My ongoing battle with Circuit City (EXTREMELY long; some language)

[Dave1982]

First of all, no offense to anyone here who works at Circuit City, but I am so pissed at that company right now. I'm putting up the complete backstory so as to fully explain my frustration. Feel free to skip this and jump to the second post for the actual sucky workers part.

On December 26, 2007 I purchased a complete car stereo system from CC. Head unit, four new speakers, installation kit tailored for my car, specially made plug and play adapter harnesses, speaker harnesses, the whole nine yards. I also picked up a 4 year extended service plan for the head unit (a nice one from Sony). I installed everything myself and despite a few mistakes, and a seriously sore back resulting from the bizarre position I had to contort into to install the rear speakers, it all worked and sounded awesome.

Now, the reason why I pulled the factory system was that for YEARS - almost as long as I've owned the car - I'd been plagued by a vexing problem with the CD changer (it came with a 6 disc in the trunk). Actually not the changer itself, but the DIN cable that connected it to the factory head unit. It kept coming slightly loose from the HU, causing the right side speakers to drop out and/or sound staticky. And no matter what I did (tape the plug down, zip tie the cable in place) it kept coming loose. It was extremely frustrating, and eventually got so bad I'd get no more than one hour of continuous play out of it before the right speakers would drop out, forcing me to stop, get down on my knees outside the passenger door, then reach way up behind the dash and push the plug back in.

Eventually I came to the conclusion that the DIN receptacle on the HU itself was to blame (I had been unable to find a continuity fault in the cable), so I went on eBay and purchased a never-used factory head unit to replace mine (bought it from a guy who's upgraded his factory system straightaway and had never used his factory HU) for about $20. I put it in, and everything worked for about a month before it developed the exact same problem!

To hell with it. I replaced it all.

Then around the end of March, the new system started experiencing almost the SAME DAMN PROBLEM!!!!! I lost a speaker (the left rear) which then came back, then went out for a while and came back. Then later I lost the rear channel altogether. I did discover that one of the press-fit connectors on one rear speaker adapter harness was bad, so I cut it off and had it soldered in place permanently.

Still I kept losing the rear speakers. It got to the point that if I drove over a rough road, the speakers would cut in and out in time with the bumps!

I initially though maybe the factory speaker wire (now 11 years old) might have started to go bad, but before tearing into that, I decided to check all the connections at the head unit.

I popped the HU loose and carefully, with the stereo on (to see if manipulating the connections had any effect) I slid it out. As I did so, all four speakers started cutting in and out rapidly. As I moved the wires around, it would happen again.

I thought maybe the adapter harness was bad, so I went to CC and bought a new one, but it didn't solve the problem. Further investigation revealed that the harness plug was loose in the HU receptacle. Holding the wires still while wiggling the plug also caused the speakers to cut in and out. The plug was noticeably loose and I couldn't get it to seat tighter.

In other words, my aftermarket system had developed precisely the same fault that caused me to ditch the factory system. A problem I thought I'd eliminated for good.

So I called Circuit City.......

[Dave1982]

Now, when I purchased the extended warranty, I specifically asked the employee I worked with if there was a brochure, pamphlet, or any other sort of paperwork to go along with it. He specifically told me no. All I needed was the original receipt, and if I ever had a problem within the warranty period, bring it in to any CC and they'd take care of it for me. OK.

So I called and wound up speaking with the same guy I bought the whole system from. I explained the issue and he said since I had their service plan to just bring it in, rather than go direct to Sony. So I did.

April 25 - I brought in the receipt and the HU and again spoke with the salesman who sold all this stuff to me originally. He took my stuff out back for a few minutes, then came out to explain my options.

1) I could leave the HU with them to be sent out for servicing, which would take - and I quote - "about a week."

or

2) I could have them take a look at it in the store, but since their technicians didn't install it, I'd have to pay a $50 diagnostic charge.

Well, I sure as hell wasn't to fork over $50 when I not only had an extended service plan, but also 9 months left on the manufacturer's warranty, so I opted to have it sent out. I was given a claim ticket and a claim number and sent on my merry way sans tunes. I also returned the unneeded replacement harness adapter. Really though, what the hell does a self installation have to do with it? I didn't have a problem because it was installed incorrectly, I had a problem with the part itself! And a warranty and an extended service plan! Why should i have to pay to fix it!?!

