LIPO Warranty is a Joke

[snowrunner]

1 of my LIPOS failed in a week, my balancer aparantly didn't work according to Traxxas on my 5800. Sent in for warranty , expecting to pay $40 (1/2 of the$70 for it new at my Hobby Shop+shipping) but Traxxas uses their List of $110+$5 shipping. Since I paid $5 to ship it - the total I would have had to pay was $55 +5 +5=$65 for a $70 battery?
Told them to keep it, will buy the $25 batteries off eBay in the future - they last longer and can get 2 for the 1/2 price warranty scam

Have purchased over 15 traxxas trucks over the past 4 years, may need to look elsewhere if the fuzzy math persists.

Their warranty / upgrade thing is uselful, but far from reasonable for the actual cost of their parts.

[snowrunner]

Not a Happy Camper

[ksb51rl]

So what charger was it?

[snowrunner]

So what charger was it?

HYPERION EOS0606I AC/DC - That is the only battery I've had fail in the past 3 yrs (other than 1 that ran too low)

[ksb51rl]

The Traxxas policy seems to be in line with other major manufacturers' policies. Here's one:

Warranty Coverage

LiPo Packs are guaranteed as follows:
• Defects in materials and workmanship (solder joints, etc) for one year from date of purchase.
• Persistent imbalance of one cell of greater than 0.06V compared to average of other cell(s) in the pack. Must be reported within 2 months of date of purchase.

...Packs are NOT guaranteed for the following:
• Physical Damage to the pack occurring after purchase (impact, water/moisture/salt, etc)
• Over-voltage charging, or other error by charger or user setting of charger.
• Use outside of specifications
• Damage due to improper storage (very hot locations, fully charged storage, etc)
• Short circuit
• Improper balance connections to charger
• Returns without copy of Original Receipt
• Returns without accompanying note stating the reason for return.


Crash Replacement Policy

If you have damaged your Lipo pack for any reason which is NOT covered by free warranty replacement (i.e due to crash, water damage, etc), and within the first year after original purchase, your nearest ... Regional Distributor can exchange your pack for a brand new one of the same type (or lesser value pack), at 40% discount from original ... suggested retail price for the replacement pack, plus return shipping.

[snowrunner]

The Traxxas policy seems to be in line with other major manufacturers' policies. Here's one:

Had it a week, the other and the replacement I bought are both fine as well as my China specials. Use the same charger and balancer that the one failed on.

Theat paragraph you reference is new, the batteries aren't even in their warranty doc they have online. Was a no questions asked policy that I had read about, the XX% has always been verbal.

If you took your car in and would get a 40% discount on warrantied repairs would you buy another car from that company?

[Nitro Chicken]

I am not sure why this is at all confusing.

Traxxas stands by Power Cell LiPo batteries with the best warranty and exchange program available. For the first year of ownership, Traxxas will replace any battery found to be defective at no cost. After one year, any Power Cell LiPo battery in any condition can be exchanged for a new equivalent battery for just 50% of the new pack's list price, no questions asked.

Traxxas sets the list price, not China or the local hobby shop. If you were asked to pay for the replacement then either the failure was not because of a factory defect or you did not provide the required proof of purchase information.

[upbasher]

I personally am not impressed with traxxas's warranty either. My buddy plugged in his ez peak charger and it just blew up (Yes there was smoke and sparks) for no apparent reason. He called Traxxas and they said it would cost him $60 to repair it when he could buy a brand new one for $37. My ez peak also quit working for no apparent reason and traxxas also refused to replace that one.
If something says lifetime warranty, shouldn't it mean that if it breaks at any time for no reason when you're not doing something to it you shouldn't do, they replace it?

[ksb51rl]

I personally am not impressed with traxxas's warranty either. My buddy plugged in his ez peak charger and it just blew up (Yes there was smoke and sparks) for no apparent reason. He called Traxxas and they said it would cost him $60 to repair it when he could buy a brand new one for $37. My ez peak also quit working for no apparent reason and traxxas also refused to replace that one.
If something says lifetime warranty, shouldn't it mean that if it breaks at any time for no reason when you're not doing something to it you shouldn't do, they replace it?

Perhaps but you seem to break an awful lot of things with the Traxxas name on them. Sometimes you have to look in the mirror and question if its the product...or the user.

If you took your car in and would get a 40% discount on warrantied repairs would you buy another car from that company?

If you brought your car in and expected the dealer to fix front end impact damage for no cost, how hard would you bounce on the way out?

[davyjones'_fleet]

duratrax sent me a brand new battery and all i had to do is email them a pic to show them the old one that exploded on me and the reciept cuz it go too hot charging at the reccomended rate and they didn't even ask me but what kind of charger and the voltage i was charging at.

