Dell Whole Unit Replacement Policy (Do They Have One + More)

Have you ever asked yourself or your friend what Dell’s whole unit replacement policy is? Well, you are at the perfect place to find the answer to such a question.

Dell Inc., is one of the world’s largest suppliers of personal computers. Begun by Michael Dell in his college dorm room, Dell Inc. grew quickly by offering custom-built PCs directly to consumers.

By avoiding retail mark-ups, Dell was able to offer these PCs at reasonable prices, which proved wildly successful.

Dell is now a global technology company known for its customer service and risk-free return policy.

So, what is dell’s whole unit replacement policy? Dell offers a limited hardware warranty on their computers that covers defects in materials and workmanship. If your hardware is defective and is still under warranty, Dell will repair or replace it at no cost to you. Depending on the situation, Dell will either repair the unit, replace certain parts, or offer a whole unit replacement. You can also request a whole unit replacement, subject to Dell’s approval.

In this article, you will discover all you need to know about Dell’s warranty and whole unit replacement policies for your computer hardware.

Table of Contents

What is Dell’s warranty for computer hardware?

Dell offers limited hardware warranties for their computers and peripherals ranging from 90 days to 5 years. To find out the time frame of your warranty, check on your packing slip, sales invoice or original sales receipt.

For specific warranty time frames of Dell’s peripherals, such as external devices and SSDs, check out their warranty information page here.

The warranty covers defects in materials and/or workmanship. If your hardware is defective, Dell will repair or replace it free of charge under this warranty.

When you purchase new hardware either directly from Dell or from a third party retailer you also have the option to purchase extended warranties that provide even longer coverage.

The warranty begins on the date listed on the packing slip, invoice, or receipt. It is important to keep this document as you may need it to prove your warranty coverage, especially if you purchased your Dell product from a third party retailer.

What are exceptions to Dell’s limited hardware warranty?

The following situations are not covered by warranty:

Software, including the operating system, integrated software and third-party software.
Non Dell-branded products are not covered.
Damage from an external cause such as an accident, electrical power issue, abuse, or misuse.
The product had service completed on it by an unauthorized service provider.
The product uses parts or accessories not supplied by Dell.
The recommended preventative maintenance or product instructions were not followed.
The product has a missing or altered service tag or serial number.
Normal wear and tear.
The warranty also won’t cover a product if Dell has not received payment for it yet.

For more information about Dell’s limited hardware warranty, click here.

My computer system isn’t working, how do I get it repaired or replaced?

Before you contact Dell, they ask that you make sure you have tried a few things first to troubleshoot your hardware:

Install any updates
Use Dell’s SupportAssist to troubleshoot issues with the computer system. If you need assistance or downloads for SupportAssist, click here.
Access dell.com/support for any additional troubleshooting advice.
Run hardware diagnostics.
Consult your owner’s manual.

If you’ve tried these methods of troubleshooting and your system is still having issues, contact Dell or an authorized representative before your warranty expires.

How do I contact Dell or an authorized representative?

You can contact Dell online through dell.com/support. You can also call Dell Hardware Warranty Support at 1-800-624-9896. If you purchased your Dell product from Best Buy, take it to your nearest Best Buy location along with your original sales receipt.

Have your Dell Service Tag or order number available when you contact Dell.

They will guide you through additional troubleshooting over the phone or online to determine if the hardware is indeed defective.

My computer hardware is defective, what do I do next?

Once you’ve contacted Dell and they’ve determined your computer hardware is defective, they will make arrangements to repair or replace the defective parts.

If they believe it’s necessary, they may even arrange to repair or replace the whole unit. You can also request a whole unit replacement, subject to their approval.

Whether Dell decides to replace parts or replace the whole unit, your original warranty time period remains the same, and the new parts or unit will be covered under the same, original warranty.

Dell will either send you the replacement parts or whole unit, arrange for you to ship the defective product to them, or send someone to your location for repair or replacement.

If it is under warranty it shouldn’t cost you anything, except in some cases you may have to pay for packing and shipping.

If Dell sends a replacement to you:

If Dell offers to send a replacement to you, they will ask for a valid credit card number.

They won’t charge you anything as long as you return the original, defective part or product back to them within 10 days of receipt of the replacement. If 10 days have passed and they haven’t gotten the originals back, they will charge you the current market price of the replacements.

Dell will also need to confirm the defective product is covered under warranty. If they find it is not covered, you have the option to return the new one back to them at your cost.

If you want to keep the replacement, you will be charged the current market price of the replacement.

If you need to send the defective product to Dell:

Dell may decide that you need to ship the product back to them first. In that case, they will provide you a Return Material Authorization number that you will need to include with it.

You will be responsible for the cost of packing and shipping the product back. They will pay the cost of shipping the replacement to you.

They may also send the packaging and shipping instructions out to you, in which case, as long as it is packaged and shipped according to their instructions, you will not need to pay for packing and shipping.

In either scenario, you should ensure the shipment to make sure you are protected against any damage that may happen during shipping that could potentially void the warranty.

Dell also recommends you backup your data and remove any confidential or personal information off your hardware before sending it back.

What if my hardware is out of warranty?

If your product’s warranty coverage has expired, or Dell finds that there is damage that isn’t covered by the warranty or voids the warranty, you can still get your hardware repaired.

However, repair fees will apply, and you may also end up paying the market price of a replacement.

References

https://www.dell.com/learn/us/en/uscorp1/terms-conditions/art-limited-hardware-warranties

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Dell-Inc