M240 serviced three times in 18 months

[chris009]

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I got an M240 late November 2013 at Leica Store New York.

In May of 2014, I found sometimes half of the images was white.
I sent the camera to Allendale, New Jersey and got the image sensor

replaced.  About two months later, the camera locked up and would not turn on.

I had it sent in for repair again.  The problem was fixed with a vague
massage that the camera was checked and worked properly.
In September this year, the camera locked up again.
I had it sent in for repair and it came back fine with the same kind
of message: camera was checked and met factory standard.

 

The lockup was so solid that Leica store people tried

switching batter, SD card, firmware update.  All we got

was red light.

 

Anybody had this kind of experience?  I suspect they did not

​really fix the lockup problem the third time the camera was

in for service.  It will pop up sometime later when the warranty

expires.  Is there a way I can reach someone higher up at Leica?

I emailed support they ask if I would send the camera in again

for service.  No, I am not wasting my time on non-functional services

again.

 

I appreciate any suggestions.

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[ramarren]

I got an M240 late November 2013 at Leica Store New York.

In May of 2014, I found sometimes half of the images was white.

I sent the camera to Allendale, New Jersey and got the image sensor

replaced.  About two months later, the camera locked up and would not turn on.

I had it sent in for repair again.  The problem was fixed with a vague

massage that the camera was checked and worked properly.

In September this year, the camera locked up again.

I had it sent in for repair and it came back fine with the same kind

of message: camera was checked and met factory standard.

 

The lockup was so solid that Leica store people tried

switching batter, SD card, firmware update.  All we got

was red light.

 

Anybody had this kind of experience?  I suspect they did not

​really fix the lockup problem the third time the camera was

in for service.  It will pop up sometime later when the warranty

expires.  Is there a way I can reach someone higher up at Leica?

I emailed support they ask if I would send the camera in again

for service.  No, I am not wasting my time on non-functional services

again.

 

I appreciate any suggestions.

 

You can always write Leica Germany, explain your issues (with documentation) about the repairs you've had done, and the fact that you're dissatisfied. I've never had such issues with Leica USA service (or with Leica products in general!), but if you've really had such a bad time of it, it would be useful to get the company's higher-ups involved. 

 

I had to do this with a Toyota once ... promote a problem from the dealer and regional office to the national office. My problem was taken care of overnight after they got involved. 

 

G

[douglas fry]

I would insist on a new camera, that sounds like terrible service. I had intermittent issues (once every few months) before firmware 2.0.2.5, been rock solid since

[bocaburger]

Not to sound like a fanboy (check my record, I'm definitely not one) but I have a feeling if the same issue crops up again out of warranty, Leica would not charge for the repair since it was a repeat of trwice before.  I could be wrong however.  Not sure how much luck you will have trying to get a replacement now if it's working fine though.

[edwardkaraa]

My experience with Leica Germany customer service is that they have some kind of canned answers. They have instructions to avoid as much as possible to send equipment to Germany from overseas. They insisted for instance that I send my M9 to Singapore instead of Germany, and I suspect they will ask you to send it to the US service center. However, if you feel a bit adventurous, you can ship the camera directly to Wetzlar on your own expense. I very much doubt they would refuse to service it.

[Paulus]

Welcome to the forum Chris. If you want, I can call them Monday and ask if this is possible. Please give me the serial number and I will ask.

[jaapv]

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My experience with Leica Germany customer service is that they have some kind of canned answers. They have instructions to avoid as much as possible to send equipment to Germany from overseas. They insisted for instance that I send my M9 to Singapore instead of Germany, and I suspect they will ask you to send it to the US service center. However, if you feel a bit adventurous, you can ship the camera directly to Wetzlar on your own expense. I very much doubt they would refuse to service it.

They would not refuse, it is just that they have bad experiences with shipping and customs outside the EU.

[jaapv]

Not to sound like a fanboy (check my record, I'm definitely not one) but I have a feeling if the same issue crops up again out of warranty, Leica would not charge for the repair since it was a repeat of trwice before.  I could be wrong however.  Not sure how much luck you will have trying to get a replacement now if it's working fine though.

I don't think you are wrong.

[pico]

Sometimes changing the camera's serial number is the final fix.

IOW, a whole new camera.

[tobey bilek]

I had 10 or 12  M film cameras,  M2 to M6 and all required service at some point.   Light seals on the M6`s went bad within a few years.   

 

M8 and 9 both needed repair .  

 

I have numerous digital Nikons, D40 to D800,   some new, some used,  none ever needed repair I could not do myself .  

 

What is infuriating is long repair times without the camera and then it comes back damaged , not repaired properly,  or with new defects.  

