HDTV Forum

Best Buy and Circuit City both allow returns on defective TVs. My brother bought a JVC 60" from Best Buy and they replaced it 3 times in the first month... they gave him a bit of a hard time but in the end, he got the TV he wanted and it works (most importantly).

Unfortunately I purchased mine from Electronics-Expo who has a no return policy on anything over 36" (lesson learned - BIG TIME!)
I had my TV (WD73732) only 5 days before the light engine failed and all the store says is, "it has to be fixed under warranty". What crap!

However, the service tech was here within a day of calling them. They even had to come back the following week (since the TV would not act up the first time). So, my experience on THAT end has been positive thus far (at least).

I wholly agree you redogleader in that Mitsu doesn't care. They take their sweet time for sure! Even after you've had the issue diagnosed and an order placed, expect to wait another 2 to 3 weeks minimum before it will be fixed. Also, my tech indicated that Mitsu does not like to give up a light engine easily and will opt instead for a main board replacement knowing full well that's not the issue. So be sure your tech is willing to fight to get you the right parts the FIRST time. Else you'll be waiting months potentially.

Also... If you call Mitsu CS they tell everyone their order has been "expedited" - which is total bull. Your parts get shipped when they get shipped. There is no such thing as expedited or priority with them - it's all just words to try and give the impression they are actually doing something and hope you'll go away and wait.

I have been calling them daily asking for status and am still waiting for a supervisor to call me back. I will continue to do so until I get some satisfaction or my parts arrive and the TV is fixed.

Good luck!

PS: Here's a vid of mine acting up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK14iA9OU1Y

It is true that Mitsu doesn't care about customer service. I was even told that by a very helpful customer service rep. at Mitsu. He stated that parts cannot be expedited and upper management will not call back. He stated that supervisors would not call back. (So to who ever is waiting for a supervisor to call back you might as well stop waiting and start writing instead.)

The latest and greatest on our light engine is that our part came in the end of Nov. I called the
sub-contractor up to find out when he is going to install my light engine. He told me that the part was for another customer and a different model then mine. I called Mitsu to inquire about my part. Mitsu informed me that the sub-contractor made the mistake and the part was for us, and the part number did match our model TV. The rep went on to tell me that he spoke with the sub-contractor prior to me calling and informed him of his mistakeby installing it in some other TV. He told the sub he has to make it right with us. Who do we believe?

Well, here we are now waiting until Jan 9, 2008 for the part. I am currently in the process of filing the complaint and requesting a new TV from Mitsu.

Who was the person talking about filing a class action in California?

He immediately said, "Yep, that's the light engine." He then explained to me how Mitsubishi doesn't like to replace them, that they always try to get techs to replace the main board first (even knowing full well that the board is not the issue) and constantly give consumers the run-around before actually agreeing to replace a light engine.

That is one heck of a nasty claim! Due to availability they require authorization from tech assist to make sure the part is not being wasted on a problem that does not need it preventing other customers from getting theirs. While I can't refute the claim I can share our experience. I just ordered one and it was no hassle but I did have to provide information that convinced them it was the light engine.

Richard:
What time frame did they quote you for the light engine?

About a month as expected. Fortunately for this customer it is still intermittent working more often than not...

The warmer it gets, the worse it becomes? We can watch our TV with the "rebuilt" light engine for about 20 minutes before it all becomes pretty much unwatchable. Forget about watching any HD. I'm hoping that's related to the light engine issue?

Richard wrote:

He immediately said, "Yep, that's the light engine." He then explained to me how Mitsubishi doesn't like to replace them, that they always try to get techs to replace the main board first (even knowing full well that the board is not the issue) and constantly give consumers the run-around before actually agreeing to replace a light engine.

That is one heck of a nasty claim! Due to availability they require authorization from tech assist to make sure the part is not being wasted on a problem that does not need it preventing other customers from getting theirs. While I can't refute the claim I can share our experience. I just ordered one and it was no hassle but I did have to provide information that convinced them it was the light engine.

I agree that is a nasty claim, but it is verbatim what I was told.

As you pointed out, the tech needs to provide Mitsu w/ information that "convinces" them that is is in fact a light engine problem. As I stated above, I was told that even when the tech KNOWS it's a light engine, Mitsu often will not agree to send such unless the information given is serious enough to warrant it. Instead they'll require a main board replacement or other fix first and if THAT doesn't work, THEN they'll supply a light engine.

I found out through the grapevine that some techs are forced to "embellish" the truth just to get the correct parts. i.e., the "convincing evidence" they supply is not just "ghosted image" or "loss of clarity", but something like, "I could hear the light wheel making noises" which forces a light engine replacement since it's a single unit for Mistus. I'm sorry, but THAT's ridiculous. If an authorized tech's job is to diagnose these issues and get the parts needed for a fix, then Mitsu should not be deciding the course of action needed for that fix.

Part availability is a separate issue entirely and one that Mitsu should be addressing internally. Sure, they don;t want to send the wrong parts and then sum1 else with a "real" need has to wait. But, the bottom line is, consumer's should not be put off and tech's forced to lie because the corporation can't see fit to manufacture enough parts to meet the demand of their own malfunctioning products. That's Bulls&*%t and the reason I will never purchase a Mistubishi product again.

I Just noticed the following on the Mitsu-tv site (maybe it's old news?, but...):


Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America, Inc (MDEA) 2005/ 2006 DLP

I can't believe this...

I just got off the phone w/ Mitsu CSR - after 4 other calls this week and being told repeatedly that my part was "expedited" and that a supervisor would call me back (and never did BTW) - today I call and am told that my part was never "expedited," no escalation was ever placed on my order and the light engine will not ship now until January 9th.


The CSR even told me, "I could put you through to a supervisor but they are all busy on other calls." To this I responded, "I'll WAIT!" She didn't know what to do then, saying, "uhh.. umm.. well.. ahh.. they're going to be on the phone for quite awhile.. and well.. umm... this is the reason for the call back" Way to get caught in a LIE dumbass.

Grrrrrrrr..... You can just image how pissed I am right now!

After over a week of being told my part would ship BY the 20th, now it's suddenly moved to the 9th of January and EVERYTHING I was previously told amounts to nothing more than CS lip service and the usual Mitsu bull.

Today they even told me to call and complain to my tech/service center as "they can get the parts faster". What a complete line of crap!
I'm writing a letter now to their corporate headquarters and finishing up my letter to the Attorney General's office of NJ - I can;t wait to speak with this "supervisor" if and when they ever call me back.

I cannot believe how inept this corporation is!

Oh...I can believe how "pissed off" you are!!!!..........it is extremely discouraging trying to deal with them. Chances are you will never get a call back from a "supervisor". I don't think they exist.
As you know from my posts, my 73" DLP has been out of service since August (now there's a "GRRRRRRRRRRR" for you!!).
This is the end of the long haul for me. I have also been told that my part is now "expedited", and that it will be shipped within 2 weeks (that was on 12/6). IF this is delayed one more time, they can expect a certified letter demanding a replacement TV and they'll have the time that is statutory in Calif to do just that before I file a small claims action against them.
Maybe I should just hold a fund raiser for a needy organization in our town:
Take the TV outside somewhere, and raffle off blows to the TV with a sledge hammer. The first swing would be the most expensive...etc..etc...the media exposure would be great, don't you think????
Best of luck to us all...................