Levo Gen 2 Specialised 4 year warranty on Turbo Levo

[super_claret]

Had some issues with my Turbo Levo recently where it intermittently wouldn't turn on and the third from bottom LED was flashing when I plugged in the charger. Called Specialised Concept Store and they said it was the battery that was faulty, so I took it in for diagnostics. They told me that battery and motor were fine and that it was the wiring harness from the battery to the motor. Wiring was fixed under warranty, as mine has the 4 year warranty.

Next ride was fine but after charging, the bike wouldn't turn on again, so back it went and this time they said the battery was dead. They contacted Specialised to confirm warranty claim but it was refused. They have offered me a new 700WH battery for £780 OUCH, but better than the £1200 I've seen these retailing for.

When I purchased the bike in 2020, the sales person told me that the whole electrical system was covered for 4 years, which is the main reason for buying having known the issues surrounding this bike. It would seem that because I didn't get this in writing I have no claim. OK fair enough, my fault for not checking the warranty! My point is, having done less than 1000 miles in mostly dry weather (I'm a fair weather cyclist), which equates to approx 35 charge cycles, do you think that this is acceptable for a £7000 bike? Before buying the bike, I read so much about how Specialised back their products and look after their customers!

What really bugs me is I used to ride a Haibike with Bosch system and did 2000+ miles with no issues and sold it to a friend who has done a further trouble free 1500 miles and still the bike hasn't missed a beat!

Am I been fairly treated by Specialised?

 

[Zimmerframe]

Seems strange for the battery to fail just after a cable issue. Would t seem unreasonable to suggest the cable problem caused the early failure of the battery.

 

[super_claret]

Seems strange for the battery to fail just after a cable issue. Would t seem unreasonable to suggest the cable problem caused the early failure of the battery.

I did mention the fact that they hadn't detected a fault on the battery or motor when I first took it in, even though the third LED flashing, seems to depict a fault on the battery, according to the the manual. Seems strange that the diagnostics didn't pick it up the first time!!

 

[super_claret]

Just checked the actual purchase date and it was 30 October 2020, so I have had 30 months use out of it and only charged it approx 35 times!!!

 

[Pyr0]

I would try ringing to speak to Specialized rider care.

Contact Us Page

From seasoned pros and weekend warriors to kids and commuters, if you ride, we’re here for you. We believe that bikes have the power to change lives, and this simple truth drives us to be and do better.

www.specialized.com

Please keep us updated.

 

[super_claret]

I would try ringing to speak to Specialized rider care.

Contact Us Page

From seasoned pros and weekend warriors to kids and commuters, if you ride, we’re here for you. We believe that bikes have the power to change lives, and this simple truth drives us to be and do better.

www.specialized.com

Please keep us updated.

Thanks but I don't have a leg to stand on. If the battery is warrantied for 2 years, and it's 30 months old, I can't really argue.

My main issue is that I was told that the 4 year warranty covered all electrical parts. Unfortunately, it's my word against theirs. BUT, my main gripe is the fact that a battery, charged approx 35 times on a £6500 bike, has died!
I don't consider that length of life acceptable!

 

[smokin joe's]

hmmm 2 things here the battery has just 2 years warranty,but mine was replaced last year as a goodwill gesture for a 700-watt the hour battery happy was i for that. One thing also to check is the TCU BATTERY mine has had 2 in there r
recently cheap to replace £2 pending where you buy it from got mine from tool station (cr1620)is the code you ask for .my bike is a 2019 model hope that helps

 

[Pyr0]

Sorry, yeah. I've just found the pdf from Specialized that specifies it was only the motor warranty that was extended.

 

[super_claret]

hmmm 2 things here the battery has just 2 years warranty,but mine was replaced last year as a goodwill gesture for a 700-watt the hour battery happy was i for that. One thing also to check is the TCU BATTERY mine has had 2 in there r
recently cheap to replace £2 pending where you buy it from got mine from tool station (cr1620)is the code you ask for .my bike is a 2019 model hope that helps

How old was your battery when replaced? The bike is with Specialised Concept Store, so can't check anything at the moment. I've had to instruct them to go ahead and replace the battery, as I'm going away for the weekend!