[Big_g]

My dealings with the customer service people at Wetzlar were extremely good. Even if they couldn't give me the answer I wanted they told me the truth so at least I knew where things were. 

 

Re the shipping from outside the EU issue. I live mostly in Qatar. They said that they would collect the camera from there no problem and arrange to ship it back but that there was a strong chance I would get hit for some customs duty so recommended it was shipped within the EU. As I also have a house in the UK I arranged for collection and delivery from there. It took a bit longer and caused a few issues trying to coordinate things with my trips to the UK but everything went smoothly in the end.

 

Just email customer services an wait for a reply. It may take a couple of days but when they get back to you the email will be from someones actual email address so you get a real person to deal with not a "customerservices@....." type address that is answered by a different person every time.

 

Good luck!! 

[Paulus]

I had 10 or 12  M film cameras,  M2 to M6 and all required service at some point.   Light seals on the M6`s went bad within a few years.   

 

Where and how did you use them? I had 11 M bodies. Non of them ever a light seal problem?

[Paulus]

 

What is infuriating is long repair times without the camera and then it comes back damaged , not repaired properly,  or with new defects.  

My 11 M camera's , the ones that had to be serviced or repaired ,came always back perfect. Often better as before. I cannot recognise your complaints. I had only one camera a M6 titanisiert, which had tot go back three times. With different problems, always back in 6 weeks.

[chris009]

Welcome to the forum Chris. If you want, I can call them Monday and ask if this is possible. Please give me the serial number and I will ask.

Thank you for offering to help.  I tried to send you a message but you can not receive new message anymore.

[sanyasi]

I had 10 or 12  M film cameras,  M2 to M6 and all required service at some point.   Light seals on the M6`s went bad within a few years.   

 

M8 and 9 both needed repair .  

 

I have numerous digital Nikons, D40 to D800,   some new, some used,  none ever needed repair I could not do myself .  

 

What is infuriating is long repair times without the camera and then it comes back damaged , not repaired properly,  or with new defects.  

And this is exactly why I canceled my order on the new Monochrom.  The sensor in my old had two problems within a 14 month period, and the shutter buttons on my M and old Monochrom both failed.  I don't have these problems with other cameras.  While I don't mind paying more quality, I can no longer justify paying 2.5 times the price of other quality equipment.  Lugs fall out, sensors on the M9 oxidize.  Nonsense.

[Paulus]

Thank you for offering to help.  I tried to send you a message but you can not receive new message anymore.

Try again please. I have deleted all my messages. Should work now.

[HeinzX]

Problems always can arise - but the should be settled in a satisfying manner and once for ever.

I had numerous cameras in the many years I have been active as photograph until now. With my M240 and my former M 9 i had none - maybe good luck. With a M 6 I owned decades ago, I had somer with the shutter

even at that time I tooks 2 attempts to have it repaired by Leitz - at that time in Vienna. But there

have been problems with a Rolleiflex SL 35 E which was a sad and never ending sory of repairs and

finally come out by getting back my money and I had problems with a Nikon F 3 of the first lot, of

which the depth of field preview button had to be replaced twice, afterward it worked find fo 20 years.

Anyway it is a shame to have a camera like a Leica to have repaired three times without success. Leica should really improve their repair service - even in overseas markets.

[Paulus]

Chris, I have sent you a pm.

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[Paulus]

Problems always can arise - but the should be settled in a satisfying manner and once for ever.

I had numerous cameras in the many years I have been active as photograph until now. With my M240 and my former M 9 i had none - maybe good luck. With a M 6 I owned decades ago, I had somer with the shutter

even at that time I tooks 2 attempts to have it repaired by Leitz - at that time in Vienna. But there

have been problems with a Rolleiflex SL 35 E which was a sad and never ending sory of repairs and

finally come out by getting back my money and I had problems with a Nikon F 3 of the first lot, of

which the depth of field preview button had to be replaced twice, afterward it worked find fo 20 years.

Anyway it is a shame to have a camera like a Leica to have repaired three times without success. Leica should really improve their repair service - even in overseas markets.

Yes sh*t always happens. I had my share. Still, cameras are mechancal divices which can break down eventually, soon or late once or twice or three times. It just feels more " wrong "  when the device is very expensive......

 

I believe that leica has a kind of " three strikes-out " system. When you get the same malfunction happens three times in a row, you'll get a new camera.

 

I know from experience that Apple had something like that. I had a motherboard which " kernal panicked " tree times and got a new one.

 

Still I did not manage to get a camera beïng repaired more than tree times in my Leica life time.