XPS 15 9520, charging port issues, ports failing one by one

Unless the system is under warranty, Dell will not repair it without charge.

If you have not yet tried a new OEM Dell AC adapter, that would be the first thing to try.  If it doesn't solve the problem, regardless of what you can or cannot buy, the mainboard needs to be replaced.

@ejn63​ It is not Under warranty. I've tried a new OEM Dell AC adapter. I cannot afford to replace the motherboard. Can you explain to me exactly why I have to change the entire motherboard and not just the charging ports? 

You don't have to, but it's likely the problem isn't with the ports but rather with the charge circuit.  Do you want to gamble several hundred dollars on having the ports replaced only to then find out you need to replace the board?

@ejn63​ I would like to pay $5.00 for charging jack replacements or try to replace the ports myself first. If that doesn't work then I won't be able to use the computer until I can come up with the money. If I screw it up.. which is not likely, then It wont matter since I have to replace the motherboard anyway. But I truly believe the problem is with the ports since 90% of people online are complaining that the jacks / ports are the problem and the ports looked damaged. Also the reason I think they are damaged is because I have a chronic illness and have to use my computer in bed a lot. This hasn't been good for the chargers and charging ports. This is also Why I cannot afford to buy a new laptop or replace the motherboard. So exactly how can I fix this issue myself before I opt out to having to buy a $3,000 motherboard. I would like to at least try to fix it cheaply first. Also is there a way to open up the computer and check the motherboard?

@ejn63​ Also thank you so much for your input

@ejn63​ I forgot to mention that the charging does still work if I hold the charger in the right spot. The charger works on another computer fine. It's not a problem with the charger. And if the charging works if I hold it in a specific spot that seems like a port issue not a motherboard issue.

I just found this. It's is a great example of what I would like to do however this is a different model.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAIAo-20jCM&t=288s

If so, the charge port(s) may be a contributing issue.  I would expect (at US labor rates) it to cost at least $300-400 to have three USB-C ports replaced, assuming there's no damage to the board itself.  You'll need to contact a shop that does surface mount, multilayer board soldering to see what they say and for an estimate at labor rates where you live.

It may be less expensive than a board replacement, but not by as much as you might think.

Note:  this is NOT a job for someone with a soldering iron.  You need someone skilled in surface mount repair.

@ejn63​ Great, Thank you so much. I appreciate the help. Do you think i should try replacing the jacks first? 

I would get an estimate of the repair cost before making that decision.  My suspicion is that it won't be much less expensive to have a repair tried than to simply replace the board.  

maybe this helps? https://www.dell.com/community/en/conversations/xps/xps-15-9500-reboot-charge-issues-thread/67cc0a4a056cdb3737c6e168

did you find any solution for this? I am experiencing the same problem. my left USB C ports are not charging but works fine for data transfer ore USB flash connect. is there any solution or is it a motherboard problem?

I have one of the USB4 ports on the left side of XPS9520 that has stopped charging lately, no matter what kind of charger I plug in.  It happened after I upgraded Windows 11 Home to Pro.  Hardware damage or wear-out is possible, but I have not been able to rule out BIOS/firmware upgrade-related issues, which have happened many times before with Dell XPS.    One evidence indicating the bios problem is that when I plug in the power cord, the system knows the power cable is connected, but tells me that it is not charging, without giving me a reason.  I hope Dell engineers can take a close look at this issue, based on the information I presented here.    

Hi everyone, here is the solution I found, I hope it will help
I was facing an issue on my Dell Precision 5550 where USB-C charging stopped working (data transfer works, USB flash connection works, only charging stopped), especially on the left-side ports, and it would sometimes switch working ports after reboot (sometimes left side works sometimes right port works, sometimes when I flip the charging cable it start working).
Also, the pre-boot diagnostics (F12 > Diagnostics) showed the error:

“Charger not recognized.”

After trying everything else, I decided to downgrade my BIOS from version 1.35 to an earlier version (I used 1.33). After the downgrade:

• ✅ All USB-C ports now charge correctly in both orientations

• ✅ The pre-boot diagnostic error disappeared

• ✅ Charging is now stable and reliable

So this confirms that the issue was introduced in BIOS 1.35, and downgrading fixed it completely.

If anyone else is facing similar issues, I highly recommend testing with a previous BIOS version like 1.33. Also, remember to disable automatic BIOS updates to avoid the issue returning.

Hope this helps someone! 🙌

no no guys, it is not working, after a night when I boot it, it went to where it is