ComplaintsforMakita U S A, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  06/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  Bought a Makita cordless string trimmer, with the confidence that they had a good warranty program in case it broke.Well, just a few months shy of a year, the motor stopped working. Fine, things happen, I get it.We called them, and they were very friendly and told us to bring it by their La Mirada location and they would fix it under warranty. Unfortunately when we got there, they informed us it would be 8 WEEKS BEFORE THEY WOULD EVEN LOOK AT IT. Not repair it, not diagnose it; they would only start the process after 8 weeks. Meaning it could be up to 6-8 weeks after that to repair it. So we were looking at 4-5 MONTHS before getting it back. We told them that it essentially made getting it back moot, as our yard would grow beyond out of control by then. We would have to hire a gardener who would charge us more than it would cost to buy a new one. We asked nicely if they could simply replace it. We were met with rudeness by their employee and told "No."This all amounts to their warranty actually being fraudulent, as they know that people simply would give up on this egregious wait time and have to bite the bullet and buy a new one.I have been a LOYAL Makita owner for years (I own about 2 dozen of their tools and other products), and this situation seriously makes me reconsider ever buying anything from them again.All I ask is what I purchased, less than a year ago, to be replaced in a TIMELY manner.

  Business response

  06/20/2024

  The customer interaction occurred almost 2 to 3 months ago. At that time, repair volumes at the service center were very heavy.

  Our service employee did advise the customer repair would *********** to 8 weeks, worst case scenario. Thats when customer got upset and requested a new tool replacement. Unfortunately, as the tool had not been assessed for the needed repairs, we were unable to consider a replacement at that time.  Typically, the service center would make every effort to expedite the repair for a walk-in customer in this scenario, but our employee never had the opportunity to convey that to the customer as the customer then left the service center with the tool without leaving it for service.
  
  Makitas warranty states Makita will repair (or at our option, replace) without charge. Unfortunately, we were not given the opportunity to assess the service needs to determine if repair or replacement would be best course of action.

  Customer response

  06/20/2024

   
  Complaint: 21802980
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  It's simply not true. For the record:
  
  We didn't come in "2-3 months ago" we came in on: June 7th 2024
  We left the tool with Makita, we didn't take it with us.
  They didn't say they would "repair it in 6 to 8 weeks". They said they wouldn't even look at it for 6 to 8 weeks, and that it could be another 6-8 weeks AFTER that that it would be repaired.
  
  Regardless, this matter has been addressed. Shortly after we filed the complaint with the BBB (a few days), we got a call from Makita saying it had been repaired.
  

  Matter is resolved, however I want it on record that the above is what happened, not Makita's version of the story. We have the records to prove it as well.

   

   

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  02/28/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Makita drill has a defective ***** brake. This is a well documented issue and Makita will not even talk to you if you are out of warranty. No good faith assistance for long term customers. Nobody at that company cares and brushes you off when you contact them.

• Initial Complaint

  10/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 8/27/2023 I placed an online order for; Reconditioned Makita GA5020-R, 5 in. Trigger Switch Angle Grinder With SJS using my **** credit card for the amount $70.00. Order #: *******. My **** card was charged. On 9/20/2023, I called their customer service on ************. The customer service told me that the item is still in port in *********. I asked for the order to be cancelled and they agreed and told me that Refund will be made within ****: days.By 10/7/2023:I didn't receive the refund. I contacted my credit card to investigate the issue. My credit card company told me that they did not get any answer from Makita-US.com.I believe that the company is a scam and they didn't have the intention to shipv my order.

  Business response

  06/24/2024

  Tell us why

  Makita ******* **** does not sell directly to end-users but only through its distributors.  Therefore, ********************** did not buy the grinder from Makita ******* ****

  As a result, we researched the ************ which appears to be part of a broad scam and told him to contact his credit card company/ and/or the *** of this possible fraud.

• Initial Complaint

  06/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a tool in June of 2021 that has broke. Makita wants me to drive to the nearest service center that is 2 hours each way and they refuse to pay for shipping for the product back to them to send me a replacement. With gas prices and having to take time off of work this is completely unreasonable. We only own Makita tools and have spent ************ dollars on their products over the years. I want Makita to pay for the shipping back to them and send me a replacement or fix it under their guaranteed 1 year warranty. They said they won't ship it because it is 10 pounds too heavy.

