We have dealt with these cases before. Our defective car advocacy helpline get results.

The LetterChamp assists our clients in getting product refund help be it shock absorbers, engine or transmission issues, anti lock brake system or car overheating or air conditioning problem.

Letterchamp consumer helpline in California can help you with car return to the manufacturer and electronic product recall help requests from manufacturers, retailers and service providers around the world. We listen to you when the customer service department will not.

Many consumers who try to represent themselves with car manufacturers, or car dealers for refunds or car recall issues often get lost in a Byzantine maze of confusing rules, regulations and phone extensions only to give up in frustration.

The LetterChamp professionals have developed an effective and courteous process that successfully breaks down walls to help get its clients fair compensation for their case.

SUBMIT YOUR CAR CASE NOW

Consumers buy electronic products like blue ray player, Plasma Televisions, HDTV, Desktop Computers for a high price, and, expect at least a one year warranty. Sometimes, consumers end up buying faulty computers that break down or lock up, defective blue ray players that wont play, Broken or defective HDTV Or Plasma Television, that is not what it is promised to be.

However, one year warranties are actually 3 month warranties disguised to look like ‘one year’. All this is bad news for the consumer, like me, who is stuck with out of warranty issues and has to pay from her own pocket.

So, here’s my story. I am an American consumer. I expect quality in my electronic products. And, if the manufacturer or retailer has sold me a defective product, then, either they should refund my money or send me a replacement! The problem is electronic manufacturers actually had good service 4 or 5 years ago. So, this is why the big companies selling defective products is SUCH a shock.

We bought a Blue Ray Player, Samsung BDP 1000 for $300, from Sears, in October 2008. We were given a warranty of 1 year in writing. In October 2009, 24 days before the warranty was about to expire, there was an automatic ‘firmware’ update by Samsung. In a nutshell, it was updating itself, fixing its bugs and so on.

Somehow, the update went wrong, and the blueray player just locked up and stopped working in the middle of this update. How do we know? Because we were in the living room watching this happen. So, when the blue ray player stopped functioning, we contacted the Samsung Customer Service. They informed us that warranty did NOT cover any hardware repair. Hello, isnt a blueray player a HARDWARE? Then, what does it cover, anyway. Well, it doesnt cover this issue, we were told. ” Pay $90 for factory repair, and shipping cost”.

We refused to pay, because it was their update, and nothing we did that caused the problem. So, we are STUCK with a broken blue ray player now.

Basically, it is cheaper to buy a new blue ray player now compared to 2008. And, we can easily get a new one.

However, we are so miffed, we definitely want to make some noise against Samsung customer service, and, how they hide warranties.

Whether is Samsung or other big electronic giants, truth is manufacturers are getting very clever at hiding their real warranty coverage. A product is released, sometimes, in beta stage in order to meet deadlines, for, lets say mothers’ day or christmas.

Since, most electronic products now have automatic updates, these firmware ‘fixes’ of bugs are send over the Internet. So, before you can figure out WHAT”S WRONG your laptop, computer, blue ray player, or television, a firmware update will automatically fix it. This is how it works!! I know this because my husband works in the Industry.

Which is all fine. The reason I am writing this blog is that why do companies like Samsung do not even test their firmware update. Without testing, it can harm or break the unit. However, it is the consumer, who has to pay for shipping and fixing it. How is a firmware update sent by the company the consumer’s fault?

Check out the ratings in forums for electronics. This Samsung player gets the WORST ratings, among others. Here is a link:

CNET Forum Link for Samsung Blue Ray Player

So, in a nutshell, I am going to buy a new blue ray player, however, read the small print in warranty.

And, our next blue ray player we buy is NOT going to be made by Samsung.

Department of Climate Change in Australia exposed LG as a company that abused the voluntary code ‘ethics’.

According to smarthouse.com, “The move comes as the NSW State Government projects price hikes for electricity will reach 65% over the next three years and research companies predict that Australians will start moving to “Smart appliances” in an effort to save money.”

Apparently, the consumer electronics laws in United States are far more stringent in some cases (depending on state), compared to some other countries. Although electronic companies blatantly over advertise their ‘claims’ here, but fear of consumer law and liability does keep them in their limits.

