Johnson Controls, Inc.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/12/21) */
This is in response to receipt of your recent correspondence regarding the above named consumer
In the interest of resolving this matter we have provided Mr***'s contractor authorization for a new replacement heat pumpThe
contractor is contacting him to schedule a time for its replacement
Sincerely,
*** ***
Manager, Consumer Relations

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 9, 2014/07/01) */
Attached

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because: when consumers purchase new products, consumers expect the product to be free of all damageThese AC units have been damaged, no matter if there is a little damage or a lot of damageAlso, AC
contractors have stated that there is a restriction of air flow due to the damaged finsThe AC contractors stated that the AC units are to have appropriate airflow across the coilsDamaged fins may reduce efficiency of unitsThe units may become inefficient due to the damaged areasThe damaged fins may or may not cause failure in the futureWe do not want any issues in the future because of the damaged finsWe request that the coils be fix, replace these two units with new units or provide an additional warranty on these units due to the fact that these AC units were damaged before leaving there warehouse!
Sincerely,
*** ***

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2015/03/23) */
This is in response to receipt of your recent correspondence regarding the above named consumer
In follow up to receipt of your correspondence our local Johnson Controls Service Manager, *** *** performed an inspection of the
equipment and installationIn the interest of resolving this matter we have offered, and Mr*** has agreed to,replacement of the indoor air handler at our expense
Thank you for taking the time to contact us

Spoke with Mr. [redacted], he would like to know if Johnson Controls makes other brands of furnace aside from Luxaire. He was told by a repairman that he had had problems with that type before and would like a different brand if possible.

I am [redacted] for Johnson Controls, Inc. ("JCI") and yourletter addressed to [redacted] and [redacted], dated June 11, 2015, has been forwarded to myattention. In that letter you raise issues with One Stop's purchase of 7 air conditioning units for...

the[redacted]We have had an opportunity to review the information identified in your correspondence, and we findthat the allegations contained therein to be completely meritless. There was no "catastrophic failure"caused by any alleged inconsistency between JCI's evaporator units and evaporator coils. The slight delayresulting from replacement of those coils ultimately played no role in the completion of the project.Further, JCI quickly handled compressor replacements notwithstanding that their failure was due toimproper installation by One Stop. In sum, JCI has addressed all of One Stop's requests for assistance onthis project.All of the other problems that One Stop experienced with respect to the JCI units were due entirely toOne Stop's lack of experience and poor management in the installation of the units. Just as examples ofthe problems caused by One Stop:• Piping and refrigeration lines were not installed per contract drawings;• Dryers were not changed when systems opened, per common HVAC practices;• Consistent leaks were caused by improper copper cleaning and soldering practices;• Refrigeration lines were left open and not protected from the atmosphere and moisture;• Proper tools (e.g., scales, micrometers) were not used to control and manage refrigerant levels;and• Proper vacuum was not pulled from the refrigerant line sets when the work was completed orrepairs made.These problems are detailed, in part, in the attached report from [redacted], which JCI had provided toyou on multiple occasions during the spring of 2015. Furthermore, at a February 26, 2015 call betweenJCI and One Stop, JCI previously offered, and One Stop gladly accepted, a deductive change order totaling$6,000, as an accommodation to account for and settle One Stop's purported grievances, including thecompressor replacements that One Stop undertook without seeking JCl's assistance.JCI has performed its contractual obligations while One Stop is in breach. One Stop has an overdueoutstanding invoice to JCI of $35,270 on a separate controls contract, and we expect that to be paid nolater than September 1, 2015, to avoid us having to take action to collect that sum either through legalaction or a claim on One Stop's surety. Furthermore, to the extent we have to take legal action to collectthis overdue sum, JCI will explore recovery of the costs and expenses incurred by JCI in assisting One Stopin installation ofthe units.The foregoing is without prejudice to and with full reservation of all legal, equitable or other rights thatJohnson Controls, Inc. has in this matter.

As a matter of practice and agreement, we do not supersede or circumvent our customer's decisions on their warranty programs.  Johnson Controls does not handle the warranties on behalf of the retailer.  The retailer has the sole responsibility to manage their warranty program.  To...

receive a warranty on your product you must return the battery to the company with a proof of purchase.  The retailer's decision is the final decision.On the original receipt, when the battery was purchased it states: “Receipt is necessary to validate date of purchase for warranty adjustments.”  See attached sample image with the warranty verbiage (Note this is only a sample and not a copy of your receipt).  The battery receipt purchase date is used to determine the start of the warranty.  From the information you provided the warranty began on 7/21/13 and ended on 7/21/15.  The warranty period for an Everstart plus battery is two years from the data of purchase.  This will place the time of issue with the battery on 4/28/16, outside of the warranty period.  Warranty is strictly handled by the retailer and is not honored / extended by Johnson Controls.  No warranty assistance will be provided by Johnson Controls, Inc. battery division.If you have additional questions about your battery you may contact Walmart Customer Service Directly at (###-###-####) and a customer care representative will assist you.If you feel that you have a liability claim that needs to be addressed you will need to contact the Walmart Customer Service directly at (###-###-####) with your complaint.

