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How to file a formal complaint with NEST

IgnoredNESTcus
Community Member

Hi there, 

I've been trying to have Nest honor its warranty since September (2021) for my thermostat which broke under the 1 year time frame. It clearly states that either a refund or a replacement is an option. https://nest.com/legal/warranty/ 

"If the Product fails to conform to this Limited Warranty during the Warranty Period, Nest Labs will, at its sole discretion, either (a) repair or replace any defective Product or component; or (b) accept the return of the Product and refund the money actually paid by the original purchaser for the Product. Repair or replacement may be made with a new or refurbished product or components, at Nest Labs’ sole discretion."

Yet, customer service refused to refund me the money and will only send a refurbished unit. I don't want a refurbished unit - if a new one didn't work - why would a refurbished one? I've already bought an EcoBee and had ZERO issues (hint Google, you have design flaws). However, every rep I've spoken to (at it is over 10 including supervisors and managers, none of whom are in the US) - says they never give refunds. This means either that the warranty is fraudulent, or that the processes are garage - neither of which makes Nest/Google look like a competent company, and I'm assuming the Legal departments would not be happy to learn about this. Has anyone been able to figure out how to lodge complaints with Nest /Google (ideally with someone in the US) and to get an actual response?

21 REPLIES 21

RobDude
Community Member

Sadly, you're unlikely to find help here. It's a community forum where people help each other with trivial problems. Anything beyond that will get ignored or receive a completely unhelpful answer before the question is closed. 

I'm not a lawyer, and I'm not even a fan of Nest...but it seems pretty clear they are acting within the terms of the warranty. 'At its sole discretion' means they get to decide. They can decide to 'repair or replace' or they can decide to 'refund the money'. It states that repair or replacement may be made with a new or 'refurbished product or components'

Google software standards may have dropped but they've got a top notch legal team. I'm 100% certain they are well aware that the terms of their warranty are worded to give themselves the advantage. 

I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think you'll have a happy ending.

LRowley
Community Member

Is there no way to file a complaint with NEST about Gen 3 thermostat? I received an "E" model for Christmas from my son. The thermostat was an antique when I moved into my 2 bedroom apt. Not long after it started to malfunction. So I returned it to Home Depot (my son told me to upgrade) I paid the extra for the Gen 3. He came and switched out the antique (we had to put back) and installed the Gen 3. This was during the winter, I was working, kept an eye on the home away had no problems. Summer comes and I'm usually cold so 77 for comfortable for me, also trying to keep electric down. The thermostat hereinafter called the BEAST, constantly goes rogue. It does what it wants. all of a sudden I start getting cold, so I check it and see it just jumped to 72. I retired 6/30 and was home much more so I turned off the home/away. I like it cold to sleep,  t told my son I can't afford to keep the whole apt at 75 all night (my bedroom is a middle room no window). He told me to get a sensor for my room. I went to Home Depot and the employee talked to me like I was an idiot. Asking me if my system will support the sensor? I said that makes no sense it supports the thermostat and the thermostat handles the sensor. Left there empty handed. Tried Lowes got a Sensor $50 (i'm now on limited income) hooked up the sensor myself, checked that it was connected and working through the app. The first night (set to work from 9mp to 7am) I set to 75 and flip from main room to bedroom, go into bedroom it's working. Go to bed, somewhere between it goes rogue and flips back to main room and I wake up sweating. It just keeps doing what it wants. I texted my son that I was going to rip it out of the wall. He stopped after work, he works long hard hours outside in the heat and has to stop by before going home. He checks all the settings, reset the main unit and said since you're home now took all the bells and whistles from the app so I could use it like a regular thermostat. I can't afford to buy another normal decent thermostat with my income. I recently had a stroke which turned out to be ok, but still need to avoid stress and need my sleep. The system still flips the sensor between 3 and 3:30am. During the day I have it at 77 and all of a sudden I start to feel cold, it jumped to 72. I am so fed up. It's like Nest the company is a ghost. You can't contact them. My son also mentioned that his was acting weird it may need a battery. I told him oh I know all about that, I've read every troubleshooting section you can think of but my issues. He asked where? I said just google your questions there's even youtube videos. if anyone knows how to reach customer service I'd love to know. I'm beyond fed up. I don't care, I'll even leave my email. #

Please help anyone.

IgnoredNESTcus
Community Member

Thanks RobDude. I happen to be a lawyer. And yes, you are correct that they can act at their discretion, but the options presented have to be based in reality. In this case either they have to indicate that they do in some instances offer a refund, in others a new replacement, and in others a refurbished replacement. But, so far as I can tell, based on what every rep told me (and according to other postings on this topic), they only ever give refurbished units. Akin to a car dealership selling lemons and, instead of fixing the situation with a new car or parts, just offering more defective units. So, I have to conclude that sure, Google/Nest likely has top-notch lawyers who can write a solid warranty. The problem in this case likely stems from incompetence elsewhere in the company that doesn't believe in honoring it.  Whatever the cause of this incompetence is, I don't know. I do know I will never buy another Nest product. 

