Asus Repair information for N7 Broken Screen

So, I was crushed when I dropped my N7 after only a couple of days. The screen was smashed, and wouldn't respond. I called Google, they sent me to Asus. Asus asked me to send it in, and they would evaluate and repair it. It took one week for them to evaluate it, got the email yesterday.

Cost of repairs (all amounts are USD) – enter amounts on credit card form:
Parts - $104.00 (LCD)
Labor - $65.00
Shipping – please select one shipping method only on credit card form
Sales Tax** – please select one option only on credit card form

**Only if you reside in California or Canada will sales tax be charged. If you are outside California or Canada, please select “none”.

I think that paying $170 + shipping to get this fixed is not a smart move. I'm gonna buy a new one (8GB this time), and get my old one back from Asus. My hope is that in a month or two the price of the LCD screen will drop and they'll be easy to obtain. Then, I'll attempt to do my own repair on my original. If I can repair it, I gain two things.One, knowledge on how to repair it, I've always been sort of curious, and now I have a reason to play around with the guts of something like this; two, a functional tablet that I can either give to a friend/family member or sell.

Anyone have thoughts on my plan? Think it'll be easy to get the screen and repair it? Suggestions on where to look for instructions on fixing it? Anyone else thinking of doing the same thing? If so, I'd like to get in contact, b/c it'd be fun to have a friend to chat about this with.

Sell it for parts on ebay. You may not get much, but it would probably be better than repairing it.

If you can sell the broken N7 for more than $30 it's a better deal than repairing it.

Sorry about your troubles, it does make me happy I purchased the Squaretrade warranty.

It's definitely a better deal to sell the parts and buy a new one if they charge you $170.

Walmart offered an extended warranty for purchase on the device. If I purchased mine from google how do I get an extended warranty (I figure google does not offer on directly) Thanks!

Wow... such a rip off. With shipping ($10?) and tax (I do live in CA), we're looking at $190~$195 when all is said and done. I've dropped my N7 two times on hard tile floor (yikes!) but so far the screen has remained perfect (whew!).

But I could not deal with an 8GB N7 (I have less than 1 GIG free on my 16GB N7), so maybe I would pony up the $195, simply because it would cost $273 (with tax) to re-purchase a 16GB model. Ugh, I can't afford to drop my N7 ever again! :'(

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Originally Posted by Chocoburger [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

I've dropped my N7 two times on hard tile floor (yikes!) but so far the screen has remained perfect (whew!).

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So judging by your experience the screens are not as fragile as some people here are making them ought to be.

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Originally Posted by rickshapiro [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

Sorry about your troubles, it does make me happy I purchased the Squaretrade warranty.

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I didn't know you could purchase insurance for a Nexus 7.

Would you please post a link to where I could get info on this insurance product?

Thanks!

Rob has sent this from his Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

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Originally Posted by flacousa [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

So judging by your experience the screens are not as fragile as some people here are making them ought to be.

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I'm a dumbass, so I got lots of dumb luck apparently. Maybe it really is fragile glass, I need to buy a good case for this!

Update: Asus offered to discount the repairs for me, free return shipping and 10% off the total cost. This would bring it to $150. Still a little too much for me to consider it worth it.

Asus, while a little slow to respond, has been great about everything else.

That's still a lot, but $150 is a number I can swallow to fix a broken 16 GB. Versus $270 for a brand new 16GB.

HI,

I can personally vouch for the fragility of the display. :(

I had my Nexus 7 for just on 5 days and the first time i dropped it the display cracked.
You can imagine how my heart sank :'(
Now I have a glorified tea coaster as the screen is no longer responsive to touch event at all .

... any one interested in an "almost new" , Nexus 7... 1 careless owner, only used on weekends?"

William

Should one expect Gorilla Glass in Laptops and Tablets? Your phone is in your pocket in and out all the time, keys might scratch it etc. A Tablet is not.

If I broke the screen on my 16GB, I'd probably buy an 8GB and swap the screen, then wait until I could buy a screen for a reasonable price, replace the broken screen and sell the 8GB (or maybe give it to my daughter if I was feeling generous).

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

Frankly, I agree with Mattmanne's original plan, except to buy a 16Gb version. It can be a great (though often frustrating!) experience to tear into these things, but no doubt screens will become available through other users busting their machines in innovative ways, so over time the cost of them will inevitably come down.

For me at least, the education and experience gained would be worth more than the cost that ASUS has assigned to the repair.

