QuoteMicrosoft Corp. today announced that it will expand its global Xbox 360 warranty coverage. Any Xbox 360 customer who experiences a general hardware failure indicated by three flashing red lights will now be covered by a three year warranty from date of purchase. All other existing Xbox 360 warranty policies remain in place.
As a result of what Microsoft views as an unacceptable number of repairs to Xbox 360 consoles, the company conducted extensive investigations into potential sources of general hardware failures. Having identified a number of factors which can cause general hardware failures indicated by three red flashing lights on the console, Microsoft has made improvements to the console and is enhancing its Xbox 360 warranty policy for existing and new customers.
Microsoft stands behind its products and is taking responsibility to repair or replace any Xbox 360 console that experiences the "three flashing red lights" error message within three years from time of purchase free of charge, including shipping costs. Microsoft will take a $1.05 billion to $1.15 billion pre-tax charge to earnings for the quarter ended June 30, 2007 for anticipated costs under its current and enhanced Xbox 360 policies.
"The majority of Xbox 360 owners are having a great experience with their console and have from day one. But, this problem has caused frustration for some of our customers and for that, we sincerely apologize," said Robbie Bach, president of Microsofts Entertainment & Devices Division. "We value our community tremendously and look at this as an investment in our customer base. We look forward to great things to come."
For any customer who has previously paid for repair expenses related to the three flashing lights error message on the Xbox 360 console, Microsoft will retroactively reimburse them.
And heres the [/QUOTE]open letter (http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/petermooreletter.htm) written by Peter Moore:
QuoteTo our Xbox Community:
Youve spoken, and weve heard you. Good service and a good customer experience are areas of the business that we care deeply about. And frankly, weve not been doing a good enough job.
Some of you have expressed frustration with the customer experiences you have had with Xbox 360; frustration with having to return your console for service after receiving the general hardware error message on the console.
The majority of customers who own Xbox 360 consoles have had a terrific experience from their first day, and continue to, day in and day out. But when anyone questions the reliability of our product, or our commitment to our customers, its something I take very seriously.
We have been following this issue closely, and with on-going testing have identified several factors that can cause a general hardware failure indicated by three flashing red lights on the console. To address this issue, and as part of our ongoing work, we have already made certain improvements to the console.
We are also implementing some important policy changes intended to keep you in the game, worry-free.
As of today, all Xbox 360 consoles are covered by an enhanced warranty program to address specifically the general hardware failures indicated by the three flashing red lights on the console. This applies to new and previously-sold consoles. While we will still have a general one year console warranty (two years in some countries), we are announcing today a three-year warranty that covers any console that displays a three flashing red lights error message. If a customer has an issue indicated by the three flashing red lights, Microsoft will repair the console free of charge--including shipping--for three years from the consoles purchase date. We will also retroactively reimburse any of you who paid for repairs related to problems indicated by this error message in the past. In doing so, Microsoft stands behind its products and takes responsibility to ensure that every Xbox 360 console owner continues to have a fantastic gaming experience.
If we have let any of you down in the experience you have had with your Xbox 360, we sincerely apologize. We are taking responsibility and are making these changes to ensure that every Xbox 360 owner continues to have a great experience.
This will take a few days to roll out globally, and I appreciate your continued patience as we launch this program. Ive posted an FAQ that should address some additional questions, and well update it over the next few days.
I want to thank you, on behalf of all us at Microsoft, for your loyalty.
That is good of them, if you have it die on you they probably got some ways to fix it now and not happen again or give you new fab one with the changes
This is probably why they been holding off the elite launch in EU, good stuff
So if you have paid for extended warranty where do you stand???
If I have 3 red lights after my "extended" warranty am I still covered?
I do wonder if the failure rate of core systems is matched by the premiums. I have had no issues with mine, touch wood.
Quote from: Deaths HeadSo if you have paid for extended warranty where do you stand???
If I have 3 red lights after my "extended" warranty am I still covered?
I do wonder if the failure rate of core systems is matched by the premiums. I have had no issues with mine, touch wood.
cool avatar :)
Holy sh*t my mate just spemnt £80.00 getting his fixed (and MS have had it for seven weeks now!!) - hes going to be SERIOUSLY pissed!
EDIT
Ok sorry just read the last section doh!!
Deaths Head ... change your avatar or I will have to introduce you to my friend called PAIN!!!!! I am MR T you Crazy Fool!!
For people who have paid:
http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6173660.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=newstop&tag=newstop;title;2
QuoteSo, heres what were doing about it. Weve made improvements to the console itself that we believe will reduce the occurrence of these issues, and were also implementing an enhanced warranty program to cover the general hardware failures that are indicated by the three red lights.
Were announcing today a specific warranty coverage that extends to three years for any console that displays a three flashing red light error message. So if the customer has a three flashing red light issue, well repair the console free of charge. Now, thats including shipping, for three years from the purchase date. So, whenever you purchased it, youve got a three-year warranty from that date for this particular issue.
