RMA/warranty refused because of damage - what recourse do I have?

[Sinbad2000]

So, my graphics card died out of the blue.

Froze during a game of D4, no image after a reboot. After a hard power cycle, it displayed post and windows, then as soon as I fired up D4 again it froze.
Power cycled again a few times, no change in behaviour. Also updated drivers etc.
Removed card, reseated - this time, no image on boot at all.


So I RMAd it.

I just got a picture back of a miniscule scratch across two pins on the PCI connector (probably 0.1mm from the bottom of the gold bit itself) with the word that "warranty denied due to physical damage".

Now bear in mind this card got installed, and then never removed again until it stopped working...

I'm absolutely livid.

Firstly, the scratch would not make any difference to the functionality of the card at all. Secondly, I'm not even convinced that scratch was there when I sent the card in...

What are my rights in this regard?
I feel that OCUK should provide evidence that this physical damage caused the card to stop working before using it to decline a warranty claim.

 

[Sinbad2000]

Can you upload the pic of the damage?

Also that scratch across two pins couldn't short something on card? Not sure where you stand regards claim, I would have seeked specialist gpu repair guy or something along them lines to give his opinion in writing then send back to ocuk.

Updated original post.

 

[Sinbad2000]

Have you tried calling them regarding this at all or did they just send it back to you?

What gpu is it?

I just received the email notifying me of the declined claim.
Calling would be a bad idea as I'm a little angry... So looking to confirm my feelings that this isn't right before I go off half-cocked.
I have emailed asking for diagnostics to be done to determine whether or not this is the cause of the failure.

Sapphire RX6800 pulse 16GB

 

[Sinbad2000]

Well in your right to be annoyed, I think anyone would be.

I would at least expect them to prove that this damage is the cause of the issue as it sounds like they have opened the box, inspected for damage and then just put it back in and e mailed you the picture.

They got the box at 12pm on the 15 October. Took the picture 2 hours later.
And sent me the notification now... 6 days later...?

I've sent Sapphire a support case as well asking whether the scratch is likely to have caused the failure noted, and whether it would void the warranty.

 

[Sinbad2000]

Well in your right to be annoyed, I think anyone would be.

I would at least expect them to prove that this damage is the cause of the issue as it sounds like they have opened the box, inspected for damage and then just put it back in and e mailed you the picture blaming this as the cause.

It may well be the reason why its not booting as I have watched some GPU repairs and the damage to these pads can cause issues but I cannot remember exactly what.

Sure - however, it wouldn't be the reason the card stopped working out of the blue... I haven't been inside my case in literally months.