New Laptop V Key Keeps Falling Off

[Garibaldi]

I just got my brand new Toshiba Satellite A205 on Friday, it was a custom order so it took several weeks to get here. The first day I was using it, as I was typing the V key popped off. I looked at it and it seemed okay so I popped it back on and continued. Since then it has come off around 20 times. I called Toshiba and the guy gave me another number to call but from what he said they won't cover it under the warranty (its brand new!) since its a hardware issue. Even if they agree to, I would have to send it in because they will not send out individual keys which means several more weeks of crap. Can I buy a replacement key someplace online? Should I superglue it? I'm trying to determine the optimum places to put glue, here are some photos (click for bigger):






Thanks

[redwudz]

I wouldn't use super glue. It has a bad habit of flowing down into places you don't want.

It's hard to tell from the photos, but it looks like it attaches with the wider pegs and pivots against the switch. If you have to glue, I would use a flexible silicon adhesive, place with a toothpick at the pivot points. Just a tiny amount. If it fails and you don't use too much, you should be able to do it over a few times, as long as you don't get it down inside any of the holes.

Another kind of funky cure might be to cut out a thin piece of flexible foam plastic, similar to what comes with a PC motherboard or a anti static pad for a CPU. Cut it about the size of the key, and cut out a round hole for the KB switch that sticks up. You may have to cut some small notches for the key pivots. A sharp Xacto knife would be good. Test for fit. You should be able to coat this with a light coat of silicon glue on both sides and 'stick' the key to the keyboard base. This will join the two parts together with a little flex. But try it without the glue first to make sure you still have key action.

Can you tell if there is any damage to the key mounts or the keyboard mounts? If it's just the key, you may be able to find a replacement, but you may have to buy a whole keyboard.

[thecoalman]

.... but from what he said they won't cover it under the warranty (its brand new!) since its a hardware issue. Even if they agree to, I would have to send it in because they will not send out individual keys which means several more weeks of crap.

Huh? WTF you mean they won't cover it? I'd get back on the phone and tell them flat out you're demanding they send you a new key.

[gadgetguy]

They won't send a key. I had the same problem with my Acer Laptop (only it took a couple weeks before it broke). They don't have spare keys or keyclips (the part that OP is missing). They can only replace the whole keyboard. Seems stupid, but it's the way it is. But it's absolutely something that shouild be covered by warranty.

[Bjs]

The entire keyboard should be replaced , which is normal , but its very unusual for one to ever come out unless it was forced .

By the looks of it they use a retainer (wire clip) , which has not been identified in the photos .

It's possible this retainer has found itself else where in the keyboard if it has not been completely lost yet during transit .

If you hear a faint rattle when you turn the laptop upside down and back several times , its got itself stuck in the keyboard and needs fetching out , and is easy to pop back in .

My dell did it to the j key .

[Nelson37]

Do NOT put any glue or anything else on that keyboard!!! This is a laptop, carefully note the live electrical circuits directly under that keyboard. NO, no, no, no, no.

Replacement KB should be approximately $50.00.

This is a Warranty issue. Call Toshiba or whoever sold it to you and raise hell until they agree to replace the unit. Keyboard alone can be replaced fairly easily, however their technician should do it, not you.

A hardware issue is not covered under Warranty??? WTF???? It doesn't cover software, so what exactly is it for, a rainy day?

Whoever you talked to needs manure and shoe polish explained. Call them again, if you get the same run-around demand to escalate the call. Do not get off that phone without an incident number, cancel the credit card transaction if necessary, you are being ripped off.

A key which pops off almost the first time it is pressed, in the first day or two of usage, no transport of the unit, no droppage or other damage, yadda yadda, is defective construction. Toshiba has a very good reputation, they should be willing to fix this.

My Dad always made the joke that " I have a typewriter for sale, cheap, just that there is no letter Q. What would you give me for such a device?" Jesus, I'm quoting my father, somebody check the temperature in Hell.

[ahhaa]

Definitely get the whole keyboard replaced while NOT doing anything that will void their warranty . Google up their corporate headquarters & hint you are gonna post about this on all the review sites until a new machine is FedEx'd to you... seriously you will be helping everybody else as well- laptops need 100% QC.

[tgm4883]

If you do feel the need to try and replace the key, check ebay. I have replaced keys before and found that there are people that sell just the keys not the whole board. They must have bought boards just for this because they usually let you pick the key, not have to hunt for the right auction.

