Trying to get my Samsung monitor fixed

BullettuPaandi

Disciple
Few days earlier, my Samsung monitor (27" Odyssey G5) started showing some backlighting issue. Part of the display goes dim occasionally and looks like there's no way to get Samsung to repair this, even though it is still under warranty.

The first time this happened I turned my PC off at once and requested Samsung for a repair. A technician visited the very next day, but the issue wasn't there when I turned my PC on then. He refused to take it for repair, saying that a picture of the issue, taken by him then and there is required for him to proceed with repair. He told me that the repair request will remain open for the day and that I can call him directly if the issue shows up again and left.

But it didn't until later next day. I requested Samsung for a repair again and asked the customer support person how to get this fixed and whether a picture of the issue by the technician is necessary. He didn't answer either of it. The conversation was basically nothing different from the bot that connects with a person - with him just replying with his preset of copied responses. (I could add screenshots of how hard I tried; let me know if it helps better to understand)

While I was on this, I got a call from a local service center person, who contacted me before the technician's 1st visit. She told me that the previous request is still not closed and asked me to cancel this request. I asked her whether the technician would take it for repair, on the previous request, regardless of whether it shows up when he's here. She said yes and I agreed to cancel the current request. But when I checked the status of my previous request before cancelling current one, it shows "Repair complete". Now, I didn't check the status before the call, but I'm quite sure she marked it repaired after the call. There's no timestamp or verification from customer; it seems they can mark it as they wish.

Meanwhile, the customer support person that I was on chat with regarding current request, basically ghosted, although I was trolling a bit, and there was no feedback/rating after the chat, which there was after my first request. The repair request was already registered, but I'm certain this is not going to help. They most likely will refuse to take it for repair, again; even if they do, seems like they could totally just have the monitor sitting there for as long as they want, return saying there's nothing to repair and close the request.
 

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Next time the issue occurs, record a video: show the full display, zoom in on the failed area, and finally capture the product label with the serial number. That should be enough proof that this issue is legit and you're not trying to pull a fast one on the technician.
 
Next time the issue occurs, record a video: show the full display, zoom in on the failed area, and finally capture the product label with the serial number
I can try this. Thanks! But it makes no sense that I have to; especially so when it's under warranty. It is supposed to be a measure of how confident a company is about the product, given the influx they'd be handling for so many years. It means nothing if they could just refuse to take the product in, for at least a closer look.

and you're not trying to pull a fast one on the technician.
I mean, why would I even do this! I'll most likely end up paying for the fix/replacement parts. Even if I don't, the fact that I'm willing to go through this hassle at all, should be enough for the technician to open it up and take a look.
 
Just see how many people RMA their GPUs before wanting to sell it off. Service is typically outsourced to local guys who then have to prove it to Samsung that this was a legit case, so they need proof. And they need to source you a replacement from a vendor as well. So easier to ensure the problem is there than blindly give RMAs.

I am currently doing a claim for a monitor that developed dead pixels. First they sent me the wrong lower res monitor. Then they sent the right one but it too had dead pixels. Hopefully third time's the charm.
 
Just see how many people RMA their GPUs before wanting to sell it off. Service is typically outsourced to local guys who then have to prove it to Samsung that this was a legit case, so they need proof. And they need to source you a replacement from a vendor as well. So easier to ensure the problem is there than blindly give RMAs.
I understand all this being an issue when the product is not under warranty. All these logistics are being taken into consideration by the company before deciding the warranty period for a given product. So all this is covered - is what warranty even means!

Service is typically outsourced to local guys who then have to prove it to Samsung that this was a legit case, so they need proof
Doesn't look like they have to prove anything. They're able to mark "repair under process" and "repair complete" for a monitor that never left my desk. Even if such proof is really necessary, they should've atleast taken it to the shop, opened it up and see if there's any hardware damage.

If they had done this and - let's go with the worst-case-scenario - there was no sign of hardware damage at all; but the issue persisted after they returned, it'd still be understandable.

I am currently doing a claim for a monitor that developed dead pixels. First they sent me the wrong lower res monitor. Then they sent the right one but it too had dead pixels. Hopefully third time's the charm.
This is just wild bro - that you have rely on hope and charm. Atleast they're doing something, I guess.
 
Update - Received multiple cancel requests from them, and I refused to cancel. Then, received multiple SMSs like "Payment for your repair Rs.149 (few with Rs.0) received. Thank you", And now the second repair request is also marked complete!

Next time the issue occurs, record a video: show the full display, zoom in on the failed area, and finally capture the product label with the serial number. That should be enough proof that this issue is legit and you're not trying to pull a fast one on the technician.
Interestingly though, I was waiting for this but it never occurred again in over a week!
 
Happy to say that the 4th unit they sent was manufactured in Feb and came with no dead pixels at all :D

Now to do this dance again for my second monitor.

Looks like you scared the issue away lol. Just record and then show the serial number on the back as well. Acer guys liked to have some "proof" before approving a replacement, might be the same here. They have a fixed time limit to deal with cases and close them, so might have done this.
 
Months later...

There was a different issue this time - a white spot near the bottom left. Fortunately, the issue was always there; even more fortunately it decided to occur just about a month before warranty expiry. So I raised a service request again; this time it got assigned to a different centre. The technician validated it and a week later (today) replaced the just panel; circuitry and housing are the same.

Just rejected the 3rd replacement they sent as it had 20+ dead pixels :facepalm:
I was really worried if I'd have to face something like this, especially since I'll be out-of-station for a while. But, the new panel is fine; backlight bleeds from different places from the old one, but this is to expect from any IPS/VA panel.

Next time the issue occurs, record a video: show the full display, zoom in on the failed area, and finally capture the product label with the serial number.
I should've remembered to ask whether this would've worked, when I let the technician know of that issue. But from what I can tell from talking with him, it doesn't seem like it would've. It also seems like they don't do any repairs; only replacements.


Edit: This might actually be useful. Both the technician and I were surprised to know that the Vesa mounting points (at least on this model) are not on the panel. It's threaded on the plastic housing, which basically sandwiches the panel with just plastic latches/push locks. There are zero screws in the entire unit; even the PCB is held in place with similar latches where the PCB is just slid into place. So, just be careful while adjusting monitor position, plugging/unplugging cables, etc. especially if your monitor is old or gets direct sunlight or both!
 
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A day later...

The I receive an SMS saying that the engineer is on their way, with a link. Then I get contacted by the service centre asking me to forward that SMS. As you might've guessed that link was for the feedback survey.
 
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