 

[super_claret]

Just been to collect the bike and they knocked another £60 off because I kicked up a fuss. Cost me £720 for a new 700wh battery…ouch!! Still not happy mind you, the battery had 100% health when I last looked a couple of months ago. Not quite sure what would cause it to just die all of a sudden. Maybe as @Zimmerframe suggested previously, the new cable they fitted first caused the battery issue?

Just to recap, my original Haibike (sold to a friend) with Bosch motor and battery is still going strong after nearly 4000 miles and was purchased in 2016, so the Battery in that is 7 years old!

Cant deny I feel totally pissed off about this. After basing my decision to purchase on posters comments on this forum and their positivity about Specialised after sales/warranty. Can’t help but feel let down by them (Specialised). After spending £6500 on a bike, I’d expect more. Is it really worth it to them to upset a customer and risk bad publicity, for the sake of a few quid? As a result of this, I will definitely be looking elsewhere for my next bike and will never recommend Specialised to anyone…

WAS THAT WORTH IT SPECIALISED?

 

[Mikerb]

I think if you check it was made clear on a number of posts on this forum that the normal 2 year warranty was extended to 4 years for the motor only and only on 2019 and 2020 bikes. You have already had a new battery to motor cable replaced FOC which costs c £90 and been offered a significant discount on a replacement battery. So I think you done OK!
I know you feel the pain of having to pay C £700 for the battery but there is no way Specialized can know how you have treated the battery during your period of ownership. It is not in the same category as the motor which is sealed and all you can do is switch it on and off and ride. The battery on the other hand can be removed, can be dropped, can be inappropriately stored and not charged in an optimal way....................not saying any of that applies in your case.............but specialized are not to know so are not going to offer a free replacement after warranty has expired.

 

[super_claret]

I think if you check it was made clear on a number of posts on this forum that the normal 2 year warranty was extended to 4 years for the motor on 2019 and 2020 bikes. You have already had a new battery to motor cable replaced FOC which costs c £90 and been offered a significant discount on a replacement battery. So I think you done OK!
I know you feel the pain of having to pay C £700 for the battery but there is no way Specialized can know how you have treated the battery during your period of ownership. It is not in the same category as the motor which is sealed and all you can do is switch it on and off and ride. The battery on the other hand can be removed, can be dropped, can be inappropriately stored and not charged in an optimal way....................not saying any of that applies in your case.............but specialized are not to know so are not going to offer a free replacement after warranty has expired.

For your information, when I initially telephoned them, they said the flashing LED was indeed a dead battery but when I took it in to store they told me the motor and battery were fine and that it was the cable. So you’re telling me I should be grateful of them fitting a £90 cable when it was obviously not needed? What’s the point of diagnostic equipment if It doesn’t diagnose? I fail to see how the battery can be diagnosed as fine with no errors reported, then one ride later, the battery is diagnosed as dead!!!

Also, I’ve NEVER taken the battery out of the frame, never had the need. I always leave the bike to cool down overnight before charging again. So no misuse on my part!

Do you think that a battery should be more reliable than 948 miles and 35 charges. Surely a battery should be lasting well in excess of 30 months ( see my info above re Haibike with Bosch motor and battery).

Above all, this predicament doesn’t help Specialised, as I will never again spend £6500 with them. I will also never recommend them. Not sure how much a battery costs Specialised, but is it worth risking a future sale over?

 

[Mikerb]

Based on the symptoms you described and the findings by the shop my diagnosis.............sorry to say...........would be that the battery itself is fine. My assumption would be something faulty with the rosenberger connection on the battery, that being the common denominator between their initial and subsequent assumptions........that may or may not be repairable. Any diagnostics would be via the USB port on the TCU and require the battery to be connected. On both occasions they would get a no battery connection error.
Regardless, the new battery and new motor to battery cable obviously means a new Rosenberger connection so the fault will be resolved.

