Dell latitude touchpad poor performance

[PaulyG]

My Dell Latitude 7390 touchpad has slowly been getting worse over time. It is quite erratic and difficult to click. I get around it using a USB mouse but this is a bit irritating to have to use. Is this an easy fix?

 

[root]

Hey @PaulyG - welcome to CF!

Is there anything you've tried so far to fix this such as reinstalling the touchpad drivers?

Are there any physical signs of issues on the laptop i.e is the case bulging either at the top or bottom, or any cracks/scratches/dings on the touchpad itself?

 

[PaulyG]

Thank you, I haven't reinstalled anything. Looking at the case I would say it does look a little raised could this be due to dropping the laptop or similar?

 

[root]

Thank you, I haven't reinstalled anything. Looking at the case I would say it does look a little raised could this be due to dropping the laptop or similar?

It sounds to me like the battery in the laptop may have swollen and is pushing up against the touchpad causing the issue.

Best way to see if this is the case, is to remove the battery and try running the machine from AC. If it works better then the battery is the issue, if it doesn't fix it then it might be the touchpad itself.

Looking at your laptop model, you'll need to take the bottom cover off - it's fairly easy - and carefully remove the battery. If you notice the battery appears "puffy" then that would confirm it's overdue to be replaced.

 

[PaulyG]

Took a screwdriver to it and you're right, the battery was a bit swole. Taken it out and trying the touchpad tethered on mains. Seems better now.
Looking at batteries online is it best to order from Dell direct as they appear a lot cheaper on ebay.

 

[root]

Glad to hear you've found a possible solution.

I'd say buy the battery from Dell - ebay batteries provide no guarantee of quality or performance.