Dell Inspiron Laptop Batteries Not Adequately Tested for Defects, Class Action Claims

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A proposed class action alleges Dell Technologies has deceived consumers by failing to disclose that the lithium-ion batteries in its Inspiron 15 3000 Series laptops are not tested for certain manufacturing defects that could cause them to fail prematurely.

The 11-page case claims consumers expect a laptop’s battery—“its most important feature,” according to the suit—to function adequately for the lifespan of the machine and to not “suffer rapid degradation and failure.”

The filing contends that consumers would not have bought the Dell Inspiron laptops had they known the testing of the machines’ batteries overlooked certain “failure precursors and defects” introduced during manufacturing that could lead to reliability and performance issues and cause the batteries to fail prematurely.

According to the suit, the testing methods for the lithium-ion batteries used in Dell’s Inspiron laptops focus mainly on overall performance without checking for manufacturing defects. The case says structural cell defects, electrode defects, tab burrs, separator defects, morphological defects, and impurities and contaminants introduced during the manufacture of the battery can lead to problems ranging from inferior performance and overheating to a reduced lifespan or complete failure.

The manufacturer’s failure to use available testing methods to address these issues has led to an increased likelihood that consumers will purchase laptops with battery performance issues that are not linked to how they use their computers, the lawsuit alleges.

The suit says Dell, by selling its laptops, represents to buyers that the machines’ components are adequate and will function “for a reasonable period of time.” Due to the batteries’ inadequate testing, Dell’s Inspiron laptops are worth much less than their value as represented by the company, the case contends.

The plaintiff, a Carbondale, Illinois resident, says she purchased a Dell Inspiron 15 3000 Series laptop in March 2020 under the belief that its battery “could reliably hold its charge and not drain rapidly after short periods unconnected to an external power source.” After only a few months, however, the plaintiff’s laptop could no longer maintain its charge “for any reasonable period of time,” the suit says.

The case says the plaintiff and others paid more for Dell’s Inspiron laptop than they otherwise would have had they known the computers’ batteries had been tested for only macroscopic performance and not other defects that could cause them to fail.

The suit looks to represent anyone in Illinois, North Dakota, North Carolina, Kentucky, Utah, Kansas and Wyoming who purchased a Dell Inspiron 15 3000 Series laptop within the applicable statute of limitations period.

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