I'm having the same warranty problem with my Nest thermostat.  My first Nest died before the warranty period and I was sent a refurbished unit.  While waiting on that unit to be shipped to me I bought my 2nd Nest stat and when the refurbished unit arrived I decided to just hang onto it un case the 2nd new one went bad.  I bought the 2nd one this past April - so about 8 months ago.  Meanwhile I had a new HVAC system installed but did not want the lesser thermostat that came with in and instead had them install the new Nest that I had purchased.  Within the last 2 days I noticed that the Nest was loosing WiFi connection and an error message stated that the battery power was low.  Then the unit finally completely died.  I contacted Nest support (and I use that term loosely) and was told I needed to remove the unit from the wall and charge it with a micro USB cable.  I charged it for the recommended 2 hours and reinstalled it and it would not power on.  So we spent the night in the cold.  This morning I called the HVAC company that installed my new unit to come out and see what was wrong.  The tech used his tester and could not get a power reading from the wiring connected to the baseplate of the thermostat.  Yet with the wires removed from the baseplate he got good voltage.  So power was getting to the baseplate but the baseplate was not getting power.  He took the wire completely off the baseplate and put a jumper cable on the lines that supply the power and the fan came on, which again confirmed that the wiring had power.  He then replaced the Nest stat with an inexpensive standard stat and the system worked fine.  Tonight I again contacted Nest support and told the guy what had been done and that the system was now working with the less expensive stat that was installed by the tech.  The support tech wanted to know what code the Nest was showing when I got the error.  I told him I remembered seeing a code, but had no idea what it was.  He said he'd have to have the code in order to know how to proceed with the warranty.  I told him I was not going to uninstall the unit that was now working and reinstall the bad stat just to see if it would pull a code.  He said he'd also need an itemized invoice from the HVAC tech to know what troubleshooting steps had been taken.  The tech told me he did not know if they would charge me for the trip since the new system had been recently installed.  I told the Nest support guy what I had been told and he said for them to proceed he'd have to have this code and an itemized invoice from the HVAC company detailing the steps that were taken.  I told the Nest guy that the HVAC tech was not going to know what code was given (unit never powered on) and as far as steps taken:  the wires were tested and had power; the Nest stat did not work; he replaced it with a cheap stat and now I have heat.  I then asked if I could be connected to a supervisor.  He informed me that he could handle the problem himself, but I'd have to supply the code and an invoice.  I told him I could send him the thermostat and they could do their own testing and figure it out.  I kept getting the same reply about needing the code number and invoice.  Finally I told him I'd return the thermostat to Lowe's and tell them Nest refused to honor their warranty and I would get a refund.  After seeing I was not going to get this resolved I hung up.

Unfortunately your story is all too familiar - like groundhog day. The reps never attempt to actually solve the problem - I'm sure because HQ has told them as much. Don't waste any more of your time or money on them. Buy an EcoBee. Cheaper, they work, and customer service is actually helpful. 

I assure you I have purchased my last Nest product!  Thanks for your post and reply!

I replaced my Nest thermostat with the EcoBee.

afetner
Community Member

I am very disappointed in Nest Support.   I own 9 Nest thermostats and 5 cameras.   One of my outdoor IQ cameras has gone bad 3 times and replacement parts were sent including power supplies.   It happened again but a few months past warrantee.   Google told me I was out of luck.   Everytime this happens I have to get up on  a ladder and pull the camera down.   Very upset.   They should stand behind this product better

afetner
Community Member

Additionally to the about comment, I asked to speak to a supervisor.   They said I would get a call quickly but a week has gone by and no call.

IgnoredNESTcus
Community Member

I waited months for a call - never came. I also emailed and have asked how to file a formal complaint and the person keeps replying and saying he can offer tech support. Round and round we go. The never ending Nest BS.....

+1 (929) 244-4957 google support. My first refurbished unit replacement was defective. The refurbished one I opens today has a small dent and several surface scratches 

nest-sucks
Community Member

Im going through similar pains. I was sent a replacement refurbished unit for one I had, the replacement is also defective. They wont send me another one 5-7 business days (even though they've received it). I've also had to pay for HVAC technicians to diagnose the issues as Nest was blaming my AC unit initially.

 

I'm now going to buy an Ecobee and never invest in Google ever again.

