Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Air Con Malfunction

[dare 0]

Long time lurker here. Would like to share my experience with Mitsubishi HI aircon.

Reno-ed my new flat in 2009. I looked here for recommendations and decided to get a 2 unit inverter SCM60ZG-S. Installed by Hong Tar.

The warranty ended in 9/10. Recently, the aircon started giving me problems. It would run for 2 hours then the air that comes out would stop being cold. After a few more hours the aircon would turn itself off!

We hardly use the aircon unless it's hot, so for the later part of last year around the end of the warranty didn't get a chance to test it.

Just called MHI and they are coming this Saturday to have a look, at $80(!!!) charge for transport.

Feel quite cheated that the thing is giving me problems right after the warranty has expired.

Anyone else had similar problems, or have better repair recommendations?

[dare 0]

No, just did servicing not long ago, also by Hong Tar. They told me no idea why it's so and told me to contact MHI for repair...

[dare 0]

Update: the repairman from MHI has come and taken my $85... and the verdict is - dunno what is wrong.

His advice was to not use the "auto" settings on the remote control. ie, set the fan swing and speed manually. Said that using auto can cause the aircon to go cuckoo (!!!).

Anyway I am testing this out right now, results are mixed so far. May have to call him in again.

Frankly it's a bit stupid to have an "auto" feature on the remote and then malfunction when you try and use it...

Edited May 31, 2011 by dare

[dare 0]

Update:

I called back to MHI after testing the "non-auto" settings for a week. That advice by the serviceman turned out to be rubbish. Nothing was solved.

On June 11th they sent a new pair of servicemen to test the aircon system again. They said the PDB circuitboard in the compressor was wonky and that the piping installed by Hongtar might be faulty as there was a water gushing sound made by the aircon. So I made to make ANOTHER arrangement for them to replace the PCB and test the pipes.

I was informed that the PCB "is not part of the compressor" so I had to pay $130 for it. As far as I know, my warranty covers 2 aircon units and the compressor and the PCB is fitted into the compressor so 'm not happy with this cheat that they're pulling. Nevertheless, I said replace it for now...

Yet another group came on the 18th, and after replacing the PCB the water gushing sound stopped... so I guess they were wrong about the pipes. But they said they need to flush the aircon gas (WTF??) and I needed to make yet another appointment and maybe pay more.

And guess what, that night, the aircon still malfunctioned and stopped blowing cold air. So the original problem was still not solved.

I tried calling them but they said "report not in, we will call you back". That was Monday morning. Still no word from them.

$215 and 3 visits later I am still having the same problem, and I've wasted at least 5 hours of my weekends waiting for them. Frankly I don't think they know what's going on and are "hantaming" solutions at my expense. I'm still not happy about the bull**** about the PCB not being part of the compressor warranty either.

I would recommend to all aircon buyers to STAY AWAY from MHI. The product has been trouble for me and the service is terrible.

I am going to give them a while more and see if this aircon thing gets solved. If they continue to do stupid things I will be sending CASE after them.

[dare 0]

Update for today:

After I called to say that the aircon was still cutting off cold air, they never called me back. Finally had to call them again last Friday after 2 weeks of no response from them.

The 2 servicemen came again this morning, and fiddled and twiddled with the aircon. They said that the previous guy who said the gas needed flushing was spouting rubbish (!!!) and they still didn't seem to know what the issue was.

Finally, they tried changing the air temperature sensor and told me "to monitor" and left.

So it's another week of testing the **** air con to see if their guesswork was right.

Wa lau eh.

[dare 0]

It is now August and... my aircon is still not fixed!!

Since the 10th of July, the aircon seemed to be working a little better (still gets bit warm once in a while) so I called to have the temperature sensor replaced properly, as advised by the servicemen.

I called twice. Twice I was received by some Filipino lady who said she would check my report number and call me back. I received no follow up at all.

It was only this week that I called them and screamed why none of my attempts to follow up the appointments. Only then did they transfer me to someone else and made an appointment for me almost immediately.

I'm really tired and sick of this nonsense, really regret buying the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries aircon. I've spent god knows how many half days of leave, phone calls and frustration trying to get this fixed and the agent Wo Kee Hong Marketing has been a bunch of useless time-wasters every step of the way.

For new aircon buyers, please please please do yourselves a favour and stay away from this brand.

[weezersg 5]

Yeah, I had bad experience with MHI air con....countless repair, change pcb, change the whole compressor....always not cold...luckily all that time got warranty.

Now I moved another apt, already installed with Akira air-con...sounds like a cheap brand.... but **** cold and no issues compare to the 'branded' one.

[SiSi 0]

Wah! Sorry to hear of the above experiences. Anyone else used Mitshibitshi Inverter Aircon too? How is your experience? I am about to get them already. The pipes are all installed! May other user please share your experiences. Thanks!

[weezersg 5]

Wah! Sorry to hear of the above experiences. Anyone else used Mitshibitshi Inverter Aircon too? How is your experience? I am about to get them already. The pipes are all installed! May other user please share your experiences. Thanks!

Mitsubishi Electric AC is different from MHI Mitsubishi Heavy Industry AC, which one are yours?

