Suunto depth sensor failures

[jdublyu]

Our LDS had the AquaLung/Suunto rep in the store this week. The rep stated that Suunto had found a defect in the depth sensor membrane construct. Suunto is claiming that computers used in chlorine/bromine environments will deteriorate the membrane and cause the depth sensor to fail. The rep stated that any Suunto computers that fail will be repaired free of charge if they are less than 5 years old. My personal experience is with a Suunto Cobra. I have had this unit fail 3 times. The last time it failed was in June of this year (2011). I originally purchased the Cobra in May of 2005. Suunto advised that my computer was out of warranty but still replaced the unit. The problem has manifest itself on numerous computers of divers that I associate with, some of them have never had them in a pool. To me this is as close to an acknowledgement of defective workmanship from Suunto as I have seen. I would like them to allow any failure of this type to be repaired free, regardless of the age of the computer. It has definitely made me reconsider whom I will be purchasing my next computer from.

[buick48]

I was given a $100 discount also and then my dive shop kept all the new exterior parts for my Cobra. I like the part about Chlorine causing the problem, pass the buck for a crappy product instead of fixing it. I have purchased my last Suunto/Aqua lung product. Both my wife's and my Cobras had the same problems, less than 100 dives, kept clean after each dive and they blame us. Funny its a known problem that they won't fix, wonder why we keep buying a inferior product? Underwater Phantaseas in Greenwood Village, Colorado isn't a whole lot better when they rip you off either. Yea, I called and complained and they said they would give me the rest of the parts that came with the Cobra, but haven't gone in to argue with them AGAIN. Lets not purchase anymore Suunto crap, that is all they will listen to.

[hammer5]

An update from my original post years ago. I susequently went ovet to oceanics vt3 after my dissapointing experience with suunto, i must say it has been happily chunging along in the atlantic not sure if oceanic has had similar issues but this one i am relativly happy with. The only issue i have with the vt3 is i have some difficulty with reading the screen on my wrist, attaching the vt3 to a retactor my be best option. Itt would have been nice if suunto would have given me a repair option

[Adgie]

+1 on the depth sensor failure. It has happened twice in the last 10 dives. First time I sent it in and the tech said there was nothing wrong with it. There really needs to be an advisory on these thingsso at least it's flagged at the repair shop rather than getting sent back to a customer.

I definitely will consider switching vendors on my next dive computer but I did love my cobra while it lasted.

FYI, my cobra was purchased in may of 2005.

[tstormdiver]

I just recently had a failure on my HelO2. I got it just as they came out on the market. I was conducting some OW dives with students. On the last dive of the day (3rd dive) for that class, I was preparing to put my data into my log book when I looked & the computer registered a max depth of 472 ft. Thank goodness I had my Shearwater Predator as a back- up. The area of the quarry I had my students in gets no deeper than 25 ft & the max depth of the quarry itself is about 120 ft. I sent the computer back in to Aqualung & they were very quick to send me a new on back.

On a humorous note, I would sure love to find that hole in the quarry again,... but the narcosis was so bad I couldn't remember where it was!