lwien

I don't know how many of you may have been following my thread in the Futaba forum regarding my search to find a Futaba 7C that does NOT have a throttle-timer bug, but if you have, just an fyi............the thread was deleted by their service manager.................This is the SECOND time that this has happened.

All I'm trying to do is to get a unit that works, and even offered up some suggestions on how they may be able to do that, and for that, the thread was deleted.

I did get a pm from their service manager indicating that I should return the 7C for the third time to my LHS to exchange the unit out, but this time, to tell the rep to check out the unit for the bug BEFORE they sent it out. We did that on the first two units, and they both came in with the bug, so why should this be any different. According to Bax, their service manager, this issue has been resolved in their second production run. Why they can't just pull a unit out of that run and send it to my LHS is beyond me. Why they didn't do a recall on all the defective units they have in their warehouses, which are many, because everytime I order one, it has this bug, is beyond me. Why they deleted the thread discussing this issue, which gave them an opportunity to really strut their stuff, and show the rest of this community what a great service department they have, is beyond me.

I am posting this here, because obviously, Futaba would rather have this issue just swept under the carpet and disappear.
I would also like this issue to disappear, and it would if they would just send me a unit that works, rather then their suggestion of sending a brand new unit either from me or from their distributors back to them to repair. I don't want a repaired unit. I want a new one that works. And until I do, I think it would not only serve my purpose, but also the purpose of others who may be thinking about purchasing a 7c, for this issue to remain public until at least, it's resolved.

lwien

Update.......

Went back to my LHS for the third time and returned 3rd defective unit. BTW, all the units that he had in stock were also defective. He then called up Great Planes, Futaba's distributor and explained the situation to the rep. The rep told him, "Why don't ya just tell the customer to send it in to us for repair?". My LHS said, "Why should he purchase a brand new unit that he knows is defective and send it in for repair? Doesn't make any sense. Why don't you check out the unit first?". They said that they really couldn't do that, but that they could take a unit out of their inventory and send it over to their service department to check out, and if it had the bug, they would repair it and then send it out.

So either way, it looks like the ONLY way I'm going to get a bug free unit is to have it repaired..........Which means another week.............and 4 round trip trips to the LHS..........Let's see, that's a total of 240 miles and lots of time exchanging transmitters, one after the other, trying to get one that works.

I have a feeling that I may get a unit that has finally has this bug removed, but not without a lot of hassle. I wonder of Futaba feels that they need to do something a little above and beyond to help rectify this situation. For some odd reason, I doubt it.

It seems that what we have here is a company that has made a very good line of products and has done a great job at capturing their market share within their specific price points. The error that Futaba is making is the thinking that takes hold when a company begins to relax on their laurals. It won't be the first time this error in business judgement has occured, and Futaba, I am sure will not be the last company to succumb to this kind of apathy.

Crashem

If I were you I'd complain to the mangement here at RCU about the deleted thread. I agree 100% that is a BAD way to do business..
Have you considered buying another brand? Best way to make your point is to stop buying their products.

Jerry Sigur

Not to hijack your thread but this is perhaps another bug with the 7C.
A clubmate has a new 7C. When he programs two models next to
each other (model 1, model 2) the radio has severe glitches. If he
seperates them by several models (model 1, model 6), no glitches.
He has sent the radio back once for service and it came back with
a new receiver but nothing done to the tranny.
Any thoughts?
Jerry

WycheG

My Feedback: (4)

You complain about this a LOT. I'm tempted to say you complain an almost unhealthy amount. I mean, you're going to get an ulcer over this.

Look, your radio cost what, $150. With all the fuss you're making (multiple threads, etc.) a guy would think you had bought a 9Z that wasn't up to par. Spend some of that gas money you complain about to buy a better, more proven, radio. Get a 9C, it's not much more expensive and it's been around a lot longer so you can reasonably expect that any bugs in its software have been found and corrected by now.

If you're gonna complain, then I'd advise you not to ever buy any new product within a year of its debut on the market. Let someone else find the bugs and get them worked out first since you seem to not have much patience for technology.

