Beware! Lexmark Printers Function for One Year Only

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tom Daniel
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Tom Daniel

I am posting this as information for those considering the purchase of a
Lexmark printer. Beware!

I own an Lexmark x85 all-in-one printer purchased March 2003. Recently
(July 2004), for no apparent reason, the printer control panel indicated
that it was out of colour ink and the printer no longer printed colour. I
replaced the cartridge with a genuine (and expensive) Lexmark cartridge and
the situation did not improve. Just to be sure I replaced it again, but to
no avail. I spoke to Lexmark support who tried to troubleshoot the issue,
but in the end could only suggest that I either replace or repair the
printer. They had the nerve to recommed that I replace it with another
Lexmark! Never!

Below you will see the reply I received from Lexmark customer service after
I complained. I understand that there is a twelve month period, but the
reply actually reads to say that they are careful not to suggest that the
printer will even work after 12 months. Incredible! Lexmark printers
should be advertised as disposable!

Here is their reply:

"Please accept my sincere regrets that your printer did not function as far
past the warranty period as you may have expected. Lexmark guarantees the
integrity of its printers and of our responsibility for the repair or
replacement of defective parts for a period of 12-months from the original
date of purchase. Following that time period, the printer is no longer
insured against defects or guaranteed to have functionality. We do our best
to refrain from stating or implying that the printer will function beyond
that time period.

If the printer is truly out of warranty, limited service options are
available. Due to the availability of parts and supplies it is cheaper to
replace a printer rather than have one fixed. For example, our X85 series
printer cost $275 to repair.

With the above in mind you may want to purchase another printer.

If you have any more questions or concerns, please contact me at your
convenience and I will be happy to assist you. (If I am not
available,another representative will reply to you as soon as possible) To
respond,please select Reply in your e-mail software, and be sure that the
past e-mail is included in this reply."
 
Tom Daniel said:
I am posting this as information for those considering the purchase of a
Lexmark printer. Beware!
Click to expand...
Depending on which country you are in, I think the relevant legal term
that you need to use in communication with them is "fit for purpose".
Whilst Lexmark may well wish to absolve themselves of responsibility
once the warranty has expired they do not have that right under the
trading laws of most countries. In short, they continue to have a
responsibility to you the consumer after the warranty has expired, up to
a time determined by common expectation. The warranty is merely a legal
pledge that Lexmark and/or their product liability insurers will bear
all costs of repair, excluding damage from specified causes, within a
certain period. It is not a statement that the printer will not, nor
cannot be expected to, function or be economically repaired after the
warranty period expires. Indeed, no insurer would cover Lexmark if
their products did so, since this would effectively mean that the
probability (and all product insurers work on probabilities) of a
printer failing within the warranty period would be too high for them to
accept.

In particular, if you purchased the Lexmark after due consideration of
alternatives and were led to believe by the sales person or Lexmark's
literature that Lexmark had equal or better reliability compared to
those you also considered and have, or can obtain, evidence that those
alternatives would have continued to function or be economically
repairable beyond the Lexmark warranty period then you may have a claim
that the printer was not fit for purpose. Lexmark would then be forced
to repair, replace or reimburse your costs under the laws of many,
perhaps most, western countries.

Again, depending on where you are, I suggest contacting a commercial
legislation lawyer for advice - in many places a legal consultation is
free or very low cost. Your local citizen's advice bureau may help you
locate the correct person to deal with your case. I suspect that a
letter from such a lawyer expressing the exact legal terminology
covering the situation would result in an immediate replacement and
compensation of your costs, since it is not worth Lexmark going to court
over. To make it work though, you need to demonstrate to them that
*you* are prepared to, and invoking the services of a qualified lawyer
to act on your behalf is usually indication enough.

Don't let these big corporations ride roughshod over you - they have a
reputation (though in Lexmark's case not a particularly proud one) to
protect and will generally settle rather than risk damaging it.
 
Tom said:
I am posting this as information for those considering the purchase of a
Lexmark printer. Beware!
Click to expand...

I never had a problem with my Lexmark Z55 during the two years I was
using it. Okay, the color cartridge malfunctioned once in a while, but
I had been refilling it, maybe 8 times, so it was to be expected.
Lexmark Canada did in fact offer me the opportunity of purchasing an
extended warranty for it before the first year was up. But as I foresaw
discontinuing using it eventually when I purchased my Canon i850, I
declined the offer.

Give Lexmark some credit. The Canon i850 is a far better printer, but
Canon (Canada) has not made me any kind of an extended warranty offer. I
guess I'll be out of luck (and a few dollars) should something go wrong
with it - it's been over a year now...

-Taliesyn
 
Taliesyn said:
Lexmark Canada did in fact offer me the opportunity of purchasing an
extended warranty for it before the first year was up.
Click to expand...

This is a significant piece of evidence which Tom should take to any
lawyer he engages to contact Lexmark on his behalf. If they are
prepared to offer extended warranties then that in itself contradicts
the claim made in their letter to Tom that "We do our best to refrain
from stating or implying that the printer will function beyond that time
period."

