Surface Pro X – Battery died a week after warranty expired

So that happened. Can run the Surface using direct power through the Surface Connector. USB-C is not working.

Bought it through Microsoft Store Sweden (online). Nothing indicated that was buying from anything other than a Swedish retailer. Swedish law should apply, giving me three years to register a complaint on a manufacturing issue, which this must be. A battery should last longer than two years.

Microsoft is ducking. The only option I have been given is to get a refurbished replacement (as Apple does for iPads) for the neat sum of some $600. I am not happy, as you might gather.

How would you handle this? I know that laws are different in different countries. Still keen on hearing your experience and advice.

Conversation 12 comments

  • anoldamigauser

    Premium Member
    02 February, 2022 - 8:54 am

    <p>See if you can run powercfg /batteryreport.</p><p><br></p><p>If you can show that the battery was already failing before the warranty expired, you will have a better case. It will be handy if you know what the original capacity was and how many cells it contained. Look for differences between the design capacity and the full charge capacity that indicate a cell went bad.</p>

  • usman

    Premium Member
    02 February, 2022 - 10:22 am

    <p>I’ve experienced the same thing, after warranty support from Microsoft is just terrible, and am really skeptical of their right to repair support. The TLDR is don’t purchase Microsoft or Surface products, they’re not good value for money, and repairability is a complete joke (actual repairability on a small component level than a whole replacement unit)</p><p><br></p><p>I have had 3 replacements for the Surface Book 2 15" over the 2 year warranty period, due to image retention / burn-in on the LCD panel. It’s a commonly documented issue. During warranty, it was a free replacement, but after the warranty, they want £500 for a replacement when I know for a fact that the issue will reappear a few months down the line. I would be fine with replacing it with a 13" Book 2 since it doesn’t occur on those panels. This issue is well documented on Reddit but Microsoft will never admit to using defective panels.</p><p><br></p><p>Another bad experience was with the Surface Headphones, The headphones were used in an office environment, they go on a stand at the end of every day. <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I raised a ticket pointing out the headband was showing some hairline fractures. It was still in the 2 year warranty period and in the next few days after just putting it on my head, the headband snapped in half. I check Reddit and see the same thing. Multiple Surface Headphone headbands split clean down the middle.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Microsoft wanted £139 for a replacement when the product is in the 2 year warranty period and retailed for £330. They did not have the option for a headband replacement. I, fortunately, got some sugru to patch it up. It’s insane that they use terrible materials that break in light-moderate use under 2 years.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I wouldn’t recommend getting any Microsoft product over these issues I’ve faced. They don’t admit fault in their materials and manufacturing processes. </span></p>

    • usman

      Premium Member
      02 February, 2022 - 10:27 am

      <p>Just to add, Microsoft refuses to offer alternative replacement options, I would be fine with paying the £500 out-of-warranty replacement fee if it meant I could replace it with the 13 inch Book 2, a lower specced model, but they would only offer ‘like for like’ replacement. So I’d have to spend £500 to end up with the same issue a few months later, since the problem inherent with the LCD panel used in the 15 inch model.</p>

  • angusmatheson

    03 February, 2022 - 9:52 am

    <p>I had horrible support with a surface keyboard. Died before 1 year, called then they said it was software and spend weeks reinstalling firmware, wiping and reinstalling OS. By this time it was clear is was mechanical, as the keyboard could be physically seen coming apart, and they said now it is over 1 year so it is out of warranty and I could have to buy a new one. It was the most horrible support ever. Having no support would have at least wasted less of my time. I wish you good luck with your battery!</p>

  • wright_is

    Premium Member
    03 February, 2022 - 9:58 am

    <p>I must have been the exception. When my SP3 battery died after 18 months, they swapped the device out, no questions asked.</p><p><br></p><p>Worst thing about the SP3 was, if the battery was dead the SP3 was dead. You couldn’t actually use it in the docking station or directly attached to the power supply, it would work for a few seconds, then die, because the battery was drained.</p>

    • dougkinzinger

      04 February, 2022 - 12:58 pm

      <p>To be certain, I encountered this too back in the day. Apparently the SP3 (but not S3) had known issues with batteries and charging, and Microsoft honored repairs/replacements well after the warranty period. It happened to me too.</p>