Please be advised that our local representative, Mr. [redacted], Service Manager with Virginia Air has been in contact with the [redacted]'s in support of their complaint and is currently awaiting information/documentation from them.  We will be in contact when more information becomes...

available.

(DOC055.PDF)

Attached.

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 think everyone can agree that Wal-Mart handles normal and customary warranty issues and warranty claims instead of Johnson Co.. And I have no doubt that had it been under warranty and a warranty related claim, Wal-Mart would have done so properly. But it is not a warranty issue, and it is ridiculous to believe that it is a warranty issue when a battery explodes.This is outside of the scope of a warranty issue or expired warranty. The idea that this is a warranty claim and not a manufacturing issue, is ludicrous. Johnson Co. is passing the blame on to Wal-Mart in the guise of calling it a warranty issue, for a faulty product that they made and Wal-Mart did not (but was unfortunate enough to sell). This is not a warranty issue it is a product manufacturing, quality and safety issue. Can you imagine any other product (admittedly out of warranty by less than a year) when it EXPLODED (a fact that seems to be blatantly ignored by Johnson Co., that the battery EXPLODED as the picture shows one side of it missing!) or caused any harm to person or property (we were very fortunate no person or property was harmed), can anyone actually imagine the manufacturer in a similar situation blaming the store and passing the responsibility on to them as a warranty issue? It would be unthinkable and irrational. If any consumer blamed the store instead of the manufacturer in a case like this, that would be irrational as well. The only logical conclusion is that this is not a warranty issue but a manufacturing issue that Johnson Co. is solely responsible for. This is a manufacturing issue and not a warranty issue and Johnson Co. seems to want to avoid taking responsibility for a manufacturing issue that caused a battery to explode when an RV was started. For some reason, they seem to think that an exploding battery that they made is a warranty issue not a manufacturing issue. I will be sure to inform Wal-Mart of this matter and Johnson Co.'s mishandling of it. This is unacceptable and unprofessional of Johnson Co. and I urge the Revdex.com to look further into this matter if at all possible, and if not, to change the rating of Johnson Co. to reflect their poor handling of this issue. 
Regards,
[redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/02/05) */
The equipment listed, model SSZ16, serial number XXXXXXXXXX is for a Goodman brand heat pump. Johnson Controls does not manufacture or have any affiliation with Goodman Air Conditioning & Heating. Any requests for assistance would need...

to be addressed to their attention.

May 24, 2016       Revdex.com Serving Central Oklahoma Attn: [redacted] 17 South Dewey Oklahoma City Ok 73102 ID # [redacted]   After reviewing the complaint we found that the coil that failed was the...

indoor coil which is manufactured by a 3rd party vendor. While this component was not manufactured by us, we reached out to the distributor that sold this component (Style Crest Inc.) and notified them of Mr. Warfel’s complaint. We also requested they contact their wholesaler (RE Michel’s) to help get this issue resolved. We will notify the homeowner Scott Warfel that he will need to speak with his installing dealer and the wholesaler RE Michel to get this resolved.   For further inquiries you may contact Style Crest [redacted]2.                                         ...⇄                                                                         ...⇄ Thank You                                      �...⇄                                                           ...⇄ [redacted]

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 17, 2014/05/09) */
RE: [redacted] XXXXXXXX
This is to acknowledge receipt of your recent correspondence regarding the above named consumer.
I have provided our local representative a copy of Mr. [redacted]'s correspondence and they are following up...

with him in support of his complaint.
I will advise more information as it becomes available.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
Manager, Consumer Relations

Review: Johnson Controls manufactures the Ever Start brand of vehicle batteries sold nationwide at Wal-Mart stores. Wal-Mart does not manufacture the battery, Johnson Controls does.

My husband, [redacted] (it's a joint complaint) bought two Everstart batteries from our local Wal-Mart store (3220 Irving Cobb Dr., Paducah, KY) on the date of 7/21/13. The batteries purchased were listed on the ticket (which we have and can present) as item 060538809836 which is this item:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Plus-56-3-Lead-Acid-Automotive-Battery/28275...⇄ />
The batteries have a two year warranty, which expired on 7/21/15.