On top of that, were retroactively reimbursing any customer who paid for out-of-warranty repairs related to this error message. I want to be clear. I think you guys know this, this is not a safety issue for consumers and what were doing is a voluntary decision on our part. Obviously, theres a cost to this, and were announcing this afternoon that were going to take a $1.05 billion to $1.15 billion pretax charge to earnings for the quarter ended June 30, 2007, for what we believe are the anticipated costs under the current Enhanced Xbox 360 policies.
Its got to make you wonder how much pre-tax profit MS generate. I mean, if they can happily manage a 1.15 billion dollar profit drop in a single quarter then their overal annual profit must be stupid.
Either way, its a very very good move on their part :)
I think its a great move for them , its a GREAT move for the fans - everyone wins like this. Except maybe Sony who might lose a few potential defectors!!
Quote from: NimrodIts got to make you wonder how much pre-tax profit MS generate. I mean, if they can happily manage a 1.15 billion dollar profit drop in a single quarter then their overal annual profit must be stupid.
Either way, its a very very good move on their part :)
Yeah, they make a lot more then people think they do
i think just goes to show how MS are valuing their customers, and how serious they are at making the xbox360 the top brand.
Its a shame the problems exist but still they are going the right way about sorting.
The media that I have been listening to/watching have been twisting it to make MS look bad tho so I dont think it will help them at all.
Quote from: DEViANCEi think just goes to show how MS are valuing their customers, and how serious they are at making the xbox360 the top brand.
Its a shame the problems exist but still they are going the right way about sorting.
The media that I have been listening to/watching have been twisting it to make MS look bad tho so I dont think it will help them at all.
Well anything you mass produce you can not account for every problem and have it all perfect, as you say it is how you deal with it that makes a company a good one.
Dell were pap but now they are amazing
QuoteNow that Microsoft has done the right thing about the Xbox 360s rampant hardware problems, one key question remains:
What is the failure rate for the system? MS wont say.
Now, math is not especially GPs strong suit, but if each repair costs MS $100, that translates to a staggering failure rate of 86%.
At $200, the failure rate is 43%. At $300 its 29%. At $400, its 22%
There is a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff we cant know here. But, based on the numbers, a failure rate between 29% and 43% would not be unreasonable. So maybe those 33% reports arent so far off the mark, after all.
http://gamepolitics.com/2007/07/06/xbox-360-failure-rate-do-the-math/
Edge (http://www.edge-online.co.uk/) has an interesting interview with Diarmid Andrews. Hes the director of GT Electronics (http://www.gtelectronics.co.uk/). They specialize in games console repairs including Sony PSP, XBOX 360, Ps3, Wii and Nintendo DS. I find his advice to stand it on its end interesting. I have always had my 360 on its end.
Quote from: EdgeMicrosoft remains the most tight-lipped of companies about the 360 failure rate, only releasing an identikit statement in response to all enquiries insisting that the majority of consumers are having a first class experience. We asked Diarmid Andres, the director of GT Electronics, a specialist in Xbox 360 repairs, about the problem.
Mirosoft is continuing its refusal to make official comment on the Xbox 360 failure rate, but denies its a systemic problem, is there a common fault, and what do you think could be done to fix it?
The main problem is the graphics processor. It cant cool itself properly - it gets too hot and melts the solder holding it in place. Thats when you get the three red lights. The CPU has a good heatsink and thats fine. The 360s a sleek machine - the DVD-ROM sits right back on the GPU and the heatsink is quite small. It could use a fan. I feel sorry for Microsoft beause I repair alot of Sonys machines as well, but they dont get nearly as much criticism. I find his advice on standing on its end interesting. I have always had my 360 on its end.
Can external third-party fans that clip on the rear of the console help to fix the problem?
Not really. The fans that go on the back only go on top of the ventilation thats already there, so theyre pulling out hot air from there rather than cooling anything. It needs something like a CPU fan on a PC - that would be ideal and probably solve the problems. But theres just not adequate ventilation. The GPU is basically sitting on 400 little balls of solder, thats the connection to the main board. If even one of those gets a crack, or it gets loose, youll get three red lights.
Often there are a few stages in the process, perhaps involving one red light at first, before complete breakdown.
Yes, and unfortunately after youve had that initial problem itll only get worse. Just stand it on its end and keep it cool is the only advice I would give. But how many people do you know who havent had their 360 go wrong? Microsoft have said its three to five percent? No, I dont think so - I think youre taking much higher numbers. We repair huge amounts, and that takes a lot, because its a lot of hassle to post off something like the 360.
Is there anything that surprises you about the 360 hardware failure as a whole?
The biggest surprise is that I cant see how Microsoft is that I cant see how Microsoft have changed the design. Ive repaired 360s from the two big Christmas packs - the Call of Duty and the Gears of War packs - ant they havent solved those problems. They say they have, but they havent. Its annoying because the hardware they use is good - the components are solid, and they have good leads and quality DVD-ROM drives. Its just a badly designed maching with regard to the GPU.
Quote from: DEViANCEi think just goes to show how MS are valuing their customers, and how serious they are at making the xbox360 the top brand.
I would believe that if either they had made sure the damn things worked properly before sending them out, or, admitted there was a problem straight away and done remedial work on the issue as they were returned.
They made a pigs ear and are trying to solve the problem by throwing lots of money at it. Im still not buying one, but Im not getting a PS3 either :twisted: