20S does not lock onto its base
Has anyone had this issue? I find it quite incredible.
I got a dual set of 20S upgrading from a set of SMH10R. I was very happy with the SMH10 but the release mechanism was poorly designed and forced users to pull on the unit, exerting a leveraged force on the base which caused cracks to appear in the connection area. The base on my helmet finally broke and the other one, on my girlfriend's helmet is badly cracked too.
I was happy to see that the locking and release mechanism had been redesigned on the 20S but absolutely appalled to realise that none of the 2 units will lock into place onto any of the 2 bases! I slide them down as far as I can on the base, but they simply won't click into place! I can't believe I'm the only one to have this issue! What am I missing?
Reading all the articles on this forum, I'm beginning to think that I made a huge mistake in shelling out close to 500 euros to upgrade to the 20S, which seems to be plagued by problems. I think I will be better off sending them back and getting a set of spare mounting clamps for my trusted SMH10R.
The other thing that is annoying is the way they attach the cable to the speakers locally adds an extra 5mm to the diameter of the speaker which prevents the speakers to enter flat in the recessed area of my helmet and velcro onto the pad. I had to use the thick pads provided for helmets with "deep recesses" for the speaker to be able to velcro the speakers into place. I'm pretty sure that this will cause the speakers to press onto my ears and quickly make it unbearable...
I'm really disappointed...
-
I have the exact problem. i am so damn mad, this 20s has been a complete failure. terrible volume (i cant test its fixed in 1.2 cause i cant use the thing), FM is BROKEN, I am 5 miles from NYC and can barely get 2 stations w/ static and now i cant even latch the thing on.
Now my ticket is 7 days wating assignment, ARGH!!
And where is the Sena respone on this thread?
And all the motovloggers who pimped this 20s as the greatest thing in the world because they got a free unit, shows you there integrity, they sold out for a junky headset. No way they didnt notice the plethora of problems on release.
1 -
Sadly I have joined the ranks of owning a 20S that will no longer latch to base. Opened ticket, but still have not heard back from support. I really hope Sena finds a good solution to this matter soon.
1 -
Well I am also joining the ranks of the poor quality latch mechanism failure. Except mine never even made it outside. Both latches failed while testing the units in our home. One broke while trying to get it to latch. The other broke while listening to my iPod. Heard a pop noise from the left side of the helmet and simultaneously lost sound in the left headphone. Customer support said it would take 3 weeks to get a replacement to me. I sure hope it comes faster then that.
If Sena truly cares about their customers and their reputation, the replacements should be sent out next day air. It is not OUR fault they sold us a defective product. If this was a known issue how come Sena did not do a recall and swap out the defective clamps BEFORE we purchased them? I owned a Electronics business in the 80's and if a manufacturer had an issue back then they would swap out my inventory. I think it is very poor business for a company to have a quality control (cheap design) issue and expect the customer to be inconvenienced with a brand new product that cannot be used.
I sure hope the replacement has been redesigned and not fail like the current one. Why should we have to jury rig something brand new (and cost $500.00) because of Sena's "design" issue. Why should I have to worry about a brand new products latch failing and have a $250 Bluetooth module skidding across the road and getting run over by a car? How come if Sena knows this is a "design" issue, they did not contact me when the units serial number was registered on their web site? I am getting pretty tired of companies expecting the customers to do all the leg work for THEM!
The system was ordered for a Christmas present for my Wife to go with our new Bike. Some Christmas present, huh? Coal would have been better under the tree then this useless Sena 20S system. Cannot wait to see how long it takes Sena to send replacement clamps. Stay tuned..........
1 -
IT IS COMPLETLY UNEXCEPTIABLE TO SEE THIS MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM !!!! SENA NEEDS TO RE-CALL THE "LATCHING PROBLEM" WITH THE 20S PERIOD!!! WHEN YOU DROP $500 BUCKS ON A PAIR OF THE MOST TECH. ADVANCED COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS ON THE MARKET AND THEY PUT THE CHEEZEST P.O.S. LATCH THEY COULD DESIGN ON IT.... WHAT GOOD IS ALL THAT TECHNOLOGY IF THE DAMN THING FALLS OFF ON THE HWY???????
