Uniden Repair Delay

[thom]

I wasn't going to post this but, I have to vent somewhere. I sent my SDS200 in for a faulty mini usb. I received it back in 7 weeks. The usb still did not work and I sent it back to the repair facility. I called today, 7 weeks, and the rep said that they were waiting for an ordered part. I have not been able to use this radio since the first week in January. Guess I'll go sit on the beach, have a beer and think of more pleasant things.

 

[trido]

confused that usb onlyfor programming, just take sd card putin a pc program it that way meaning away from scanner.
i am talking about front micro usb right?

I wasn't going to post this but, I have to vent somewhere. I sent my SDS200 in for a faulty mini usb. I received it back in 7 weeks. The usb still did not work and I sent it back to the repair facility. I called today, 7 weeks, and the rep said that they were waiting for an ordered part. I have not been able to use this radio since the first week in January. Guess I'll go sit on the beach, have a beer and think of more pleasant things.

 

[thom]

confused that usb onlyfor programming, just take sd card putin a pc program it that way meaning away from scanner.
i am talking about front micro usb right?

Just walked back from the beach, now I feel better, lol. Yes, the front one that looks like a cell phone input. I was using Proscan with FTP but I feel that if one spends that much cash on an item, everything should work. FTP is a bit slower and I thought that I would need the input if they ever did a firmware update which probably will never happen.

 

[trido]

is this under warranty?

Just walked back from the beach, now I feel better, lol. Yes, the front one that looks like a cell phone input. I was using Proscan with FTP but I feel that if one spends that much cash on an item, everything should work. FTP is a bit slower and I thought that I would need the input if they ever did a firmware update which probably will never happen.

 

[MStep]

I wasn't going to post this but, I have to vent somewhere. I sent my SDS200 in for a faulty mini usb. I received it back in 7 weeks. The usb still did not work and I sent it back to the repair facility. I called today, 7 weeks, and the rep said that they were waiting for an ordered part. I have not been able to use this radio since the first week in January. Guess I'll go sit on the beach, have a beer and think of more pleasant things.

Folks have to keep posting about these issues, either about products received defective, or with these kind of Uniden repair facility "misadventures". Some might call them horror stories. If these issues are not brought to light, there is no impetus for Uniden to make improvements in either manufacture or repair.

Every time someone reads something like this, prospective Uniden scanner customers back away from that "Buy Now" button in droves. As they should. No one wants to play Russian Roulette with their $600 or $700 purchase.

Let's face it, 7 weeks is practically 2 months. And are you saying that it has now been an additional 7 weeks? I imagine so, since you say that you have not been able to use your radio since the first week in January !!! That's going on nearly 5 months now.

 

[sfb88]

Just to give some perspective on how other corporations handle repair issues. I have a BMW M3. Admittedly it is older, 1999 but low mileage. It has been dealer maintained since new. It gave ABS and traction control warning lights. Dealer ran diagnostics and said that the hydraulic pump unit was bad. BMW does not make a replacement part available anymore and the BMW dealer won't try to source any repair parts that aren't new BMW OEM. How is that for responsive repairs?

 

[MStep]

Just to give some perspective on how other corporations handle repair issues. I have a BMW M3. Admittedly it is older, 1999 but low mileage. It has been dealer maintained since new. It gave ABS and traction control warning lights. Dealer ran diagnostics and said that the hydraulic pump unit was bad. BMW does not make a replacement part available anymore and the BMW dealer won't try to source any repair parts that aren't new BMW OEM. How is that for responsive repairs?

I guess you're gonna have to hunt for a reputable repair shop in your area. And some radio manufacturers have also stopped doing repairs on some of their older models (notably AOR), due to lack of spare parts. You read the post above about the guy who waited 7 weeks with his Uniden repair. Seven weeks and they are waiting for a part! You'll likely get your hydraulic pump on be back on the road long before he sees his radio again. Good luck to you.

 

[tumegpc]

A few months ago I sent Uniden my SDS100 for CSJ repair and when I received it back it was still not working. I had jonwienke take a look at it and he was able to fix it. Now my second SDS100 has the same problem, so I sent it to Jon.

Uniden's top priority should be getting someone competent and certified in electronic repair. Help me help you? I could care less about any new firmware or new features. Let's get the hardware right first. How about Uniden offering a refund to anyone that paid to have an SDS100 repaired.

And if Uniden sends back a non-working unit, the consumer should get a NEW scanner with FedEx overnight shipping. And then allow the customer to send back the old scanner within 7 weeks.

 

[MStep]

A few months ago I sent Uniden my SDS100 for CSJ repair and when I received it back it was still not working. I had jonwienke take a look at it and he was able to fix it. Now my second SDS100 has the same problem, so I sent it to Jon.

Uniden's top priority should be getting someone competent and certified in electronic repair. Help me help you? I could care less about any new firmware or new features. Let's get the hardware right first. How about Uniden offering a refund to anyone that paid to have an SDS100 repaired.

And if Uniden sends back a non-working unit, the consumer should get a NEW scanner with FedEx overnight shipping. And then allow the customer to send back the old scanner within 7 weeks.

Good luck on getting a refund. Although I agree with you 100%. Here and elsewhere, I have continually advocated for Uniden to provide a 3 year retroactive warranty on their "flagship" SDS series.

