ESU Warranty Replacement?

[MetroRedLine]

Has anyone sent in a defective/broken ESU decoder still under warranty to ESU recently? How long was the processing time?

I recently fried a decoder doing an install. It was purchased 10 months ago so it's still under warranty. Upon reading the ESU website, it appears that all correspondence is done via snail mail. Is this true? Can you email them before/after you mailed in the decoder to receive any confirmation from ESU that they received it and any status on your order, or do you just put the entire process under the whim of the USPS?

[Dwight in Toronto]

I sent an email enquiry about a week ago, saying that I suspected that I had a defective decoder and would appreciate knowing how to return it, should it come to that.

I received a reply within an hour!  When I described the decoder symptoms, I was instructed to return it for warranty replacement WITH A COPY OF THE ORIGINAL RECEIPT.  I looked high & low, but had to send it without a receipt.  They told me that I would then have to pay an $80 (US) replacement cost.

I haven’t followed up since it has not even been a week yet since I mailed the decoder.  I’ll message them in a few days to see if they got it.   

I used email address - support@loksound.com

[Jim Starbuck]

I sent my first repair decoder to them a week ago. I just used the guidelines on their website for sending it in.
I included the receipt, original packaging and a written description of what I did that damaged the decoder along with my contact information.
I don’t expect there to be much correspondence about it other than what I owe them for repair/ replacement.
I’ve heard good things about their service department from others though.

[dangerboy81]

I sent one in around Christmas. Tracking said they received it on a Tuesday, and I received an email with tracking for it to come back to me the next day. The mail took about 2 weeks, but it was Christmas time.
Oh, I should add, they didn't ask me to pay for shipping back to me. I was expecting they would.

[MetroRedLine]

I sent one in around Christmas. Tracking said they received it on a Tuesday, and I received an email with tracking for it to come back to me the next day. The mail took about 2 weeks, but it was Christmas time.
Oh, I should add, they didn't ask me to pay for shipping back to me. I was expecting they would.

Thanks! Just what I was looking for. ~2 weeks is a pretty decent turnaround time for an RMA.

Did you contact them before mailing in the decoder, or did you just send them the package and they replied via email? Normally for an RMA you email or call them and they give you an RMA number as a reference when mailing it in, that's why their "hey, just send it in to us" policy described on their website sounds a little backwards to me.

[Sdynamo]

I’ve sent in several. You can just send in the decoder with a receipt and your address and they’ll send you a new one. A few times I couldn’t find the correct receipt showing the exact decoder. I sent another receipt showing the purchase of a comparable ESU decoder and they accepted that.

[Dwight in Toronto]

I’ve sent in several. You can just send in the decoder with a receipt and your address and they’ll send you a new one. A few times I couldn’t find the correct receipt showing the exact decoder. I sent another receipt showing the purchase of a comparable ESU decoder and they accepted that.

Damn!  I found several receipts showing comparable decoder purchases but assumed that those would be considered fraudulent!

[MetroRedLine]

Okay, I just mailed off my shorted-out, under-warranty 58741 Loksound Micro decoder cross-country to Montoursville, PA with a brief letter and a copy of the receipt.

I also made a request for them to load the replacement decoder with the ALC-42 sound profile since that's how I purchased it from the retailer and I don't own a Lokprogrammer. I hope they're fine with that request. Grilled onions, extra mayo, hold the pickles.

Wish me luck!