[UPDATE: refunded and got replacement] Unhappy customer! WARNING!!!! Surface Pro charger!

[Timothy Wesley]

*************UPDATE**************** March 20, 2015**************************
Microsoft finally did something. Refunded my money and sent me another charger free of charge. I feel better about the situation. There is still a weakness/flaw in the design, which can't be changed, but I hope it has been rectified on the newer versions. Thanks Michael.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bought Surface Pro in October 2013. Everything worked fine. It replaced my laptop and pc. Until mid December. I noticed that the Surface Pro was sometimes charging and sometimes not. To make the story short, there is a weak point on the charger! It is located at the junction between the power block and the cable. I've read online that I'm not the only one with this problem. After a while the cable will fray within the plastic cable housing. With normal usage (which was my usage), the cable died after 1 year and 3 months. for picture view ---> (they won't allow me to post links to picture). There were a few sparks, a hissing sound, and sometimes a burnt smell coming from the cable (before I realized it was all coming from the cable).

After calling technical support, the agent deciphered that it was the charger (since the LED light was not lighting up, and nothing was charging through the USB on the power block. I okay-ed the support agent to order me another charger for 79.99 CAD + taxes = 91.79$. Here's the GREAT part.... They sent me a USED/REFURBISHED charger but charged me full price!!! The gall!!! I was so pissed! They gave me the roundabout and I wasted hours on the phone to no avail. Couldn't refund, return, exchange. You have been forewarned! The charger is a weak link. Plus to make matters worse they no longer carry the charger, so good luck finding a new one. Don't get screwed by them! Just order a new one from another supplier! They charged me full price and sent me a USED one with so many scuff marks, a dent, and the junction between the power block and the cable is already weak and a bit floppy!

Pictures of the unit they sent me, notice cable junction is already weak, smudges,
(they won't allow me to post links to pictures)

I complained to Microsoft, to no avail! The agents are useless and they can't help at all, and to think about it in a year or so, the tablet will be useless without a charger. You have been warned. Hope that you guys don't get the same treatment as I.
Surface Pro was my first and last Microsoft product. Was going to get a Windows Phone next and perhaps upgrade to a new Surface Pro in the future, but forget about it. Never again.

Update: I posted this on the microsoft answers sight. Got a couple or replies, and even a PM, but to this date, nothing has been done.

 

[hotphil]

Not sure on your point.
You bought a product.
Over a year later it failed.
For some reason you then paid $100 for a replacement one (when you can pick up the newer model charger in store for way less). Guess you must have insisted on the exact replacement.

 

[Timothy Wesley]

Not sure on your point.
You bought a product.
Over a year later it failed.
For some reason you then paid $100 for a replacement one (when you can pick up the newer model charger in store for way less). Guess you must have insisted on the exact replacement.

They don't sell the power charger anymore, nor can I order a new one online through the Microsoft website because they don't carry/make them anymore (design was changed for the newer versions). This was only something I found out when I opened the replacement order. I was only notified that they don't carry it anymore upon calling them about the state of the product. I wasted hours on the phone trying to return it, but to no avail. I don't mind paying for a replacement, but sending me a used one at full price is BS. At full price I expect a new product that comes with a warranty, not a cardboard box with nothing but a used power charger.

 

[jojoe42]

They don't sell the power charger anymore, nor can I order a new one online through the Microsoft website because they don't carry/make them anymore (design was changed for the newer versions). This was only something I found out when I opened the replacement order. I was only notified that they don't carry it anymore upon calling them about the state of the product. I wasted hours on the phone trying to return it, but to no avail. I don't mind paying for a replacement, but sending me a used one at full price is BS. At full price I expect a new product that comes with a warranty, not a cardboard box with nothing but a used power charger.

Well, if you didn't mind paying for a new power adapter you would've done your research and discovered that they do sell them on Amazon for $40 or so https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BU99PZ...ag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUwpUvbUpU3032610

Also I think it's pretty unreasonable to expect them to replace something for free 9 months after the warranty expires (with most 12-month warranties accessories included like chargers are covered for 6 months).

 

[rdubmu]

They shouldn't send u anything after your warranty expired

 

[solarwindp]

WOW!!! I wonder how many people here are able to read properly.....

1. surface charger dead after warranty expired.
2. OP paid the price for NEW but M$ gave him an USED one.
3. M$ scammed OP and try to get away. (as usual)
4. OP is trying to warn surface user that the charger is designed to fail at some point.

Then people here is trying to say OP asked M$ for a 'free' replacement........

 

[hotphil]

WOW!

How many years old is this post?
Customer reportedly orders a part that's no longer manufactured, gets a refurbished one (probably fully legal in that territory).
Not much scamming going on if you read it.