Errr, and try very hard NOT to drop the new one! :)

Slipped my 3 week old N7 in my cargo pants pocket for an otherwise uneventful 10 min ride to work yesterday. When I got to work & pulled it out, there it was, a "spider web" crack pattern emanating from the middle of the left side. No drops or anything, the most stress it would have come under was sitting down in my car set, as the pants leg "tighten" a bit when you sit -- but they still were pretty loose, it couldn't have been THAT much stress.

Perhaps related, it seemed to me in using it over the weekend that the touchscreen was getting a little less responsive, numerous times it seemed to "lose contact" and drop when I was dragging objects in games (tiles in Words with Friends, etc). Maybe this was a symptom of it starting to "separate." Now, after the crack, the touchscreen is completely unresponsive.

Reading the experiences of those that have suffered similiar damage with little-to-no apparent cause, it seems like Google/Asus's policy is to acknowledgte this problem and replace the unit if you detect the defect BEFORE it creates a crack, but once it does, they stop acknowledging the flaw & accepting responsibility? Is this the correct conclusion? How messed up is THAT? I'm going to contact Google and see if anythign has changed, if they have had enough complaints to revise their response. To me it's even visually clear my N7's damage was likely not from a drop, as the crack emanates from the middle of the SIDE (not a corner).

I too am dealing with the same issue. Yesterday I was at the kitchen counter emailing a co-worker on the tablet. With the tablet in hand, I left the house and got in my car. When I got in my car I set the tablet on the passenger seat and noticed a hair on it. A closer look revealed it wasn't a hair, but a crack.

I did not go mountain biking off a 100 ft cliff and live to tell the story.
I did not have a high speed car accident.
I did not have an epic fall right there in my driveway.

I took 9 steps to my car and it cracked. What the? So I called ASUS and they of course played hardball with me. I brought up the design flaw of the original batch of N7's, to which ASUS played dumb over. I told them there are extensive reports about the Nexus 7 in regard to the left side of the screen not being mounted properly or being flush. Sure enough, my left side had some degree of screen lift, which likely put the screen under pressure since the middle of the left side was bowed up a bit.

I told ASUS that my tablet was not dropped and it is in perfect condition. I had a screen protector on it and also had it in a leather folio case. ASUS told me that the techs likely won't repair it free of charge, at which point I asked how they can possibly think they're going to hide this design flaw then Google themselves even confirmed it. He said, well, was your tablet cracked when you received it? No. Well there's your answer.

...I lost it. To know that a company will put out a product that has the capability of cracking in your bare hand when you're taking steps to your vehicle is beyond me. I told ASUS that I will be sending my device in and I expect it to be fixed without hassle. I'm awaiting the dreadful email saying it'll cost me ~200 to fix it. That'll be a fun conversation when the time comes.

Right now i'm trying to be cool about it, but I'm exceptionally disappointed in ASUS already based on what level of customer service I've heard other users comment on. Hoping for the best, but certainly expecting the worst.

It should be a no brainer to tell if damaged was caused by impact (dropping)

Nikonrepaired my $1800 lense for free after I dropped it (my fault and i was going to pay for it too) I just asked for the 4600 fee to be itemized and then they just decided to do it for free.

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Originally Posted by rlanza1054 [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

I didn't know you could purchase insurance for a Nexus 7.

Would you please post a link to where I could get info on this insurance product?

Thanks!

Rob has sent this from his Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

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I haven't bought it yet. I'm waiting for the replacement of my 20 hour old N7 that has a dead scan line on the LCD panel. Then I'll buy the extended warranty.

This quote is for 2 years, including the optional "oops, I dropped it :'( " coverage for $50.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

I refused to take my N7 out of the house until I had a case for it, and still very cautious with the case.

Reading some of the posts I have to wonder why people would just throw a naked tablet in their pockets or not use some form of a case, or at least wrap it up in a towel or something????

When I worked a seasonal job at Sprint I listened to the sales reps beg people to buy a case for their iPhone 4s, many people just shrugged it off saying they didn't want to be up sold to a $40 or $50 case. Literally within hours I would see these same people walk in with tears in their eyes, because they forgot the phone was sitting on their lap when they jumped out the car to get gas.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

I turned on my nexus 7 tonight only to find it developed a crack from one side to the other. It was NOT dropped. I used it last night in bed, placed it on my nightstand, and when I turned it on tonight the touchscreen would not work. I examine the screen closer and find the crack. Now what are the chances of Asus believing it was not dropped? I sure as heck do not feel I should pay anything for a repair. I preordered my nexus, so I am sure I got one of the original batches. Any word of advise?

