SPOT 2 Satellite Messenger recall
December 16, 2009 by Rich Owings
Ruh roh! SPOT LLC has announced a voluntary recall of some of its second generation SPOT Satellite Messenger (SPOT 2) units. According to the company:
Spot LLC is dedicated to providing the highest quality and best performance products to our customers, therefore, Spot LLC will be conducting a voluntary return on any new model SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger™ (SPOT 2) purchased since October 1, 2009. During recent testing, we discovered that some of the new SPOT 2 devices might not meet battery and messaging operating specifications.
This must effect nearly all units, since the SPOT 2 became available shortly before the October 1 date cited above. It also looks like the SPOT 2 is being pulled from retail distribution.
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Here’s additional evidence that they have changed the waterproof rating on the unit to a small fraction of the rating they give it in their marketing materials: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12277954&postcount=1849
I just emailed globalstar Canada today formally asking for either a repaired unit that meets specs or refund my money; I also cc’d the vendor (though this is no fault of theirs) so that at least they are aware. Heaven forbid they should be reticent and force me to recoup losses in small claims court, I’d need to name the poor vendor as well. In Canada, the competition act prohibits the practice of Performance Representations not Based on Adequate and Proper Tests, pubishable by up to a $10,000,000 fine for first incident and up to $15,000,000 per subsequent. I bet there are similar laws in the USA. I have absolutely no use for a leaky device that can’t be used in damp conditions, most of my backcountry use is by water (canoe). I hope they just refund my money and send me on my way, because I have grave concerns about trusting this company with my life in an emergency situation, if they can’t even be honest and upfront about the recall and offer people a refund if they can’t provide a product that meets specifications.
Just spoke with SPOT cust service. They state, ” The Membrain in the unit was changed to allow air to pass through the unit up to altittudes of 20,000 feet and yes the water specs From 5 meters for 1 hour to 1 meter for 30 minutes are the current specs because of the membrain change”. They state the large gap in the battery back case fit with the too large rubber gasket is normal”.
They would NOT work with me on the sloppy battery cover molding issue.
It’s clear we have been HAD! AGAIN!
I don’t know what to say at this point. I’m hoping to return the device to them and get my money back. On the positive side, I can see that they have updated the specifications that they publish on their website so for new customers they will have a fresh start with no misleading information about the device’s capabilities. I’m curious whether the new stock will have the ill-fitting battery door but with any luck I will have put this behind me and not looked back by the time I would find out. I’m just waiting now for the ACR 2885 to be approved in Canada as right now that looks like a good alternative for what I mainly am looking for (http://www.acrelectronics.com/product2.aspx?sku=2885). It’s too bad the Spot didn’t work out, its user-replaceable batteries (so you can essentially send unlimited OK messages for low cost in batteries) and small size are terrific but for me unfortunately that doesn’t outweigh what has changed in the product specs. Maybe I’ll be interested again if they make a Spot 3 that really is waterproof.
WOW ! I stand corrected! Debbie from SPOT just called and is hot on the trail of fixing the oversized battery seal and the ill fitted battery door on the SPOT2 recalled units. They promised a replacement that fits together the way it should would be sent to me within 4 weeks. (I keep my current unit working till then). As for the water, I will have to hope that the new lower value will stand up to splashes on the sailboat. It is clear that SPOT cust. service has just done a turn around and as they state, ” we just are here to make you happy and fix the problem”. Well done SPOT! I look forward to the second fix on the SPOT2 to arrive!
Update to replacement of the wrong color / poor fit SPOT-2 as Promised by Debbie at cust. service 30 days ago….. NO corrected unit has arrived…
As per the promise of getting a fixed SPOT2 unit WITHIN 4 weeks……
Guess I shouldn’t hold my breath…..
Update: 04/05/10: Just got an e-mail from Debbie at SPOT. The replacement for the faulty SPOT2 is delayed yet another two weeks.
I had hoped that customer service had seen the light. They have not.