Love my goodwell smart thermostat. Have my 3 rd replacement nest  now. Might hook it up to upstairs hvac.... might not. They always send refurbished........ how do they refurbish a software glitch?  This has been a horrible process

Mikenberri
Community Member

Similar issue here. Had a Nest thermostat go bad, box store wouldn't replace under warranty. I was told to contact Google for warranty. I needed a thermostat that day, so I purchased a new one, then went home and opened a warranty claim with Google. It took two months to get them on the phone with me, only to be told after an hour they couldn't issue a refund and there was nothing they could do to help me even though they acknowledged my defective thermostat was within the warranty period. 

Dawrench
Community Member

I'm having a similar issue, 7 months ago I purchased a nest hub max from a google authorized retailer and it no longer boots up. It gets stuck on the screen with a G. After searching on the internet it is a common problem.  I contacted support and went through the support options including a different power supply and the device is inoperable as it doesnt boot up or reset. They ask me to provide my shipping information, proof of purchase, and serial number so it can be escalated for review.  I submit everything and immediately get a response asking or a 45 sec video plugging the device in and focusing on the screen. So I take the video and emails do not allow files 25mb and larger so I'm forced to upload the file to my cloud drive and share the link. A few days have passed and I have not received a response. I contacted google support again and they said they are waiting for everything to be reviewed. I also replied to the email with no response. Its obvious their warranty process is intended to not honor the devices warranty by their intention to make the process complicated and failure to reply. This business practice is unacceptable and will not purchase google products moving forward. 

Ether
Community Member

Nest Customer rep Zoe and Allehandro, basically hung up on me cant burn anymore time with NEST. ZERO Support.

BIgMelt
Community Member

Customer service at google nest is awful!! The thermostat stopped working with my heater out of the blue. I called to do some troubleshooting and the rep told me that my nest was working but that the heater was broken and that I should call a technician. I bring a technician out and we try resetting the thermostat but nothing works until he puts a cheap thermostat on the wall and it works immediately. So nothing was wrong with my heater and the nest thermostat is the issue. I call nest again and they refuse to replace the broken thermostat or refund me for the technician. I asked to speak with a manager and the rep refused to bring in a manager. I had no way to elevate my issue. Then eventually he (Andrew) hung up on me. I think this is going to be the last Google product I ever purchase. Does Amazon have a thermostat?

FYI: Even though they record calls they said its against policy for me to record the call. They have a policy to return thermostats with w5 issues but not with my issue. The rep refused to answer if he worked for google.

Jeanine5115
Community Member

I changed internet providers and my Nest IQ Cam stopped working.  I tried everything on this website and the Google website to no avail.  I called Google and was told I was out of warranty since October, 4months.  Further they do not manufacture that model any longer.  I spent a lot of money on the Nest system to have it fail in just over 2 years!!  I asked for a discount to replace the camera and was told they do not offer one.  So in essence it costs me approximately $500 per year for a lousy product.  Oh, did I mention this was a replacement camera, I had problems from the beginning.

 

Sad commentary for Google.  I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT FOR ANYONE.

Ether
Community Member

Best part posted on a google community… any one from the google nest team comment on this? 

Keithdukes
Community Member

There seems to be no way. I resolved that Google could care less for its customers. I will never refer or purchase another Google product. See why below. 

On March 25th I had my thermostats replace under warranty. I received the new thermostat on March 28 and used the label emailed to return on March 29th. I took the package in to FedEx location in Hoover, Al. The representative had an issue scanning the label. She called over her manager and he keyed something in and a labor printed. She placed the label over my label. Another label printed and she placed that one over the one the manager printed 2 weeks later I received an email from Google stating they had not received my thermostat. I contacted Google and was told I needed to contact FedEx. I was told by FedEx that I could not create a claim Google needed to. I was told by the manager at the FedEx location they were not responsible once packages are dropped off. As of today

Per FedEx, Google has not contacted them. 

Each time I call in to Google Nest and keep getting the run around. 
I ask to speak with a manager and every time the managers are busy. (Ex Randy and Frolan)

Can anyone assist me on getting a contact email, address, or number to corporate so I can get some assistance?

This has been going on since March 2023

Ether
Community Member

I cut my losses with Nest or Google that is.  When you call Nest they are a third party contractor which i noticed. Just following pre-baked scripts.  I am a electrical engineer by trade and wanted to talk to their staff with no avail to share what reading.  I am of the opinion the last remote software update resulted in the poor performance and wanted to explore a software roll back to validate my theory.  Your at the mercy of the lack of HVAC control.  Cut your losses, i went with honeywell/residio.  No problems since.  Google too big to care.  Hence the lack of response as illustrated here. do not do business with again, PERIOD.