BCD436HP / BCD536HP Repair Campaign

[harryshute]

Uniden date or version code

People have said this topic has been covered in other posts. To be specific, I am asking about how it is that even a dealer does not know what stock they are receiving from Uniden (the BCD536HP in particular). People have said that Paul Opitz can't help (not sure if they mean he simply doesn't know, or isn't allowed to say).

How can this be? Is this standard practice and considered acceptable to everyone?

Let me be more specific. Regarding the RTC issue, I have read here about a "new logic board" as part of the solution for those who had to send their scanners back to Uniden for the repair campaign. As of today, will every new BCD536 contain the RTC fix (whether it be a logic board or battery or whatever it is)?

If not, does this mean I can buy a brand new BCD536 today and get one that will develop the RTC failure tomorrow?

Same question for the display back light issue. Do all new stock BCD536's have the improved backlight? If not, then that means the one I get could develop this problem?

Does Whistler do this? What about ICOM ? Yaesu? AOR?

I'm just looking for wisdom for those who have been active here in the past several years (I have not).

Thank you in advance.

P.S. I am happy for this to become a new thread if that is more appropriate or desirable.

Just going by memory there was a thread about a Uniden version or date code. I believe it is after the 375Z on the serial number. I have a 536 with the problems (now repaired) with code 375Z3 and another newer one with 375Z5 which is good so far. So to speculate perhaps code 3 in 2014, 4 is 2015 and 5 is 2016.

 

[UPMan]

We do not have stale stock. Anything we ship to a distributor was likely built within the previous 60-90 days. We have no visibility or control over the rest of the sales chain. Distributors sell to dealers who then sell to you. Did the distributor strictly follow FIFO or do they have some units from a few months (or years) ago still sitting? I don't know. I have no way to know. Ditto that for any dealer. Ditto that for any other manufacturer in this business.

 

[harryshute]

We do not have stale stock. Anything we ship to a distributor was likely built within the previous 60-90 days. We have no visibility or control over the rest of the sales chain. Distributors sell to dealers who then sell to you. Did the distributor strictly follow FIFO or do they have some units from a few months (or years) ago still sitting? I don't know. I have no way to know. Ditto that for any dealer. Ditto that for any other manufacturer in this business.

So there is no date or version code in the serial number?

 

[UPMan]

Yes, but since not every unit made at any time has the failure, there is no way to screen by S/N for this.

 

[marksmith]

I think the logic board solution is for the 436, not the 536.

If Uniden would specify the serial numbers after which all the issues are resolved, it would result in pissing off a lot of dealers that are holding inventory prior to that.

People would not want to purchase units thought to be at issue, resulting in dealers not being able to sell their inventory or being forced to discount it. Uniden may not let dealers discount product and remain a dealer.

There are all sorts of implications for disclosing this info when there are still probably a lot out there in the pipeline. Uniden needs to protect their dealers by not disclosing the info and assuming all units are fine.

Since the repairs are not being charged for, there is really no obligation to protect the consumer. They are doing that by making free repairs.

I know your request seems simple and straight forward, but it's not.

Mark
WS1095/536/436/996P2/HP1e/HP2e/996XT/325P2/396XT/PRO668/PSR800/PRO652

 

[JeffAdams]

Thank you Harry, Paul, and Mark for your answers, this helps me. Perhaps I've not stated clearly enough my thought process. If a change in manufacturing is made (say to correct the RTC issue, and the way the correction was implemented was to use a different component on a circuit board), then every 536 from that serial # on (the 1st unit to have the new, different component) will contain the fix. Therefore, Uniden knows exactly which units contain the fix. Or perhaps a particular lot/batch of a component was defective, and the new lots from the component manufacturer fix the problem. But if the case is that for some unknown reason, *some* units eventually fail (and Uniden and the manufacturer of the part simply do not know why the part is failing), then Uniden has no way to know which units will exhibit the problem and are unable to inform the public.

Mark, as much as I appreciate your scenario where perhaps Uniden is protecting suppliers/distributors, I personally think that would be wrong, and that Uniden should simply recall (from the supply chain including through the dealer) the potentially bad unit & put them all through the "fix the RTC" assembly line. However, if only (and I'm making this # up) ~5% of those units will ever fail based on historical data, *that* would be a big hit to fix every scanner and I would agree that my approach may not be reasonable.

Thanks again,
Jeff

 

[buddrousa]

I think Paul answered the question when he said the failures were random from different serial numbers made at different years so the failures are not related to the serial numbers. They are getting good parts and bad parts in the same batch is the way it reads to me. I own both the 436 and 536 and have yet to have the problem but if I do I will send it in for repair. If you look I am running as I type every scanner in my signature.

 

[JeffAdams]

Thanks, I agree with your interpretation. I will buy one and presume that if I ever have a problem, Uniden will be there to fix it.

 

[VK3RX]

I thought I'd report on this campaign from a non U.S./Canadian perspective.

I'm in Australia and purchased my 436HP in January 2015 from a U.S. dealer, and registered it with Uniden America. The RTC issue didn't appear until September 2016. Initially I thought to live with it rather than ship back to Uniden in the U.S., but it finally bugged me to the extent of signing up for the repair.