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Originally Posted by pbandjca [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

I turned on my nexus 7 tonight only to find it developed a crack from one side to the other. It was NOT dropped. I used it last night in bed, placed it on my nightstand, and when I turned it on tonight the touchscreen would not work. I examine the screen closer and find the crack. Now what are the chances of Asus believing it was not dropped? I sure as heck do not feel I should pay anything for a repair. I preordered my nexus, so I am sure I got one of the original batches. Any word of advise?

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Just remember that you'll catch more flies with honey. I'd recommend trying to photograph it as best you can, and while you're on the phone with Asus be willing to send the rep a picture of the crack and calmly explain to them that a dropped device likely wouldn't develop a single crack like that. Good luck.

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Originally Posted by pbandjca [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

I turned on my nexus 7 tonight only to find it developed a crack from one side to the other. It was NOT dropped. I used it last night in bed, placed it on my nightstand, and when I turned it on tonight the touchscreen would not work. I examine the screen closer and find the crack. Now what are the chances of Asus believing it was not dropped? I sure as heck do not feel I should pay anything for a repair. I preordered my nexus, so I am sure I got one of the original batches. Any word of advise?

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I was extremely explicit with the rep when I spoke to him over the phone... particularly when he told me "Unless the N7 was cracked when you opened the box, ASUS will likely charge you." I was beyond irritated and asked him to kindly write down notes to my account.

I explained to him I've done extensive research on the topic. I told him I'm well aware of what defects were existent in the Nexus 7, particularly in the first batch. I also informed him that Google personally confirmed this defect to me over the phone. I told him in detail via the photographed tear down of the N7 exactly where the flaw is on the left side, ironically indicating this is where my tablet cracked as well. I said I know there are no guarantees over the phone, but I can guarantee you this item was never dropped, and it's superb condition will confirm that. As a result, it will be fixed, and I will not be paying a dime, or this will escalate into a fiasco.

I have to deal with IT companies all the time. When I'm wrong, I deal with it. When I'm right, I won't tolerate being told I'm wrong, which is likely why I'm being on edge in this situation.

When I sent my tablet back I noticed on the RMA directions they sent me via email that they wanted some sort of description as to what the story was. I also took some pictures, which after several tries I finally landed one that was very clear and depicted the screen lift perfectly. I printed out a full size image and included it in the box. My note also read something to this effect:

Here is a picture depicting where the issue originated. The item was not dropped and spent its short life behind a screen protector and a leather folio case. The left side screen fracture despite it not having been dropped is directly consistent with the confirmed design flaw that plagued several of the first generation devices, as per Google's confirmation on the topic. I anxiously await your response.

My Name
My Number
Email Address

I've always had exceptional experiences with ASUS. I hope this won't be a turn for the worst. With what I'm hearing from other users, I'm borderline enraged that ASUS turned some of them away. Granted, some other users dropped their device too... not from 10 ft high, but they still dropped it, which from the company's perspective is enough food for thought to play hard ball.

I'll keep you guys updated with what happens. Might be a while, only sent it out late yesterday.

I've never bought a 3rd-party warranty before, so I could be mistaken.. If you dropped it literally within days of receiving it, couldn't you sign up for an accidental damage warranty program like Square Trade? And just say you dropped it ex post facto?

I have an ASUS laptop and it's lasted longer than any other brand I've tried--the customer service has always been excellent. lol I'm worried all these funky N7's will clog up ASUS customer support and make them less compassionate.

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Originally Posted by jrwatson [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

I've never bought a 3rd-party warranty before, so I could be mistaken.. If you dropped it literally within days of receiving it, couldn't you sign up for an accidental damage warranty program like Square Trade? And just say you dropped it ex post facto?

I have an ASUS laptop and it's lasted longer than any other brand I've tried--the customer service has always been excellent. lol I'm worried all these funky N7's will clog up ASUS customer support and make them less compassionate.

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I had similar worries, but then I stopped caring after I saw how little thought ASUS put into the expensive responses they gave other users. I could always sign up for a warranty and wait a while and do that, but I never really felt as though that was "right."

Truth be told, this issue stemmed from a design flaw, which originated from ASUS. That's who needs to fix it. Not SquareTrade. Not Google. Not Obama. Flipping ASUS needs to fix this. Period.