Laptops are designed to sit in an open position during use, with hinges keeping a selected angle between the keyboard area and the screen. The complaint for this class action brings suit against HP, Inc. for its Envy laptops, claiming that the hinges break off from their mountings, making the laptops “practically unusable after just months of use.”
The Nationwide Class for this action is all those who bought a class laptop in the US. A Florida Subclass has also been proposed for all those in Florida who bought a class laptop. The class laptops include the following:
- Envy 360 Laptops
- Pavilion Laptops
- Pavilion 360 Laptops
- HP 14, HP 15, and HP 17 Laptops
Laptops are meant to open and close like a clamshell. The hinge joins the screen to the bottom casing and allows the two to rest in a range of positions. According to the complaint, the Envy laptops have defective hinges that cannot stand up to the stresses of ordinary use.
The complaint describes the alleged defect: “Because the hinges are anchored to the laptops with poorly designed parts constructed from weak plastic, the ordinary opening or closing of the laptop fractures the plastic anchors, causing them to fail, and destabilizes the hinges.” This destabilization acts on the case, “resulting in further damage to the lower case and inoperability of the hinge as designed.”
Page 3 of the complaint shows two photos of “fractured plastic anchors” in laptops at issue. Page 4 shows another damaged hinge.
HP does not warn consumers about this defect. In fact, in its marketing materials for the Envy 360 and Pavilion 360, it promises a range of angles.
The complaint quotes from some of these materials: “Create on-the-go with a convertible laptop designed to move with you. The power of a 360 degree hinge combined with the simultaneous use of touch and pen make for vibrant, accurate creations… The 360 degree hinge adapts so you can capture every intricate sketch with precision.”
According to the complaint, HP markets the laptops as “reliable” and “designed for long-lasting performance[,]” claiming that “extensive quality testing ensures that you can keep going … and going.” “Indeed,” the complaint alleges, HP “claims that each model has been subject to 115,000 hours of testing, which included opening and closing the laptops tens of thousands of times.”
In reality, the complaint claims, “during ordinary use of the machine, the hinges separate from the device, snap, or otherwise fail. This ultimately prevents the laptop from closing or opening.”
The complaint alleges that HP “has been unable to fix the Defect during the warranty period and routinely refuses to repair the Defect free of charge outside the warranty period.” According to the complaint, some users have been told that the problem is a result of user error. When it has replaced the hinges, the complaint says, they are replaced with the same kind of defective parts, which does not finally fix the problem.
Article Type: LawsuitTopic: Consumer
Most Recent Case Event
HP Envy Laptops Breaking Hinges Complaint
November 19, 2021
Laptops are designed to sit in an open position during use, with hinges keeping a selected angle between the keyboard area and the screen. The complaint for this class action brings suit against HP, Inc. for its Envy laptops, claiming that the hinges break off from their mountings, making the laptops “practically unusable after just months of use.”
HP Envy Laptops Breaking Hinges ComplaintCase Event History
HP Envy Laptops Breaking Hinges Complaint
November 19, 2021
Laptops are designed to sit in an open position during use, with hinges keeping a selected angle between the keyboard area and the screen. The complaint for this class action brings suit against HP, Inc. for its Envy laptops, claiming that the hinges break off from their mountings, making the laptops “practically unusable after just months of use.”
HP Envy Laptops Breaking Hinges Complaint