SDS100/SDS200: Uniden repair turnaround times?

[Echo4Thirty]

So my 100 decided to do the cold solder joint deal yesterday so off she went to Uniden. I also had an issue where my rotary encoder skips so I felt it was a good time to get both corrected. What is the current turn around time you guys are experiencing?

I also am not hopeful it will be fully fixed. I debated sending it to Jon, but I didn't know his current status.

 

[hiegtx]

So my 100 decided to do the cold solder joint deal yesterday so off she went to Uniden. I also had an issue where my rotary encoder skips so I felt it was a good time to get both corrected. What is the current turn around time you guys are experiencing?

I also am not hopeful it will be fully fixed. I debated sending it to Jon, but I didn't know his current status.

Most of the recent posts on "turn around" time are in the two to three week time frame. Of course, actual time will be dependent on the repair station's workload (how many units are currently in for repair), as well as parts availability.

 

[Echo4Thirty]

That at least gives me a point of reference. It was delivered to their office yesterday (2/23/22). Ill post updates to create data points for others.

 

[Echo4Thirty]

Even though it was delivered to a named person at the receptionist desk, they still have not emailed me to tell me they have received it.

 

[rdxny]

I sent my bcd325 to Uniden for repair (bad earphone jack). I received it (fixed) 6 business days after they received it. Very impressed! They didn't acknowledge receipt or shipping though.

 

[Echo4Thirty]

Awesome! Hopefully mine will randomly show up

 

[N2SEB]

How much do they charge to repair the cold solder joint problem on units out of warranty?

 

[garys]

The standard repair charge is $89.95, I think that includes return shipping. They will not call or email you, and the repair website is no longer in use. I ended up calling and they told me that my scanner was repaired and on its way back. They could not provide a tracking number either.

 

[hiegtx]

Even though it was delivered to a named person at the receptionist desk, they still have not emailed me to tell me they have received it.

Remember that the person that signed for your unit is almost certainly not a Uniden employee. For the business park where Uniden's repair facility is located, all shipments go to a centralized location, which handles shipping and receiving for all companies in that location. Your unit would then be forwarded to the Uniden location. That may be a contributing factor as to why recipt for your item is not acknowledged immediately, even though that is something that needs to be addressed.

 

[hiegtx]

How much do they charge to repair the cold solder joint problem on units out of warranty?

garys is correct. The $89.95 flat rate charge does include return shipping. You pay for shipping to Uniden, using a method that provides tracking, whether ground via USPS, FedEx, or UPS.

 

[N2SEB]

Thanks for the responses.

For a unit under warranty, do you think I can just ship the scanner? (without including the SD card, antenna, clip, battery, battery cover)
I want to minimize what can be misplaced during the transaction.

 

[fxdscon]

Thanks for the responses.

For a unit under warranty, do you think I can just ship the scanner? (without including the SD card, antenna, clip, battery, battery cover)
I want to minimize what can be misplaced during the transaction.

You should call them to check for sure, but this is from the Uniden repair web page:

Be Sure To Include The Unit & All Accessories In Order To Properly Troubleshoot Your Particular Repair Issue.

 

[N2SEB]

Be Sure To Include The Unit & All Accessories In Order To Properly Troubleshoot Your Particular Repair Issue.

Thanks to what you shared, I actually found their repair site and rates.

I'm a little shocked that they advertize:
Uniden now repairs other brand model scanners. Service fee: $69.95 plus shipping.
while the repair price alone for an SDS100 is $79.95... It's just adding insult to injury to their lack of software and firmware updates for an already expensive unit that received questionable design and quality assurance.

Feels like they are really not customer focused since Upman (Paul Opitz) passed.

 

[Echo4Thirty]

So my scanner just showed up via FedEx. Fixed the solder joint and the skipping rotary encoder. There was zero communications from them.

Turnaround was a little over a week, considering I am in Houston, transit times were short but i am very impressed

 

[Echo4Thirty]

Thanks for the responses.

For a unit under warranty, do you think I can just ship the scanner? (without including the SD card, antenna, clip, battery, battery cover)
I want to minimize what can be misplaced during the transaction.

I just shipped mine with the SD card, battery and cover. I did not send my antenna

 

[JoeBearcat]

Thanks for the responses.

For a unit under warranty, do you think I can just ship the scanner? (without including the SD card, antenna, clip, battery, battery cover)
I want to minimize what can be misplaced during the transaction.

That depends on the issue. For example, a battery life issue may need the battery included while a sensitivity issue would not (but may need the antenna).

 

[JoeBearcat]

Feels like they are really not customer focused since Upman (Paul Opitz) passed.

Not true. Just still trying to catch up from the year when nothing was kept up on with respect to issues.

It's not easy to ask them engineers to halt development so we can catch up. I have to accept whatever timetable they have the time to do that. The backlog makes it worse.

 

[Echo4Thirty]

I am still a little irritated I had to pay $90.00 to fix a KNOWN manufacturing defect, but what choice did I have? It will certainly influence my decision regarding additional Uniden purchases in the future across their entire portfolio, not just receivers.

I am especially concerned that this problem will occur again (as documented in these forums) once my three month repair warranty expires.

 

[buddrousa]

Well it is very obvious that our new Uniden Product Manager does not have the stroke the our old Uniden Product Manager had.
Of course our new Uniden Product Manager has not designed several new scanners either.

 

[garys]

To be fair, he was open about that when he introduced himself in 2020. Paul was unique not only in the scanning field, but across industry. At least in my experience.

He straddled a fine between advocating for us and representing the interests of Uniden.

I don't know that any replacement can replicate that balance.

Well it is very obvious that our new Uniden Product Manager does not have the stroke the our old Uniden Product Manager had.
Of course our new Uniden Product Manager has not designed several new scanners either.