Put simply, they can choose which crime they are guilty of:
1. Extortion, in that they attempt to gain money from clients for an
extended warranty service they are unable to provide
or
2. Deception, in that they sell product which is clearly incapable of
meeting the performance they imply
Give Lexmark some credit. The Canon i850 is a far better printer, but
Canon (Canada) has not made me any kind of an extended warranty offer. I
guess I'll be out of luck (and a few dollars) should something go wrong
with it - it's been over a year now...
Click to expand...
Give Canon some credit, they just don't expect that printer to go wrong
just out of the warranty period and haven't tried to con you out of
money for something you won't need!
 
Get real. You're advising someone to sue over a $100 printer?? I've never
heard anything so absurd!
 
Get real! It happens to all brands of printers! I just tossed a $650 Epson
2200 after 1 year and 1 month,also an Epson 960 ($300) a week later
purchased about the same time.Both were due to unclearable magenta clogs
with genuine Epson ink! They told me too bad! The Lexmark X85 can be had for
under $70.I have a Lexmark Optra 45 inkjet,still working after 6 yearrs!
 
I am posting this as information for those considering the purchase of a
Lexmark printer. Beware!

I own an Lexmark x85 all-in-one printer purchased March 2003. Recently
(July 2004), for no apparent reason, the printer control panel indicated
that it was out of colour ink and the printer no longer printed colour. I
replaced the cartridge with a genuine (and expensive) Lexmark cartridge and
the situation did not improve. Just to be sure I replaced it again, but to
no avail. I spoke to Lexmark support who tried to troubleshoot the issue,
but in the end could only suggest that I either replace or repair the
printer. They had the nerve to recommed that I replace it with another
Lexmark! Never!
Click to expand...

Would I dare presume that you followed the software re-installation of
cartrdige and performed (tried anyway) the calibration tests?
 
J. A. Mc. said:
Would I dare presume that you followed the software re-installation of
cartrdige and performed (tried anyway) the calibration tests?
Click to expand...

Sorry, but IMNSHO, anyone considering purchasing a Lexmark should seek
psychiatric help immediately. Lexmarks (and Dells seeing as they are no more
than rebadged - or should that be rebodged? - Lexmarks). Lexmark do not know
how to manufacture a printer - or write a driver - to save their lives. I
gave up on Epson and am now very happy with my Canon (i9950/9900).
 
I am posting this as information for those considering the purchase of a
Lexmark printer. Beware!
Click to expand...
Congratulations! You got a Lexmark printer to work for a *whole* year.
 
Hecate said:
Congratulations! You got a Lexmark printer to work for a *whole* year.
Click to expand...

My Z55 was a rather ugly and primitive printer but it worked fine for
two years until I just retired it. It's still sitting in my basement in
fine condition. Its one redeeming feature was its ability to self align
using what looked to be an infrared light source attached to the
cartridge holder mechanism. A Canon typically prints a page of lines
that we have to decipher deciding which sets look best. Well, the
Lexmark would make its own analysis by printing lines and bars and then
scanning them with this strange red light. I thought that was pretty
impressive. Unfortunately, when it came to actually printing things, it
wasn't that great. Text was generally fine but photos seemed to be
washed out. I had to constantly over-compensate to get a decent photo.

-Taliesyn
 
Taliesyn said:
My Z55 was a rather ugly and primitive printer but it worked fine for
two years until I just retired it. It's still sitting in my basement in
fine condition. Its one redeeming feature was its ability to self align
using what looked to be an infrared light source attached to the
cartridge holder mechanism.
Click to expand...

Interesting; I have a Z33 that I never could get to align properly (it used
the common method of printing a test page which requires deciphering, like
your Canon). I lived with it because I was just using it to dump emails for
later reference. Finally quit using it because the cartridges had taken to
needing daily unclogging with a short soak in warm water....
A Canon typically prints a page of lines
that we have to decipher deciding which sets look best. Well, the
Lexmark would make its own analysis by printing lines and bars and then
scanning them with this strange red light. I thought that was pretty
impressive. Unfortunately, when it came to actually printing things, it
wasn't that great. Text was generally fine but photos seemed to be
washed out. I had to constantly over-compensate to get a decent photo.
Click to expand...

Hmmm.... My Z33 would flood the paper with too much ink when I tried to
print a photo.... Seems there must be some major differences between it
and the later model......
 
My Z55 was a rather ugly and primitive printer but it worked fine for
two years until I just retired it. It's still sitting in my basement in
fine condition. Its one redeeming feature was its ability to self align
using what looked to be an infrared light source attached to the
cartridge holder mechanism. A Canon typically prints a page of lines
that we have to decipher deciding which sets look best. Well, the
Lexmark would make its own analysis by printing lines and bars and then
scanning them with this strange red light. I thought that was pretty
impressive. Unfortunately, when it came to actually printing things, it
wasn't that great. Text was generally fine but photos seemed to be
washed out. I had to constantly over-compensate to get a decent photo.