  Business response

  07/14/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/06/20) */ As long as the tool is less than 100 lbs., Ms. ******* can go to the makitatools.com website, click the "Support" tab and then click the "Direct Repair" link to obtain a repair label for free shipping of her tool to a Makita repair facility. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/06/21) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) The whole problem with this situation is Makita customer service said they can't ship anything over 60 pounds. This includes the manager for their customer service team. After pushing for 2 weeks they finally agreed to send me a shipping label however I will have to pay $*** for packaging that Makita refuses to pay for. I shouldn't have to pay out of pocket for a tool that doesn't work after spending ************ dollars on tools and never having a problem with them. Makita needs to work on their customer service and policies because obviously not all of their team members are on the same page since they said repeatedly that they refused to ship an 80- pound item. I would like to be reimbursed for the $*** for packaging as I should not have to pay for a damaged product. I am happy to resolve this review if they reimburse me for the costs because nothing in their warranty states that the product will be fixed with out of pocket costs. Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2022/06/27) */ Makita U.S.A., Inc. has sent Ms. ******* a shipping label and will send a shipping carton to her ************************************** address for shipment of her air compressor. Consumer Response /* (4200, 11, 2022/06/27) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Makita customer service and the manager of the ******* service center said that I am responsible for the packaging to ship it back. According to the local ***** store it will cost us $***. You need to either send me the shipping carton or reimburse me the $*** to get the packaging before I will drop this complaint. It's already been weeks that we have been without a compressor that is needed for work and this is completely unacceptable. Obviously there is a lot of miscommunication within their organization because the responses being submitted here through *** are completely different than what the managers are telling me. This needs to be resolved immediately. Business Response /* (4000, 13, 2022/06/28) */ Makita has complied with Ms. ******* a shipping label and carton to send back to Makita. Consumer Response /* (4200, 15, 2022/06/28) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Makita has sent me a shipping label to send back the air compressor but I have yet to receive a shipping carton. I will not close this complaint until the shipping carton is received as Makita has already lied to me multiple times during this process. Business Response /* (4000, 19, 2022/07/12) */ Ms. *******'s replacement air compressor was shipped to her today.

• Initial Complaint

  03/23/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Since last July I have been trying to get the parts (crankcase oil seals) to repair a chainsaw, first through retailers, then through manufacturers of the part and finally through Makita, the manufacturer of the chainsaw. The retailers told me the part has been discontinued, the manufacturer of the part have never sold the part in N. America and finally Makita after sending me the wrong parts on two occasions told me the saw had been redesigned in 2014 and the part is no longer made. With lots of photos I showed their customer service that the saw hadn't been redesigned because I have a second saw of the same kind that I bought in the LAST YEAR (2017 date of manufacture) had the same exact part! Along the way, the only suggestion they had for me was to buy a new casethat I buy a $*** part because they couldn't locate a $5 part for my saw. That's ridiculous. Makita's customer service having been helpful for the weeks they attempted to figure out what was going on is now not responding to my messages. I had been working with a person name *********** (********************). I am not convinced the saw was redesigned and I can't figure out why they can't definitively tell me what's going on or do something for me to rectify the situation. Making matters worse is that I bought ******** of dollars in diagnostic tools to fix the saw myself and what's standing in front of me for the past 9 months is a couple cheap parts. I bought the same saw new to use while I fixed the broken one which i how I know the saw wasn't redesigned. If the saw was redesigned at some later date that means Makita is currently selling a saw with an old design that can't be repaired! Here are pics of the new and old saw with an arrow to the parts I am trying to replace and a pic with the wrong parts they sent with the ones I need. It's confusing, but the ********** is the same saw at the Makita 4300: Makita bought ****** decades ago and finally put their name on them

  Business response

  04/07/2022

  The issue is the PS421 and EA4300FR chain saws were updated in 2018 and ************************ chain saws were manufactured prior to the update. We no longer have the parts and ******************** when asked, stated he does not want to pay to update his chain saws.
  