[ksb51rl]

Yes but you're still stuck with a Duratrax battery.

[snowrunner]

you are incorrect, give them a call I thought the same thing

I'd have bought the china specials if I knew that, Traxxas batteries are no better and cost 3x more. Paid for a warranty and instead got a bill.

I am not sure why this is at all confusing.

Traxxas stands by Power Cell LiPo batteries with the best warranty and exchange program available. For the first year of ownership, Traxxas will replace any battery found to be defective at no cost. After one year, any Power Cell LiPo battery in any condition can be exchanged for a new equivalent battery for just 50% of the new pack's list price, no questions asked.

Traxxas sets the list price, not China or the local hobby shop. If you were asked to pay for the replacement then either the failure was not because of a factory defect or you did not provide the required proof of purchase information.

[snowrunner]

When your cars new battery fails, does the dealer charge you for a new one? I didn't ask that they replace my broken a-arms, chassis or anything else.

Funny that you mention it, so why do I need to buy RPM parts- why doesn't Traxxas use the same material? Would it lose lots of $$$$?

Since you seem to work for Traxxas, please review this with your management

Perhaps but you seem to break an awful lot of things with the Traxxas name on them. Sometimes you have to look in the mirror and question if its the product...or the user.


If you brought your car in and expected the dealer to fix front end impact damage for no cost, how hard would you bounce on the way out?

[Double G]

you are incorrect, give them a call I thought the same thing

I'd have bought the china specials if I knew that, Traxxas batteries are no better and cost 3x more. Paid for a warranty and instead got a bill.

I'm guessing you don't know who Nitro Chicken is and I'm willing to bet he is correct.

[ksb51rl]

When your cars new battery fails, does the dealer charge you for a new one? I didn't ask that they replace my broken a-arms, chassis or anything else.

Funny that you mention it, so why do I need to buy RPM parts- why doesn't Traxxas use the same material? Would it lose lots of $$$$? Now doesn't that seem like a nasty inference?

Since you seem to work for Traxxas, please review this with your management
You've got it!

We can make all the analogies we want, but none are perfect parallels to your situation. I mentioned the font end damage because the unarguable fact is that LiPos puff due to abuse, not due to manufacturing defect.

[beatnrcs]

I beg to differ,not about the warranty issue,because I've had good luck with traxxas warranty system.Sometimes you get lemon batts though.When I got my 4x4 pede,I got a venom 5400 3s.I ran it 1 time,till LVC.I took it in and put it on my triton eq brand new,and it said voltage to high.I was mad 700$ and this junk on my first electric rig no way.I tried 3 other tritons and the same thing.Got a new batt.from LHS were i'm the tech.and it worked fine,and has been for over a yr now with no probs.Now rather you could provide proof of when it was purchased not sure wasn't there,but I would go back to the LHS and work it out with them if it's new prob would have better luck and let him deal with traxxas,IMO.

[ksb51rl]

I'm sure nobody thinks Traxxas denies legitimate warranty claims. There was a reason the pack puffed. Venom replaces a lot of packs. That's because they have to.

[beatnrcs]

That particuller venom batt never puffed didn't last long even too lol.I'm not sure how many cells this guy was running ,but every 3s i've seen puffs no matter what brand.Hopefully he gets it worked out though so he can keep on rc'ing.

[Jakey]

With most RC LiPo companies the 3S packs are built from the exact same cells as the same spec'd 2S packs, so why would 3S have a tendency to puff more. The answer - there isn't any inherent built-in reason for a 3S pack to puff more.

If one cell within a new LiPo pack puffs after only 1 or 2 cycles, then it is very possible that cell had issues. If multiple cells puff within a LiPo pack it is virtually always due to over-discharging the pack or over-amping the pack or some other process the pack did not like, but it is not the fault of the pack or manufacturer.

[ndewitt85]

50 percent of list price which list price is much more than you can buy the stuff at any hobby shop. Shouldnt it be 50 percent off the price you would have to pay at the hobby shop you originally purchased it at or the recipt you have? Not saying a hole in the wall ebay dealer but i legit dealer with legit proof.

[Nitronaught]

50 percent of list price which list price is much more than you can buy the stuff at any hobby shop.

I see the Revo retailing from Traxxas at $649.00, and I'm looking at 2 major Online Retailers of RC's and they list it at $619.00 the other at $632.00

The XO-1 Traxxas suggested retail price is $1099.00 these 2 other Major online retailers have it at $1019.00

So I don't see the 50% you are speaking of....