Vexilar fail

Anyone else buy a vexilar tri beam transducer only to have it fail?? I have maybe 20hours of use on mine. Pulled it out to use for the first time this year and it’s cracked all around. Never slammed on the ice. Found some other forums that vexilar had an issue with the tri beam and we’re replacing them but that’s wrong. Was told yesterday to pound sand. Think twice about buying anything from vexilar. Found out yesterday they knew about the issue and did replace some but are telling the remaining people to pound sand. Also found out that they knew about this problem and did not pull them off the shelves.

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It almost looks like the internals expanded and cracked it. Did you buy it from scheels? Maybe they would return it

It’s possible… I can’t remember. It would have been Reeds scheels or mills. It’s possible that I’d have the receipt but it’s like finding a needle in a hay stack. Was hoping that vexilar would stand behind there known failed product.

I had this exact problem a few years ago. Vexilar did replace mine, no questions asked and I’ve been using my replacement without issue for 4-5 years now.

I’m sorry they weren’t willing to help, but I’m guessing that transducer is at least 5 years old as i believe they haven’t made them for that long.

Did you call the office in Bloomington?
I might suggest getting ahold of them again and asking if they would give you a steep discount on a current ducer?

http://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/community/forums/topic/vex-tri-beam-housing-cracking-from-storage-really-now-what/#post-1594112

Here is a thread from 2016 about this issue

I did ask for at least a discount. I understand that it’s maybe three four years old. I probably bought towards the end of them being sold. I get it but it doesn’t get used. I just don’t have as much time as I’d like to go fishing as I used to. Like I said it maybe has 20 hours of use. They knew they had an issue they should take care of it. It would be different if I used it two to three times a week in the winter but I maybe get out 4-8 times a winter.

I totally hear you. It was clearly a materials defect. I’m honestly surprised they weren’t willing to work with you in any way or offer you even a used ducer as a replacement.

Exactly! Clearly a defect in the material and the way it was made. That’s what makes me upset. They didn’t knowingly make it to be defective but after the fact when they found out that what they made was defective they should stand behind it. If not all of us fishermen and women should take our business elsewhere.

They only made a few to replace warranty issues and discontinued them. It’s probably more than 3 or 4 years old. This post will bring out all the naysayers all over again.

My old tri beam did the same exact thing.

Vexlar customer service is typically really good to work with. Hopefully they can ship you a new one or if your in the Twin Cities area they are in west Bloomington.

Had a tri-beam go bad on my FL-12 (back up unit now), and that was maybe two years or so after I bought the unit. They had a new transducer at my door before the one that went bad arrived at their facility…couldn’t believe how quick they were to fix the issue. I would inquire again, might get someone else from CS on the phone.

3rdtryguy wrote:

They only made a few to replace warranty issues and discontinued them. It’s probably more than 3 or 4 years old. This post will bring out all the naysayers all over again.

To be fair to Vex, they did honor replacements well after the warranty period for that ducer (I believe they have a 1 year warranty?). If the same thing happened to a Marcum, Humminbird, or Lowrance, I doubt you would get any assistance past the warranty period and even then you would have to pay to send it in and have them look at it only to have them tell you to go buy a new one.

Again, sorry to OP for the frustration, it always sucks when your gear doesn’t work the way it should.

I understand that it’s great they went beyond the 1 year warranty but it’s not a warranty issue. It’s not a couple had a defect. It’s ALL of them were improperly made. They admitted it to me that they were all flawed. That’s why there not made anymore. The gentleman there’s name was Matt and he claimed he was the manager. He was very polite, but polite in saying they knowingly sold a faulty product and won’t stand behind it. The fact of the matter is they sold a transducer that was faulty. Not faulty from to much use, lack of use, or accidentally hitting it on the ice. Not a few or a few hundred. ALL OF THEM!! And they KNOW about it. This is showing me how much they care. Exchange them all.

I understand your frustration, and it may be somewhat reasonable. But I don’t know of ANY manufacturer that will replace faulty products for life. Every manufacturer has faulty/defective parts at one time or other. And the fact that Vexilar stood behind this defect long after all warranty periods expired, well, that sounds like they did their best. I have a FLX-22HD with the same transducer, and I fully expect it will go bad eventually, but it is so out of any warranty period, I do not expect Vexilar to warranty it free of charge just because it was considered defective. I have had very good warranty issues resolved with Vexilar, beyond reasonable.

If that drives you away from Vexilar, good luck with the other manufacturers.

toddrun wrote:

I understand your frustration, and it may be somewhat reasonable. But I don’t know of ANY manufacturer that will replace faulty products for life. Every manufacturer has faulty/defective parts at one time or other. And the fact that Vexilar stood behind this defect long after all warranty periods expired, well, that sounds like they did their best. I have a FLX-22HD with the same transducer, and I fully expect it will go bad eventually, but it is so out of any warranty period, I do not expect Vexilar to warranty it free of charge just because it was considered defective. I have had very good warranty issues resolved with Vexilar, beyond reasonable.

