Is it just a monitor or is that LCD screen part of a laptop. I know most stand alone monitors carry longer than a 1 yr mfg warranty. If it's part of a laptop the issue could be the screen, the wire leading to the screen (which runs through/along a hinge and can get messed up) or the actual GPU itself.

What credit card was used? They often extend the warranty by a year or more.

I bought a Gateway desktop in 2003, and when the monitor (a 17" LCD) crapped out in late 2004, about two months out of warranty, I actually got them to replace it for the cost of the shipping.

That replacement one is still working beautifully now in 2009 (the rest of the machine has long since been Frankensteined into something different), so it makes me sad that they've apparently gone so into the toilet service-wise since then.

Call a local technology repair man/center. They will be more help, can normally repair it on site and would love to have your business.

If gateway doesnt want to give you a way to give them money to fix it, then I think its time you move on from gateway.

support your local guys!

@FDCPAGuy: at that price, I'm hoping it was a laptop, otherwise they were really ripped of to pay that much for something that only lasts a year.

So the OP bought it in January of 08, and NOW is considered "shortly after" his warranty period?

Sorry, I don't think the company's doing anything wrong in denying him free service, since his warranty ran out a while ago. Not cool that they won't respond about fee-based services, but has the OP tried calling them instead of using the online support ticket thing? Might have better luck over the phone.

There's a reason computer manufacturers don't warranty laptops for very long - the mobility aspect means they break much more easily.

@Etoiles: I had the similiar issues happen to my 17" CRT Gateway monitor that I bought in 2003.

From what I have seen with Gateway, They have their warranty hedged so that not too much longer it may fail. Now I was able to get my CRT replaced for a nominal fee plus shipping and handling. For the most part companies are using the warranty to cover just manufacturing defects, so one year should have been enough to detect that sort of defect.

i'm going to assume that these facts are incorrect and that the monitor was purchased for $180 and not $1,800, as stated above. no one would seriously purchase a two thousand dollar display -- especially one with only a year warranty.

Find the model number on the back of the monitor. Look it up on line with "repair" or a description of the problem and see if some repair how to's exist online. If it is a known and common problem with that monitor sometimes there are repair instructions online. If you don't want to fix it yourself you could at least print it out and take it to a local tech.

Gateway has a bad problem of things dying right after the 1 year warranty expires. Their product quality has gone considerably downhill.

What kind of monitor costs $1800? I hope it is some huge one. There are plenty of decent LCD monitors with 3 year warranties for under $200.

with gateway it means you have to suck it up and buy a new one. I had issues with their tech support when my monitor broke a year ago.

At first everything was fine, they said they would send a refurbished replacement (usually refurbished means like new). The customer service was VERY nice and helpful. They said replacement should arrive within a week.

A WHOLE MONTH passes with no answer from their end. When i got the item it turned out to be a used replacement with a cracks all over the exterior and was having trouble getting signal.

I called back asking for a refurbished as promised, and instead I got some prick who insisted policy had changed a day ago saying they can only fix it and not replace it. When I demanded to speak to someone higher with authority he said he was the highest as possible. I ask for Agent ID or a name and he wouldnt give either. When I kept insisting he said "fine, its steve the manager" Asked for last name and he wouldnt say anything. I doubted his authenticity of the policy actually just changing the day before (honestly what luck would that be) so I asked if I can tape record him. He said it was illegal (what?!) so as a bluff I just said I already recorded everything. He got REALLY mad and quickly said, I have done something illegal so he is forced to terminate the call, furthermore because of this he would CANCEL my warranty (which he did when I looked up my warranty status).

I contacted BBB and was eventually contacted by Gateway's executive customer service. At first she sympathized with me and said she would get me a replacement as promised and said what happened to me shouldnt have happened. She said unluckily for me the policy was actually changed about the whole replacement thing, but she would pull me a favor. Great I thought. 10 minutes after speaking with her, she immediately calls me back and pretty much says "nevermind" and the only thing she would do is just reinstate my warranty as if it was a favor for me.

After this incident, I looked up Gateway's customer service ratings and found they were the worst. Never again will I buy another Gateway. I have bought 2 laptops, 1 Desktop, and 1 Monitor from them. Never again will I buy from them and Ill stick with Dell who I have ALWAYS (3 times) been impressed by their customer service as long as you can wait through their phone queue lines.

[www.skyline-eng.com] has Gateway parts.

@italianscallion33: I 100% agree. The whole point is that it is out of warranty, and it looks like it is more then a little out of warranty at that. They are under no obligation to help you out.

Plus the story itself is a little fishy/lacking in details. You have to assume she means laptop screen, not monitor, as I highly doubt that $1800 was spent on a monitor alone. Either way the price seems inflated.

If you want a good warranty, look at Samsung. I actually bought a used monitor off of Ebay, it died on me. They shipped me a brand new monitor, and I shipped back the old. No hassle, just extreme satisfaction.

I am a tech and have been doing authorized warranty work for years and I can tell you this. Once you are out of warranty, most manufacturers will offer little to no support and no warranty work. I have seen cases where customer have been out of warranty by days and have been turned away. Do some research and see reliability ratings for the product you want to buy.

DIAGNOSTIC IS NOT PERFECT SINCE I AM ONLY LOOKING AT A PICTURE AND CANNOT TEST THE LCD… but looking at the screen it looks like the LCD itself would have to be replaced. Chances are the cost of the part and labor will be as much as the screen was new. The problem with working on LCD is that the cases are made to snap together or snap together and have some screws for security. It is easy to break them and the plastics, trying to get to the parts so unless you have experience and patience. It could be something as simple as a loose cable but usually that will cause an overall problem, not a problem linked to only one side of the screen.

@Etoiles: This is shocking...I thought that Gateway went out of business years ago.

Gateway won't help me either. My computer has a very odd problem that seems like it would be easy to fix and it's still under warranty. After spending several hours with their tech support people where they repeatedly told me to try the same things over and over. Then I spent hours with their email people who sent me the same links over and over even though I repeatedly told them their suggestions were useless. Their final solution was to have me ship in the computer--all for a little issue with their stupid built in recovery system that doesn't even keep the computer from working. I'm not giving up my computer for several weeks and I don't see why they want to waste the money shipping it there and back when all they need to do is hire some techs who can troubleshoot their recovery system properly. Preferably ones who speak english.

I am huge pro-consumer, but I have to agree, sounds like the OP is SOL here. A time period is a time period, and a warranty is a gamble; if your item breaks the day after the warranty ends, then you lost the wager. Sure, it's great for companies to help you even when they're no longer obligated, but it's not required and to get upset about it is pretty ridiculous.

Even taking the benefit of the doubt and assuming this story was sitting in Consumerist's in-box for a few months, I say Gateway did all they need to do. They didn't talk to the OP about fee-based services because they already told him to contact a local technician. I don't agree with their methods, and I don't agree with them ignoring him now (although it does sound like OP only tried emailing, who in their right mind doesn't try calling?) but he got the info that they have and he should just buy a non-Gateway monitor if he's not happy.

I have a Gateway laptop that I've been pretty happy with (except for Vista, but that's not Gateway's fault) but I bought the extended warranty on it, as I do for almost all my items. That's my choice to make; if I didn't have it, I would have to abide by the manufacturer's warranty like everyone else and either repair or replace my products on my own dime.

What I don't understand is why someone spent $1,800 for a monitor. I just had to replace mine (not a Gateway but a Dell that crapped out after 6 years) and paid $100 for a replacement (Acer). I own a Gateway laptop too but I guess I've been lucky. I have no complaints. Years ago, I had a scanner that died right after its warranty and instead of repairing it for almost as much money as it cost originally, I replaced it, but I bought the extended warranty just in case. Guess what? That scanner is still working long after the extended warranty expired.

It's all frustrating, but it's also the luck of the draw. These things are assembled and sometimes there's a flaw in one tiny component.

Gateway should replace your monitor if they care about retaining customers, but it's their loss.

Check out the Acer monitors. They are cheap, but excellent quality.

@italianscallion33: Amen to that. Yeah it sucks when something breaks down just after the warranty period but that's life.

There is no reason they should replace/repair this monitor for less than a normal fee. If you want more protection but the extended warranty. If not - roll the dice like the rest of us.

Entitlement sucks.

This happened to one of my two DELL 2001FP monitors, of which I received settlement for (per here: [consumerist.com] )

I did try to research the problem, and it turns out the vertical lines are caused by a cable that produces imaging for that area coming loose. Apparently the glue holding the cable separates due to heat; once the cable comes loose (there are several), you have to somehow re-seat it, which is pretty much impossible without the right tools.

@rushevents: Where in the story does it say the OP was trying to get something free? She asked about fee-based service and possibly buying parts to fix it. Wanting to repair a broken item is not entitlement.

@italianscallion33: Also 100% agree...

This story could be a "above and beyond" tale if Gateway cut the OP a break, but crying for a replacement after the warranty expiration is just being a sore loser. I'm not cheering Gateway, I'm just saying they're not exactly wrong here.

It would be great to hear that the credit card extended the warranty, that would be worth the time to read about.

Also, I think too many posters here are discussing the warranty rather than considering this may be an issue with manufacturing, as the original consumer above points out after his research that "I've seen lots of other posts about this issue elsewhere. ... This isn't an isolated incident."

To me, that screams "recall research".

@AnxiousDemographic: Woops, after reading "squinko", I realize I didn't read the complaint closely enough.

The consumer *should* be able to *buy* parts or repairs after the fact. Apologies to Rafael (the OP) and good luck!

What is with this sense of entitlement? I have seen this in a few other posts here on Consumerist.

The item is guaranteed for a specific period of time and there are several paragraphs of legal writing that closes all the loopholes that people have exploited previously. Even if the warranty is lifetime, there are exclusions.

It isn't as simple as a company being cheap heartless bastards. For every true honest consumer with a legitimate warranty claim, how many others are illegitimately trying to get something for nothing. They have their guard up for a reason. Other companies hide behind legal small print to offer an impressive-looking warranty that is basically worthless.

If you want a solid warranty, don't go the cheapest possible and complain about underfunded support.

Here's a shortlist of warranties that suck:

-sleep number mattresses "20 years" (2 years actual)

-roofing "20/25/30" years - prorated heavily and hard to claim.

-tires and batteries - prorated heavily and any monies received are applied to a product just as likely to fail within that period.

-anything "lifetime" that requires return shipping that costs more than the item (with an extra bonus for requiring proof of purchase).

-anything that's DOA that can't be returned to the retailer for credit. Otherwise you get a refurbished replacement... so much for buying a "new" item!

-refurbs - the term is short for a reason. Do you feel lucky, punk?

Here are a couple of good ones:

Craftsman tools - swap it out at a store... not prorated, not shipped back.

Costco no-additional-cost extended warranties on HDTVs (and other stuff, I presume) - their customer support gives me confidence that they'll back up the product without a huge hassle.

/the cheapest person spends the most in the long run.

@Josh Marquart: This sounds plausible. Would local computer repair have the right tools? It sounds like something that could be a pretty quick and inexpensive fix with a place suitably equipped.

Unfortunately, I don't see much of a recourse here. Some of these LCD screens are junk. They fail prematurely and the web is filled with stories about them. Their one year of responsibility was up. Why would they help? It's Gateway...

@wagnerism: Wow, someone with sense. You'd think the customer was always right, regardless of circumstances after reading articles on here.

Sometimes, guys, when your warranty expires, that's it! Time to pay for repairs or buy a new product. I'm not sure why this is so hard to figure out.

@fjc6: Gateway released a 30in monitor around the time that the OP stated they purchased theirs. According to reviews it originally listed for $1,699 so I guess with shipping that is probably the one

If you used a credit card, call the issuer and ask for the warranty extension details.

@ambimom: Gateway is literally owned by Acer. I don't think that will cure the problem!

Any monitor that has a one year warranty is junk. Doesn't matter who makes it. The minimum warranty should be 3 years on a monitor either LCD or CRT.

Also: $1800? That's a lot of $$ to play for a computer monitor even a year ago.

@wagnerism: Did you even read the complaint? The customer asked about fee-based service or buying replacement parts and was told, "Your monitor is out of warranty".

How is wanting to pay to have something repaired a sense of entitlement?

I never normally rag on the poster, but seriously, you spent $1,800 on a monitor a year ago and you didn't check the warranty length? I would expect a 5 - 10 year warranty MINIMUM on equipment THAT excessively pricey. Anything less and they can keep it.

It's out of warranty so I would side with Gateway on this one too. If you bought it with a credit card (like AMEX), try checking if they offer automatic extended warranty instead. Otherwise, you just got to suck it up!

People seem to be a tad harsh towards Gateway, but bear in mind it is just a name slapped onto products designed by other companies. Ever since Acer bought Gateway and e-machines their quality and level of support has dropped significantly.

