Deplorable, does not honor warranty, zero customer service
Deplorable, dishonest, does not honor warranty, zero customer service
It’s difficult to fully convey the extent of my frustration and disgust with Daikin A/C Italy SPA, its accredited repair service, and non-existent customer service, in an ongoing 2.5 year saga of incompetence and dishonesty.
I purchased a Daikin Altherma 3 Integrated R32 system in March 2022. Besides the standard 2 year warranty, I purchased an additional 3 year warranty extension at the time of installation. After a mere 3 months of use (June 2022), the internal unit that houses the hot water tank started leaking an average of 1-2 liters of water per day. The Daikin accredited repair service was called and determined that the leak was caused by a significant temperature variation in the technical room where the machine was installed leading the boiler to “sweat,” create condensation, and leak. The plumber intervened and added additional insulation around the machine’s external pipes. This did not resolve the issue and the tank continued leaking.
By September 2022 when the outside temperature had significantly cooled and the boiler was still continuously leaking 1-2 liters of water per day and after, again, opening the machine to attempt to find the source of the leak, it was determined, as we all knew from the start, that the boiler itself presented a factory defect. The technician made a request to Daikin to replace the defective boiler. In early October 2022, Daikin agreed to replace the boiler 2022 after requiring the technician to conduct a final verification as to the source of the leak. Besides noting that the insulated stainless steel water had a hole somewhere, the source of the leak was never identified or located. The water tank was finally replaced at the end of January 2023.
Daikin’s delays at replacing the defective water tank cost me 10 months of my warranty as Daikin patently refused to issue a new warranty period for the new water tank. The new water tank worked as intended for 15 months when it, too, started leaking 1-2 liters per day. Technicians were called again and without finding the source of the leak, determined that there was a hole somewhere in the stainless steel tank again. After multiple calls, emails, and testing our water, Daikin limited itself to indicating that the chlorine levels in our water are higher than the European norm and, as a result, will neither honor our warranty nor replace or find a solution to the problem.
Nowhere is it written on any Daikin materials that water must have chlorine levels under a specific threshold. We had the water tested as well and, indeed, our chlorine levels are 40mg higher than the European norm. However, the lab that tested our water asserted that it is impossible for our chlorine levels, which are the norm in our area, to be considered corrosive to the extent of being able to punch holes in a stainless steel tank.
And that’s the conclusion after 2.5 years of problems. No acceptance of fault or responsibility from Daikin, complete dismissal of their own warranty and paid extended warranty, and deplorable customer service and assistance.
December 20, 2024
Unprompted review