Comments on: Damaged or Defective Kindle 2 Screen :: Photos

By: Nancy

Nancy — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 02:34:30 +0000

I got my first Kindle as a gift last April. Within 2 months the screen was scrambled. Amazon customer service was great and I received a new Kindle. Here it is Oct and I was in the middle of a good book when my screen scrambles again. After working with customer service I’m waiting for my 3rd Kindle which is due in a few days. My problem is once the 1 year warranty is up what happens when the screen scrambles? Customer Service probably won’t be as nice and I will probably be responsible for the repair. This seems to be a defect with the Kindle that needs to be corrected.

By: Tonja

Tonja — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:37:05 +0000

I am waiting for my second replacement of my kindle 2 – supposed to be here tomorrow. Got my original in march ’11 screen issues should up in august rec’d replacement beginning of September. screen issues showed up on Saturday. While talking to the CSR at Amazon I stated that it seemed to me that there is something wrong with the kindles to have this happen twice, and he told me I would drive myself crazy trying to figure it out and that I would have my new kindle by Tuesday. I’m not sure I even want a kindle anymore if this is going to keep happening what happens when my warranty runs out. But this was a gift and it’s to late for my Mom to get her money back. My mom has had a first generation for years and never had a problem. It’s great the Amazon has such good customer service but it would be even better if I didn’t have to contact them.

By: Gary

Gary — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 14:29:34 +0000

Great post! I too have just got back from traveling with my kindle in my backpack. no issues on the way out but now similar screen issues on the return. I absolutely love my kindle and will ALMOST never read a paper book. however, I am now convinced, that one should not travel with their kindle after reading all the notes and reviews. Our new kindle has a travel case with light, so maybe this will help. I will try customer service, but our kindle is rather old; so I imagine that we will just suck it up and pay the $120 for a new one. One thing is absolutley CLEAR, this can’t be dropped off a 2 story building! I think it is much more fragile than our laptop.

By: Feisty

Feisty — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 19:06:03 +0000

After 7 months, my Kindle 3 developed problems with the screen. I could only view the bottom half of the books (top half being blank), but the Home and ScreenSaver screens were both screwed up with multiple images and lines in different directions. After reassuring customer service that it was NOT dropped and is always kept in a leather case/holder, a new replacement Kindle was shipped 2 day. However, I was required to give them a credit card number. I was told that if I did not send the damaged one back within 30 days, I would be charged for the replacement one. No problem. I sent the “damaged” one back. However, I was later informed that they found the Kindle to be damaged due to being dropped and I was charged any way. How do they know that it was not damaged being shipped back? I am very upset because I did NOT drop it. I filed a dispute with my credit card company, but have no idea how it will all pan out. I will never buy another Kindle due to this experience.

By: Captiosus

Captiosus — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:33:54 +0000

My wife’s Kindle 3G+WiFi, bought in mid-April of this year, just had the screen completely crap out last night. She’s not a heavy user, she’s only accidentally left it on overnight ONCE. Never dropped it, never subjected it to extreme temperatures, has never even put it in a bag or purse that could cause pressure on the screen. Amazon was very nice about it and is sending out a replacement right away but, unlike those here praising Amazon for such fast service, this gives me reason to concern.

Having spent 3 years working for Gateway Computers (before they downsized) I’ve learned that when CSRs are willing to replace your device without question they KNOW there’s a defect with the device. In our case, it was – at the time – a defective USRobotics dial up modem. If customers called in with that specific modem, CSRs were to give them a replacement with no fuss. If a customer called in with a DIFFERENT modem, CSRs weren’t allowed to give them a replacement without going through the entire troubleshooting process AND they had to get authorization from management. Amazon rapidly giving out replacements means they KNOW this is an issue, probably far more widespread than they want to admit, and they’re trying to stay ahead of the potential PR problems.

Doing a simple Google search for defective Kindle screens brought up a ton of results, most of them looking like the problem my wife’s Kindle has, and many of them dating all the way back to early 2009.

By: Janet Dilbeck

Janet Dilbeck — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 14:24:40 +0000

I wish I had read this section BEFORE I bought my Kindle. Of course I might have thought “these are just a few of the thousands contented people and they just had bad luck’. But lo and behold—– now after just about two weeks of use the screen on my Kindle is destroyed. I did NOT drop it or mistreat it—- in fact it’s never even been out of my apartment except once to ‘test’ the wireless in my apartment office. (It worked).

I’m going to ask for a replacement and hope Amazon does right by me. They’ve been good in all other dealings.

By: Elisha

Elisha — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:14:41 +0000

Ny stepdaughter got the kindle this past Xmas and doesnt use all that often…even lost privileges for several months and recently experienced the screen problem above. I was glad to see it is pretty common and that she most likely didnt cause it. I called Amazon and it took, like the person mentioned above, maybe 3 minutes to get a replacement sent out. Just have to return the other within 90 days. I wish all companies were this pleasant and quick!
Thank you amazon!

By: Jessica

Jessica — Tue, 31 May 2011 21:27:47 +0000

I got my Kindle 2 for my birthday last year (end of July.) Over this past weekend the bottom half of the screen, randomly, without being dropped once, stopped working. Amazon is sending one to me on Thursday, and gave me a prepaid postage stamp. I love it and can’t wait for the other to arrive to keep reading. (I was in the middle of reading a really good book.)

By: Michelle

Michelle — Mon, 16 May 2011 15:58:06 +0000

My daughter got a Kindle for her birthday in April ’10. After one year (past warranty, of course) it showed a screen problem in that the top inch was not showing up at all. I called customer service expecting to have to buy a new one, but they are replacing it with no cost to me. All I have to do is send back the old one when I receive the new one. It was so easy!!! They didn’t question me at all. Amazon has great customer service!

By: Susan

Susan — Tue, 03 May 2011 18:28:48 +0000

Figured I was in the hole for a new Kindle (which had been in an EXPENSIVE but awesome Otter Box case the whole time, although in my work duffle) when my screen developed the above problems this morning. After reading these posts, figured I had nother to lose by calling – the super nice CSR didn’t question anything I had done to it, and will have a brand new replacement within 2 days, free of charge. Can you imagine what the world would be like if other companies followed Amazon’s suit with this level of customer service??