It is actually sort of sad. There was a time when Gateway was right up there on par with Dell, but poor management essentially wiped out the company and now they are just a nameplate attached to garbage.

I've owned four Gateway desktops and two Gateway laptops but even I wouldn't buy a thing from them today. It isn't even the same company.

I used to buy from gateway, back when they were the COW box company. I had a Lemon laptop from them, and several desktop units. My best advice is let the company die, all they produce is shotie and cheep, but over priced hardware. Best thing to do is not give them any more business, let the cow die.

Is anyone actually reading the complaint...the problem isn't the fact that it's out of warranty...the problem is that she asked about purchasing spare parts or paying for a repair and their response was to tell her that the monitor was out of warranty.

The first problem was buying something from Gateway, the 2nd problem is that the person will probably buy another monitor from them.

I have bought, and replaced 2 gateway monitors in the past year. Keep reading.

Nothing was particularly wrong with the panels -- just a dead pixel in the corner for one and a slighly noisy power unit in the other.

For both they CROSS-SHIPPED me a new panel for free. That is to say they sent me a NEW panel before I sent back my old one. Both were still under warranty.

I OWN the monitor the Op has (XHD3000). And while I can understand that latent manufacturing defects do suck (if this is the case), it's partially up to you to understand and protect your investment beyond the standard 1-yr. term.

Also, try calling Gateway instead of using their customer support chat. I have used both, and you get much more receptive people when you're actually having a conversation.

Try to diagnose the problem yourself, saving the cost and time for callouts and repairs.

Switch out your monitor with a different (borrowed) one.
If the other monitor works, it's your monitor.
Otherwise, it's either the cable or the video card.

Check for overheating - both your monitor and your video card.

And, I can't quite see if that's a CRT or LCD.

@Smashville:

Monitors are much different than a computer itself - there are very few user servicable parts inside, and they are often extremely expensive - it may be cheaper to get a newer monitor.

@Smashville: The repair would equal the cost of a new monitor minus cables, so they are actually doing him a favor, although if he paid 1800 he'd probably go for $2500 repair costs.

@vincedia: And it works! I got a new Kitchen Aid mixer 3 months after the 1year warranty expired thanks to Visa. There is some paperwork to fill out, but I never even had to take it to a service center.

@italianscallion33: My only caveat to that is that it is exceedingly frustrating when known issues (and it appears this is one) crop up in a significant number of machines soon after the warranty period. A lot of times, you can assume that that the manufacturer figured out this issue, evaluated a recall, and decided it would be cheaper/easier for them to just let it go, since it generally happens after the warranty period. Legal, yes. A good way to make money, yes. Crappy overall, though.

@ambimom: I spent $500 on a monitor 2 years ago. Why? Accurate color reproduction. You can't cheap out on an LCD panel if you're doing image editing.

@Starfury: Most have that. But when you buy it in a bundle, whatever the warranty of the desktop is will override it. :(

@consumerfan: That is distinctly not a video card issue.

$1,800 for a monitor? Unless a nymphomaniac supermodel came with it, you have been ripped off twice.

Write off the $1,800 as a lesson learned. Overpaying for anything doesn't usually get you a better product or better service, it just empties your wallet.

@Smashville: I read the complaint. He feels entitled to Gateway's repairing it for him regardless of effort and cost to anybody involved (including himself). The best option is to get it repaired locally.

Gateway fulfilled the terms of the warranty and now he's ranting/flaming them on who-knows-how-many review sites and consumer blogs. At least Gateway didn't tell him to buy a new Gateway monitor, else the rant would be a notch more furious. "I'll never ever ever buy Gateway again wharrrgarbl etc."

Gateway does not manufacture the monitors - they're made somewhere else with a Gateway logo on them. They only resell these monitors. They don't repair them or even sublet repairs for them. Dell is the same way.

What should they do? Open and staff a repair center for something they didn't manufacture? Should they put their name on the line for some other company's potentially shoddy repair work? Should they charge a lot for it to break even and be ridiculed for it? This is like asking Amazon.com to do the repair (except that monitors do not come labeled with "amazon.com")

He also infers additional entitlement by stating that the problems happened "a few days after the warranty expired". It was a January expiration, an issue noted in February and a problem reported in July. "Out of warranty" is just that. Why mention time periods? Why mention INCONSISTENT time periods? He's reaching.

Just get it repaired locally or buy a new one. If *true/actual manufacturer* support is desired, buy direct from the likes of Viewsonic.