 

[Shumon Ahmed BD]

Surface pro Charger does not work after 2 months of purchase!! how poor quality!

 

[isobk777]

They don't sell the power charger anymore, nor can I order a new one online through the Microsoft website because they don't carry/make them anymore (design was changed for the newer versions). This was only something I found out when I opened the replacement order. I was only notified that they don't carry it anymore upon calling them about the state of the product. I wasted hours on the phone trying to return it, but to no avail. I don't mind paying for a replacement, but sending me a used one at full price is BS. At full price I expect a new product that comes with a warranty, not a cardboard box with nothing but a used power charger.

The Surface Charger design is very bad. It has been that way since at least the Pro2. The problem with the charger is the nipple that comes out of the main box or the point that connects the cord to the actual magnetic coupler. A few problems are one the cord is too thin and although they may be using standard or above standard materials they did not take into account that in such a small diameter the strength would fail even break, also the way they illustrate to wrap the cord is a problem because of the first problem that I mentioned, the circular twist cause the rigid cord to twist internally causing breaks at its weakest points, depending on where you begin your wrap, I always start at the box, so my breaks always were on the box end other people start at the connector end and have problems there. The next problem is storage an transport of the cord, again the rigid interior cords do not fare well on being pinched especially a either the box end or coupler end. I have 4 spliced, at the Box end, chargers that will work good for about 2 years at least. So from seeing the same thing over and over this is where I have come up with this theory. I have also found a day to day solution that seem to work to keep this from ever happening.

 

[Jcmg62]

Interesting to find this old post and bring it back to life...

My surface book 2 charger died this morning. Totally and completely dead.

I only got the damn thing back in April!!

To date, this has been my surface charger woes:

Surface Pro 3. After 3 months the charger dies. MS replaces it. The second one dies a few months later.

Surface Pro 4. Charger dies within 2 months. MS replaces it. It died about a year later. I replaced it with a genuine charger from the MS store. It died after a year. Replaced it with a cheap knock off from Amazon and it's still working two years in.


Surface Book 2. Had it for less than four months and the charger has died. I'm about to call Microsoft...again. I'm basically on first name terms with the help desk. Wonder if Sandra married Phillip? Keen to find out how Sarah's baby is doing. Did Jonathan manage stick to his crossfit training? Guess I'll find out when I'm on the phone with them later today

Goddammit, Microsoft, don't you get it? It doesn't matter how good the machine is, if you can't charge the thing, it's all pointless!

 

[ochhanz]

Interesting to find this old post and bring it back to life...

My surface book 2 charger died this morning. Totally and completely dead.

I only got the damn thing back in April!!

To date, this has been my surface charger woes:

Surface Pro 3. After 3 months the charger dies. MS replaces it. The second one dies a few months later.

Surface Pro 4. Charger dies within 2 months. MS replaces it. It died about a year later. I replaced it with a genuine charger from the MS store. It died after a year. Replaced it with a cheap knock off from Amazon and it's still working two years in.


Surface Book 2. Had it for less than four months and the charger has died. I'm about to call Microsoft...again. I'm basically on first name terms with the help desk. Wonder if Sandra married Phillip? Keen to find out how Sarah's baby is doing. Did Jonathan manage stick to his crossfit training? Guess I'll find out when I'm on the phone with them later today

Goddammit, Microsoft, don't you get it? It doesn't matter how good the machine is, if you can't charge the thing, it's all pointless!

, out of curiosity, do you by any chance fold your chargers and than e.g. put them in your backpack (or such)?

 

[Jcmg62]

, out of curiosity, do you by any chance fold your chargers and than e.g. put them in your backpack (or such)?

Nope. It's only ever plugged in one spot.

 

[ochhanz]

Nope. It's only ever plugged in one spot.

, very strange, perhaps the charger cannot handle the voltage running from your outlet or such. It does seem to only affect a few persons, e.g. just bought a 5th year old pro myself and everything works fine. (of course this does not help your case)

 

[Graeme O]

, out of curiosity, do you by any chance fold your chargers and than e.g. put them in your backpack (or such)?

Is MS's claim that a laptop (ie portable computer) cord shouldn't be wound up for transportation?

I ask because I bought a Surface laptop (c US$1500, in Australia where I live) about six months ago for my work. The charger seemed okay - if prone to fall out from the connection to the computer - for about 4 months. But during a work trip abroad it repeatedly failed to charge, at increasingly irregular intervals. Which was quite a problem as I was on the road 2 months. I'm now unsure what to do.

But regardless of Company Warranty periods, there are consumer-friendly parts of the world (eg Australia) where statute law requires a product to be fit for purpose and to meet reasonable design and implied expectations of use. Laptop = cord needs to be wound in a bag...

