To make a long story short, I bought an Escort X50 a few years ago because it was supposed be about the best you can buy. I really wanted a Valentine 1, but hey this one was $100 less.

Well since the first day that I used it, it would give false laser warnings if i turned on my windshield wipers, locked the car doors, blew the horn, etc.

Well as annoying as this was, I put up with it b/c it does a damn good job of picking up real radar signals, and has saved my butt a few times.

Well I was poking around on their website the other day thinking about buying a new detector for my other vehicle, when I saw a link about "false laser" alarms. So I click on it, and it says they have found a problem with this, and all I have to do is send it back and they will fix it.

SWEET!

So I call the 800 number and the dude is aware of the problem right away, gives me the address and a service order number, then asks for my credit card number.......for the $60.00 charge to fix the manufacturers defect that they know they have..

When I ask him why I have to pay for it, he promptly hangs up on me.

So after a few more calls and some emails to their company, it seems that I am going to have to buy a Valentine 1 after all.

Maybe I am expecting too much out of these guys, but I figured yall may want to know how they treat their customers before you spend your money.


Joe.

 

Could you link us to the website link admitting they have a problem with laser detection? I've never heard of that before and am curious as to what their explanation is, what serial numbers are effected, etc.

You got false warnings when you used your horn, windshield wipers..???..

 

This is a direct quote from their site:

Laser Falsing
It is unusual to get false laser warnings. Some cars and other electronics put out more RF interference than others and that interference may cause a false laser alert when certain devices are used. Although rare, using the horn, windshield wipers, or accelerating, can generate RF interference in some vehicles. Does it do the same thing in other cars/trucks? New cell phones, new cars with laser adaptive cruise control, and the wind-shear equipment at some major airports can also cause false laser alerts.

If you are experiencing false laser alerts of this type, please call our Customer Service Department at 800-543-1608 and they will give you a repair authorization number and instructions on how to return to us. We will be able to make modifications to your detector that will help.


You can find it here: http://www.escortradar.com/tech-tutorials.htm#t5

Joe.

 

This could easily go either way -- but based on the way they worded it and told you to send for modification leads me to definitely give you the upper hand.

They have no way of controlling if your car will false from laser due to interference within the car -- yes it is a false alert....but the detector is simply doing it's job in detecting the alert if it does look like laser.. Not something it seems like they can plan for without psosibly sacrificing some sensitivity...so I don't really think they are at fault for the sensors picking up signals that are present. It is not a manufacturer's defect as far as I can tell...

However it doesn't seem like it's that tough for them to adjust if you send it in, and they should want to keep the customer happy...paid enough for the thing initially I'm sure.

Did the lack of free repair maybe have something to do with who you purchased if from (eBay..etc)? It just seems strange that they would word it that way...

EDI: you want to hear about bad companies? check this section again in about a week...

 

Yeah I understand what you are saying, but like you said it does not seem like a hard fix for a top dollar device.

Its not the end of the world, but I figured that other consumers should know what kind of company they are dealing with.

And no I didn't buy it from Ebay, It came from a best buy retail location and I have the reciept.

Joe.

 

Exactly -- they can't be having a ton of people with this problem. The few that do and the even fewer that contact to company for it should be taken care of.

Try pushing the subject more with them.