This is a hobby. It's supposed to be fun. Don't wine so much for Christ's sake. If you don't like Futaba because of this experience then I'm sure JR, Hitec, or someody will sell you a replacement $150 radio. Just don't buy their newest model because if they haven't gotten every single aspect of their software perfectly right yet then you'll be back here complaining again ...

My 2 cents.

Since you seem intent on keeping this going ...

Greg

lwien

Greg, I understand new technology. I've been in the consumer electronics business for over 30 years..........I totally understand how a new unit that comes to market may have issues.........

My complaint is NOT that the 7C has a bug. My complaint is how Futaba has HANDLED this issue.

Believe me, I wish I didn't like the 7C as much as I do. It does EVERYTHING I want it to do...........I've looked at the HiTecs, JRs and the Airtronics and none of them is as complete a package, for me, as the 7C...........

It's just frustrating that the solution to all of this would have just been for Futaba to have sent out a new bug free unit to my LHS. They admittedly have them..........They just refused to send one.

Tom Frank, another 7C customer here who frequents these boards had the same issue, except he purchased his. When he called the service department to let them know about it, they told him to send it back to them for repair, and that he'd have to pay for the shipping. Uhhhh.......excuse me......?? It's a known bug, and he had to pay for shipping? It was only after he took it public here, that they finally concided that they would defray the shipping costs.

I guess it's just my sensitivity and desire for good customer service. It's something that I've trained hundreds of employees at my company to do, and to do it right, and when I see that it's done wrong, it kinda makes me nuts..........

It not the money, Greg. I could by 20 7C's.............It's how a potential customer is treated or not treated..........

But you're right about one thing. I have spent wayyyy tooooo much time and energy on this.

dlwood

OK I'll bite What is the bug, I too have an early 7C but have not run into any problems
but I do not want to get bitten.

lwien

If you try to link the throttle to the timer and adjust it so that when you apply throttle, the timer starts, and when throttle is off, the timer stops, the radio automatically resets your end points on channel one to 0%. In the manual, where it talks about the timer, it uses this timer/throttle link as an example of how to set it. If you leave the throttle at the 50% mark, no problem. But if you want the timer to begin at a certain throttle percentage, and you input the info, and press the dial to set it, your aileron end points get reset to 0..........

rajul

My Feedback: (58)

Any other 7C users seeing the same problem ?

lwien

Mike,

There's been quite a bit of discussion about this over at rcgroups........Apparently, a lot of people aren't aware of this problem because they haven't tried to use this feature of the timer linked to the throttle.......

rajul

My Feedback: (58)

Do you mind posting the link please ?

lwien

Here's a few of them, Mike.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...ghlight=Futaba

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...ghlight=Futaba

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_16...tm.htm#1603527

rajul

My Feedback: (58)

Thanks lwien. Give me some time to digest all this info. Let me tell you I had an issue with my 9C which was resolved. My rule of thumb now: Never buy a new radio just released into the market. Let the manufacturer work out the critical bugs first. There are still some interesting bugs in the 9C, but something that amuses me rather than affect my flying. I'll send you a PM later.

rajul

My Feedback: (58)

lwien, just a quick one. I browsed through the links, and yes this is a software bug which Futaba has to fix. In the case of the v-tail bug in the 9C, I remember that the processor update was only made after more than half a year into the market.

lwien

No problem, Mike.

Yeah, I hear ya about buying a new unit.............But like I told someone else, finding a bug in a brand new unit that came to market didn't really bother me that much. Kind of expected that on something brand new. What threw me for a loop was how Futaba has handled it. First they denied it. Then they said it's only on a few units. Then they said that they fixed it on their second run, and everytime either I brought it up or someone else brought it up in their forums here, the threads get deleted.............as if that's gonna make the problem disappear. Sounds like something one of my kids would do........ .

I know that their service department is contracted out...............but I would think that SOMEONE at Futaba Corp. should try to get a handle on this situation..................They have units out there with known bugs. Admit it, deal with it and take responsiblity for it................But DON'T put the oness on the customer, and make him jump thru hoops to get a new unit that is bug free........Three weeks, over 10 units checked, numerous posts and threads back and forth with their service department here at rcuniverse, and still I don't have a transmitter that works like it's supposed to...................Kinda nuts, don't ya think??

lwien

Yeah, but Bax said that they fixed this bug on their second production run, and yet............they find it impossible to send me one from that run? Hmmmmmmmmmm............what's wrong with THIS picture?? Was I lied to about this?