 

[GZA]

I’ve just got the third green LED fault too, and last time I had the TCU replaced a few months ago I had to pay for that as I was told only the motor had the 4 year warranty. Seems a bit tight, but worse was the motor was really draggy at the time and clearly needed new bearings but I was told, unless it’s stopped working they wouldn’t replace it as ‘we don’t replace motors at the drop of a hat anymore’. This was at the most well known Specialized dealer in the south east. I was disappointed by this response and Specialized’s golden reputation for warranty (I’ve been buying Specialized for 30years because of this) has now taken a serious dent in my eyes. There is about to be tsunami of riders out of warranty and the reliability of these bikes does not seem to be improving. I would be very unlikely to buy Specialized again until the motors are serviceable and the reliability improves. I think they have work to do to keep their loyal customer base on side - their reputation has been built on no questions asked, so anyone who says they are within their rights to keep to letter of the warranty is really missing the point.

 

[super_claret]

Based on the symptoms you described and the findings by the shop my diagnosis.............sorry to say...........would be that the battery itself is fine. My assumption would be something faulty with the rosenberger connection on the battery, that being the common denominator between their initial and subsequent assumptions........that may or may not be repairable. Any diagnostics would be via the USB port on the TCU and require the battery to be connected. On both occasions they would get a no battery connection error.
Regardless, the new battery and new motor to battery cable obviously means a new Rosenberger connection so the fault will be resolved.

My take on this is that they have charged me £720 (after discount) and they will take the old, supposedly faulty battery, recondition it and use it again. As a result, they will not be out of pocket at all,

I’ve just got the third green LED fault too, and last time I had the TCU replaced a few months ago I had to pay for that as I was told only the motor had the 4 year warranty. Seems a bit tight, but worse was the motor was really draggy at the time and clearly needed new bearings but I was told, unless it’s stopped working they wouldn’t replace it as ‘we don’t replace motors at the drop of a hat anymore’. This was at the most well known Specialized dealer in the south east. I was disappointed by this response and Specialized’s golden reputation for warranty (I’ve been buying Specialized for 30years because of this) has now taken a serious dent in my eyes. There is about to be tsunami of riders out of warranty and the reliability of these bikes does not seem to be improving. I would be very unlikely to buy Specialized again until the motors are serviceable and the reliability improves. I think they have work to do to keep their loyal customer base on side - their reputation has been built on no questions asked, so anyone who says they are within their rights to keep to letter of the warranty is really missing the point

Well said. So that’s now 2 of us who won’t be buying Specialized again!

 

[Troutwrestler]

Surely the old battery is still yours if you bought a new one? I'd see about getting the connector replaced.

 

[super_claret]

Surely the old battery is still yours if you bought a new one? I'd see about getting the connector replaced.

Good point but I’m guessing the only reason I got the discount was because they could take the old one and recondition it.

 

[Pyr0]

They may have done it under their assisted replacement policy.

Assisted Replacement

support.specialized.com

 

[super_claret]

They may have done it under their assisted replacement policy.

Assisted Replacement

support.specialized.com

Yes, the retail price for a 700wh battery is £1200 (WTF)!!! Deduct 35% from that and I get £780, which was the initial charge Until I made a fuss..they then knocked another £60 off this. The point is, a battery should have a longer lifespan than 950 miles and 35 charging cycles, end of story! I don’t think anyone would buy an eMTB if they knew they were only going to get 950 miles from a battery!

 

[Pyr0]

As another owner of a 2020 turbo levo I do agree the batteries should have a much longer warranty imho.
But just to play devils advocate, it's 2 years or 300 charge cycles, whichever comes first and 300 cycles is a lot of miles.. if you have the time. (I don't and also have a low charge count.)
Just curious, do you store your bike/battery indoors?

 

[super_claret]

As another owner of a 2020 turbo levo I do agree the batteries should have a much longer warranty imho.
But just to play devils advocate, it's 2 years or 300 charge cycles, whichever comes first and 300 cycles is a lot of miles.. if you have the time. (I don't and also have a low charge count.)
Just curious, do you store your bike/battery indoors?

I store my bike and battery (which I have never taken out of the bike), in my garage. In winter, when I don’t use the bike as much,I wrap the battery section with insulation. I would imagine a large percentage are stored in outbuildings?
Why do you ask?