1 -
Same Issue as others with broken clamp. Gave up trying to get a replacement. Sena customer service is dismal. Will never purchase another Sena product. 1 -
I have the same issue - just opened a ticket.
0 -
When my 20S was new I had no confidence in the catch. I would have to squeeze it really hard to the base and the locking wasn't all that positive and didn't click. Now after about 20-30 lock/release cycles it seems to lock better and I hear an audible little click. I still don't trust it though and always give it a tug after I hear the click. Also I can't release it unless I squeeze down before pressing the release button.
0 -
Thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately mine just won't click into place no matter how hard I press down (although I do not want to press so hard as to break the base, given the bad experience with my SMH10 that led me to buy the 20S). It looks like the hole where the mobile peg from the base is supposed to enter is too high.
I submitted a ticket 6 days ago and still nothing, stil "awaiting assignment"... I'm getting really upset with Sena...0 -
Sorry to hear that. Mine was very hard to press in at first to. Works ok now that I know what I have to do.
0 -
Same issue for me. Just got a brand new one a few days ago.
0 -
Looking at the back of my 20S it really looks like Sena did a quick change to the plastic mold to change the profile of the slot that receives the locking catch. There's a lip on there that really looks like someone just took a tool to the mold for a quick fix. Do you have that?
0 -
Yes! Exactly, it looks like there was some kind of production fiddling around that exact area. I think it's an issue of manufacturing tolerances and a 1/4 of mm probably makes all the difference. I think the design should be able to accommodate that kind of manufacturing tolerances if the manufacturer cannot provide a better tolerance range.
Anyway, Sena finally got back to me yesterday (not really grasping my problem: they thought my problem was with mounting the base on the helmet...) but I decided to try again, exerting more force and finally manage to get a unit to lock onto the base that is still not mounted on the helmet. I managed to do it twice, but this is by no means an easy process and I am not comfortable exerting that kind of force on those plastic objects. I then decided to try on the base that is mounted on my helmet. It took me 5 minutes of trying but finally managed to get one unit to lock, but not before the unit started to open in 2 given the force I had to use. Anyway, it's in place now and I think that the solution is never to remove it again... otherwise it's not a matter of if but of when that I will break either the base or the unit.
Sena really need to work on their lock and release design and/or manufacturing tolerances. After the release mechanism design flaw on the SMH10 (the locking mechanism was great!), it is now the locking mechanism that is flawed on the 20S (the release is OK).
Not the best solution to have a permanently attached unit on the helmet, but at least I am not left with an unusable product. Now I need to check the protruding speakers issue to see if that is a problem or not...
0 -
I have the same problem! Mine is new as of 07-24-2014 and it will not latch. I opened a ticket also.
0 -
I see that I'm not the only one with this issue! Matthias, did the new unit resolve the issue? Sena has offered me to replace the unit, but I'm hesitant since they also acknowledged me that it is a known issue and that they are working to resolve it (which, to me, means that it is not yet resolved). So getting a new unit would still be a lottery.
I think that there are manufacturing tolerances issues and that the design does not allow for it so some (most ?) units come out fine but some have this issue just because of 1/4 mm difference in the position of the locking receptacle.
0 -
My unit was new (brought from Revzilla.com) a week ago. The main never locks into the base clamp no matter how hard I push, and there is no more room to push, since the plastic ends of both pieces (main and base) are touching. I opened a ticket and sent them pictures of the latch, that shows pushing or not pushing the silver "quick release" button does nothing to the latch.
Sena has not responded yet to me opening the ticket or the attachments I submitted. So I am not sure if they will offer a new unit, or a new base clamp. Regardless of manufacturing issues:
1. This is a premium priced product, so the experience should be (have not seen that yet)
2. These types of latches are not new to implement in a reliable fashion. My bike has several plastic quick connectors, that are robust, reliable, and you just have to have the center notch have a USB or apple style lightning plug to make this work. Even a battery tender quick connector plug is more reliable and robust. This is just silly, to have a high-tech product fail, because they could not figure a 20 cent plastic connection.