If that drives you away from Vexilar, good luck with the other manufacturers.

For comparison’s sake, I know of three ICE 55’s (mine included) that had the EXACT same issue that caused them to quite being usable….Humminbird wanted $375 to repair and that was the end of the story.

In the 25+ years that I’ve been dealing with Vexilar, I’ve had vary few issue’s. The few times that I have had a issue they went way beyond expected to make things right. With all the GREAT service that I have received from them, its sad to hear they are handling this issue this way. I make my purchase decisions Greatly on how a company is known for their customer service. I hope for both your and their sake this is not the direction their customer service is heading.

Yeah, Vex has probably the best CS I’ve seen in a company and most won’t even know it cause their products are top quality and won’t be needing them.

That said, this transducer is quite old and I’m guessing 2014 or earlier???? Did you buy this used? I thought I heard Vex stop selling them in 2014 but was replacing them free of charge as late as 2018…maybe even later??? That’s pretty amazing. When I brought mine in for replacement, I got a free upgrade to their top transducer at the time, free fishing towel and hat…plus had a great chat with the folks their about new products and some fishing tips!

1st time that I have heard Vexilar didn’t take care of a customer to their satisfaction.

I don’t expect anyone to warranty for life but when your knowingly selling a defective product you should probably replace it. Everything I’ve heard of vexilar is that they take care of you. I guess that has now changed. I’d understand more I guess if this would have lasted a fare amount of uses. Everyone uses differently based on time they have and what not. The amount of use I’ve gotten out of it would probably be equal to a month or less of use from some guys. That’s horse sh$t service. I’ve maybe used 20 times. Again my fault for not having the time. Doesn’t explain for the defective product they made or bad service.

luttes wrote:

http://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/community/forums/topic/vex-tri-beam-housing-cracking-from-storage-really-now-what/#post-1594112
Here is a thread from 2016 about this issue

That’s me I’m sorry for the OP who’s out of luck. All I can say, yes Vex had issues and for many people they went well above and beyond their warranty.

Had my tri-beam out yesterday and some odd readings. If my current four year old ducer isn’t working then I fully expect to pay for a new one. My real problem is what to buy???

ClownColor wrote:

Yeah, Vex has probably the best CS I’ve seen in a company and most won’t even know it cause their products are top quality and won’t be needing them.

That said, this transducer is quite old and I’m guessing 2014 or earlier???? Did you buy this used? I thought I heard Vex stop selling them in 2014 but was replacing them free of charge as late as 2018…maybe even later??? That’s pretty amazing. When I brought mine in for replacement, I got a free upgrade to their top transducer at the time, free fishing towel and hat…plus had a great chat with the folks their about new products and some fishing tips!

I bought this new and I believe it was 2016 or 2017. Maybe a total of 20uses for its entire life.

Mathew Gallus wrote:

I bought this new and I believe it was 2016 or 2017. Maybe a total of 20uses for its entire life.

I guess no one is going to give you any feedback that will satisfy you. We’re all sorry that you had a gear failure due to a material defect, but, as everyone has pointed out, Vexilar has top notch customer service that most of us have experienced first hand. There’s a reason they have the best product on the market and a reason probably all of us still are using them or have them as backup units even with the recent advancements in technology. They are bulletproof workhorses, the tri-beam issue excluded of course.

That tri beam with the red band was produced between 2012-2014. So where ever you bought it from in 2017 had some old product. Vexilar had a disclaimer at the time that you can still find on line that they would recall any of them no questions asked up until January of 2016 after that they would have to be inside warranty period. Sorry but buy a new ducer and move on. Not worth being upset about it.

When you said you only used it maybe 20 hours I was assuming you just bought it this year or last year. Didn’t realize it was so old

Just joined this morning and complaining ever since on a 6 or 8 year old purchase. You’ll fit right in with the 1%’ers here.

Vexilar is an awesome product with great customer service nothing more to say about that really. Like others said it’s to bad your in this situation but move on buy a new ducer or sell it and go with another brand.

3rdtryguy wrote:

Just joined this morning and complaining ever since on a 6 or 8 year old purchase. You’ll fit right in with the 1%’ers here.

Thanks 3rdtryguy. Sorry. Rant over. What was meant to see how many others had the issue and if vexilar stood behind it and if they had decent customer service. My emotions took over from the feelings of my experience. Most I’ve heard from the customer service was great. Good luck fishing to all, stay safe, and Merry Christmas!!!

Owe and welcome to IDO were a pretty cool dysfunctional family!

Soooo pro view or 12*? I watched a video about the gain adjustment to widen the “cone” with the pro view. Seems nicer but like I said don’t fish much. Normal fishing 12-28 fow.