On the date of 4/28/16, when starting up the vehicle as normal, (an RV) one of the batteries exploded (yes exploded!) with a large bang (only one of the batteries was involved, the other one bought on the above ticket was okay-it was on the other side of the engine.).

No one was injured, and the only reason no property damage (that we know of, and it doesn't look like there is any) occurred is my husband rinsing everything off in the engine compartment with water very quickly. He had to to remove the battery (and he is unharmed) that was spilling battery acid everywhere.

I have a picture of the battery and one side of it is basically missing. The local Wal-Mart store can cooperate this as it was returned to them for a "core".

Since the warranty had expired, the local Wal-Mart store could do nothing to help us. They have been very kind and courteous and as helpful as possible on all levels, locally and corporate.

When I called Johnson Controls, I spoke with a woman (I should have gotten her name, but didn't-but she did get mine.) who flat out denied that Johnson control has any responsibility in this matter.

They tried to put the blame and responsibility on Wal-Mart. Saying, "We just make them for them." They also implied that my husband had done something irregular to the battery for this to have happened. Which was simply not true. They in a round about way blamed both us and Wal-Mart for the failure of the battery and it's explosion.

It is ludicrous to expect any store to be liable for it's product. Liability should always, logically lie with the manufacturer. Manufacturers must be held to reasonable standards of care and safety. An exploding battery is not exactly something anyone would consider safe!

The battery that exploded had a serial number of (one of these two, we bought two on the same ticket, and only one exploded) either JCH13004605005 or JCH13004046047. The purchase price after core return and tax was $90.07.

On 4/29/16, when our local Wal-Mart could not replace the exploded battery (but did take it as a core) we purchased another battery, also an Ever Start. Wal-Mart item 060538809700

http://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Plus-24-3-Lead-Acid-Automotive-Battery/28275...⇄ />
The serial number was: JCH15002766525. The purchase price after core return and tax was $95.37. (I have all the receipts on both batteries, by the way.)

So, in a bit less than three years, we have a battery that explodes and spills battery acid everywhere when our RV was started. I don't think anyone would think this is normal.

It is unconscionable that Johnson tries to blame Wal-Mart and ourselves-when the only fault is theirs for manufacturing a faulty battery.

Someone could have been hurt, maimed or killed or an RV motor ruined or a fire started by this battery. We are all fortunate that the only damage appears to be in the battery itself.

I can supply pictures and receipts if needed as well.Desired Settlement: We did not pay Johnson directly, but Wal-Mart. I think it's only reasonable that they pay the cost of the original battery (which is $5.30 less than the cost of the new battery).

They deny responsibility and try to say it is Wal-Mart's problem. No reasonable person would expect the seller to pay for this or make it right, it is solely the manufacturer, Johnson's issue and liability.

And they need to do the right thing and take responsibility for this faulty battery.

Business

Response:

As a matter of practice and agreement, we do not supersede or circumvent our customer's decisions on their warranty programs. Johnson Controls does not handle the warranties on behalf of the retailer. The retailer has the sole responsibility to manage their warranty program. To receive a warranty on your product you must return the battery to the company with a proof of purchase. The retailer's decision is the final decision.On the original receipt, when the battery was purchased it states: “Receipt is necessary to validate date of purchase for warranty adjustments.” See attached sample image with the warranty verbiage (Note this is only a sample and not a copy of your receipt). The battery receipt purchase date is used to determine the start of the warranty. From the information you provided the warranty began on 7/21/13 and ended on 7/21/15. The warranty period for an Everstart plus battery is two years from the data of purchase. This will place the time of issue with the battery on 4/28/16, outside of the warranty period. Warranty is strictly handled by the retailer and is not honored / extended by Johnson Controls. No warranty assistance will be provided by Johnson Controls, Inc. battery division.If you have additional questions about your battery you may contact Walmart Customer Service Directly at (###-###-####) and a customer care representative will assist you.If you feel that you have a liability claim that needs to be addressed you will need to contact the Walmart Customer Service directly at (###-###-####) with your complaint.

Consumer

Response:

Review: I paid Johnson Controls $450,000,.00 for air condition equipment to be supplied by Them and for My Company to install at Fort [redacted] in San Antonio TX

The customer is the [redacted] AKA the [redacted].

Johnson Controls Delivered equipment that was not correct and miss matched.

This equipment was supplied by YORK ( Owned by Johnson Controls ) The equipment was a total miss match.

My Company spent a Year trying to get the equipment to work.

