• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

Can you believe this from Asus tech support?

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.

trents

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
> Dear Mr. Trent,
>
> Your RMA has been received; however there is a delay in processing as your unit was received with (trace damage), which is not covered under the ASUS manufacturer warranty. Due to the severity of the physical damage your unit is not repairable and needs to be replaced. For your reference, please review the attached pictures. For more information in regards to types of damage not covered under ASUS manufacturer warranty, please visit http://service.asus.com , http://support.asus.com , and/or refer to your User Manual. If you would like to continue with the RMA process for your ASUS product, please return the completed and signed credit card form by one of the following methods:
>
> Fax: 510-797-2102 (Attn: Monica)
>
> Email: [email protected] (PDF/JPG formats accepted only)
>
> Payment will need to be received no later than (2/22/13) to prevent your RMA from being returned unrepaired on (2/26/13). The repair process will take approximately 5-10 business days for repairs to be completed once payment has been approved.
>
> Cost of Replacement(all amounts are USD) – Please print out form and physically sing form before submitting:
>
> Parts - $90.00
>
> Shipping – please select one shipping method only on credit card form
>
> Sales Tax** – please select one option only on credit card form (NO TAX ON LABOR)
>
> **Only if you reside in California or Canada will sales tax be charged. If you are outside California or Canada, please select “none”.
> All credit card forms must be received with a physical signature for credit card payment processing. If sending via email, you will need to complete the form, sign, and scan as a PDF/JPG format.


My reply:

Monica,

Why does your warranty not cover trace damage? Why should that failure be treated any different than another component failure? This problem is not from physical damage, neglect or abuse. I am an experienced system builder and not an amateur. I know how to install these things. The motherboard was installed one time only and the memory along with it which remained in place for one year. If this is the way Asus treats their customers you can bet I'll look in another direction for future purchases and will also encourage my friends to do the same.

I would like to talk to a customer service rep about this issue. Can you give me a name and phone number?

Sincerely,

Harry Trent
 
Im guessing its a motherboard being in the motherboard section and all... but yeah pics please!

But no, im not surprised. Trace damage is not covered as most trace damage is of a physical nature. Unless it's torched around those areas and not a physical scratch.. not surprised. Again we need pics.
 
Wow Trents that stinks, looks like a Gigabyte UD or Asrock are going to be future purchases.
 
Sorry, I should have attached the pic. I'm the one who put the tape on the backside of the board to point out to them the problem before I shipped it to them. The trace was burned out, not physically damaged by trauma.
 

Attachments

  • USPC321289.jpg
    USPC321289.jpg
    57.7 KB · Views: 614
"trents" I have seen the 'situation' you find yourself in before and it is not funny. They think warranty is only about a failed part not that the trace was wonky and burned thru. You are going to have to get to someone higher-up than the person you communicated with so far.

The problem is if the trace were bad and heated and failed then how in the h*ll is that your fault. You have to get that in their mind or you will not get relief.

I would call them and explain the situation.

Wish you had taken a better more lighted picture. Then if you had I would get the address of the President of Asus and send an email to him and copy to RMA where you are dealing now and you would get a response. Polite. To the point.

The only time I ever was on the carpet in 6.5 years with DFI was one such letter to the Pres of DFI. I was not in the wrong, but still the Pres wanted to know what was up. By the way the customer had his situation handled also because the Pres stepped in and made "the" ruling about an RMA. Hehehe.
RGone...
 
That picture was taken by Asus tech, not me so I don't have the board in hand to take a better pic. But I remember smelling the burn when all this happened the other night. As you can see from my response to the rep, Monica, I requested the name and phone # of someone else. Does anyone have as phone # for Asus customer service that end users can call? These companies have slowly eliminated live end user live support.
 
I use 1-812-282-2787

sucks that i now know it off the top of my head now. ( that sounded bad)
it's the board that I have been pushing well beyond what is normal.
 
Last edited:
Wow Trents that stinks, looks like a Gigabyte UD or Asrock are going to be future purchases.

I got disenchanted with Gigabyte tech a few years ago. Maybe I'll give them a second chance. Seems like you hear a lot of complaints about them all, really. I have had no real dealings with AsRock tech. I've used several of their boards and never had a problem with them. I love their web site. It's the most user friendly of all.
 
Just get whatever tickles your fancy. All you are going to hear are complaints from people. Sad part is, im more than certain the vast majority have positive experiences.
 
I can't really see from that picture, is that a wire sticking out of the PCB?

I guess it's just a hit or miss with whoever you deal with.

I stopped exclusively buying Asus motherboards years ago. They seem to make high quality products in the upper price bracket, but when you get into the mid range they seem to cut corners that they shouldn't and then the parts fail early.
 
They do n0t have to dis-allow RMA by what is written, just how they want interpret what they see.
RGone...

The warranty will not apply to or be valid under conditions including but not limited to the following:

a) The serial number of the ASUS product, components or accessories has been altered, cancelled, removed, or otherwise not valid as identified by ASUS;
b) The product has been tampered with, repaired and/or modified by non-authorized personnel;
c) The product warranty seals have been broken or altered;
d) There is damage caused by natural disaster, intentional or unintentional misuse, abuse, neglect, acts of war, improper maintenance, or use under abnormal conditions;
e) There is damage caused by accidental drops, spills, fire, or power surges.
f) There is damage from improper installation, improper connection, or use of parts and/or components not manufactured or sold by ASUS;
g) There is damage from use outside of the operation or storage parameters or environment detailed in the User's Manual or reasonably acceptable for similar product usage models deemed industry standard best practices;
h) There is damage to or loss of any program, data or removable storage media, or if there are costs from recovering any program or data;
i) There is damage from third party software or from virus(es);
j) There is software loss or data loss that may occur during repair or replacement.
k) Support and costs involved to install or configure the product for any third party software application or hardware device, or network/wireless configuration.
l) Due to technology limitations, some devices (e.g. DVD ROM and software player may not play certain titles if applicable to your product) may be limited or not compatible with the ASUS product. These limitations are common to defined standards within the hardware industry and are not specific to your ASUS product.
m) You have failed to follow all return materials authorization (“RMA”) instructions provided to you by ASUS.
 
I agree, RGone. My trace burn is a manufacturing defect it seems to me and not do to "physical damage" or "improper installation". This is excerpted from their automated email response to my RMA request last week:

Exceptions:
VGA Cards must be returned with the original ASUS heat sink otherwise will be considered physical damage
P5 series motherboards must include the original CPU socket cover or covering to protect the pins during transit
A8N SLI Series must include the EZ Selector Card if you are only using 1 VGA card with product.
Wireless and Network product lines: Power Related issues, return power cord and adapter. Do not send support discs or user manuals.


Include a brief description of problem & any troubleshooting / testing steps you may have tried.


Physical damage is not covered under your ASUS manufacturer’s warranty and automatically VOIDS your warranty
Damage can include any shape or form of corner, edge damage, or markings with pens and markers
Broken traces or burns due to improper installation or removal of other components
Broken CPU socket or bent pins



I am negotiating with the RMA rep now. They offered me a replacement board for $60 but I'm trying to talk them down to $50. I'm also looking at this used Giga instead: http://www.ebay.com/itm/GIGABYTE-GA...994290852?pt=Motherboards&hash=item27d00dd0a4
 
Oh, thanks Mandrake4_5, I was looking at the UD3's and didn't notice that one was not. No, I don't want just the D3.
 
Back