 

[ochhanz]

Is MS's claim that a laptop (ie portable computer) cord shouldn't be wound up for transportation?

I ask because I bought a Surface laptop (c US$1500, in Australia where I live) about six months ago for my work. The charger seemed okay - if prone to fall out from the connection to the computer - for about 4 months. But during a work trip abroad it repeatedly failed to charge, at increasingly irregular intervals. Which was quite a problem as I was on the road 2 months. I'm now unsure what to do.

But regardless of Company Warranty periods, there are consumer-friendly parts of the world (eg Australia) where statute law requires a product to be fit for purpose and to meet reasonable design and implied expectations of use. Laptop = cord needs to be wound in a bag...

, don't know what MS claims. What do you exactly mean with "prone to fall out from the connection", that the cable physically drops out of charge port or that the laptop sometimes stops charging?

In any case you should try to contact both the shop and Microsoft to get a new charger (keep trying if at first they refuse).

Personally I am hoping that when USB-C is more mature in the laptop market we get multiple usb c ports to charge the laptop and not just one so we have some backup when a charge port or cable fails.

 

[alojamento]

yeap... I have the same problem with my Surface Pro. Charger one day is working and another one is not. Its really anoying!!! What a waste of money!!!

 

[SiddharthaT]

The problem is still there.

I bought a Surface Go in May 2019 and since then I have received 3 replacement chargers. Third one broke today(With in a year).
So i will be again ordering a free replacement(I have warranty till May'20).

Can anyone review cheap knock offs available on Amazon. Does it work properly?

 

[SiddharthaT]

I bought a Surface Go in May 2019 and since then I have received 3 replacement chargers. Third one broke today(With in a year).
So i will be again ordering a free replacement(I have warranty till May'20).

Can you please share the knock off charger's company name?
Many Thanks.

 

[dacoach01]

I had three of these chargers in my household, purchased over the course of a year and a half along with the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Laptops for my kids. Shortly (three or four months each) after purchasing, they each stopped functioning. I got warranty replacements for two and I bought 2 OEM replacements from Amazon to have redundant chargers in the house. So now 7 total in the house, three dead (but revived, see following). So for two of the replacements, same story, about 3 to 4 months till the same problem (One warranty the other Amazon OEM reseller [must be a hot market]), holding my breath on the rest. The kids are a bit more abusive than I am with theirs, but nothing looks frayed and no obvious damage or kinks in the wires. Mine (2 of the failed units one original one warranty) never got moved from the locations I charge the laptop at night.
If it weren't for trick I discovered to jump start the adapter, I would have returned them all again. By dumb luck I found a way to get these to function again. Once the dead state has set in, you can jiggle the AC power chord right at the input connection to the charging brick (it has to be very loose in the socket). Do this with the other end connected to the laptop (perfectly safe for the laptop). If you get the terminals just close enough that they spark (you can just hear the snapping cracking sound), then disengage and re-engage gently and rapidly (jiggle, lots of little crackles), you can get the charger to wake up. Keep your eye on the laptop connector charge light (which is why it needs to be plugged in there). When it lights up fully seat the chord into the brick and your good to go. Something about repeated inrush currents gets what ever is on the AC side of the circuit to start working again. It might be a poor solder joint or other tenuous connection of a circuit board component inside the brick that is sufficiently re-welding itself under the inrush to allow current to flow again. It may also be an improperly specified circuit protection component that self triggers when the laptop is not attached. I think this might be the case because when you get it to wake up per the above, it charges merrily along until full and has no trouble so long as the charger is connected. If, however it is disconnected again from the laptop or wall, even for a second, then it may or may not go dead again and you have to go through the plug dance again to wake it up. The longer you do this technique the more difficult it gets to wake it up as something is slowly getting worse. Regardless, this technique only extended life another few months as now two of the original three chargers are completely dead, after less than a year of total use each, and two of the replacements (one MS the other AMZ) are currently on the dance floor. Who ever designed this charger produced an elegantly styled pile of total crap. That's 5 of 7 with issues in less than a year on three different laptops. Way to go Microsoft or whoever you contracted to produce this steaming pile of junk.

 

[Sch0b3r]

I have the same problem with my Surface Pro 6! All my chargers broke after around half a year. That is unacceptable, highly immoral and bad for environment, [edited by mod]. I must say tho, they are sending me the probably 4th charger for free now, so as long as they do it is fine with me if they want to waste their resources. But my warranty soon expires and Im worried what comes after that. I won't spend 75 bucks on a new charger that is not even worth half the money and breaks every half a year. WTF Microsoft!