  • wunderbar

    Premium Member
    03 February, 2022 - 10:37 am

    <p>Unfortunately batteries are generally considered "consumable." So yes, under warranty they have to replace it (though there are some products in the world where the battery is actually a separate warranty, or considered differently)</p><p><br></p><p>But out of warranty all bets are off.</p>

    • bkkcanuck

      03 February, 2022 - 12:43 pm

      <p>Yes, batteries are considered consumable — which is why Apple (and I expect most manufacturers) treat battery replacement different than any other repair – flat rate inclusive of labour – which is likely below cost in many cases. (when laptops had user replaceable batteries – it was at or high price for the battery with no labour needed).</p>

  • bkkcanuck

    03 February, 2022 - 12:24 pm

    <p>"Bought it through Microsoft Store Sweden (online). Nothing indicated that was buying from anything other than a Swedish retailer. Swedish law should apply, giving me three years to register a complaint on a manufacturing issue, which this must be. A battery should last longer than two years."</p><p><br></p><p>Lithium-Ion batteries are actually fragile (they are not solid-state at this time if I remember right there are liquid electrolytes and a very thin membrane) and you don’t need a manufacturing issue to cause the battery to fail in less than two years. You are saying the USB-C is not working (or do you mean it cannot charge through that port), that gives me pause to think there is a possibility that in this case it is not a manufacturing issue. You can also damage or shorten the lifespan of the battery if left in your car during winter or summer. As such, it is not possible to say battery failure itself is proof of a manufacturing defect. Most manufacturing defects will cause devices to fail in the first year. I am guessing that the Swedish warranty is one year complete device, and three years against manufacturing defects — and you did not buy warranty extension?? (which I agree don’t make sense if you can afford failure, self-insurance easily wins in the long run financially). </p><p><br></p><p>As far as buying it through Microsoft portal from Sweden — then yes — Swedish law would apply. </p><p><br></p><p>If it was just the battery failing (out of warranty), Microsoft should have a flat fee for replacing the battery… but if the price list I saw for that service from Microsoft is accurate… they are outrageously expensive… starting at around $220 for the cheapest device service (dependent on device) and going all the way up into the $600s for some devices… and they say Apple is expensive… the flat battery replacement service at Apple for laptops is $129 – $199USD (iPads are $99). </p><p><br></p><p>The USB-C failure though might throw a wrench into the picture if it is unrelated to battery (it should continue to operate even if the battery failed). </p>

  • paradyne

    04 February, 2022 - 6:55 am

    <p>Does Sweden have something like the Small Claims Court in the UK? It’s very cheap to bring a claim there. But basically just mentioning that that is your next step will focus their minds on the fact that Swedish consumer law takes precedence over their warranty terms. In the UK all goods must last a reasonable period and it’s the retailers problem if it doesn’t. It’s reasonable for batteries to age and not store quite as much charge but it’s not reasonable for it to suddenly totally die after 2 years.</p><p><br></p><p>Did you try the full hardware reset procedure? The fact the USB-C port has stopped working too could indicate it’s got into a bad state rather than physically failed. These devices are never truly off so there is a full reset procedure, typically holding the power for 30 seconds but maybe with one of the volume buttons at the same time, check the Surface support site.</p>

    • bkkcanuck

      06 February, 2022 - 1:52 am

      <p>I have had batteries fail within 2 years (in the last case it was a partial failure – half the battery), and all it took was having the MacBook fly off the table and hit something…. The screen was fine, the keyboard fine, the case fine… the battery service indicator indicated something was wrong with part of the battery. It would basically go have the way down the battery – then lose power completely at half way through. My guess is that I must have cracked a cathode in a cell within the battery. If it was covered by a warranty, they would have fixed it free of charge, but since it was out of warranty it cost $179 I think (somewhere around there). Failure of the battery would not cause the USB-C to not work, having two things not work at the same time – makes me suspicious that it may not have been a faulty battery.</p>

  • roundaboutskid

    07 February, 2022 - 10:37 am

    <p>Thanks for supportive and informative responses. Greatly appreciated! :)</p>

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