Precisely one week later, I stopped in to check on the status of my repair (not a big deal since I work right next door) and was told it was still at the repair depot.

Huh.....well, "about a week" could be a little more than a week, so I didn't press the issue. Still, when I got home, I decided to find out a little more about their service plans. Very little searching unearthed this:

http://tinyurl.com/5g8g56 (pdf file)

This was the ESP pamphlet the guy told me didn't' exist after I specifically asked about it. Well well well. That doesn't make me happy. Nor did this gem I found inside:

"Repairs are typically made in about 14 business days."

In other words, three weeks. After I was specifically told about ONE week.

This was when I started getting annoyed with CC.

Two weeks later, after it had been fourteen business days, I stopped in again, and was told that my stereo HU had been shipped to Sony. I asked the girl their if she could give me any more information. She told me she didn't, but gave me a number I could call to find out more.

I called the number and was told that they'd have to research my claim number and get back to me the next day. What? Seriously? You can't just enter the number and tell me what's going on? *Siiiiigh....* Ok. they verified my contact number (this is important later) and promised they'd get back to me.

The next day I found a voicemail on my cell from them. Hurrah! I was told that my stereo had already been shipped from Sony's warranty center in Texas and would be back at my Circuit City on Monday (this was a Friday) and that I could pick it up at my CC on Monday and everything would be ready for me at my CC on Monday. She even gave me the UPS tracking number. YES! Finally!

So, having been told THREE TIMES that it would be there on Monday, I went in to get it on Monday. UPS tracking had confirmed delivery.

But it wasn't there.

Guy at service desk: Did someone call you?

Me: Yes, and I was assured it would be here today. UPS tracking confirmed it was delivered today and signed for by *name.*

SDG: Huh? That name doesn't ring a bell, but let me check again anyway. *disappears for a few minutes*

SDG: No, it's not here. Let me check the system on that *types away* Tracking number was *number?*

Me: Yep.

SDG: Yeah, it wasn't shipped here. It was shipped to Bristol, PA. That's where our repair depot is. (shows me on the UPS tracking screen. Somehow I'd missed that.)



Me: What? I'm sorry, but I was specifically told by your call center that it would be shipped HERE.

SDG: Well, the usual procedure is they ship it to our depot, and then it's shipped back to the store. That way we can retest it to make sure it's fixed.

Me: Ok..........

I went out to my car and immediately called the service center again. I was told again that it was just received at the depot and would probably be at the store in "another few days."

Me (really exasperated now): Ok, but the thing is......*sigh*....I'm sorry, it's just that I was told THREE TIMES by someone at this call center that it would be AT THE STORE, TODAY.

Operator: Well, I apologize, but they shouldn't have said that, because that's not the way we do it. I'll have to find out who told you that and inform them of their error. You'll be called as soon as it's ready for pick up.

Me: Please do. Thank you for the info.

Today, May 27. They've now had my stereo for over a month. Almost 5 times the original "one week" I'd been told. I called the store while I was on my lunch break.

Service Desk Girl: It's here. It arrived on the 23rd (!!!!! FOUR DAYS AGO!!!!!) and it says here they've been trying to contact you since then.

Me: Well, I haven't been called at all and....you know what, never mind. I'm just glad it's in. Thank you.

So I went over right after I got out of work. Five minutes later I had my stereo back and had it plugged into my car for a quick test.

Aaaaaaand right away I lost a speaker.

You. have. GOT. to. be. KIDDING ME!!!!!!!

But rather than panic, I kept calm and carefully investigated. Holding the wires still, I tried wiggling the plug like I did before, and nothing happened. The plug was nice and tight. So the stereo HAD been fixed, yet somehow the problem remained. I went back to the wiring harness adapter. I moved a wire and a speaker cut out. I made SURE to hold the plug steady and moved more wires and had every speaker cut in and out randomly.

Great, so it WAS the harness adapter, not just the stereo itself.

So I went back in, walked over to the audio department, showed them the harness adapter, and asked for a new one, which I paid for (just wanting it fixed at this point not wanting to bother with trying to exchange it three months after the return period was up).

Nope. This one was just as bad. I went back in, toting the HU and the adapter.

Me: I don't mean to be a jerk, but this one doesn't work either.

Audio Associate: That's a brand new harness! It must be the stereo!

Me: I just had that fixed.

AA (being surprisingly short with me): There's no way that harness is bad! It's gotta be the radio.