[AlanHK]

I called Toshiba and the guy gave me another number to call but from what he said they won't cover it under the warranty (its brand new!) since its a hardware issue.

Yes, it's a "hardware issue". So they have to fix or replace the hardware.

If it was two years old, yes try superglue. Brand new: make them fix it or else.

But go to a more specific forum, like
http://forum.notebookreview.com/forumdisplay.php?f=9 and raise a stink there.

[SCDVD]

You should raise Holy Hell until they take care of this for you. Don't waste your time with the low level slugs; they don't care and a few of them actually get a kick out of your problem. Deal with your problem at the top. Send an email to every top level manager you can find and attach a link to this discussion thread and tell them you haven't even started yet. Invite them to take care of this "the easy way or the hard way."

[gadgetguy]

...By the looks of it they use a retainer (wire clip) , which has not been identified in the photos ...

Unfortunately, the clips are seldom made of wire anymore. I don't know about the Toshiba specifically, but I have seen an HP, two different models of Dell, and an Acer, and they were all different and all plastic. And they break easily when removing a key for cleaning.

[TBoneit]

Yup I'll agree a part is missing in the photos. If you can find a good computer repair shop he could have a used defective keyboard that he kept for parts and be able to repair your keyboard in short order.

If it really broke that quick, then what the heck is the warranty for? BTW Toshiba laptops are not what they used to be and it sounds like their warranty service isn;'t either.

Just for the heck of it have someone else call and and see how much for a new keyboard. I've seen some New Dell KBs at $20 + S&H.

[Richard_G]

If it fell off the first time you used it, tell them you want a replacement laptop sending, free of charge. Anything less is not a viable option.

Or is consumer protection law in the US so weak that companies can get away with tricks like this? They wouldn't in the UK!

[Garibaldi]

Well I went out to Madison Computer Works today and had them take a look at it. They showed me how it works, nothing is missing or broken. Two plastic pieces hinge up like the underside of a director's chair. On the top end, there are two prongs, one coming out on each side.

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Like that. The key must be slid onto those and then brought down to lock onto the bottom. The guys there messed with it for about ten minutes and then advised me to take it home and play with it. I did it and thought I had it on there (maybe I did) but then it came off a little bit ago.

[Richard_G]

Under UK law it would be declared 'Not of merchantable quality' and 'Not fit for the purpose supplied'. Under both these circumstances it would be the responsibility of the supplier to either replace it or give you a full refund of the purchase price plus any reasonable expenses.

I would like to think that US law is similar. Go back to the supplier and get them to supply you with something that doesn't fall apart!

[gadgetguy]

My guess is if you look close enough (might need a magnifying glass) you'll find that either the "director's chair" clip is broken or one or more of the hooks it goes into is. Either way, you deserve a warranty repair/replace.

[freebird73717]

If i spent $1,000 for a brand new laptop and something like that happened to me I would damn sure demand a new laptop be sent free of charge and that they pay for the return shipping to send back the piece of crap they sold. If a key comes off that quickly think of what else might break. For that kind of money I expect everything to work. Raise hell and be confident in knowing you are right to do so.

[Nelson37]

Looking carefully at the two lower clips, in the photo, it appears that the upper half of the left-hand clip is distorted upward more than the right-hand clip. Hard to be certain, but if so, there is no practical fix other than key or total keyboard replacement.

However, this could have happened during re-install attempts. Having a non-authorized person attempt to replace it could very well void the warranty. I would not mention this to Toshiba.

This might also indicate that some unusual force was applied to the key itself. Is this possibly the reason why the obvious Warranty remedy has not been accessed? The plastic parts are molded, and would not deform without some unusual force or pressure. This could have happened in shipping or assembly.

Keyboard is a $50 item. But without a properly functioning keyboard, you have a $1000 paperweight.

[ahhaa]

OT speaking of keyboards...
tomorrow's Morning Edition (NPR) will review a new keyboard that can be cleaned in a dishwasher. How did we get along without it?

[Garibaldi]

Thanks for all the advice! I could not make it work, it seems no matter what I do the key keeps coming off. I called Toshiba again and this time they agreed right away to service it, I was surprised. They are also paying for shipping, as they should. The thing that really gets me though is I will not receive it back for 10 business days - that is a significant inconvenience for fault of their quality control

[TooLFooL]

this is exactly what should have happened the first time you called... whoever you talked to originally simply didn't know what they were talking about.

[Garibaldi]

Agreed. It even happened twice cause I called Toshiba Direct too. I'm sick of dealing with it and can't wait to just have my laptop back