Escort Inc.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]
Regards,
[redacted]
I appreciate the message, including the warranty references approved by your legal department.  I understand that these are necessary, I've written them for many clients.  Now that that's out of the way, the real issue is getting the products working properly.  I did receive a phone call from your company on Monday proposing to set up service.  I am waiting for the promised follow up call to confirm time and place.  I appreciate that contact and I am counting on the follow up.  I'm hopeful that the proposed service will remedy the situation. But, until that is actually accomplished, this matter is not resolved.

Tell us why here...Hello, We do not have the set figure at this time, as this is not something we normally offer, but would be happy to find out for you.  [redacted] gave you a rough estimate (within a $50 range) in your e-mail conversation. Your response was "You know [redacted] I am not really interested in that". If you are, in fact, interested in that option, we will contact you directly with a quote.  Please understand that this offer is being made outside of our normal business protocol, and would be a one-time offer and only available for a limited time.  Thank you

Mr. [redacted],
Thank you for your
interest in Escort and for the feedback. 
We appreciate you providing the order
number as the sale referenced is not under your name or contact
information.  We will assume for this
filing that you are speaking for or representing the original...

purchaser.
We take pride in providing quality products and service to our
customers for over 35 years. 
After reviewing your Revdex.com filing, it would be easy for us just to remind
you of the warranty policy and that as you have stated, the Live power cord was
purchased in November of 2011.  Our
products have a one-year factory warranty as stated in all of our product
communications.  You are clearly outside
the warranty period.  Outside the
warranty period there is a charge for repairs or service needed.
However, we also want to point out that we replaced the Live power
cord while under warranty on 12-27-2011. 
On 12-27-2012 we sent you another Live power cord at no charge,
and asked you to return the cord you have so we could examine for failures.   We did not require you to send in for repair
and we also exchanged this with a direct wire version at your request, even
though this is not company policy.   We sent you two [redacted] pre-paid labels to return
the Live cord.  [redacted] does not show the
tracking numbers were used and to-date we have not received the power cord back
as was the agreement when we advance-shipped the replacement cord.
On 1-15-2013 we shipped you another Live power cord at no charge because
you stated that you did not receive the prior order.
While we are flexible and our policies are very customer friendly,
based on our information (we shipped you four cords, one was returned, one was
lost during shipment…) we do not see a reason to comply with your request. Please
provide additional information if you believe this is not correct.
 
Customer Service Department
Escort Inc.

Revdex.com:
[redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
The company's last
response to the Revdex.com's inquiry is no different from the previous one. As before,
they are trying to shirk their responsibility for manufacturing a clearly
faulty product by providing misleading statements.
 
There has never been a
problem with "multiple alerts", despite the company's insistence
on that being the issue. Rather, the problem has always been that the unit
would produce a high pitched beeping signal , followed by a "Service
Required" message.
 
The technical details which
the company has decided to beef up their response with are completely
irrelevant to the case at point. As I explained multiple times, I have
*two identical units* (same make and model) and *only one unit exhibits
the faulty behavior* described. In other words, when I use another,
correctly  functioning unit, it does
not exhibit the faulty behavior in the same car. This completely rules out
the possibility of a voltage issue in the car  causing the issue.
 
From the way it
looks, this matter will have to be settled in court, since I have exhausted all
possibilities to resolve the matter amicably.
Regards,
[redacted]

Hi [redacted]   We have now chatted on the phone, and I believe that everything is resolved.  If you need any additional help, please feel free to reach out to me again. Thank you so much, [redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]
I purchased directly from Escort Inc. in 2013 (ish). I have to find the receipt. This should also be in your database. My phone number and email have not changed. You are more than welcome to contact me at [redacted]. The zip code for the purchase was [redacted], and you know my name. I have an Escort live account that I use regularly. As far as false alarms, this only happens around Honda and Acura vehicles under K band. The bank is 5.9GHZ that Honda and Acura uses, and I am not sure police radars use the same frequency. However, I am more than willing to discuss. 
Regards,
[redacted]

Mr.
[redacted],
As stated
previously we will not refund your purchase. 
Stating the same things again will not resolve anything.  We will send you a pre-paid label to return
your unit for service. 
Thank you
for your cooperation.
Escort Inc.

We have talked directly, and I believe this complaint to be resolved.  Thank you and happy holidays!