Me: Then this HU *holds it up* which I JUST HAD REPAIRED FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM was not repaired properly.

AA: Ok, just a moment *takes me back to installations*

AA (to FireDog install guy, while I'm RIGHT THERE): He's trying to tell me the harness I JUST SOLD HIM doesn't work!!



FireDog: What makes you think this is bad?

Me: If you wiggle the wires around even a little, you lose speakers all over the place.

FD: Then it's the pins in the stereo.

I was really mad now. Both of these guys were all but accusing me of lying. It was all I could do to not yell.

Me: Look. I just had this fixed for that very problem. I picked up here not fifteen minutes ago. If the stereo is bad then it wasn't fixed right.

AA: Can I have the keys? I'll plug into the wall to check it.

He took my HU and disappear for a couple minutes, then came back and said the HU was fine!

FD: So you want me to replace the harness.

Me *crossly*: Would you please?

So he gave me a new one.

And guess what ladies and gentlemen?

THIS ONE DIDN"T FUCKING WORK EITHER!!!!! In fact, it was WORSE. This one not only caused the speakers to drop in and out, but also caused the POWER to cut out, resetting the stereo as if I'd shut off the key briefly.



My head just sagged against the steering wheel. I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. I just wanted my goddamn stereo to WORK. I KNEW the HU was fine, but it was Circuit Shitty's shitty wiring harnesses screwing things up. In the space of ten minutes, I'd gone through three of them, all bad.

But I didn't want to go back in there again. If they didn't believe me the first time, there was no way they'd believe me now, even though the problem was perfectly reproducible. And at this point I was suddenly without the energy for a fight. So I went home and called fellow CS-er AdamAnt316. He suggested I go to Best Buy and pick up one of their Honda harness adapters instead. (Incidentally, when I got home I found I had a message from Circuit City, left about an hour before I called them, saying the stereo was in. Yeah. "trying to get a hold of me for four days" my fat ass).

I should explain that CC's adapters are *stereo brand* to universal, and universal to *car make.* This gives you a a receptacle that accepts the factory stereo plug in your car and goes to a molex connector, which to then plugs into a corresponding adapter for your stereo brand. Click, click, click, connected, without cutting or soldering. Best Buy sells a similar car-side adapter, but instead of going to a molex connector is ends in bare wires, which you then solder to the matching wires on the plug that actually came with the radio, which also ends in bare wires.

So, after dealing with an unrelated crisis, I called Circuit City's home office and calmly explained all of the above to the very patient lady in India over several uninterrupted minutes. ("I would just like to tell you about my experience with your warranty repair process and my local store") I was assured that they take complaints seriously and they'd escalate the issue and follow it up and yadda yadda yadda. I took great pains to remain calm over the phone (I know from reading this board that there's no sense in screaming at the call center folks), though I really don't expect the complaint to go anywhere. I just wanted to make sure they knew exactly why I was unhappy. I also went online to take their customer satisfaction survey and torched them in just about every category.

I went there and bought their adapter. Luckily, I'd saved the "flying lead" plug that came with my radio, and AdamAnt316 came over and soldered it all up for me. I carefully taped up all the solder joints, then neatened up the wires with some zip ties, and now had a "Sony to Honda" harness adapter. And......

IT WORKS!!!!

HA HA HA HA HA!!!! IT WOOOOOOOORKSSSS!!!!!!! I FINALLY [BUY] SOMETHING THAT WORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

And I'm finally happy and able to cruise with the stereo blasting. It only took 33 fucking days......

[Dave1982]

So to summarize, here is why I'm pissed at Circuit City and why I called their home office to complain:

1) Sold a 4 year warranty, told there's no pamphlet, but there was.

2) Told "about a week" for a repair when it was really 14 business days.

3) Told three times it would be AT THE STORE FOR PICKUP at a certain time, when it was really being sent from Sony to their own repair depot.

4) Not called when it came in. They said they were calling for four days, when they'd only called about an hour before.

5) Sold a defective harness adapter. Just about called a liar when I said it was defective. Given a replacement even more defective than the first.

6) Left hanging for 33 days only to have to ultimately solve the problem myself.

In other words, I was lied to, misled, and sold crappy ass products.

Tomorrow I'm gonna try and return the $19 harness adapter I bought that doesn't work.......

[RetailWorkhorse]

"WOW" is the only thing that comes to mind.

Alon with "holy f***ing SHIT" but that's aside the point.

