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Hearing Aid Product Life

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Good Afternoon, new to the forum, very helpful so far.
My question is my hearing aids are over 4 years old and are starting to have problems, mainly in connecting to Widex Evoke app. When visiting my local clinic thay have mentioned that the product will not be serviceable after 5 years. I would have to buy new ones. Warrantty was up at 3 years and expected that they would still service them for a cost in the future.
I thought that this was unusual as you dont get refused if you take your car in for service, you just have to pay.
Asking further, they mention that this is common now for all manufactuerers, not just Widex
I would like to know if this is truely the case
Appreciate any assistance
Cheers

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@Dave_O Welcome to the forum.

My understanding is, it all depend on where you’ve bought your hearing aids from.

For example I’ve bought a Phonak Naida Paradise here in the UK and the warranty is for 5 years, so after 5 years I am on my own, not sure if where I bought it they can service the hearing aids for a small fee, otherwise, here on this forum someone mentioned an online service that can do it for a fee, meaning, they will send the hearing aids to phonak for service, of course that means I will need to pay.

For information Oticon says the following:

image

https://www.oticon.com/blog/when-should-i-upgrade-my-hearing-aids5

For you case, you will need to look at the receipt or the contract between you and your hearing care provider and see the terms & conditions.

Hopefully, other forum member will give you a better point of view.

Good luck

I have no experience, but if where you bought it they don’t want to fix it, ask elsewhere. I don’t see a problem with the repair because by law they have to ensure that the hearing aid can be repaired within 10 years of production. I don’t mean a warranty, but a repair at your expense. …

it should be checked further because it may depend on the country.

it’s strange to me that they don’t want to fix it even though it’s out of warranty. I think there are grounds for a lawsuit if they don’t want to do that

I could be wrong, but from some other posts I was given to understand that there are places that will work on older aids. So even if the manufacturer won’t support them, I think there are third party repair options? I will be interested to know if that is the case since I am looking to purchase Widex aids.

@SigoEsperanza said:

So even if the manufacturer won’t support them, I think there are third party repair options?

There are. My audi said one of the manufacturers in the UK offers a repair service across brands (can’t remember which one). It’s not cheap though (IIRC £360 per aid). However, it is limited - I had some 15 year old Phonak Solana and they wouldn’t repair those as they were too old.

However, my audi was able to reprogram the Solanas so some audiologists are prepared to work on older aids and keep them up to date with your . However, this guy does seem to be the exception, most places have said to me that if we didn’t supply them, we can’t touch them. FYI the problem with the Solanas was that the battery connector was broken on one so it could not be powered up from the battery.

I had an issue with one of my Widex Evoke 440’s after my 4 year warranty ran out with Amplifon.

They said as it was under 5 years old they could send it off for repair, which I did. It cost me around £120.

Amplifon told me that after 5 years Widex would not carry out repairs, which seems like the case you’re describing.

Widex stopping repairs after just five years is completely crazy, and so are Oticon’s comments about “considering an upgrade” by that time, given what these thingies cost. My Starkeys got regular repairs even when over a decade old, so not all manufacturers behave this way, thankfully.

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions

To clarify I live in Canada and yes I was commenting on the ability to get them fixed/supported after the warrantty period. I understand that I would be responsible for the cost.

Just thought it was crazy that no one would repair them. Rather not have to replace because they were not cheap. I believe about $5K for 2 4 years ago.

I will check out your suggestions

Cheers

Maybe everyone is missing the point. Have you tried to reinstall the app, or try another phone? Maybe tell your phone to “forget” the paired hearing aids, and pair them again, reinstall the app, then see what happens?

Sometimes that’s all you need to do.

Thanks for all of the suggestions

I have re installed the app 4 many times, didsconnected the bluetooth and re connected numerous times , re paired the hearing aids and tied another phone, and had my clinic do that also and they contacted Widex tech people.

All great suggestions but unfortunately didnt work

This is a great forum to trade ideas, thank you

In reply to @Dave_O

Toronto area

WSIB due to exposure to noise at work

My first Phonaks fro WSIB were 8 years old. They fixed them just fine and billed WSIB for those years.

Second Phonaks were replaced after 2 years by another Audi. I couldn’t hear behind

If the aids work well without using the app, then it could be a software issue. In my case using Phonak aids, the hearing aids will continue to function fine without the app. Being a guy, and having the Target software on my PC, I have designated the RH aid as the bluetooth connection to my Android phone. The RH aid then shares the audio with the LH aid, & this system will operates perfectly, without the added controls of the app.

I do know that Phonak being a European company seems to have the least problems interfacing with Android rather than IOS. If Widex is also European, that might be a consideration if you are using an Apple phone.

Either way, if your hearing aids function fine, and can receive phone calls via Bluetooth from your phone, it’s a good chance you have a phone system / app problem, and the aids are OK.

Also did your audiologist do a factory reset?

That’s all I can think of.

Thanks again, I have a Google Pixel 8 phone

I am going to ask the audiologist if they did a factory reset and if not, do it

Have my yearly hearing test in a week and a half

Will let the group know how it goes with the reset and i am going to press further on Widex non support after 5 years

Dave,

I too have a Pixle 8, & have found it to be solid working working with my Phonak Marvel hearing aids.

Good luck.

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