  

  Customer response

  04/13/2022

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  Makita's response does not resolve my concerns. Makita is currently selling out of date chainsaws, chainsaws with the old design that can't be repaired. Had I known the saws were updated in 2018 I would have made sure the EA4300 I bought LAST YEAR was a redesigned version. Who has ever looked for a manufacture date on a tool as if it were a perishable food item?
  
  The parts I need to repair my chainsaw were $20 maximum, Makita is suggesting I buy a new crankcase which is $200 minimum. A new saw is $400. That's like a car manufacturer telling a customer that they no longer sell the dipstick for the engine and that they'll have to buy a new engine. That's totally unacceptable.
  
  If Makita was a good company, they'd first, continue to support the saws they've made; barring that they'd offer the parts to me free of charge; barring that they'd sell me what I need at cost. What kind of company is this?
  
  Not only that, it's not recommended to use old parts like the piston and rings with a new case as they have not worn together as a unit. So, I'll have to buy these at another $100. What else? Will the gaskets I've already purchased work? Are the bearings I have bought the same? When will this end?
  
  I will cost Makita more money than they're trying to save by s******* me once I continue to tell my experience with the company on the forums I have been posting my experience on. I'll also make it a point to chime in on all threads that concern Makita products--don't buy!

  Business response

  06/29/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/04/07) */ The issue is the PS421 and EA4300FR chain saws were updated in 2018 and Mr. ********'s chain saws were manufactured prior to the update. We no longer have the parts and Mr. ******** when asked, stated he does not want to pay to update his chain saws. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/04/13) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Makita's response does not resolve my concerns. Makita is currently selling out of date chainsaws, chainsaws with the old design that can't be repaired. Had I known the saws were updated in 2018 I would have made sure the EA4300 I bought LAST YEAR was a redesigned version. Who has ever looked for a manufacture date on a tool as if it were a perishable food item? The parts I need to repair my chainsaw were $20 maximum, Makita is suggesting I buy a new crankcase which is $*** minimum. A new saw is $***. That's like a car manufacturer telling a customer that they no longer sell the dipstick for the engine and that they'll have to buy a new engine. That's totally unacceptable. If Makita was a good company, they'd first, continue to support the saws they've made; barring that they'd offer the parts to me free of charge; barring that they'd sell me what I need at cost. What kind of company is this? Not only that, it's not recommended to use old parts like the piston and rings with a new case as they have not worn together as a unit. So, I'll have to buy these at another $***. What else? Will the gaskets I've already purchased work? Are the bearings I have bought the same? When will this end? I will cost Makita more money than they're trying to save by screwing me once I continue to tell my experience with the company on the forums I have been posting my experience on. I'll also make it a point to chime in on all threads that concern Makita products--don't buy!

  Business response

  06/24/2024

  ************************ PS-421 chain saw was received in early June 2022 and a replacement #EA4300FRDB was shipped to him on June 6, 2022. The serial number of the replacement unit is ***************, 

  Since ************************ issue was addressed two years ago, we assume the file will be closed.

  Thanks

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  12/06/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  After viewing a promotional advertisement for Makita tools, where a free tool is provided after purchasing a qualifying set of tools, I decided to take advantage of the offer. I purchased tools from an authorized Makita tool reseller, and then called Makita to find out how to redeem the offer as stated on Makita's website. The agent at Makita informed me I had to re-package, and return the tools I had already received. Then, I would need to go find a "participating" dealer who could fulfill the described promotion. This is unacceptable. The verbiage on Makita's corporate website is extremely vague, and does not state this must be done BEFORE completing a purchase. I actually considered following the agent's recommendation, and searched for a "participating" dealer, only to find that of the only 3 dealers total I could find, NONE of them had the redeemable product, and this promotion runs until January! This is a promotion sponsored by Makita corporate. As such, Makita should handle the redemption, and not point prospective customers towards lost leaders.

  Business response

  12/13/2021

  All of Makita U.S.A., Inc.'s promotions state: "AT PARTICIPATING DEALERS WHILE SUPPLIES LAST". Dealers who sell Makita products are independent and therefore we do not control when and if a dealer chooses to participate.

  Customer response

  12/16/2021

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  After having spent more than $20,000 on Makita products over the years, I was hoping for more of a response than simply cutting and pasting a corporate disclaimer.
  