-Taliesyn
Click to expand...


HEH, I had a Z55 as well, along with a Z11 and Z42 prior to that.

Of course each lasted under 1 year for me, that was long long ago.

The new Canon I series have the self alignment feature now in the "60"
series as well as other models Im sure. I used it twice now since I
owned this 960 only due to the fact that it is enabled by default.
 
Susan D. said:
Get real. You're advising someone to sue over a $100 printer?? I've never
heard anything so absurd!
Click to expand...
Get smart - read the preceding post. You don't need to sue, simply
demonstrate an intention to do so together with the legal evidence that
convinces them they would lose.

Don't they have small claims courts where you are? These are courts
specifically set up to deal with issues of this magnitude. If Lexmark
want to appeal the judgement in a higher court then they have to do so
at their expense, not yours.

They would still lose and, with a little luck, have to pay sufficient
financial penalty to speed their demise and disappearance from the
market, to the benefit of all!
 
Sorry, but IMNSHO, anyone considering purchasing a Lexmark should seek
psychiatric help immediately. Lexmarks (and Dells seeing as they are no more
than rebadged - or should that be rebodged? - Lexmarks). Lexmark do not know
how to manufacture a printer - or write a driver - to save their lives. I
gave up on Epson and am now very happy with my Canon (i9950/9900).
Click to expand...
I'll second that, but having once made a mistake, perhaps some past
'learning curve' application could help this person?

But that's not your "Perspicacia" on this ... eh?

(FREE Lexmark - pay shipping only.)
 
J. A. Mc. ([email protected]) said:
Would I dare presume that you followed the software re-installation of
cartrdige and performed (tried anyway) the calibration tests?
Click to expand...


Can one ask if the (implied) use of re-filled cartridges before installing
a genuine lexmark model might have had some affect?

I don't know if my 5700 works any more (the computer it was attached to
was retired about the time I started haveing a problem--if I find a task
for it I'll reconnect and find out), but my Z52 still works (backup
computer, so it isn't used much and I may have to print a text print to
clear the nozzles before I tame baning, but I'll bet that happens with any
maker's) and my Z65 (a year old) makes nice prints. I doubt Lexmark has
no worse a record than anybody's, although, as pointed out, the genuine
artice is expensive--unless you wait for Target $25 sales (like the past
week), in which case they are compentative. MY experience with durability
is average, not so bad for a history (cited above) that goes back to about
1997.

Brendan
--
 
Brendan said:
Can one ask if the (implied) use of re-filled cartridges before installing
a genuine lexmark model might have had some affect?
Click to expand...

Not if the ink was made for that printer line. I recycled (refilled) the
same two original cartridges on my Z55 for two years. Saved many
hundreds of dollars.
I don't know if my 5700 works any more (the computer it was attached to
was retired about the time I started haveing a problem--if I find a task
for it I'll reconnect and find out), but my Z52 still works (backup
computer, so it isn't used much and I may have to print a text print to
clear the nozzles before I tame baning, but I'll bet that happens with any
maker's) and my Z65 (a year old) makes nice prints. I doubt Lexmark has
no worse a record than anybody's, although, as pointed out, the genuine
artice is expensive--unless you wait for Target $25 sales (like the past
week), in which case they are compentative.
Click to expand...

Refill, man... refill! About $5 is what I paid to refill my cartridges
with quality bulk ink, identical print/photo results. Hell with the
sales! $25 is still way to expensive for a couple of ounces of ink and
a new print head. The same print head will last many refills.

-Taliesyn
 
It is lawsuits such as these that create precedence, and make life
easier for people like yourself, who then might not have to deal with
the problem yourself.

In countries that allow class action lawsuits, these types of suits can
lead to multi-million dollar settlements, and massive changes in how a
company operates with the public.

Having been involved in several lawsuits, some which I took on myself
against large corporations, sometimes over relatively little money, and
some as a member of the class, I can attest to the fact that these suits
not only caused the company involved to alter policies, but in some
cases, whole industries made changes as a result of them.

Just because you may not have the willingness to sacrifice your time and
money toward a greater good for others, doesn't mean it's an "absurd"
cause. In fact, I expect you are benefiting from several of these types
of cases without even knowing it.

Art
 
Firstly, I'd bet your printers were repairable fairly easily had you
pursued the matter. Secondly, not everyone has the obvious disposable
income you do, nor does everyone feel comfortable, from an environmental
approach, sending printers to the landfill after a year.

Inkjet printers should not be "disposable". They use way too much
resource for them to be so easily discarded. I still use inkjet
printers that are eight years old, and they work (although they are
slow), so the machines can be made to work much more than a year.

Making a printer that lasts a year, and costing as much as the printer
to replace the heads is unacceptable. I support such lawsuits and I
hope they are successful. Manufacturers need to have their heads turned
around about causing this kind of waste of resource.

Art
 
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