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
Regards,
[redacted]

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.  If you and the business have reached an agreement and compliance is set for a future date, we trust the business will comply.  Please contact us after that time if the matter is not resolved as agreed and we will review the complaint and proceed accordingly.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE STATEMENTS IN THE RESPONSE ARE INACCURATE, this resolution is satisfactory to me.  I HAVE HAD TO TAKE THE CAR INTO THE LOCAL INSTALLER'S SHOP MULTIPLE TIMES (3 OR 4) FOR THEM TO TROUBLESHOOT AND RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. AS OF THE LAST VISIT JUST THIS AFTERNOON IT APPEARS THAT THEY HAVE FIXED THE SYSTEM.THE SO-CALLED 3RD PARTY MIRROR, WAS RECOMMENDED AND INSTALLED BY THE ORIGINAL INSTALLER AS PART OF THE ORIGINAL SYSTEM.THERE WERE DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS AS PROVEN BY THE FACT THAT THE SYSTEM WOULD NOT TAKE SOFTWARE / FIRMWARE UPDATES.SO THE MESSAGE FROM THE COMPANY IS DISINGENUOUS. (NO DOUBT, AS REQUIRED BY THEIR LAWYER)BUT THE LOCAL SALES MANAGER WHO HAS BEEN ASSISTING ME HAS BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE.AND THE LOCAL INSTALLER HAS BEEN EXCELLENT. 
Regards,
[redacted]










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Mr. [redacted],
                We thank you for your recent
order and your interest in Escort Inc. 
During your initial contact with us, we created order [redacted] for
you.  After speaking with one of...

our
Sales Experts and discussing the part you needed, the above order was entered
for the accessory.  You asked us to ship
the order via Next Day Air delivery. 
That is exactly what we did.  The
confirmation e-mail we sent you listed the item(s) in the order, the shipping
method and the [redacted] tracking number.  We
shipped the part you requested and it was delivered the next business day per
[redacted] tracking information.  They did
exactly as we asked and you received the order on-time. 
On
3-16-2015, someone calling on your behalf spoke with our Customer Service
Experts and stated that you had ordered the wrong part and would be returning
for refund.  The next day we received
another call and were told the order was not received on time and requested a
refund of the shipping charges.  The
Customer Service Expert tracked the delivery and confirmed it was indeed
delivered on 3-10-2015, the next business day after the order was placed,
confirming it had been delivered on time.
We
were then informed by the caller that the wrong part had been ordered and would like
to return for full refund.  We informed
the caller that the shipping charges will not be refunded.  Subsequent calls and now the Revdex.com filing claim
we shipped the wrong part. 
We
entered the order and shipped as requested.  [redacted] delivered the order as requested.  [redacted] does not work for us for free.  Our policy clearly states we will not refund
shipping charges and we do not pay for return shipping.  https://www.escortradar.com/terms-conditions.php
states the following:
All Escort Detectors
and Accessories purchased factory direct come with a 30 day money-back
guarantee. If you're not absolutely delighted with your purchase, we'll take it
back, no questions asked. You pay only the shipping.
When
we receive the accessory it will be refunded. 
We will not reimburse for the original shipping charges or any return
shipping.
Thank
you for your understanding and we look forward to serving you in the future.
Customer Service Department
Escort Inc.

**. [redacted], thank you for your interest in Escort
Inc. and for your correspondence.  There
are a number of things that may cause the GPS experience you noticed.  That is why...

our team of Customer Service
Experts suggested a number of possible solutions in an attempt to resolve this
for you over the phone first, rather than recommending you send in for service
earlier.  From your statements it appears
they attempted to take care of your concerns correctly and professionally.  It is possible your [redacted] is not working
properly, but until we have an opportunity to test at our facilities, we will
not be able to determine the exact cause.  
As you stated, your Passport worked properly
for over two years.  This is clearly not
a defective design and there is no need for a ‘recall’ as thousands and
thousands of the Passport [redacted] units are in service to this day and have
never required repair for failure to lock onto GPS satellites.  Calling any malfunction a ‘defect’ does not
give the product a life time warranty.  Our
Forums are hosted by us to allow for conversations regarding all of our
products.  Many have been resolved using
our troubleshooting suggestions. 
Unfortunately, if you have followed those steps without success, we may
need to bring in your Passport for service.
No one wants to “purchase a
top-of-the-line detector only to have these kinds of issues….”, and everyone wants to have a product that will last a life
time with no concerns or failures, but that is what factory warranties are all
about.  If there is a failure during the
factory warranty period and it is promptly brought to our attention, we will be
more than happy to repair or replace components as needed or replace the model at
no charge to the customer.  After the
warranty period has expired, there is a charge for out of warranty
service. 
This is clearly stated in our company
materials.  We will not exchange for a
new unit as requested without first having the opportunity to examine and if applicable
service the Passport at our factory. 
The repair process quoted to you by our
Customer Service Experts is available by calling in to receive a Service Order
number.  You have the option of the Standard
or the Premium Service as you referenced above.
We appreciate your understanding and look
forward to serving you in the future.
Customer Service Department
Escort Inc.

