There's no good feeling quite like waiting for your earbuds to come back from repair, opening the package, and realising the same problem is still there. It's like taking your car to the garage and getting back nothing but a windscreen washer fluid top-up.
We know this is frustrating. And it's our cock-up, not yours.
Why is the issue still there?
There are a few reasons:
- The fault didn't reproduce during repair. Sometimes the problem is intermittent and doesn't show up on the test bench. The repair team tests the device, declares it working, and sends it back. Annoying, but human.
- The wrong fault was fixed. If the fault description was unclear or incomplete, the repair team may have fixed a different issue than the one bugging you. Communication is hard – just ask anyone who's been through a divorce.
- The fix didn't hold. Electronics can be stubborn sometimes. A solder joint holds for a week and then gives up again. It happens.
- You got instructions instead of a fix. Yeah, that's not a repair. If the problem is with the device and not with how you're using it, a little instruction slip in the box isn't going to help.
What to do
- Document the fault as precisely as possible. Write down what happens, when it happens, and how often. Which earbud? Is there any sound at all? Is a light flashing? The more detail you give, the better the repair team can target the fix.
- Take a short video, if you can. A ten-second clip says more than a thousand words. Especially with intermittent faults, this is worth its weight in gold.
- Try a reset before sending them in. Place the buds in the case, plug in the charging cable, and hold down the touch panel on both buds for five seconds. A blue light will flash once. This probably won't help if the repair didn't help either, but give it a go anyway – electronics can be a mysterious thing sometimes.
- Send us an email at info@valco.fi. Include:
- Your order number
- A photo or video of the fault
- A description of what's happening (and what should be happening)
- A note that the device has already been through repair once
If that doesn't help
We'll send the earbuds back in for repair. This time we already know the previous round didn't solve the problem, so the repair team knows to dig deeper. The Kajaani service team can get additional instructions directly from you if needed.
If the device is under warranty – and for the NL21 that's 24 months from the date of purchase – this won't cost you a thing, obviously. The warranty covers material and manufacturing defects, and a clearly recurring fault is exactly that.
If the earbuds have already been through repair multiple times for the same issue, we'll assess the situation case by case. We're not going to leave you stuck in an endless repair loop.
Nobody should have to send their earbuds back and forth like wartime pen pals. Let's get this sorted in one go – or at least on the second attempt.
