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
    2021-01-18T12:38:06+00:00

    After buying multiple Surface machines and convincing friends who did the same, I will not buy another MS product.  Like so many, the battery bulged and the screen separated but they now want over $800 Canadian to replace it with a refurbished unit.  One of my friends purchased a Surface Book 3 based on my recommendation and had the same experience.  I am now waiting for my wife's Surface Book to do the same. The evidence that this is a design problem with MS machines is overwhelming.  It would be one thing to pay for a battery replacement but a $4k machine should not be garbage after 3 years.  Shame on MS.  They have turned me and so many others from advocates to very vocal critics.

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-03-21T11:16:34+00:00

    I must be the lucky one i guess. My SP4 did not bulge but the battery shows -1 mWh. Basically the batter or the motherboard is malfunction and the laptop will not be turned on without the power adapter attached. This really defeat the purpose of a laptop. Paid $1300 for it and lasted less than 4 years. This is complete BS and obviously a design flaw that Microsoft is denying. I am curious why there isn't a class action lawsuit on this yet.

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  3. Barb Bowman 80,805 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2019-12-09T13:32:51+00:00

    These devices are very dangerous to use. Please, protect yourself and stop using it. 

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-12-09T12:12:22+00:00

    I have exactly the same problem. Display flickers on the right side, turns yellow on the left side and started to bend (not yet cracked out of the frame). it was bought in November 2015. 

    Does anyone know how to get it replaced or repaired after this 3 year of recall period? Sending it in via the MS service portal would charge $ 650.- which is definitely not an option as it is an design problem. And i'm not the only person who has it.

    I want it replaced or repaired asap as there is the risk on taking fire or even explosion.

    https://borncity.com/win/2019/09/10/microsoft-surface-pro-4-caught-fire/

    https://de.ifixit.com/News/got-a-surface-book-or-surface-pro-4-watch-out-for-screen-bulging-batteries#:~:targetText=If%20you%20own%20a%20first,too%20often%20on%20these%20devices.

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  5. Anonymous
    2019-09-25T00:51:18+00:00

    Hi there,

    By the way, are you in north America? You sent your device from where to where?  I had to pay $300 plus for a refurbished one.  I was really disappointed.  It was my first time buying an MS laptop, expecting that it was durable.  But after a year and some days, shortly after the one year warranty has expired, several spots appeared on the screen. And that laptop was rarely used.  So I really don't understand.  Very, very disappointing.

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