The second fix for my faulty SPOT2 is in SPOT Limbo Land.
I’ve just had a similar experience, someone at Spot seems to have seen the light. In my case, the product doesn’t suit my needs any more because of the changed specs but they’ve now agreed quite amiably to take it back, which is all I had ever hoped or asked for.
A Spot user in Australia. It appears that we are being forgotten. Below is a copy of an email I received in February.
Good Day Stephen,
“Unfortunately, we do not have a specific date as to when the SPOT 2 will be available to our customer’s in Australia. We are trying our best to get the devices returned as soon as possible. Our ‘Early 2010′ expected date is still the same but we do not want to provide false expectations to our customers. We apologize for the inconvenience and we thank you for your patience.
Please visit http://www.findmespot.com/exchange for details.
Best Regards,
Spot Customer Service”
I purchased my device in December 2009. It is still in the box unused! There has been a distinct lack of communication from Spot to their Australian Customers. I suspect that this is a company in crisis and I would not like to be a share holder!
Think I will return my device and seek a refund….far too “dodgy” for me.
I sent in both my spot 2s that were working fine and got both back today. The battery cover on both do not mate well. I pulled the rubber gasket out and see they’ve used standard silicone sealant to build the gasket groove up in height to allow for a tighter compression seal when you crank the cover down. I think the gasket is fine without the need for extra silicone sealant so I carefully scraped it all out of the gasket groove with a wood toothpick (took awhile) and now both covers seal like they used to. I can kind of see why they did it as the cover can bottom out before a tight seal is achieved on some units. I also used clear silicone grease that you can get in the plumbing isle at any hardware store to lube the gasket, it work very well. Be sure to use only wood to scrape out the gasket groove as this will not scratch the plastic. I tried a piece of plastic at first and was marring the surface.
Have not received my repaired unit in Canada yet. Anxious to see if the second replacement being promised to many unsatisfied with the repairs will be a factory new unit!
Well I’m another unhappy Aussie customer here. I bought my unit back in mid December and like Aussie Steve I still have mine in the box unable to be used and waiting for further instructions.
The latest response I got from Spot was:
Dear Mr. Aussie Glen,
Thank you for your inquiry and we sincerely apologize for the delay you have experienced with the return process.
To better serve our Australian customers, we are arranging a direct replacement through our channel locally – Pivotel. Although there have been a few delays initially we feel it will ultimately provide the fastest turnaround for you.
In terms of your question regarding returning your new old unit to purchase a new unit, I would recommend simply waiting for the exchange process as existing customers are being given priority in the exchange and new units will not be available until the existing customer’s units have been exchanged.
We appreciate your patience as we arrange the final steps in this return process and can assure you we are making every effort in completing this return as soon as possible.
Please wait for further instruction in the next few days as to what is to occur.
Thank you and best regards,
The SPOT team
Hello down under!
These words may not be a consulation but may give you some insight from Canada. I just received my previously activated unit and am aware of another unit received which was not activated so the process is moving. I suppose this was a major effort to redesign, test and ship in short order with who knows how many units. Spot has been upfront and maintained contact with me and supplied a unit as new as the one I returned with the modifications. Many were unhappy with the returned units yet Spot is going to replace all units to their satisfaction. As a business operator myself it is often not easy to appease everyone!
Thanks Dennis. This morning I just received a reply from Spot that some of the Aussie & New Zealand customers might be interested in.
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Dear Mr. Aussie Glen,
I apologize for not responding previously, I was waiting for a concrete answer from our International reps to be able to provide you with an accurate answer.
As of now, there are 200 units being shipped to Pivotel in Australia, who will be facilitating the exchange locally.
I can confirm that they are in the process of arranging the communication and shipment instructions for all of the customers in Australia and New Zealand who submitted exchange claims.
I am truly sorry for the delay in this process but the primary setback was that we had to wait for the units to be available from the manufacturer to then be shipped to Australia.