 

[VA3ADP]

A few months ago I sent Uniden my SDS100 for CSJ repair and when I received it back it was still not working. I had jonwienke take a look at it and he was able to fix it. Now my second SDS100 has the same problem, so I sent it to Jon.

Uniden's top priority should be getting someone competent and certified in electronic repair. Help me help you? I could care less about any new firmware or new features. Let's get the hardware right first. How about Uniden offering a refund to anyone that paid to have an SDS100 repaired.

And if Uniden sends back a non-working unit, the consumer should get a NEW scanner with FedEx overnight shipping. And then allow the customer to send back the old scanner within 7 weeks.

Did Uniden say they couldn't find anything wrong with the unit?

 

[GlobalNorth]

Just to give some perspective on how other corporations handle repair issues. I have a BMW M3. Admittedly it is older, 1999 but low mileage. It has been dealer maintained since new. It gave ABS and traction control warning lights. Dealer ran diagnostics and said that the hydraulic pump unit was bad. BMW does not make a replacement part available anymore and the BMW dealer won't try to source any repair parts that aren't new BMW OEM. How is that for responsive repairs?

That's typical for many auto manufacturers and franchised dealers. I had a 1987 Buick Grand National. Many factory parts were all gone by 1992 when people were buying them up to turn their plain jane Regal into a faked GN to rip people off. The local dealer elected to focus on retirees who were buying their last car and I had to find a performance shop that was willing to work on it. The problems mounted upwards and I gave up on many specialty autos. Rolls Royce keeps parts on hand for well over a decade and some NOS parts go back to the 1980s. Corvettes and Mustangs are okay, because there is an established NOS, used, remanufactured, or reproduction parts network available. Jeep's MB, CJ, YJ, TJ, and JK are the same way..

A M3/M5, a Benz SLS, a Grand National, or a GMC S-10 Syclone... forget it. Nice vehicles, but if you really want one, good luck on keeping it three decades in running condition.

Motorola is the same way and I wouldn't buy an APX radio now - it is likely at the end of its' lifecycle and the next wonder-radio will make it obsolete for dealers and repair shops.

 

[MStep]

I enjoy the car stories, but it would be best to keep the thread on topic. Here's and idea--- how about someone that has had a good experience with Uniden repair and an SDS radio. Someone who got a 2 or 3 week turn around time and had the job done right the first time. With all of these Uniden horror stories, there must be some folks out there that did better than the rest. Let's hear from you!

 

[tumegpc]

Did Uniden say they couldn't find anything wrong with the unit?

They sent it back as J401 repaired.

 

[VA3ADP]

They sent it back as J401 repaired.

Oh wow I'm really surprised they sent it back and didn't actually fix it. I'm glad you were able to sort that out.

 

[VA3ADP]

I sent my scanners in late February. We are now approaching June. Still haven't heard anything from Uniden. Im pretty disappointed but also concerned Uniden is just going to send my units back unrepaired.

 

[palmerjrusa]

I enjoy the car stories, but it would be best to keep the thread on topic. Here's and idea--- how about someone that has had a good experience with Uniden repair and an SDS radio. Someone who got a 2 or 3 week turn around time and had the job done right the first time. With all of these Uniden horror stories, there must be some folks out there that did better than the rest. Let's hear from you!

I had to send in my Home Patrol 2 (7 months from purchase) for repair under warranty late last year.

Within days, they acknowledged receipt of the scanner with a case number together with a date for being shipped back.

Granted that date was 5 weeks from receipt of the unit but it was shipped back to me on that exact date.

Uniden does have a quality control problem though, my SDS100's rotary control know started to go south a few months after purchase, it wasn't bad at first and I hesitated returning it when it was still under warranty. It got a LOT worse after the warranty period expired...

 

[MississippiPI]

I got mine repaired couple of years ago and it took about 7 weeks, I was advised that the repairs were outsourced and done off property.


Be safe

 

[fxdscon]

I got mine repaired couple of years ago and it took about 7 weeks, I was advised that the repairs were outsourced and done off property.

.
Repairs are not done at the same locations as the Uniden offices, but they are not "outsourced".

I suspect he simply misunderstood "repairs are not done at this location" (or similar) to mean that they were outsourced.

As to the comment that repair is outsourced, this is incorrect. Our repair techs are our employees. However, they are not at the same facility as our customer support team (not even in the same state), so it isn't possible for a call taker to just walk over and check the status physically.

 

[MStep]

I sent my scanners in late February. We are now approaching June. Still haven't heard anything from Uniden. Im pretty disappointed but also concerned Uniden is just going to send my units back unrepaired.

So you are essentially going on three months thus far. I agree with your apprehension.

 

[MStep]

I had to send in my Home Patrol 2 (7 months from purchase) for repair under warranty late last year.

Within days, they acknowledged receipt of the scanner with a case number together with a date for being shipped back.

Granted that date was 5 weeks from receipt of the unit but it was shipped back to me on that exact date.

Uniden does have a quality control problem though, my SDS100's rotary control know started to go south a few months after purchase, it wasn't bad at first and I hesitated returning it when it was still under warranty. It got a LOT worse after the warranty period expired...

I appreciate the info on the your HP2, and although I would consider 5 weeks a "success story", my question about repairs that "went well" is focused on the SDS series, since, for some reason, they appear to be the most problematic in many of these threads, perhaps due to the newer technology involved.