Export thread

BlackHawk HP keypad failure

#1

G

GP_in_FL

My keypad failed. I can't enter the code to unlock/start my mower. Mower has 255.1 hours.

1) Call Dixe Chopper in Indiana. Parts rep looks up my s/n and says that the part is covered under "parts only" warranty. Also says I need to contact my local dealer to do the exchange.

2) Call local dealer #1. I explain the situation, including call to factory. He says there's no way he's exchanging the part over the counter. I am required to bring the mower to him so he can perform a diagnostic procedure, evaluate the part, place an order for a replacement, then replace the part. I thank him for his time and...

3) Call local dealer #2. I explain the situation and am told the same thing.

So I either pay Dixie Chopper $350 for a replacement part that the supplier (Global Digital Instruments, somewhere in upstate NY) covers with a lifetime warranty and that Dixie Chopper acknowledges is covered by the warranty, OR fork over hundreds of dollars to my local dealer for the privilege of having him tell me that my part is bad.

Basically, this is legalized fraud.


#2

B

bertsmobile1

A "parts only" warranty means they will replace the part but you have to pay for the labour
The other alternative is to take up the warranty claim with Global Digital directly .
No mower company is going to take your word that a part is faulty for obvious reasons.
There is a scheduled service fee for doing each & every warranty job which is generally a lot less than the actual time spend doing the job.

Then there is the question of "why did it fail?" and 90% of the time that is operator error or neglect.
Eg;- a commercial customer had his module on a Z Master fail.
Whil it too has a warranty, the fact that the mower lives in an open top trailer voids this warranty as it is subject to weather damage which is owner abuse .


#3

H

hlw49

Wow you have a low opinion of your local dealers. Like Bert said they just don't give out parts because someone says it is bad. Dang bring it to me would cost you about $80.00. Of course you would have to drive to Tn. to get it done. The other alternative is you can buy the kit and change it to a key start. Just did one today. I think the kit is around $400.00 and then your problems would be over. Hate the key pad they do give problems and it seems so much so they came out with the kit to convert it to key start.


#4

B

bertsmobile1

I find I am doing more retro fits to mowers every year
Those smart switchers are not particularly smart unless you have share in the companies that makes them .


#5

H

hlw49

bertsmobile1 said:
I find I am doing more retro fits to mowers every year
Those smart switchers are not particularly smart unless you have share in the companies that makes them .
Click to expand...
So other manufactures are having the same problem and have come out with a kit to convert back to the key start?


#6

B

bertsmobile1

hlw49 said:
So other manufactures are having the same problem and have come out with a kit to convert back to the key start?
Click to expand...
Not that I know of
Not a difficult job to rewire most mowers as the safety circuits are mostly ground switched so you can use the wires already going to the modules.
When new models come out that never had a conventional wiring so there is no diagram to follow it will require a bit more thought.


#7

H

hlw49

On the Dixie Chopper Black Hawk and Eagle they have a kit to change the keypad and wiring harness. Not a tough job takes about an hour and an hour and a half.


#8

W

WPSPUMP

Does anyone have the kit part number? i would like to do away with the keypad.


#9

H

hlw49

Not off the top of my head but can get it for you I replaced one on a
Black Hawk the other day.


#10

H

hlw49

WPSPUMP said:
Does anyone have the kit part number? i would like to do away with the keypad
Click to expand...


#11

G

GP_in_FL

I looked at the parts website today, and couldn't find it. BTW, my mower is at the dealer, waiting on the part. I understand their point of view, but from my perspective, it's an unnecessary PITA. To draw a parallel, if my car's wiper blades were covered by warranty, why would it be OK to have to take my car to the dealership and drop it off for a week, and then have to pay the dealer's labor rates to replace the blades? Having a threshold for commonly or easily replaceable parts would go a long ways toward building good will. I will legitimately have 5+ hours of billable time lost by the time this exercise in bureaucracy is over. Come to think of it, even the car dealership analogy is shaky, because I can't just drive my mower to work one day and swing by the dealership on my way home and have my wife meet me there and take me home. I'd even be more OK with it if it cost me a couple of Saturday mornings to handle it, but that's not an option...they are closed on weekends.

The counter girl I worked with at the dealership said that they don't see many keypad failures, but the parking brake switch is a common failure, and she constantly fields similar protests.


#12

H

hlw49

WPSPUMP said:
Does anyone have the kit part number? i would like to do away with the keypad.
Click to expand...
Try this until you can decide what you are going to do. Take an air gun and blow around the keys. Blow the crap out of it and see if that will let you start the mower. I did it to one the other day and it worked. Has not been back yet. This was before we got the kit to change the one we did over not the same mowers.


#13

G

GP_in_FL

hlw49 said:
Try this until you can decide what you are going to do. Take an air gun and blow around the keys. Blow the crap out of it and see if that will let you start the mower. I did it to one the other day and it worked. Has not been back yet. This was before we got the kit to change the one we did over not the same mowers.
Click to expand...
I thought about that as well. I keep my mower in the barn, and our summers are notoriously hot and humid. I kept the keypad in the house for a week while I tried to resolve the issue without having to drag the machine to the dealership. Before I loaded it onto the trailer, I reconnected it, and no dice. It had gotten progressively balky over time, and finally would not register any key presses from the number keys.

At the end of the day, it's a potted circuit board with membrane switches. Despite the best efforts of electrical engineers, they do fail. It's still the best mower I've ever had, and my yard is the equivalent of the Samsonite luggage testers as far as mowers are concerned. I just wish it was easier to get the damn part.


#14

H

hlw49

GP_in_FL said:
I looked at the parts website today, and couldn't find it. BTW, my mower is at the dealer, waiting on the part. I understand their point of view, but from my perspective, it's an unnecessary PITA. To draw a parallel, if my car's wiper blades were covered by warranty, why would it be OK to have to take my car to the dealership and drop it off for a week, and then have to pay the dealer's labor rates to replace the blades? Having a threshold for commonly or easily replaceable parts would go a long ways toward building good will. I will legitimately have 5+ hours of billable time lost by the time this exercise in bureaucracy is over. Come to think of it, even the car dealership analogy is shaky, because I can't just drive my mower to work one day and swing by the dealership on my way home and have my wife meet me there and take me home. I'd even be more OK with it if it cost me a couple of Saturday mornings to handle it, but that's not an option...they are closed on weekends.

The counter girl I worked with at the dealership said that they don't see many keypad failures, but the parking brake switch is a common failure, and she constantly fields similar protests.
Click to expand...
If it were as simple as replacing a wiper blade i would do it while you waited. I replaced a key pad the other day while the customer waited. We try our best to take care of our customers takes just a few minutes to do the key pad but the kit is a different thing. But would do it asap. Never replaced but one brake switch but several key pads. Just be thankful they are covering the key pad under warranty.


#15

G

GP_in_FL

hlw49 said:
Just be thankful they are covering the key pad under warranty.
Click to expand...
Got that right. To the tune of $267.57 + $74.57 in taxes and freight.


#16

D

dixieseller

Call Joyce at DIXIE for part number, also if less then 3 years old warranty may cover parts only, you pay labor.


Footer Links 1

Top