Surface Pro 4 Bulging Battery / Screen. 3 1/2 years old.

Anonymous
2019-06-30T14:34:09+00:00

So, like many others on this forum, we have a Surface Pro 4, in which the battery has decided to self-destruct, destroying a £1,700 machine.

The screen hasn't popped off, but the battery has swollen enough to prevent the hinge from opening as it should and for the glass on the front to be very distorted, and it registers random screen input, all the while running hotter than the central heating.

I've spoken to support. They unhelpfully told me that because my warranty is up, I would have to pay several hundred pounds (£333) to replace the machine with a refurbished unit. To me, this is completely unacceptable. These devices are clearly flawed by design. This issue is too wide spread for it to be a coincidence. The batteries used in these devices are obviously flawed, and when I suggested as such, Sean L, the person dealing with my case, stopped responding (A few days after that, I wrote to Microsoft's twitter support who confirmed that the case had been closed. Thanks Sean L.)

If the device is dangerous (as suggested by the agent who I spoke to on the phone in the first instance) and it does catch fire while we are away this summer, and it subsequently burns down a multi-million pound Cambridge University building? What then, Microsoft? You'll wish you'd just replaced it then, won't you.

Surface | Surface Pro | Power and battery

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-11-13T15:03:33+00:00

    Back in December of 2015, I ordered two of the Surface Pro 4's, one for me and one for my wife. In October of 2019 I noticed that my screen was pulling away from the frame of my Pro 4. I knew that both Surfaces were out of warranty, but I called Microsoft support about the problem and was told to make an appointment at the nearest Microsoft Store (they were still open at that time) to have it looked at.

    When I took it to the store, they looked at it and told me it was a "bulging battery" and is very dangerous. They told me that there was an internal memo that was sent to the stores telling them that if customers come in with a Surface Pro with a bulging battery, to swap out the unit with a replacement unit. The manger told me that because they had replaced so many of the Surface Pro 4's due to this problem, they had to swap it with a 'refurbished' Surface Pro 5. Because the Surface Pro 7 had just been released a few weeks prior to my visit, I asked if I could do a trade-in of the Surface Pro 5 towards a Surface Pro 7, which they did. I ended up paying about $450 for the new Surface Pro 7.

    Jump to today, a couple of weeks ago, I noticed that my wife's Surface Pro 4's battery is starting to bulge. I called Microsoft about the problem but this time they told me that because it was out of warranty, which I already knew, I would have to pay $450 to swap it out with a replacement unit, or upgrade to a Surface Pro 7 for $750. I told them that is a known problem with the Surface Pro 4 battery and how they replaced my Surface Pro 4 for free less than a year ago. They said that they're current policy for 'out of warranty' Surface Pro's is a $450 swap.  

    I have an old Lenovo Twist that I've had since it came out and it is still going strong. The battery life isn't what it used to be, but it is still usable on battery for a good hour and a half. If that can last for this long without 'bulging battery' problems, so should the Surface Pro 4.

    To solve the problem, I just pre-ordered a new ASUS ZenBook Flip 13 UX363EA-DH51T. Sorry but I won't give another penny to Microsoft for hardware that they apparently think is disposable.

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-11-16T02:17:21+00:00

    ![](https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/25e6be4a-a55f-4fc0-97c2-131d7b31244d?platform=QnA

    same issue present, issue likely present for a while but as the machine is stationary on desk plugged into hub only noticed the issue this week. Called support as its just outsidr of the 3 years they will not help and want to charge $1,000 for a replacement (can get a Mac for $250 more)

    have a Mac on my desk thats still working after 6 years no issues. 

    more should be done to support this is  terrible ans a clear manufacturers fault. Ask support to escalate the issue  for a potential overide with how close it is to the 3 years would not help or entertain an escalation ans repeated its not a known issue.

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-11-28T21:42:33+00:00

    I also have a $2000 Microsoft paperweight, which used to be a Surface Pro 4.  

    Same general problem, expanding battery pushing out the screen.  Was told by MS that it was not safe to use it.  Because I'm outside of warranty, they offered a discounted replacement for $450.  This was after being told by 2 different support techs that they "had my back". (They should at least change their script).  This was after 2 weeks of back and forth with them, all the while with them telling me that they'll make sure I'm taken care of.  

    I turned them down.  With a refurb, you don't know what you're getting, but more importantly, they're not standing behind their product which has a dangerously defective component.  For $450, I can get a refurb from another company whose battery is less likely to burst into flames.  Totally disappointed that Microsoft doesn't stand behind their product.  For spending more than $2000, I expected a lot more.

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-11-28T21:58:38+00:00

    Just the same two weeks back and forth and then an offer of a 450 dollar refurb. Not what you expect from spending almost 2000 dollars a few years ago. I shall never buy microsoft again. On Black Friday ordered a new Dell XPS13 which doesn't have a dangerous battery issue and should give me years of service.

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