NordicTrack
Complaint 74220 Details

In December of 2010 we purchased a NordicTracki elliptical, Model E 7.1. It had a few problems during the year, and we fixed it according to the manual's instructions. The elliptical stopped working two days before the warranty expiration, we tried fixing it again according to the instructions, but it did not work. We called Nordictrack 3 days after the warranty expired (unfortunately we had been trying to follow their instructions during the time we had in the day due to work),and they claimed that only the frame was warranted for a lifetime, so we would have to pay for a technician (135.00) to determine if it was indeed the frame. They sent a technician at our cost who determined it was the frame causing the issue and he recommended a replacement under warranty. Their review for replacement took three weeks, and we settled for the same unit, but they would not refund the technician's fee.

We received the replacement in mid January, and it came broken. We started to put it together, but the frame cover was cracked, the shaft would not fit in the upright, and a connector was hanging lose from the flywheel circuit board. At this point we called for parts and repair, and requested they finish putting the machine together in order to assure that there were no other problems, but they refused the remaining assembly.

We waited a week for the parts and the technician only fixed a few issues, also forcing the shaft into the upright by hammer, which caused it to stick. He was supposed to replace the circuit board and did not, so the connector did not stay in place. My husband was able to take out the shaft and install the new upright (which the technician did not do) and then was able to continue with the assembly. Once the elliptical was completely assembled, we turned it on and it did not work. The connector to the circuit board (the circuit board should have been replaced, but wasn't) was coming lose and would not allow the the console to work. If we held the connector in place by hand, the elliptical would turn on, but the program would not start properly.

Once again we called and they said the technician would have to be called out to finish the repair. I had not heard from the repair people for a few days, so I called them and they decided they needed to order another part before coming out (the console). They should have come out to finish the first repair before determining the console is the problem over a phone conversation. Now, I am told, by NordicTrack, that part is out of stock and they don't know when it will be available. I may have to wait weeks.

I explained to them that I should have received a working elliptical, but they claim they are doing the best they can and will not send me another until they have tried every possible way to fix this one. My husband uses this machine for his heart - he has Post Ventricular Contractions and he needs to exercise - we bought this unit for that purpose, but we keep getting put off by this company, and I feel we received a defective unit that they refuse to acknowledge and repair immediately or replace. I asked to talk to a supervisor, and the customer service representative said that she could only place a request, but the supervisor would have nothing more to contribute and would tell me the same as her.

I am so frustrated. This was not an inexpensive elliptical and we felt we were buying from a reputable company. Now we are being given the run-around and feel they are trying to get past the 90 warranty to push it off to the extended warranty which we purchased for the new elliptical. The technician recommended we buy this warranty (another 149.00) because of the amount of calls they get to fix these machines.