  The disclaimer states, "While supplies last."
  On the first day of the promotion (11.1.21) I tried to locate any dealer with the tools I wanted, which ended up a dead end. This, to me, is a lost leader.
  
  I purchased tools from an Amazon retailer, as they mentioned the promo, only to find out after receiving them that they would not participate.
  
  I now need to return all the tools I bought, and decide if Makita is really the way to go.
  
  *********, DeWalt, and several other manufacturers do not require the customer to find "a participating dealer."
  
  Why is it not possible to have the customer provide purchase receipts and serial numbers, and ******************** simply send the tools out from the source. This eases the burden on the customer from having to spend hours searching for the item they need.
  
  If that's how Makita values their clients, it may be time to evaluate other brands.

  Business response

  01/18/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/12/13) */ All of Makita U.S.A., Inc.'s promotions state: "AT PARTICIPATING DEALERS WHILE SUPPLIES LAST". Dealers who sell Makita products are independent and therefore we do not control when and if a dealer chooses to participate. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2021/12/16) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) After having spent more than $****** on Makita products over the years, I was hoping for more of a response than simply cutting and pasting a corporate disclaimer. The disclaimer states, "While supplies last." On the first day of the promotion (11.1.21) I tried to locate any dealer with the tools I wanted, which ended up a dead end. This, to me, is a lost leader. I purchased tools from an Amazon retailer, as they mentioned the promo, only to find out after receiving them that they would not participate. I now need to return all the tools I bought, and decide if Makita is really the way to go. *********, ******, and several other manufacturers do not require the customer to find "a participating dealer." Why is it not possible to have the customer provide purchase receipts and serial numbers, and Makita simply send the tools out from the source. This eases the burden on the customer from having to spend hours searching for the item they need. If that's how Makita values their clients, it may be time to evaluate other brands.

  Business response

  06/25/2024

  Tell us why here

   

  Makita ******* **** previously responded to this complaint on 1/18/22.

  Customer response

  06/26/2024

  I am not clear on the purpose of this message.   The BBB closed this case as "unresolved" more than 1.5 yrs ago.

  Business response

  06/26/2024

  Makita ******* **** responded to ****************** complaint in January 2022 and thought the matter was resolved.  Please let us know what clarification you require.

   

  Thank you

  Customer response

  06/26/2024

   
  Complaint: 19123276
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  They already declined my request, so this should be closed as unresolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  10/25/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I paid Makita US Store $149 for a tool order. I used PayPal and they closed my case because they said it was delivered to my home. I never received a shipping confirmation or my order. Order #********

  Business response

  11/24/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/11/11) */ Contact Name and Title: ****** ****** Contact Phone: ************ Contact Email: *******@******usa.com Please note the ******-us.store website with whom he submitted his tool order is a fraudulent website not affiliated with ****** U.S.A., Inc. (******). In addition ****** does not make direct sales. The ****** website (******tools.com) warns of these fraudulent websites and instructs not to purchase from these sites. We also instruct persons to report the fraud to their credit card company. Should you have any questions, please contact ****** ****** at *******@******usa.com. Thank you

• Initial Complaint

  09/20/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hello, I did a search online for a new Makita tool for my husband and my search led me to ***************. I placed an order and it went through twice #XXXXXXXX & XXXXXXXX on 9/7/21. I have emailed them over and over to ask to cancel my doubled order. I have used the email address directly from their website, I have replied to the one email I received from them confirming my 2 orders - they are undeliverable. In my email from THEM (*******************************), they say to reach out with any questions and give me an email address - I have tried that one numerous times and it comes back undeliverable. I also can get no other information - I have no idea if my products have shipped or if they are intending on shipping them. The only information I have is that they took the money out of my account for both orders. I have searched the internet for a phone number or any other information and have come up with nothing. I am worried I have been scammed. Thank you, *** *******

  Business response

  11/11/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 15, 2021/11/11) */ Please note the *************** website with whom she submitted her tool order is a fraudulent website not affiliated with Makita U.S.A., Inc. (Makita). In addition Makita does not make direct sales. The Makita website (makitatools.com) warns of these fraudulent websites and instructs not to purchase from these sites. We also instruct persons to report the fraud to their credit card company. Should you have any questions, please contact *************************************** Thank you

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