As far as the price goes, it is every consumer electronic company’s endeavor to keep the price competitive in the US market. However, with new e-waste laws, and recycling of electronic waste becoming a big issue not just in US, but the whole world – there is no doubt, the prices will go up here too.

So far, 20 states, plus New York City have passed legislation mandating statewide e-waste recycling. Several more states are considering legislation in 2010 (in yellow below). All laws except California use the Producer Responsibility approach, where the manufacturers must pay for recycling.

California consumer law may also change its tune in the coming years, and make us pay for electronic waste just like the CRV.

No wonder obesity in kids is at an all time high. So is diabetes, and heart attacks are happening to youths at age 25 onwards!

If you have young children, instill good habits in them now. Feed them fresh, organic food. Cook yourself and spend some time in the kitchen. Better yet, teach them about healthy choices.

And, you can save money as well!

You can save money by cooking yourself. It is a little extra time, but, the inconvenience of spending time in the kitchen is costing American thousands of dollars a year.

For example, if as a mother, you buy readymade peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or pre cut apples pre packaged for your child’s lunch, here is how much you are losing. Let’s do the numbers.

Cost of one red delicious apple – 30 cents
You pay, when it is pre packaged and cut – $2.99

Cost of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich made at home on WHOLE WHEAT bread – 55 cents
You pay, when you buy it pre-packaged and cut – $1.99 PER sandwich,

Whats more, it is POOR quality peanut butter, POOR quality jelly loaded with high fructose corn syrup and it is on WHITE BREAD!!

Cost of pre packaged lunch for your kid (contains cheese slice, ham slice, few pieces of fruit and yogurt or a small sandwich made of white bread and high fructose corn syrup jelly) – $3.99

Do you know how many chemicals are loaded in that??

Cost of making a HEALTHY ORGANIC lunch for you own kid – $2.15

Ingredients – Fresh, organic, and you can use sugar free jelly and whole wheat or multi grain bread.

We were up at Barnes and Nobles the other day, and, noticed a product recall for an home improvement book. This one was a DIY for how to set up electricity and home wiring, that were being recalled because of fire hazard. Apparently, the technical diagrams and electrical codes in the books were incorrect, and, if someone followed the instructions, it could cause a major fire hazard.

Another example, Pier 1 Imports recalled glitter tea lights due to fire hazard. And, then my friend recently returned her Acer laptop, that poses a fire hazard.

And, a surprising one was by Starbucks!

Starbucks Coffee Company voluntarily recalled about 11,000 (in the United States) and 1,200 (in Canada) Glass Water Bottles. The glass water bottle and/or its stopper can shatter when the consumer is removing or inserting the stopper, posing a laceration hazard to consumers.

Here are some interesting product recalls that were done voluntarily with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

In co-operation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), FAF Inc., voluntarily recalled about 55,000 Metal Necklaces meant for little girls. The recalled necklaces contain high levels of cadmium. Cadmium is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Summit Treestands LLC, recalled about 6,800 Talon Hunting Hang-on Tree Stands and Brackets/Straps. The tree stand can unexpectedly detach from the tree when the brackets fail, posing a fall hazard to consumers.

AMX, of Richardson, Texas, is voluntarily recalling about 8,600 Rechargeable Batteries sold with MVP 5000 Series Wireless Touch Panels. A defect in the battery can cause the battery pack to overheat and rupture. This poses a fire and burn hazard to consumers.

Zippo is recalling about 17,500 Zippo Slatkin & Co. Candle Lighters. Apparently, these lighters can produce an excessive flame when adjusted to maximum flame setting, posing a burn hazard to consumers.

If you are involved in a car accident then you should do the following:

1. List the name, address, phone number and driver’s license number of all the parties involved.

2. Get the car registration information.If driver is not the owner of the car then get the owner’s name, address, phone number and insurance information.

3. Obtain the insurance company name, policy number, expiration date, phone
number and address for each of the parties involved.

4. Write the vehicle year, make, model, color and license plate number

5. If the other party admits fault at the scene then ask them if they will put
it in writing and sign at that moment.

6. Look around for any witnesses. Get their names, address, and phone numbers.

]]> http://letterchamp.com/blog/how-to-prevent-car-accident-fraud-part-1-of-2/feed/ 0