I received the reference number and posted the unit airmail on 10 November. I didn't bother sending via UPS (not that I received a prepaid UPS label anyway) because I'm in a rural area some distance away from a depot and the postal charge was reasonable.

I received advice from Uniden that the unit was received and placed into the repair center on 1 December and have now further advice that it was shipped back on 2 December, which is a great turnaround time.

The only thing I've noted on Uniden's detailed status page is under customer information my name and address including town, state and zip code are there but minus the country.

My email address is listed below the mail address which ends in ".AU" so hopefully it will end up here in Australia and not Austria

 

[JeffAdams]

Thanks Damien. Great feedback

 

[SCPD]

whats the holdup?

Work In Progress Info
1
Model: BCD436HP
Serial: ****2454
POP Date: 08/25/2016
MFG Date: N/A

11/22/2016 UNIT HAS BEEN RECEIVED
Estimated Ship Date: 12/20/2016
Repair Amount: $0.00
Other Amount: $0.00
Complaint: N/A
Exchanged Model: N/A
Exchanged S/N: N/A

No updates since 11/22/16

and estimated ship date of 12/20/2016 ????? and all it says is received..

I know about thanksgiving but why the 12/20/16 ship date when everyone says only 1 week in repair from receive date? Is repair on vacation or something? Just asking

 

[wizardofid]

Work In Progress Info
1
Model: BCD436HP
Serial: ****2454
POP Date: 08/25/2016
MFG Date: N/A

11/22/2016 UNIT HAS BEEN RECEIVED
Estimated Ship Date: 12/20/2016
Repair Amount: $0.00
Other Amount: $0.00
Complaint: N/A
Exchanged Model: N/A
Exchanged S/N: N/A

No updates since 11/22/16

and estimated ship date of 12/20/2016 ????? and all it says is received..

I know about thanksgiving but why the 12/20/16 ship date when everyone says only 1 week in repair from receive date? Is repair on vacation or something? Just asking

I had my BCD436HP and BCD536HP marked as having been received on 11/21/2016 with an estimated shipping date of 12/19/2016. Upon checking the status of my units on the Uniden Status Page I saw where my two units had been repaired (536 on 11/29 and 436 on 12/02) and both had been shipped back to me on 12/02/2016. I should be receiving them this coming Wednesday.

I think the key is to be patient and to check your "status page" daily... you can't be far from receiving them back from Uniden.

 

[SCPD]

I had my BCD436HP and BCD536HP marked as having been received on 11/21/2016 with an estimated shipping date of 12/19/2016. Upon checking the status of my units on the Uniden Status Page I saw where my two units had been repaired (536 on 11/29 and 436 on 12/02) and both had been shipped back to me on 12/02/2016. I should be receiving them this coming Wednesday.

I think the key is to be patient and to check your "status page" daily... you can't be far from receiving them back from Uniden.

Ok Thanks... It seemed like uniden used to be faster but I do get it... Lots of these unites are probably still out in cyberspace like amazon as mine was...

And i have and will always have faith and patients in UNIDEN as they have always made the product repair seem quick and easy... and never do i remember having issues with them... however i did have bad experiences with other brands... '

Uniden will always be my first choice....

 

[Nasby]

I sent my 436HP in last week for repair.

Does anyone know if the Uniden techs automatically update the unit to the most current firmware after they make the recall repair?

 

[buddrousa]

I think most have stated they had to update and reinstall the DMR key

 

[slwilson28625]

UPMAN
I sent my 536 in early in the campaign to get the dim display fixed. When it came back it was a little better but still not bright. I sent a second unit in a few months ago and it came back with a bright display. I believe that the first repair may have used the original faulty replacement bulbs.but I did not realize that until I saw the difference. The 90 day warranty period has passed. So I sent my 536 to regular Uniden repair along with the proof of purchase. The unit has a 3 yr warranty sticker on it, and it is still within the three year period.. I got my acknowledgement back showing SRO 2000096 and when I check the repair status it shows a repair fee of $79.95. This unit should be under warranty not to mention that the first repair was not sufficient. I do not see any where to email to make sure that the repair will be warrantied. Is there anyway to notify them or can you check the status. You have the SRO and the zip code is 28625. I would appreciate any help that you can give.

 

[UPMan]

It is possible that the repair tech missed changing the current limiting resistors in the unit with the brighter display. The unit you sent in is being returned "No Trouble Found." The unit with the brighter display stands a solid chance of having early LED failure due to the improper current limiting. I apologize for the hassle.

 

[slwilson28625]

Display Brightness

Thanks for the information. I guess its a lose, lose for me on this one. The unit sent will not have a brighter display and the previously repaired one will probably fail in the future. I guess time will tell on that one. Thanks for the information and assistance. Thanks for looking out for Uniden scanner consumers.

 

[AC0RV]

Ok never sent any scanner to Uniden for repair. So what is the procedure(s) to do so

Thanks.

 

[JamesO]

Standard customer pay process - https://repair.uniden.com/repairInstruct.cfm