Propane Regulator Failure

[Ron in BC]

Actually I'm not totally sure what ETI's responsibilities are. I don't see anything that specifically excludes components they didn't build and they call it a " full two-year factory bumper-to-bumper warranty."

Disappointed with CW's handling of it. It'd be nice to think that a handy "one stop shopping" store for RV's would be a little more customer friendly. Charging twice the price of a new part seems a little iffy.

Ron

[Scuba55]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

I don't understand where these narratives come from. Did anybody say that ETI didn't help with directions and contacts?

In my case they didn't offer any assistant, they simple stated it was not covered under warranty.

[Ian G]

Originally Posted by Scuba55

I always like to use the car analogy, because most everyone can relate. If you bought a car and suddenly the fuel pump stop pumping due to an adjustment, would you feel like you were responsible for the repair, and it should not be covered under warranty? I don't see a big difference with this situation.

In my mind the car analogy does not fit because in the case of a car the auto manufacturer makes and supplies all the parts with maybe the exception of tires. I think a better analogy would be buying a new home, if the fridge stops working the fridge manufacturer looks after it, furnace problems are looked after by the HVAC company.

[cpaharley2008]

and our trailers are our homes on wheels.....good point Ian. If my window leaked in my new home, the builder would simply tell me to contact the window manufacturer.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Scuba55

We were on a trip so I contacted ETI and was instructed by Rae to take the trailer to a qualified service center.

Sounds like ETI did give you direction.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Ian G

In my mind the car analogy does not fit because in the case of a car the auto manufacturer makes and supplies all the parts with maybe the exception of tires. I think a better analogy would be buying a new home, if the fridge stops working the fridge manufacturer looks after it, furnace problems are looked after by the HVAC company.

I would point out that this is not true. Many of the components of today's automobiles are not made by the manufacturer, not just the tires. Look at the ongoing airbag recall. These parts made by Tanaka (I believe that is the airbag maker). The manufacturer may spec the parts and assemble them, but there are many, many third parties making the parts and putting the manufacturer's name and logo on them. I mean steel, paint, batteries, wiper blades, glass, sound equipment, upholstery, and the list goes on and on. Companies like Ford, GM, and Toyota can afford bumper to bumper warranties due to sheer quantity of units produced and relatively low failure rates. A small company like ETI cannot, but they do their absolute best to assist their customers. I appreciate their efforts having owned several other brands of RVs.

[Ian G]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

Many of the components of today's automobiles are not made by the manufacturer, not just the tires. Look at the ongoing airbag recall. These parts made by Tanaka (I believe that is the airbag maker). The manufacturer may spec the parts and assemble them, but there are many, many third parties making the parts and putting the manufacturer's name and logo on them. I mean steel, paint, batteries, wiper blades, glass, sound equipment, upholstery, and the list goes on and on.

This is true but these parts made by 3rd party manufacturers are built to the auto manufacturers specs and we as consumers cannot buy that product from them (i.e I cannot buy a Toyota airbag from Tanaka, I have to buy from Toyota). ETI buys "off the shelf" parts and installs these, I can find the identical replacements from many retailers. The manufacturer of these parts offers the warranty

[azjack]

As requested info, I also had a bad regulator a few years ago on my 19, I just went into CW and bought a new one and put it on, worked there after and cost the 40 to 60$ and that was it. When the single door fridge problem started, one of the first things I did was go to a service person and had him adjust the regulator to the
fridge spec. it helped a little. The new two door quit on me, I called a mobile service person that is a dometic authorized repair person, he showed up, checked the same things I had already checked, contacted dometic service and they confirmed he had checked what they wanted and a new control panel is being shipped o'nite so he can install and I hope that does the trick. The part is under warranty but I may have to try to get dometic to pay for labor, $45/hr or forget it and be happy. We will leave for the races on Tuesday regardless.
Jack

[C&G in FL]

I can understand people's frustration when they think ETI should fix everything, but as others have pointed out, often the warranty is the responsibility of the part manufacturer. But what most of this discussion has stemmed from is an absurd $144 charge to adjust a $60 part. When all is said and done, in my mind the blame falls squarely on CW, or at least the CW in question. Some people still have integrity, even if others do not. If I complained to the general manager of the CW where the worker bees handed me such an outrageous bill and the manager did not make an adjustment, I would probably call CW Corporate HQ in Bowling Green, KY, and let my dissatisfaction be known. And if I got no satisfaction from Corporate, I would file a complaint with the State Division of Consumer Protection. I don't think they would look kindly on a repair costing 2-1/2 times the cost of the part being repaired. While I understand not discarding a perfectly good part, CW should not have charged more than the cost of a new regulator, and they should have provided the OP with a repair or replace option.

[Scuba55]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Sounds like ETI did give you direction.

You are soo missing the point, maybe you've bang your head on the wall too many times...