I have attached a copy of my original letter. In addition, I have let an IT Professional take the unit and see if he could debug the problem. He had my laptop and could not get it to work and he also tried the process on his own computer. My desktop is an [redacted] and my laptop is a [redacted]. Both units run [redacted] bit. I would welcome the opportunity to work thru this either by phone or email. Regards [redacted]
[redacted]

We have had several conversations with you on the status of your repair.  To recap:  On Jan 13, you contacted us to set up repair for your detector. We gave you a service number, and advised you to ship it to us. On Jan 20, you e-mailed us asking for the status of your repair. You were...

advised the next day that we had not yet received it. On Jan 25th, you inquired again, and we advised you that we still did not have it. At that time, we checked with our repair department for any lost packages, and did not find it, so advised you to check with your shipper.  Your response back to us on Feb. 3rd was as follows: "I contacted USPS and filed a claim and ask for 2 different levels of supervisor and all couldn't help me with my item shipped. I called the postmaster and they put a trace on it and failed to find it. Would you kindly check one more time I would hate for it to get lost on its way to you. I know for sure it was sent to you. Thanks let me know of I can help anyway that thing was expensive I really want to try and find it."On June 21st, you contacted us again for a status update.  We replied to let you know that it had never been received, and we advised you to file a claim with your shipper. On Aug 2, you inquired about a replacement, and we erroneously responded that the detector had shipped (you received the e-mail intended for another client).  We e-mailed you to advise you of the error, and told you that your item had never, in fact, arrived here. You left a message for the supervisor at that time, and the supervisor, Shawn, called you back, advising you that we had not received it so could not replace it. She offered you an $80 discount on a replacement at the time, and noted your file as such.  You did not accept or reject the offer at the time, but were going to think it over according to Shawn.We received new status request inquiries recently, to which we have replied.  We restated that we have not, to date, received the package(and did, in fact, conduct a new search for it, to be sure), nor have we received any tracking information or proof of delivery.  We advised you once again to file a claim with USPS.  Your e-mail response to that was "each time I call and speak to USPS, they want me to contact you asking that. They cannot locate my package and said if there wasn't insurance, I am out of luck."   Because we truly do empathize with your situation, we offered a $120 discount, along with free accompanying accessories valued at $60.  In addition, we offered to sell you a slightly used returned model at a deep discount (less than 1/2 price), with a full warranty.  These offers were made as a courtesy, not because we bear the responsibility for the missing package.  [redacted] also advised you that if you could provide USPS documentation that we had, in fact, received the item, we would work to get you a replacement.  Our position is that we have made you fair and generous offers under the circumstances, and these offers remain open to you.  There is nothing more we can do without proper documentation of receipt of the package.We do empathize with your situation, and hope you will reconsider the offers.

Mr. [redacted]
Before we look at hardware solutions and
uninstalling then reinstalling components we would like to do a complete (forced)
software update to your system.  This
step can be performed by you if you are comfortable with the procedure.  It can also be performed by our network of
Authorized Installers.  We think this
will bring the display functionality back. 
It may take a few attempts, so please do not be discouraged if the first
few times are not successful.  Below is
the procedure outline.
·        
Turn vehicle OFF using the
ignition key.
·        
Unplug 9500ci from computer.
·        
With the vehicle turned OFF,
press and hold down the Mute button and the Power button while turning the
vehicle ON.
·        
Continue to hold buttons until the blue backlight comes on the control
module (the one with the buttons). 
(Under bright lights, this may be difficult to see….)
·        
Connect 9500ci USB cable to
computer.
Open Detector Tools program on a PC or laptop
with good Wi-Fi Internet connection.
Select the second tab in Detector Tools – the Advanced tab, and select Update All.  This will take a few minutes to complete once
software updates begin.  Again, if you
are not successful the first attempt, please start this process over until you
are able to update software for the 9500ci.
Disconnect the USB cable.  Once this is completed, we are optimistic the
display will be functional. 
Please let us know if this is successful or
not.  We are also reviewing the other
issues you experienced but want to make sure this step is completed and
hopefully gets the display operational.
Thank you for your assistance as we work to
resolve your concerns.
Customer Service Department
Escort Inc.