 

[Grannyjones]

My point is, having done less than 1000 miles in mostly dry weather (I'm a fair weather cyclist), which equates to approx 35 charge cycles, do you think that this is acceptable for a £7000 bike?

That is pretty dreadful to fail after just that. Definetely not acceptable

 

[super_claret]

That is pretty dreadful to fail after just that. Definetely not acceptable

Totally agree and to be honest, I expected more support but it seems everyone is happy to accept that once the warranty runs out, the onus is on the customer, regardless.

Here in the UK, the Sale of Goods Act, which changed to the Consumer Rights Act in 2015, states that a product should have a reasonable life span, even after warranty end. An excerpt from an article by Which…

The Sale of Goods Act offers protection against faulty goods even when the manufacturer's guarantee has run out. The act says goods must last a reasonable time - and that can be anything up to six years from the date of purchase.


Which? - formerly the Consumers Association - says consumers should argue strongly with retailers when a product breaks down within six years. The Sale of Goods Act doesn't define how long specific products should last, because different products have different life spans. But a survey by Which? of manufacturers into how long they believe different types of appliance should last made interesting reading. All of them said their goods should last five years or more.

Having read the above, I’d love to hear from Specialized, as to how long their batteries should be lasting. I’ll bet if I was asking a sales person, before purchase, they would tell me the batteries would last longer than 2.5 years!

 

[super_claret]

Does anyone know of any contacts at Specialized that I could write to re this issue. I could email support I suppose but I’d rather know if there is somebody higher up the chain that may be able to help?

 

[Zimmerframe]

Rider care are normally pretty good and professional.

You'd hope a battery would last considerably longer than that or at least be repairable.

In fairness this isn't just Spesh, this is all of the industry.

 

[Pyr0]

I store my bike and battery (which I have never taken out of the bike), in my garage. In winter, when I don’t use the bike as much,I wrap the battery section with insulation. I would imagine a large percentage are stored in outbuildings?
Why do you ask?

I was just curious. I'm wondering if keeping it indoors would help with longevity. I know the batteries from cordless lawn mowers have died quickly when stored in my cellar.
I keep my bike in the house.

 

[super_claret]

I was just curious. I'm wondering if keeping it indoors would help with longevity. I know the batteries from cordless lawn mowers have died quickly when stored in my cellar.
I keep my bike in the house.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the room to keep my bike in the house and removing the battery regularly is not an option. Isn’t the battery technology the same as that used in electric cars? If so, you would think that those would be failing regularly, given the fact most will be parked outside in all weathers.

 

[martind]

My 2019 Levo was showing the third from bottom light error code recently. Dealer said it was the cell battery in the TCU getting low (as someone else mentioned earlier in this thread). They replaced it for free when I took it in for a software update and it's been fine since.

 

[Grannyjones]

Totally agree and to be honest, I expected more support but it seems everyone is happy to accept that once the warranty runs out, the onus is on the customer, regardless.

Here in the UK, the Sale of Goods Act, which changed to the Consumer Rights Act in 2015, states that a product should have a reasonable life span, even after warranty end. An excerpt from an article by Which…

The Sale of Goods Act offers protection against faulty goods even when the manufacturer's guarantee has run out. The act says goods must last a reasonable time - and that can be anything up to six years from the date of purchase.


Which? - formerly the Consumers Association - says consumers should argue strongly with retailers when a product breaks down within six years. The Sale of Goods Act doesn't define how long specific products should last, because different products have different life spans. But a survey by Which? of manufacturers into how long they believe different types of appliance should last made interesting reading. All of them said their goods should last five years or more.

Having read the above, I’d love to hear from Specialized, as to how long their batteries should be lasting. I’ll bet if I was asking a sales person, before purchase, they would tell me the batteries would last longer than 2.5 years!

In Sales they tend to say that these batteries last about 1000 charges

 

[Grannyjones]

I've got the 4 year Motor warrantly on my Levo that is now 3 years old.
Had a power cable failure in the 3rd year and had to pay for it. Not covered by the warranty as it's not the motor.
I also had a Speed Sensor cable fail in the 3rd year and got it replaced under warranty for free because it is a Motor Error and it is associated with the Motor.