Dell Inspiron 15-3531 Troubleshooting

The laptop shows no signs of powering up.

Check if the power adapter is plugged in and the charge light is on. If the adapter is plugged in and the light is not on, the adapter may not be working properly and a replacement adapter should be considered.

If the laptop only powers up with the power adapter plugged in, the battery may not be working properly. A replacement battery should be considered.

The laptop display is black, discolored or flickers.

Check if the backlight is off. If it is on and the images on-screen are faint, the backlight may be broken and in need of replacement.

If the screen is completely black or white with colored lines, it may be broken and in need of replacement. Try plugging the laptop into an exterior monitor to see if the motherboard is still working. If an image is displayed, then just the laptop display needs to be replaced.

If the screen flickers or has unresponsive pixels, it may have an issue with the motherboard. The cable connecting the display to the motherboard could be loose or damaged, or the graphics chipset on the motherboard may have an issue. Follow the guide for accessing the motherboard to check for these problems.

The keyboard is not responding or working properly.

Check if the cable under the keyboard is properly connected. If not, reconnect it. If the keyboard still does not work, replacement may be required.

The trackpad is not responding to my touch.

If the touchpad is dirty, an accumulation of dirt could be causing the touchpad to be unresponsive. Turn off the laptop and clean on and around the trackpad with an ammonia-based or screen cleaner.

The touchpad may have been accidentally disabled. On the laptop, navigate to "Device Manager" and click on "Mouse and other pointing devices". Find the "Dell touchpad" and ensure the touchpad is enabled.

The laptop is overheating and shutting down.

The laptop vent is on the bottom of the device. Using the laptop on a bed or similar surface can cause the laptop to overheat. Make sure to use an appropriate surface or consider buying a laptop cooling pad.

If the laptop is overheating, it may be due to a dusty air vent blocking airflow. Using a clean toothbrush, brush the air vent until the dust has disappeared.

The disk tray is not reading discs.

Dirt or other foreign substances may be causing read errors. Open the tray and blow compressed air onto the tray. Dampen a cotton swab with rubbing alcohol and clean the dirty area. Dry the tray with a fresh cotton swab. The tray should be completely dry before use.

Before inserting a disc, check if it is dirty. If dirty, clean with a damp cotton cloth, wiping with straight strokes from the center to the outside rim. After cleaning with the damp cloth, use a dry cotton cloth to dry disc using the same strokes.