RTX 5090 Burn Damage Destroys GPU and VRAM, Warranty Reportedly Rejected

A Vietnamese GPU repair shop has shared details of a GeForce RTX 5090 with severe burn damage around the 16-pin power connector. According to the workshop, the damage spread through part of the PCB, destroyed the GPU and VRAM, and left the graphics card impossible to repair. The shop further claims the owner’s warranty request was rejected because the damage involved fire.

The repair shop received two RTX 5090 graphics cards. The first card reportedly arrived with power issues, GPU detection problems, and a missing VRAM chip after earlier repair work. Technicians repaired the card and restored it to normal operation on the same day.

The second card suffered much heavier damage. According to the workshop, the area around the 16-pin power connector burned through the PCB and exposed the copper layers underneath. The technicians claim the damage spread to the GPU die and onboard VRAM, leaving the card beyond repair.

The workshop believes an onboard fuse could have stopped the electrical short before it spread across the board. The technicians argue that this type of protection would be useful on a graphics card in this price range. NVIDIA and the graphics card manufacturer have not responded to these claims.

According to the repair shop, the warranty request was rejected because fire and burn damage are excluded under the manufacturer’s warranty policy. The workshop compared the case with EVGA, which previously provided warranty coverage for similar incidents before leaving the graphics card business.

The exact cause of the failure is still unknown. The workshop did not identify the graphics card manufacturer, although photos shared with the report appear to show a Dell OEM model in the background. No information was provided about the power supply, the cable, or whether the card was connected with a native 12V-2×6 cable, an adapter, or an extension cable. Without those details, the cause of the failure cannot be confirmed.

Also Read: Melted Power Adapter Ruins $3,000 GeForce RTX 5090

Reports of damaged 16-pin power connectors first surfaced during the GeForce RTX 4090 generation. NVIDIA later introduced the updated 12V-2×6 connector to improve connection reliability. Even after that change, repair shops and hardware reviewers have continued to report occasional RTX 5090 connector failures.

According to the workshop, this case differs from many earlier reports because the damage was not limited to the connector. The PCB, GPU, and VRAM were all reportedly damaged. Even so, this single repair case does not prove a manufacturing defect or design problem. More technical evidence is needed to determine whether the failure was caused by the graphics card, the power supply, the cable, installation, or another hardware issue.

Source: I_Leak_VN (X) (In Vietnamese)