-numbers.

Answer 2

First see

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/surfbook-surfdrivers/surface-book-screen-is-gapping-at-top/e7cd4daa-6bf3-44fd-af1f-dfa9043f1656?messageId=6dfff01a-9613-4990-b5ab-0149f3453bd9

If this is a battery bulge, it is dangerous to use.

Microsoft seems to be replacing these if and only if within 3 years of purchase.

If you are in the US you should go to the closest physical retail Microsoft

Store (there are also 5 stores in Canada and 1 each in London, UK and Sydney,

AU)

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/locations/find-a-store - if you are not

able to get to a store, contact support

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4051701/global-customer-service-phone-numbers.

Obviously someone cant read.

This does not resolve the problem.

It fails to take into account that this was what I did before and got told to go to a place that does not exist!

Answer 3

>It fails to take into account that this was what I did before and got told to go to a place that does not exist! <

>

>>I reported this failure of the Surface Book to Microsoft and was told to take the Surface Book to Microsoft Repair Centre in Hong Kong.<

How did you report this? Phone? What phone number?

What they should have told you is that Surface is serviced where it is sold and

there is no international warranty as such. It isn't stated clearly when you

purchase a Surface device what the warranty policy is. If you go to

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4493662 and download the United States

version of the warranty, you will see "Warranty service may be available only in

the country where you purchased the Microsoft Product. If

warranty service is unavailable to you in the country where the device is

located when warranty service

is requested, Microsoft may offer you other support options for an additional

charge"

If you were able to get to one of the listed official retail stores, they would

likely handle an exchange, albeit if you have a US Surface you would have to

agree to a localized Surface (not a US version) and probably need to speak to a

manager. In the US, support sends out specialized containers for devices with

bulging batteries.

The info I have found on walk in centers is at

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4498593/find-surface-walk-in-center-contact-information

however, all the information I have found from others who have gone to Chinese

walk in centers is that they will not replace Surface products purchased outside

of China. I also cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information of the walk in

centers. Was the place to which they sent you listed as a Chinese walk in

center? As you can see from the US warranty, there are no guarantees you can get

service.

An (expensive and not very customer friendly) option is to find a way to safely

send the Surface with a battery bulge to someone in the US, have them handle the

exchange and then have them send the replacement on to you. They should be able

to upload the pictures you have to support and get a determination of whether it

will be replaced for free before you even send the device from China to the US.

I'm an unpaid volunteer and do not work for Microsoft. I'm trying to help. If

you want background on what a Microsoft MVP is, see

https://mvp.microsoft.com/en-us/Overview and for Volunteer Moderators see

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/page/faq#faqWhosWho1

Answer 4

Regarding guarantie.

Microsoft through their USA technical support admitted material fault and indicated a repair or replacement could be effected through Hong Kong.

Any company that does not give an international guarantie on their product in this day and age should be excluded from the customers choice.

I am surprised that anyone would support Microsoft vuluntarily without pay.

I am now in the UK and will see if the problem can be resolved here.

Failing that I will You Tube a video of the problems of purchasing a Microsoft Surface Book and all the inherant deficiencies and costs that the customer will face. Then I will post it to all reviewers and blogs.

I have faced enormous problems with this Microsoft leading product and the continued missinformation from the company.

I would expect better from them.