[Resolved]  Hitachi AC 2t Atom — Compressor not working within 5 years and 4 months of purchase

Address:

South 24 Parganas, West Bengal

The Hitachi air conditioner is the best in the market, is very hard to digest. I bought one 2T Hitachi Atom Split AC in 2005 April, spending Rs. 42,000 or 46,000 (I don’t exactly remember). The AC is extremely sensitive to slightest power fluctuation. So I was required to put another Rs. 8000.00 to buy a stabilizer. Apart from numerous issues, in 2008, my PCB got damaged beyond repair. So it was replaced and I had to pay Rs. 1600. In 2010 May, there was water leakage from the wall mounted unit of the split. I lodged a complain, and their analyst came and said “There is no issue. This is because of dust”. I paid Rs. 600. In 2010 August, the AC completely stopped working. Again I lodged a complain. Again their analyst came and said the PCB got damaged and needed to be replaced. I paid Rs. 1600 plus the service charge Rs. 600. Immediately after that the AC will not cool if it is run for more than two hours. The water was also dripping from the wall-mounted unit. It took me several calls and days to get their analyst’s attention. He finally came and showed me that there is frozen ice inside the wall-mount unit and said “the AC might be out of gas or the compressor is gone”. He dismantled the entire unit and charged me Rs. 230 as taxi fare. Two days later I came to know I need to pay Rs. 14,000 to fix the compressor. I cried why? He said “your compressor is 4 months beyond warranty”. I had to escalate this and I said “why it was not conveyed to me when the PCB was fixed for second time, that there are other issues?”. So they agreed to pay me back Rs. 1600, but I had to promise that I’ll pay another Rs. 230 taxi fare to carry the unit back. I inquired whether, the AC will work for two hours once it is re-instated, i.e. the way it was working before getting dismantled and carried to the service station. They said “No”. Fair enough. They also said since “your compressor is a special one” repair cost is high. I asked “does the special one go out of order quickly, I mean with 5 and 6 years?” They said “No. Your case is exception”. So I have to pay for a Hitachi action is not acceptable to me. So I decided not to get it repaired. I’ll keep the AC under the staircase, so that I can see it every day as a Hitachi souvenir and tell myself “Don’t go by marketing gimmicks.” I had another 1.5 T Samsung AC bought in 2006. It is running without any stabilizer and without any issue for past 4 years and the cost was Rs. 24,000. I’ll buy another two i.e. one to replace this Hitachi one and other is for my daughter’s room. Depending on feedback from my friend I’ll evaluate between Samsung, Voltas and Electrolux. HITACHI ACS ARE OVERPRICED FOR NO GOOD REASON, THEY ARE SUB-STANDARD AND THEIR FIELD TECHNICIANS OFTEN HAVE LITTLE TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THEIR PRODUCT. I’ll never ever advise any friend or near one to go for Hitachi.