[gbaglo]

Got that right.

[MyronL]

Right on, Carl.

[Jim Bennett]

Geographics has a lot to do with it as well. Seeing Escape is a one location manufacturer/distributor, it is impossible for them to do a lot of this "warranty" work in shop. For them to be at the mercy of a 2nd party shop's pricing is not fair at all, it would be easy for them to be gouged.

If they did resell at dealerships, that might be a different story, as you could take up your warranty issues where you bought it, though the sale price would be marked up for the dealership to make a profit.

I had the thermostat in my fridge go while it was still under warranty, but the hassle of dealing with Dometic to get the warranty, when it just cost me a few bucks, and saved me a bunch of run-around time to fix it myself, I just skipped on having warranty cover it.

[Rossue]

That viewpoint is not accurate. From my own experience with an ETI-owned problem- the rusted window screws, and after four requests for authorization for labor- Reace finally authorized $150. So ETI is not writing a blank check.

If you buy a Toyota from Dealer A and then have a warranty issue, you can take it to dealer B,C,D.....

The little stuff is fine to take care of, but does anyone really think we should be tackling our own solar panel bracket issue though for example? To me that's just crazy. Once you do the work, you're responsible.

[Klem]

Originally Posted by Rossue

The little stuff is fine to take care of, but does anyone really think we should be tackling our own solar panel bracket issue though for example? To me that's just crazy. Once you do the work, you're responsible.

I agree that the solar panel mount should be covered under the ETI warranty. The 'option' included an ETI designed mount and attachment system. The panel can fly off and it's a highway safety issue in the US through NHTSA. I believe ETI should pay any costs for the recall and make sure the work is up to manufacturer's (ETI) standards.

For some other issues the line is blurry and, in the end, it's ETI who sets the policy. By sending out the kits promptly it appears to me that they are 'jumping on it' and trying to provide solutions.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Rossue

If you buy a Toyota from Dealer A and then have a warranty issue, you can take it to dealer B,C,D.....

As with any other make, Toyota dealerships don't make up their own pricing - they follow Toyota procedures and Toyota labour cost guides (how many hours to do a job) while using Toyota parts and with Toyota warranty representative authorization. Although they make up their own hourly labour rates and retail parts prices to charge consumers, Toyota only reimburses dealers at standard rates and Toyota's listed retailed prices. And all those dealerships make money doing warranty work at Toyota's expense, so they're happy to do it.

What you can't do is take your Toyota to be fixed at a Nissan dealer and have Toyota pay for the fix under warranty... and for an Escape, every RV shop out there is not one of their dealers.

[Rossue]

Right Brian, however isn't that what Reace is in effect doing when he sets a dollar figure on an ETI related warranty issue?

Escape can't have it both ways- they avoid using a middleman with dealers, but the warranty support can't be confined to their facility in Chilliwack.

[rbryan4]

Does Escape handle each and every issue in what I'd consider a perfect way? No. I don't think any company does. They make many decisions with both the financial impact and the customer impact considered, and sometimes the solution isn't the best for everyone. But, back to the topic raised by the OP, I have to say, with all due respect, that expecting Escape to pay for an easy to swap $40 part that they did not manufacture and that they don't warrant is laughable. This thread took a turn for the worse. OK, rant off.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Rossue

Escape can't have it both ways- they avoid using a middleman with dealers, but the warranty support can't be confined to their facility in Chilliwack.

Tell me, would you then rather purchase through a dealer and pay more to cover their costs and expenses. You know that Escape would not be selling to dealers a whole lot less than selling direct.

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Does Escape handle each and every issue in what I'd consider a perfect way? No. I don't think any company does. They make many decisions with both the financial impact and the customer impact considered, and sometimes the solution isn't the best for everyone. But, back to the topic raised by the OP, I have to say, with all due respect, that expecting Escape to pay for an easy to swap $40 part that they did not manufacture and that they don't warrant is laughable. This thread took a turn for the worse. OK, rant off.

I completely agree with this, Robert. In a growing company like Escape, where new features are constantly added, along with meeting the customization demands of their customers, not everything goes perfect. But, I feel they work at remedying things WAY better than most companies I have dealt with, including every car dealership, which must train their employees to cover butt.

[Rossue]

What I would say is this: for $144 Escape could have avoided this negative publicity. I can't tell you how many times we bent over backwards to take care of the customer in our cellphone stores. It comes with the business.

If what the OP said in his first post is true- an ETI employee directed him to go to an authorized service center, then that would seem to imply to a reasonable person that the cost would be covered. I see this as a training issue perhaps and may be a symptom of the rapid growth and the accompanying problems this usually brings to any company.

I was blamed for the rusty screws by several forum members initially(didn't manage your condensation-blah,blah) and it was just typical of the responses we still see today. Imply anything at all that questions ETI business practices and look out!