Hitachi Split. (I was unlucky with it). Review on Hitachi AC

Last I was here while fetching reviews about AC split. A year has passed and I return with my experience. I decided to take 2 Splits one was Samsung 1 ton Split and second was Hitachi Split 1.5 ton AC. Samsung installation was done and so was Hitachi’s.

However, during Hitachi installation there was a big issue. The issue was highly Hitachi's internal process related. But I was introduced to it unintentionally when I got to know that my warranty has been refused by National Aircon (Hitachi authorised Sales and Service provider). My local dealer got this AC for me from SD Corporation, Later I learned that being in Kandivli west, seemingly the area comes under the scope of National Aircon and not SD corporation. The very stamping on my warranty card was refused by National Aircon. I was refused the warranty as well.

It was a very disgusting 1st hand experience with Hitachi. I had to keep aside my job and had to waste my time in approaching SD corporation proprietor ie, MR. Deepak Diwey myself. I was assured that SD Corporation that it is also an Authorised sales and service provider (ASSP) for Hitachi but it contradicted the Call centre guy sitting in the Hitachi call centre, he seemed to have no idea as to who was SD corporation. Even he underlined the fact that SD Corporation is not the right sales & service provider for Hitachi.

If any senior responsible Hitachi personnel happen to see this grievance, I doubt whether or not he will feel pathetic. This was not the end. After long exchanges of call between me and Mr. Deepak and few gentlemen at Hitachi, I got my warranty card stamped. In fact Mr. Deepak too seemed to be a victim of National Aircon's stupid approach and he co-operated.

Fine this was the Hitachi process failure demonstration, now comes the technical failure.

Right from the very day of installation my AC refused to respond to the remote, I showed the problem to the installation technician and all what he did was he pressed the front panel of the AC and it started responding. Well I was told that it would get okay with time and I believed it. Till 3 months I had use a pole/stick to press the front panel hoping it to get corrected with time. After 3 months the Samsung guy proactively himself called and informed that the 1st service is due and confirmed the time of his service visit. I waited 15 days to get a call from Hitachi only to be disappointed. I myself called and asked for the service. The technician came and serviced it, I remained home for demonstrating him the problem that the front panel had. He did some stupid things like replacing the remote batteries, pressing the remote's reset button, switching between A and B nodes provided at the back of the remote and finally climbing the sofa and pressing the front panel. It was brilliant quite obviously, everything worked just fine as ever since the front panel was pressed. Well the technician serviced and left. That was all, now the problem changed and got even more complicated, the AC started behaving weirdly, and it used to respond some time and then all of a sudden used to stop responding some other time. Now I had an even more complicated problem, since it would function normally in front of the technician and then when the technician left it again showed the symptoms, so I was helpless as I cannot prove my problem to anyone.

I was disappointed with Hitachi. Despite paying double the price as compared to Samsung, Hitachi was shamelessly pathetic. Samsung was brilliant and still runs fabulously. You cannot imagine the condition in which I was. It is not just that I m typing these words for typing sake or blaming sake, bloody HItachi had made me shell higher when I had other choices. Well I had stopped expecting help from Hitachi and one could easily always find a pole/stick lying besides my sofa as a tool for activating the AC. Well, 3 months passed and it was time for yet another service and luckily I was at home, the technician came and serviced and though hopelessly but still I narrated my grievance to him, but couldn’t prove as usual. Service was over and it all worked stupidly fine.

I was almost waving bye to the technician when suddenly a miracle happened and my AC demonstrated the problem, I was blessed as now I had my pain justified. I asked the technician to pen down the complaint and asked for a serious action on this on an urgent basis. The technician did so but vanished after that, it was not almost a year and we were well accustomed to the procedure of using the stick in sync with the remote to get the breeze. After 1 and half months we witnessed the technician’s visit at his own sweet time and he replaced the front panel with a new one. The thing got resolved finally and finally the pole/stick has found its old place again and I was happy to operate the AC in a much civilized way.

No no, don’t relax. The catastrophe has not passed away.

Further three months passed away and it was time for the service. I called the Hitachi guy and day before yesterday he visited us for the service and guess what. The symptom has returned, the pole/stick has claimed got back its important place besides the sofa as I sit there admiring my Hitachi at times itching my back with the stick.

Kudos Hitachi.

Though this post, at time, brings a smile to few faces still it remains a grievance. Which Hitachi management, please note. I dont know whether I should recommend to buy Hitachi, still mouthshut doesn't allow me to leave without choosing between yes or no. so I choose yes. As far as I am concerned,  I was indeed unlucky.

Addition:- (My luck continues)

The above problem got resolved after a week of this above review of mine. Now last week again my Hitachi has gone crazy al together, it refuses to start. I have to turn it of by switching off the mains and then again have to turn it on and then it starts. Guess what again while turning it off remote is of no use, we have to turn the mains off. Simple isnt it..

Anyway, I have called the Hitachi guys this Saturday, would continue the review once that's done.