Panasonic E70g computer monitor - replaced three times under warranty with refurbished monitors

# 22 for May 1, 2002

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on April 30, 2002:

From: Email User

RE: Panasonic E70g computer monitor - replaced three times under warranty with refurbished monitors

Almost exactly two years ago, I bought a Panasonic E70g computer monitor, and it's been replaced three times under warranty.

The last two replacements were "refurbished" units, where "refurbished" must mean "incompetently repaired and then kicked" because the monitors arrived with serious damage to their cabinets (one must have been dropped before it was put into the shipping box), some components weren't soldered, internal wires were left unconnected, and a metal anti-shock shield was missing.

I certainly didn't want Panasonic to work on the monitor again, so I asked them to send me the parts to let me make the repairs on my own (I have some experience, and I certainly would do better than they had). They've sent me a cabinet face, but I've been waiting since December for the anti-shock shield. All along, I've had to deal with support "technicians" who couldn't answer even very basic questions about their products and with rude people in their customer service dept. in Virginia (one supervisor didn't even care about the potential electrocution hazard caused by the lack of the anti-shock shield) and their repair center in Illinois. A manager in their computer products division even outright lied to me. I'll never buy another Panasonic product even if my life depends on it. This is a once-great company that's become trash.