Phonak Audeo Defect Thread

[soozieq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mierenneuker /img/forum/go_quote.gif ... discovered some hairline cracks, a big one on the right side and a small one on the left side. won't take long untill they become real cracks

mierenneuker, that's bad luck to have got a defective second pair!! I think Bill said that all replacements were brand new and not 'repairs'. So you should PM him to find out why yours seemed to have only had the shell replaced. And ask for a brand new boxed pair from the current stock, since Bill said there were no defects (so far), from that batch. Looks like some retailers are still sending out replacements from the suspect batch...

gadgetman, thanks for the pics. I linked to them on the first page, if they develop into full cracks, please let us know. Thanks.

 

[i_don't_know]

I think this calls for magnesium, aluminum (heavy), or titanium housing.

 

[polecat89]

Have one to add unfortunately. Only had them a few weeks. Crack in left earpiece of black earphones. In the process of contacting Phonak.

 

[unclejr]

I am starting to get the "scam" vibe from this company. I placed numerous calls to them, and the receptionist keeps telling me that the only person who can issue an RMA is out and will be back in 10 minutes. Every time I call back in 15 minutes, she says the exact same thing. I left a message earlier for her with no return call. The line is now perpetually busy when I call. My email has not been returned. Did anyone successfully get an RMA number form these people?

Whew. Finally got through to them. Now for the headache of waiting for the return to be processed.

 

[vulc4n]

Got this response back from Phonak when I requested my second replacement.

Quote:

Thank you for your email. Since this is your second request for a replacement, we will have to send you a prepaid label to return the defective merchandise first. Once that is received in our office, we can send your new unit.

Great... So the people that have had to deal with more than one failure get treated like they did something wrong.

 

[soozieq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vulc4n /img/forum/go_quote.gif Great... So the people that have had to deal with more than one failure get treated like they did something wrong.

Hey vulc4n, maybe you should tell your retailer that wbrownie said: Quote:

We will continue to replace any defective PFEs no questions asked. The current stock of product shipping are a later production run and so far we have not had any returns because of cracks.

He says they have not had any returns from the 'current stock' due to cracks, so either your first replacement came from the faulty batch, or the cracks are appearing in ones from the latest stock?

You should PM wbrownie and get confirmation about whether online retailers are still sending out replacements from old stock. Not sure if he's actually answered this yet, and as for you having to wait until they examine your second defective pair, I thought they were going to be replaced 'no questions asked'? Doesn't seem like the message has got through to the relevant departments. Good luck anyway.

 

[vulc4n]

Quote:

Originally Posted by soozieq /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hey vulc4n, maybe you should tell your retailer that wbrownie said: He says they have not had any returns from the 'current stock' due to cracks, so either your first replacement came from the faulty batch, or the cracks are appearing in ones from the latest stock?

The message I quoted was directly from Phonak.

 

[Bina]

So mine's are on the way from Germany, they should arrive tomorow.

 

[Bina]

They just arrive. I got new pair, but they are from 16-10-2008, same as previous, so I hope this time there will be no crack.

 

[gadgetman]

I'm not getting any updates from Bill..

 

[wbrownie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by unclejr /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am starting to get the "scam" vibe from this company. I placed numerous calls to them, and the receptionist keeps telling me that the only person who can issue an RMA is out and will be back in 10 minutes. Every time I call back in 15 minutes, she says the exact same thing. I left a message earlier for her with no return call. The line is now perpetually busy when I call. My email has not been returned. Did anyone successfully get an RMA number form these people? Whew. Finally got through to them. Now for the headache of waiting for the return to be processed.

unclejr,

Sorry about the phone issues. Audeo PFE processing is not her only job function. With all due respect "scam" is a bit harsh. You sent me an email at 11:53am and had an RMA number by 12:11pm.

Thanks,

Bill

 

[wbrownie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vulc4n /img/forum/go_quote.gif Got this response back from Phonak when I requested my second replacement. Great... So the people that have had to deal with more than one failure get treated like they did something wrong.

Here's the issue. We had been sending out replacements before getting the cracked PFEs back. Unfortunately, even when sending a return label, we are getting back only about half of the defective PFEs. Can't really evaluate what's wrong if we don't get them back.

So what we've had to do is send a return label and get the defective ones back before sending a replacement.

Once again we have never denied a replacement. We just need to make sure we're getting the defective ones back.

 

[tstarn06]

Bill, totally agree on the use of that word. Pretty ridiculous in light of all the replacements being sent out and Phonak's responsiveness. But when will this be over? Seems to be going, and going, and going. Is it really as small as you've said? Stuff happens, and I have been a major Phonak supporter (still love my white PFEs), but it seems there are still stinkers out there, and some people are getting them twice. Can't Phonak narrow down the cracking phones by batch/date and just pull them from dealers (replace them before customers get them)? Sort of like a mini-recall. Seems logical to me. Is there no way of knowing which PFEs are destined to crack by manufacturing date at this point? It would seem Phonak would have plenty of data based on returns of faulty phones.

Anyway, won't life be simpler when this thread gets deep-sixed?

Also, any news/updates on possible new models or fine-tuned (new cable) PFEs? We'd really like to "hear it here first."

 

[K_19]

Mine are trucking along, but I've been babying mine as much as do with my 530's. I've also rarely replaced the tips (grey silicons are fine) and only changed the filter two times (just to test out the black one), always used the ear guides and have never otherwise put pressure on the actual unit. I wonder if the cracking is due to the stress put on the IEM's themselves with the tighter tips (like comply, surely they exert more pressure on the stem on there, and more so when you compress it to put it in your ear), but that's just a theory. Need to be more durable regardless, though.

 

[wbrownie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Bill, totally agree on the use of that word. Pretty ridiculous in light of all the replacements being sent out and Phonak's responsiveness. But when will this be over? Seems to be going, and going, and going. Is it really as small as you've said? Stuff happens, and I have been a major Phonak supporter (still love my white PFEs), but it seems there are still stinkers out there, and some people are getting them twice. Can't Phonak narrow down the cracking phones by batch/date and just pull them from dealers (replace them before customers get them)? Sort of like a mini-recall. Seems logical to me. Is there no way of knowing which PFEs are destined to crack by manufacturing date at this point? It would seem Phonak would have plenty of data based on returns of faulty phones. Anyway, won't life be simpler when this thread gets deep-sixed? Also, any news/updates on possible new models or fine-tuned (new cable) PFEs? We'd really like to "hear it here first."

tsarn,

Thanks for your support.

As far as I know, we have not yet actually received any PFEs back from a replacement so I don't know the production dates on the replacement sets that have also cracked.

This issue is that given all the PFEs that have shipped from the earlier batches the cracked ones are still a relatively small percentage, so a wholesale recall doesn't make much sense. It kind of get's blown up a bit here but that's OK.

The warranty is in place and I know that replacements we are sending (in the US) are coming from later batches.

We have sent replacements to other countries when some retailers haven't been as responsive as they should be and we will continue to help where we can.

The thread will get deep sixed eventually (I hope) but until then we'll continue to make sure people get taken care of....

Thanks,

Bill