They are two different creatures

Edited August 20, 2011 by weezersg

[SiSi 0]

Mitsubishi Electric AC is different from MHI Mitsubishi Heavy Industry AC, which one are yours?

They are two different creatures

Hee, Didn't know that they are 2 different companies.

I am getting my aircon from Mitsubitshi Electric. How? Are we talking about the same make?

Thanks and Cheers

[aegis 1]

Update:

I called back to MHI after testing the "non-auto" settings for a week. That advice by the serviceman turned out to be rubbish. Nothing was solved.

On June 11th they sent a new pair of servicemen to test the aircon system again. They said the PDB circuitboard in the compressor was wonky and that the piping installed by Hongtar might be faulty as there was a water gushing sound made by the aircon. So I made to make ANOTHER arrangement for them to replace the PCB and test the pipes.

I was informed that the PCB "is not part of the compressor" so I had to pay $130 for it. As far as I know, my warranty covers 2 aircon units and the compressor and the PCB is fitted into the compressor so 'm not happy with this cheat that they're pulling. Nevertheless, I said replace it for now...

Yet another group came on the 18th, and after replacing the PCB the water gushing sound stopped... so I guess they were wrong about the pipes. But they said they need to flush the aircon gas (WTF??) and I needed to make yet another appointment and maybe pay more.

And guess what, that night, the aircon still malfunctioned and stopped blowing cold air. So the original problem was still not solved.

I tried calling them but they said "report not in, we will call you back". That was Monday morning. Still no word from them.

$215 and 3 visits later I am still having the same problem, and I've wasted at least 5 hours of my weekends waiting for them. Frankly I don't think they know what's going on and are "hantaming" solutions at my expense. I'm still not happy about the bull**** about the PCB not being part of the compressor warranty either.

I would recommend to all aircon buyers to STAY AWAY from MHI. The product has been trouble for me and the service is terrible.

I am going to give them a while more and see if this aircon thing gets solved. If they continue to do stupid things I will be sending CASE after them.

Hi Dare, my parent's house aircon also from MHI and last saturday the aircon stop blowing cold air in the afternoon after a trip out for shopping which was fine in the morning. The error show indicate in the user manual is that there is signal error which is either issue with the electric cable from the compressor or in/outdoor unit board issue. Guess this mean the PCB is spolit which is the worst case. Call Wo Kee Hong yesterday to send technician down to check and they have told me the same BS that we need to pay for the $80(haven't include GST)transport fee and the PCB is not part of the compressor which i remind them we still have warranty for the compressor. I just rebuke them say ok in any meaning you want the customer to pay $80 before willing to come down to see if the compressor really spolit. Guess i will never recommend anyone getting the MHI, luckily i decided to try out Mitsubishi Electric starmex this round for my new house. Hope it won't give me the same issue my parent face using this MHI.

[JamisD 0]

Hee, Didn't know that they are 2 different companies.

I am getting my aircon from Mitsubitshi Electric. How? Are we talking about the same make?

Thanks and Cheers

Bad choice, I have ME starmex inverter model, really night mare!! No matter how cheap, my next AC will never be this brand again!

[aegis 1]

Bad choice, I have ME starmex inverter model, really night mare!! No matter how cheap, my next AC will never be this brand again!

Hi JamisD, Care to share what happen?

[aegis 1]

Latest update.

The technician came down on Tuesday to replace the PCB that is causing the issue and later discover the PCB for the power also spoilt, so they came down on Wednesday to replace it. All of it cost my parent $378.85 and less then 24hours the system came back again. Now after troubleshooting they say the fan motor is spoilt. Currently they do not have a stock for it and guess what. Need to pay money for it. I told them that how come everything have to pay money when my compressor have warranty and they told me that the whole unit outside is call condenser not compressor. From my knowledge everyone outside is calling the unit compressor i did not know it's was call condenser. Anyone want to advise?

[JamisD 0]

Hi JamisD, Care to share what happen?

Hi Aegis,

Well it is a long story. Purchased the Starmex series 4 yrs + already, first day broke down, was on a saturday next 2 night w/o AC!! ME refuse to replace a new unit despite my numerous complaints direct to their manager, bunch of hopeless people who cannot make concrete decision. Service hotline terrible, really bad! You must personally experience it!

Total of about 4 X of repairs within a year, thereafter experienced constant water leakage, not cold at times. Dripping of AC water is so regular to a point have to put pail beneath AC. AC tech will give you all sorts of reasons to evade the real problem. To say the truth, this guys don't even know how to rectify their own product, kept giving silly reasons. When fan coil blow water droplets, they paste felts to absorb the droplets, thinking that it will solve the issue.

I am quite suspicious that some new units sold are not really new, it happen that the left side of my interior fan coil unit plastic fixture (left plastic holding coil unit) was dented inwards, looks like they have over screwed till plastic fixture dent (probably during production time), this was discovered only when I tried solving the leakage problem but too late warranty over leow then discovered.

My next AC will definitely not be a ME again, never, will likely switch back to Daikin. I have been relating my bad experience to people I know and get them to avoid this brand. If anyone finds that theirs is alright and serving them well then probably could be a "Heng Sway" case, however looking at some bros/sis feedback I guess we should give it a miss.