Original Surface Books with Swollen Batteries, a Cautionary Story

Microsoft’s Answers “Community Forum” for Surface Book (original) seems to be receiving a growing number of posts from unhappy customers whose $3000 computers have become a risk for fire or explosion because of lifted screens due to swollen batteries. And the issue is discussed in other online communities. Some of the images posted of these devices are frightening and appear in some of the threads below.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/all/surface-book-battery-swelling/42e3f18c-ac08-4eba-aa85-50e5acf220f8

https://www.reddit.com/r/Surface/comments/6vu8mj/surface_book_battery_swelling_out_of_warrenty

https://community.spiceworks.com/topic/1988534-surfacebook-battery-exploding

http://www.surfaceforums.net/threads/surface-book-bulge.20471/

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/all/surface-book-battery-expanding/d538e963-4a1e-4e81-bf3b-6528dcbce71e

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/surfbook-surfdrivers/i-have-got-a-lifted-screen-on-the-right-edge-of-my/14b4196d-0fa8-4187-a032-f0f04a9b9976

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/all/is-there-a-chance-that-we-can-sue-microsoft-for/9de99789-c491-4285-bc38-1f9d0a9cca64

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/all/microsoft-surface-book-screen-has-a-large-bulge-on/c913011d-3d00-48d0-b68f-85ee0be4ddd4

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/all/microsoft-surface-book-failure-screen-edge/e1dd3918-2702-42f3-8cc2-1c9d53c0e0d0

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/all/surface-book-battery-swollen/a4482480-7f50-4945-bbb7-439894d81c19

While Microsoft won’t comment (other than “contact support”) on these issues, it seems that they decided that if these were within 3 years of original purchase, they’d replace free of charge (which can depend on which agent handles your case). The catch is that more and more of these devices are now beyond the three year from original purchase time frame, and phone and online support won’t budge on this “policy”. And sadly, some customers can’t be convinced of the danger of continuing to use the device.

I’m a Microsoft MVP and a Volunteer Moderator in the Microsoft Surface Community Forum and I cringe every time I see a new report. Almost daily. (And there have been a few MVP’s and friends who have had this horrendous experience.)

We think that the official Microsoft Retail Stores (at least in the USA) have more latitude to replace devices beyond the three year date, at least if a customer is able to go there, and make some noise. A lot of noise. Below is a tale of woe from a respected former MVP that speaks for itself. Should Microsoft replace these beyond three years? As a MSFT stockholder and MVP and Surface owner, my answer is a resounding yes. I expect my laptops to last more than 3 years, do YOU?

Dian’s tale:

Microsoft Annoyance!
by Dian Chapman
Retired Microsoft MVP 1995 – 2015

In March 2016, hubby bought me a Microsoft Surface book computer because he recently bought one for himself and really liked it. I quickly fell in love with it, too.

While he was traveling to TX on business, he realized the screen was being pushed away from the computer. He took it to a Microsoft office in TX and they replaced it on the spot. The employee there said, “Oh wow, yeah, we don’t want THOSE out there!” They imaged his current PC to a new one over a few days and he returned home with a new Surface book. His was two years into using it. He was also VERY glad it didn’t explode or start a fire while flying to/from IL/TX.

A year later (2019), I started to notice that now MY Surface book was expanding and I could no longer close it because the bottom of the screen was being pushed away from the computer.

Fearing a fire/explosion myself, I called the Schaumburg, IL Microsoft Store and was told that my computer was past the three year ‘swollen battery warranty!’ I didn’t realize MS had a warranty for crappy computers!

He told me I would have to pay $599 to replace it at this time! Other fellow MVPs told me that they DID get theirs replaced after the three years, so I grabbed my computer and travelled the 1.5 hrs to the Schaumburg MS Store to try to get a replacement.

Lilly was the employee who greeted me and asked I was I doing today. HA, NOT good! After telling me that I needed an appointment, she relented and made a ticket for me and listened to my argument regarding why I NEEDED a replacement from this defective computer that was broken and dangerous…through NO fault of my own.

After about 20 mins of me explaining that I was NOT leaving without a new computer and that I would stand outside the store (in the mall) and tell anyone who listened why MS computers were defective…she went back to “check” with her manager.

She returned a bit later to tell me that she did have one in stock to replace mine and told me that it would take several days to copy my data to the new system. I didn’t have time to be without my computer that long and I also did not look forward to driving 1.5 hrs (one way) back into the city to get it in a few days. So, I said I’d just F-Disk it. I found the reset to erase all the data and she said they’d do it a second time JUST to be sure it was cleared.

I left with the new computer.

Several people have had this problem and it’s REALLY pathetic that MS makes people go through this crap to get a new computer. MS is pretty good with software, but as the MS phone demonstrated…they’re NOT very good when it comes to hardware! They need to admit this series of PC has a SERIOUS problem and fix it without a hassle for those suffering with these DEFECTIVE systems.

Let’s hope none cause a home or plane fire!