Good luck returning the stupid harness, I get the feeling you're gonna need it (and a nice strong drink).

[Crazeyal]

You have every right to be angry. You should follow up and report the rude and incompetant SO-CALLED technicians to management, and you should request compensation.

Idiotic behaivior and undertrained technicians are a main REASON we have such a terrible time with SC's. Because people get abused by these morons when they just want adequate service.

You should be polite, but firm in your requests. The people you will deal with did not write policy, weren't directly responsible for the employees who failed at their jobs. But if I were in your position... I'd be seriously tempted to haunt CC until something was done both to the guilty parties, and to compensate me for the drama.

[Evil Queen]

Dave... I had the same exact problem with my radio!!! GAH!! But the damned radio was stolen before I could get it fixed/replaced. Please tell me that the thingy-ma-bob you bought from BB comes in a Suzuki brand?!?!

And, yeah, Circuit City sucks. I have a giftcard from them that I still need to use.... (it was given to me by a roommate months upon months ago)

[AdamAnt316]

He's lucky to have a local mad electronics genius such as me as a friend. *inhales deeply, drawing in nearby solder fumes*

Getting back to the topic at hand, I was around for much of what went down, and it was quite nutty (this is actually the fifth harness he's used; the second was when the issue first cropped up, and we first tried a harness swap). I figured they'd just swap his broken head unit with a new one, but instead, they put him through this brass-plated hell. I'm just glad I had a hand in solving the issue.
-Adam

[Stormraven]

I won't go to CC any more. At least, not the one nearby me. I've been there three times, and each time, I was ignored. From what I've seen, it was because I wasn't in one of the high end sections, but I won't swear to it. I've asked for help at the counters, and they always said they'd get someone to me, but I still wound up waiting for fifteen minutes - my absolute limit (timed on a stopwatch).

[marasbaras]

I won't go to CC or BB. Both just suck. Period.

[thehippie777]

Now I am happy we only have a Best Buy here, even if I think their prices are insane most of the time.

[KaeZoo]

What you were bitten by is usually called a "smart harness", and that's exactly why we don't use them. Typically they're sold in pairs; you'd buy a Sony plug, and a Honda plug, and just put the two together; but the molex where the two join is often a weak point.

You can buy just the "Honda" (or "Subaru") side, then cut off the molex, strip the wires, and solder them to your new deck's wire harness.

I haven't worked at a CC, but I know several of their former installers, and they've mentioned their problems with those harnesses.

[Becks]

Holy biscuit.

[ditchdj]

Yeah I dont particularly appreciate being forced to pay a jerkoff to "service" a warranty problem either. I had to do that with Fry's Electronics when I had them build a computer for me with parts I bought from them. $99 to be exact. And they STILL didn't fix it because they sold me junk parts. A year later it still pissed me off so much I filed a complaint with the state attorney's office and the bastards actually agreed to refund me my 99 bucks back!

[MadMike]

Wow, thanks for reminding me just how bad things have gotten at Circuit City. I used to love to shop there, but after a problem we had with a laptop we bought there for my son, along with a runaround we got when we tried to use the service plan they talked us into ("Just bring it in, and we'll fix or replace it, no questions asked"), I quit shopping there.

That's why I got my new TV from Best Buy instead.

[Pagan]

I'm not a CC fan, either. I think it's the being ignored part that frosted me. I went in there several times while deciding which dock to get for my iPod nano (that I still haven't bought), when it was obvious I was looking for something, all of the sales clerks ignored me. The most blatant one, though, was when I was looking at laptops. One of the clerks walked around me to help the mother and daughter combo on the other side. And, no, it didn't look like we might have been together. We hadn't spoken to each other.

My mom has gone into the CC in Cruces and the clerks, while not ignoring her, were absolutely no help with what she was looking for for their computer. It was just that they didn't know anything, really, about computers! (My mom is now retired, but she was the Admin Asst to the Vice Provost for Information and Communication Technologies, aka - Computer Geek Central, at NMSU, so she picked up a "few" things.)

I hate to say it, but all of those clerks that ignored me were early 20-somethings. I'd like to think it wasn't because I'm female, but I can't come up with anything else.

The store around here that's the worst for ignoring women in the electronics is Sears, with absolutely no offense intended to anyone who works for them. It's just that I've experienced it and so have other women that I know.

Hmmm, really should start raising a stink about that kind of thing.