I apologize that I cannot provide a more concrete date for return but I assure you we want the new units in our customers hands as much as you do!
We thank you again for your patience and hope to have this resolved as soon as possible.
The SPOT team.
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So hopefully it won’t be too much longer and I’ll be able to exchange my spot. I did notice in the email that they said “new units” so I guess that means they are not refurbished. I’ll have to wait and see I suppose.
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Tiffany C: Hello! What can I assist you with?
Customer: What date will SPOT 2 Satellite GPS be available ?
Tiffany C: We are estimated to receive our next shipment on March 31, 2010.
Customer: Ok Thank You Tiffany-Good Day.
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Thanks Steve.
Still nothing for Australian customers! This is unreasonable and unfair. I paid for my device 4 months ago now and still cannot use it. Spot are full of empty promises! I’m returning mine for a refund – never again and I will let all and sundry know about my opinion of the company and their device.
You’re dead right Steve. My spot was bought on 8th December 2009 as a Christmas present and it’s still sitting here on my computer desk in the box. I understand that problems happen but it’s absolutely ridiculous to have paid for a device and 4 months later still have that device unable to be used.
Supposedly, new devices have been shipped to Pivotel here in Aus and they were apparently going to contact us a week and a half ago, according to spot.
Surely something must happen soon!?
Hi Glen, I am not putting up with this any more. I have sincere doubts about this company’s viability and comitment to customers. Refund for me and I will walk away.
Well I just had a call from Pivotel here in Aus and apparently I’ll receive some return shipping material in the next couple of days and my device will then be sent back to the US. The turn around time will be approximately 2 to 3 weeks!
I really don’t get this. Why have we been waiting for 4 months only to be told that we now need to have our unit sent to the US for exchange? Other than sending out return packaging I’m not really sure what value adding Pivotel are contributing to the process.
It’s gone on that long that another 3 weeks isn’t going to matter, but wow…by the time I get my new unit it will almost be 5 months!
Spot are very lucky that they have such a unique product that I actually really do want, otherwise I would have pulled out a long time ago.
Well it’s hard to believe that it’s happened but I now have my brand new Spot 2. If it is a refurbished unit then I can’t pick it. Credit where it’s due…Pivotel were pretty quick in getting my new device back to me only 4 days after I originally sent my replacement unit in.
It appears the recall did not solve the manufacturing problems. I have a unit with an ESN higher than the range covered by the recall. Unit was purchased late May 2010. My unit’s symptoms are generally different than what Spot has described for the recalled units: Unit worked fine for two weeks, spotty about a week ago, then non-functioning when most needed this weekend climbing above 8,000 feet. On/Off light blinks green but GPS light does not blink at all. If you select track, OK, or custom message, then the GPS light blinks red but only then. Replaced batteries with new….no change. No messages or tracks received by recipients entire time gone, on a day when there was an avalanche further up the mountain. Some background that I’ve learned: SPOT is a wholly owned subsidiary of Globalstar, the low-earth-orbit satellite company. SPOT contracts through Axonn, a GPS device manufacturer that primarily specializes in tracking freight, who with respect to the SPOT works with a contract manufactuer in China. If you’ve held the unit, it feels well built and well designed, but apparently that is just window dressing on some shoddy manufacturing on a device that lives may depend on. Not a good manufacturing choice, in my opinion. Question: how much more would you pay to have this device manufactured in the USA?
Thanks for sharing. This has been an active thread with lots of subscribers. I’m hoping some will chime in so we can see if others are seeing similar issues.
I have the post- recall unit and I ‘m letting my sister use it for a back country trip in western U.S. SPOT had failed to transmit the o.k. check 99% of the time. Sent an e-mail two days ago to SPOT customer service. No response yet. First generation SPOT worked awesome. So far this one sucks! Not happy.
Ouch!
Thanks for posting the problems that you have had with the Spot. You have saved me from the heartache of dealing with their lame customer service. Mistakes happen, it’s how they fix’em that counts. Thanks again!