[Resolved]  HP Service Center At Coimbatore — Very poor after warranty Service of HP Authorised Service Center at Coimbatore

Dear Sir/Madam,

Myself Prabhat Kumar Bhakat, very old customer/consumer of HP Company and its services. I have bought a HP Compaq Laptop 2 years back. The details are given below:

Model No= V4118AP
Serial No= 2CE5360FKP
P/n= EH025PA#UUF

In the warranty period there was a problem with my Hard Disk and Speaker and that I have got corrected at Gurgaon.
Since last 6 months I was facing problem related to sudden auto-power switch off. When I used to work on it , then suddenly my Laptop used to get switch off, without shutting down or without restart. Initially I though the problem might be because of Viruses so I un-installed Windows XP and formatted all the drive.
The problem was very serious when I was trying to Re-Install Windows Xp again, the power was getting off in between the installation, so I did not neither able to install XP not I could work on that. So I decided to go to HP Authorized Service Centre at Coimbatore, Tamilnadu. In HP website I have found that the following service center is authorized for all HP product.

Maha Electronics Pvt Ltd
161/176 IInd Street, GANDHIPURAM,
Coimbatore
Tamil Nadu
Service level : Carry -in & Onsite
Contact No.:[protected] / 2498498/2498499

So I went to Maha Electronics Pvt Ltd on[protected] at 2.30 PM and reported my problem. They told that the Laptop was not under warranty so I need to pay Rs. 500/- for checking the Laptop and after that they will tell me what is the problem.

However I agreed and told them about the problem, after that they told me to wait and after 2 hours they told that it was a Mother Board problem and I have to replace the part, which will cost approx Rs. 20,000/-. I asked them about the details that they have checked in my Laptop, they just gave me silly reason. I was sure that they have not even opened my laptop and just giving solution to the problem without finding Root Cause.

After that I repeatedly requested them to open the Laptop and try to find the actual Root Cause and kept my Laptop with them. Then after repetitive follow-up again I went to them on[protected] and asked what was the Root Cause. Their service engineer (Mr. Mutthu) was so stupid that he gave me again some silly reason behind the problem and again told me that I have to replace the Mother Board (not even repair?). he excused me that he has checked all the parts after opening Laptop, and the problem could be only with Mother Board.

I was so upset with them and with their behavior, that I decided to take my Laptop with servicing I paid them Rs. 500/- as their service charge (so call expert’s service charge). Then I asked for a proper report where they have to indicate that the problem is coming due to Mother Board. They were first reluctant to give me such report but finally boldly they have reported that that the Laptop need to replace Motherboard.

I was quite upset and I tried to find the problem in Internet and as well as HP service support websites. I found that frequent power off problem may come due to over-heating, and there is a Heat Sink and Fan inside the Laptop, which dissipate the heat. If get jammed by dust and dirt then the safety device of laptop cuts the power so that it should not get damaged by over-heating.

I opened my laptop and seen that there are lot of dust over the heat sink and it is loosely connected to motherboard then I realized that for these reason laptop was getting over heated. I solved my problem and my laptop is working OK.

But why I am writing these big letter to you because I feel as a customer I can reach to you and tell the problem which general customer like me are being looted by so called HP authorized service centers.
The points, which I was to highlight, are as follows:

1) Does HP authorized service centers like Maha Electronics Pvt Ltd have a expert technical team?
2) Why they do not entertain the customers who are not under warranty?
3) Why these people has taken Rs. 500/- charge from me and had not given any solution?
4) Without thinking what could be the problem, they just told to replace motherboard of Rs. 20,000.00, by which they can at least earn some money. So don’t you think that they are looting general public like us , who has full faith on HP technical team?
So at last I want to tell HP that it should not spoil their brand name giving authorized service center stamp to the company like Maha Electronics Pvt Ltd.

Thanks & Regards,

Prabhat Kumar Bhakat