There are so many military grade connectors available as well!
Let me wait and see what Sena responds. Hopefully they will do soon.
0 -
Attaching images of the latch that does not work to lock the main unit to base.
Attachments_201481.zip0 -
My unit is two weeks old and used to lock with light downward pressure. However it no longer will lock even when applying a high amount of force (that threatens to damage the unit). I have resorted to wrapping a rubber band around the base and the 20s to keep a good connection between the leads.
Definitely disappointed in this failire0 -
@Ashwin: It looks like the latch isn't retracing properly. Mine goes in straight.
photo.JPG0 -
@dgreen. Thanks!. Interesting. If it does not retract, I would hope that it locked into place, but it is not locking in. So I can assume that either it is not coming out all the way to lock and then going back in. I really wish they put a simpler mechanism in place.
Most shoulder backpacks have better plastic quick connectors that carry more load, and stay connected even through push/pull situations.
0 -
I also cannot physically connect the device to the base. If I hold the unit down on the base it works but when I let go I lose the connection.
I opened a ticket 4 days ago about another issue and still have not heard back. I am already unhappy with my purchase.
0 -
Just got my 20s unit today, the lack of a positive connection for the electronic circuits is just nuts the smh 10 has a very positive click, this is just bad design. Im probably going to return it and wait for the re design. The improved features are worth the wait... In the mean time, my smh10 always clicks into place & works... 0 -
Same issue here. It used to latch, now it doesn't. I have the dual and haven't installed the second base yet. Both Bluetooth units will latch onto the second base. Neither will latch onto the installed base. It looks like the latching mechanism does not protrude as much from the installed base as it does from the base that still latches. 0 -
Got the RMA process and a new unit from SENA. The latch mechanism (as per Bob's comment) does not protude as much on the defective unit vs. the new one. I am not sure how long the new one will last either.
0 -
Officially got my hands on my 20s on July 25th. Last week I suddenly find that it will not lock into the base any longer. It had only been out of its base once for me to recharge it. I did not force it, used the silver release button to get it off of the base. I put the helmet on and suddenly realize that the audio has cut out. I reach for the unit and it feels loose. I take off the helmet and find that the unit has come loose from the base and refuses to lock back into position.
Submitted a ticket but no response so far.
0 -
I have the same issue and only made one phone call before my unit loosened from the base. I love the speakers and boom mic. Hope Sena can fix the issue and get mine back to me asap.
0 -
So it's day 2 (I actually submitted my ticket on friday - but I won't count the weekend) and the status of my ticket is still "Awaiting assignment to a support agent". Anyone else see this kind of delay in the response of the support folks? I could still return since I bought it via Amazon, but what I really want is to just get a unit that works.
0 -
Yeah, it was the same for me, it was 4 or 5 working days until they finally got back to me for the first time. After that communication was better, they usually got back to me the next day.
0 -
Thanks for that info. Good to know. I don't know how many times I have to learn the "Early Adopter" lesson before it sticks!
0 -
I also have had problems with my unit locking into the base. The first time I thought I was not turning it on correctly while riding, then I got it clicked down. Then this week I went to listen to music and thought, I know I turned it on but it is not responding. I cannot get it to click into the base for anything. I also have the static in the earphones problem. Hope they get all these small things fixed before I get my replacement.
Thank you to this group for making me aware of this. I was going nuts trying to figure out why it wasn't working at first.
0 -
So can anyone think of something that preceded this issue happening? In my case, I usually put my jacket on before I put on my helmet. In this case, I put the helmet on first and I recall that my left upper arm bumped the unit on the side of the helmet when I was putting the jacket on. It was after that when I noticed the problem. So no heavy or hard impact. I have a very padded Bilt jacket so no hard parts to hit the unit.
0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
175 comments