I asked mutable times for assistance from them and asked that the design engineer visit the job.

They laughed at Me on the phone and then never replied to My emails.

Their failure to provide the correct equipment has cost My Company $71,107.00

They did sign My certified mail I sent Them requesting reimbursement but refuse to reply.

Their lack of response to the contractors They sell to is ridicules.

The lack of Customer support is ridicules.

The fact that They can get away with how They treat Their Customers and Contractors is Ridicules.

I pity any Contractor or Building Owner that ever uses Their equipment or services.Desired Settlement: Johnson Controls owns up to Their mistake and pay the $71,107.00 I have lost and They take owner ship of the warranty on this equipment for the next Year that is owed to The [redacted],

Business

Response:

I am [redacted] for Johnson Controls, Inc. ("JCI") and yourletter addressed to [redacted] and [redacted], dated June 11, 2015, has been forwarded to myattention. In that letter you raise issues with One Stop's purchase of 7 air conditioning units for the[redacted]We have had an opportunity to review the information identified in your correspondence, and we findthat the allegations contained therein to be completely meritless. There was no "catastrophic failure"caused by any alleged inconsistency between JCI's evaporator units and evaporator coils. The slight delayresulting from replacement of those coils ultimately played no role in the completion of the project.Further, JCI quickly handled compressor replacements notwithstanding that their failure was due toimproper installation by One Stop. In sum, JCI has addressed all of One Stop's requests for assistance onthis project.All of the other problems that One Stop experienced with respect to the JCI units were due entirely toOne Stop's lack of experience and poor management in the installation of the units. Just as examples ofthe problems caused by One Stop:• Piping and refrigeration lines were not installed per contract drawings;• Dryers were not changed when systems opened, per common HVAC practices;• Consistent leaks were caused by improper copper cleaning and soldering practices;• Refrigeration lines were left open and not protected from the atmosphere and moisture;• Proper tools (e.g., scales, micrometers) were not used to control and manage refrigerant levels;and• Proper vacuum was not pulled from the refrigerant line sets when the work was completed orrepairs made.These problems are detailed, in part, in the attached report from [redacted], which JCI had provided toyou on multiple occasions during the spring of 2015. Furthermore, at a February 26, 2015 call betweenJCI and One Stop, JCI previously offered, and One Stop gladly accepted, a deductive change order totaling$6,000, as an accommodation to account for and settle One Stop's purported grievances, including thecompressor replacements that One Stop undertook without seeking JCl's assistance.JCI has performed its contractual obligations while One Stop is in breach. One Stop has an overdueoutstanding invoice to JCI of $35,270 on a separate controls contract, and we expect that to be paid nolater than September 1, 2015, to avoid us having to take action to collect that sum either through legalaction or a claim on One Stop's surety. Furthermore, to the extent we have to take legal action to collectthis overdue sum, JCI will explore recovery of the costs and expenses incurred by JCI in assisting One Stopin installation ofthe units.The foregoing is without prejudice to and with full reservation of all legal, equitable or other rights thatJohnson Controls, Inc. has in this matter.

Consumer

Response:

Review: Two years ago I purchased a Duralast battery from an AutoZone. Recently battery acid damaged the transmission shift cable in my car. A new battery was purchased and a claim was filed with the company to be reimbursed for the damage, the new battery I paid for, and one day of pay for having to use a vacation day. Myself and the mechanic both saw battery acid corrosion around the battery area and the battery appeared to be leaking from somewhere. Within about a two week time period of sending in the battery, my claim was denied saying the company tested the battery and found no issues. The claim was dismissed without them speaking to me about where the battery appeared to be leaking. I contacted the claims manager and had to reopen the complaint. This time she actually spent time gathering information. She called the repair shop and was told the battery appeared to be leaking from the top seal. After about a four week period, I emailed the claims manager and did not hear back. The next day I left a voicemail and finally a day after that I spoke to the [redacted]. But again, she says they don't know what happened to cause the battery corrosion but their battery isn't defective. They said there was no visible evidence of the battery leaking but the mechanic and I could clearly see where something was running down the side of the battery. I sent an email requesting to have the battery returned because I paid for it and to have copies of the test results sent. Again, after a full business day I have not received a response.Desired Settlement: I would like to be reimbursed for all of the repair work, the second battery I purchased, and one day's pay. In total, I request a payment of $927.45.

Consumer

Response:

On Tue, Jul 15, 2014 at 8:43 AM, [redacted] wrote:

[redacted], I have settled this issue satisfactorily with Johnson Controls. Can you please close this issue or is there something that I need to do?

Thanks,