Mr. [redacted],
We truly appreciate your help and the
additional information and obviously disappointed the update did not resolve
the display.  Please allow us a few days
to review options and we will contact you as soon as possible.
Escort Inc.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below. We appreciate their response, we are still confused as to why they did not respond to us at all in the first place? Besides that,  we disagree with how they "define" what a magnum is and isn't regarding an upgrade. I understand  that the firmware was updated but that wasn't my complaint. 1) I have attached their user manual for the magnum, and as you can see it specifically mentions magnesium casing. 2) I have also included proof of purchase of our brand new magnum, which included the magnesium casing. So if their position is that they don't sell those anymore, then they sure still do have authorized retailers still selling them with magnesium casing. 3) Once again their offer leaves me shorthanded, as I get and "older sti driver casing" and a different serial # which isn't fair to me. Plus I do not want to be without my product again for another, up to 2 weeks possibly. That's why I said they could just mail me the "Magnum magnesium case" and I could put it on myself. Even though it's an inconvenience to me I'm willing to do that. So that's where we stand.
Regards,
[redacted]

Beltronics blatantly refused to reimburse for a faulty product and denied their responsibility for the failure to fix the same problem three times in a row. Their behavior leaves me no choice but to seek redress in court.Regards,[redacted] 
 Hello,Beltronics offers One Year Limiter warranty on its v995 model. You can see the warranty terms by following this link (p. 29): [redacted]Best regards,[redacted]

Mr. [redacted],
Your response provides information we already have, but you failed
to offer information we requested. 
Once again, if you want a refund for the purchase you will need to
go back to the place of purchase and follow the resellers return policies. 
We have however offered to look closer into the alerts you receive
and bring in your detector for service if needed after reviewing additional
information from you, and provide details to you that may help identify the
cause of concerns.  As far as the Service
Required message on the display, have you seen any other error messages prior
to the Service Required message?  The
Service Required message indicates the self-calibration failed.  This can happen for a number of reasons that
do not indicate the detector is in need of repair. 
This is difficult to detail in a letter, but we will try
to give you an idea of the differences, and how this could be affected by
voltage, dramatic temperature changes and other environmental factors.  Your detector has a computer chip inside that
has a number of functions.  The computer
chip will do a self-diagnostic test every 8-10 minutes.  It is even smart enough to “fine-tune” the
frequencies if they start to drift out of calibration.  Frequencies are temperature dependent,
meaning they will change as the temperature rises or falls.  Rapid temperature changes (unit in car
exposed to direct sunlight with the windows rolled up or similar situation in
colder temperatures) could cause frequencies to change quickly as the
self-calibration is trying to ‘auto-correct’. 
The result could be a failed calibration.  A simple daily test in this environment is to
turn the detector OFF, power up the vehicle and wait until the cab area is
comfortable for passengers and then turn the detector ON.  See if the detector indicates Service
Required.
Like all computers if the chip inside the detector is not
getting good voltage while performing the self-test, it will fail due to
improper voltage, not because the detector is in need of service.  The easiest example we have seen (although
there are many, many more) is when the lighter socket stays ON even when the
engine is not running.  It would take a
long time, but if the detector is left ON while the engine is not running,
slowly but surely, the available car battery voltage will be reduced.  Eventually the voltage will drop below the
required level and the detector will attempt the self-diagnostic test.  The test will fail for the reasons mentioned
above, and would result in a “Service Required” message on the display.  The long-term solution would be to use an
optional direct-wire power cord connected to a switched circuit at the fuse
block so the unit comes ON and OFF with the ignition switch.  Again there are many more factors, but these
are good examples and there are simple tests to eliminate environmental
concerns that might affect the calibration process.
The more information you can provide to our questions
will give our technicians a better idea of how your detector is operating in
the field.  Again, our tests here do not
indicate operating failure, so we will appreciate you answering the questions
in our responses with as much detail as possible.
Customer
Service Department
Escort
Inc.

[redacted],As mentioned previously, we are not surprised that you can find forum posts documenting the same complaint. That is, after all, what forums are best known for. But for every complaint lodged, there are hundreds or even thousands of detectors in the field that have not experienced this issue. Forum complaints do not accurately reflect the durability or longevity of a part.  You can only deduce this by looking at the bigger picture which includes the number of units in the field that are not experiencing an issue.  We know that parts can and do fail. That is what the warranty is for.  As we have discussed with you in the past (April/2016), [redacted] is the most sensitive radar detector you can buy with the least amount of filtering of all our models. This is by design.  It is engineered for raw performance, and as such, can give more false alerts than you may receive on other models.  Unfortunately, this is the nature of the beast with this model. People who love it understand that more false alerts are a tradeoff to get the fantastic range and sensitivity that it delivers. Perhaps this is not the right model for you. Finally, as in the past when you wrote to the Revdex.com about us (also April of 2016), we would like to work with you to resolve your complaint. We have offered what we believe to be reasonable concessions under the circumstances.  We do not believe that expecting free repairs and/or replacement parts 5 years from the purchase date is reasonable.  If you would like to get the speaker designed for it from us, we will also waive the shipping charges as a gesture of good will, for a total of $9.95. However, if you can, in fact, repair it for less using a better speaker than we can provide, perhaps that is your best option.  It is not our recommendation, but we understand if that is the course you choose to take.Thank you.