Someone said here that I was whining about this, and I'm beginning to think he was right..........But I gotta tell ya Mike, one thing I hate is to be jerked around, and that is exactly what is happening here.

lwien

One more thing Mike and then I'm done with this.

Read the thread that appeared in RCuniverse that I posted above. The last post in that thread was from a person asking for a response from Futaba regarding this issue.................Notice the answer he got. That's right. He didn't get an answer. He was ignored............Much like everyone else that brings up this topic with them......

Ok, I'm done...........

rajul

My Feedback: (58)

If it requires that the microprocessor be changed to an updated version, then Futaba should make a formal announcement. That change can be done when a user sends his Tx in for service. That was the case with 9C.

IronCross

Wow, this is scary... Brings to mind a peeling liner problem the same people denied ever existed...
As above, my experiance with "Futaba" has been very positive.. I had a 2 year old 9c that had a couple
of issues and they paid the postage and replaced the transmitter with a brand new one... Even put the stronger springs
on the gimbles for me free...

rajul

My Feedback: (58)

Futaba did the same for me, after I elevated the issue to Japan. I am indeed sad to see the predicament that these 7C users are facing. This is clearly unacceptable !

rajul

My Feedback: (58)

Man, did I have plans for the 14MZ. One word.........Forgetaboutit !!

IronCross

Now that would be a real bummer... Spend all that money for a T14 full of bugs and then to get this kind of runaround...
Guess it's like cars, give them a couple model years to work the bugs out...

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

You guys sound a bit like Chicken Little. From their track record I think we can all rest assured that Futaba will take care of the problem. Expecting them to jump through hoops to pull a unit out of a production run instead recieving the shipment and processing it is not how large companies work. Lwien if you were the only one with this problem than I can see how it would be expected for them to do a one time deal to take care of you but they have a bigger picture to look at. They need to be able to take care of all of their customers, not just you. So should they skip their usual channels to grease the squeaky wheel or work to fix the entire problem?

This seems like a pretty minor issue and one you can easily avoid while still enjoying all the other features of your new radio. You can go fly to your hearts content and soon enough get a unit from the second production run or have them reprogram you current radio, either way the problem will get solved.

Hopefully you have realized that focusing on this one issue is taking up more of your time than the final solution will ever require.

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

Scary? Is this a life threatening situation? To compare this to a potentially life threatening situation and than blame the "same people" is almost racist. I know a lot of people who think the IronCross is a racist symbol even though we know the history of the symbol predates the regime it sometimes gets confused with. Ironic huh?

lwien

Yeah, I guess, but I'm a techno geek. I love to be the first on my block to have something new and cool. I'm always buying into new technology........I've never bought anything used and hate to buy older models when there are newer ones on the market. I understand the risks in doing so, but I do expect a company to stand behind their product and provide great service, especially to the early adopters, the human guinea pigs, who are willing to go out on a limb and buy into their new technology.
They should bend over backwards to take care of these people, especially if these people purchased a unit that has a known bug.............

Not ONCE, did I hear from Bax, their Service Manager, that he was sorry that I was having these problems in getting a new unit that works. Instead, he either deletes posts and threads when the subject is brought up, or totally ignores a question, like the one mentioned above in the rc thread, when the heat gets turned up. I don't think I've ever seen a company do things like this.

In that poll that I posted regarding "Worst Customer Service", what's interesting about that poll is that HiTec has NO negative votes, and I've heard from many here and at rcgroups how great their service is. Hats off to Mike Mayberry.............He's doing an excellent job...........He's always there to answer any questions that may arise, and I've seen some of the debates get rather heated, and he has NEVER deleted any posts or threads. He keeps an open mind and discusses the issues at hand until the issues get resolved.

Maybe it's the difference between contracting your work out to someone else, or keeping your service in house.......

I wish HiTec would have had something in their line that I liked as well as the 7C. I would have purchased it in a heartbeat.