Wahoo Kickr Core - No speed or power pickup

[slickjay007]

Morning all, 

Not sure if this topic has come up in the past but I have a Kickr Core which suddenly stopped showing any speed or power measurements. I uninstalled the app numerous times but without success. Next step was to check and make sure there was no interference from other devices but still not working.

I then contacted Wahoo SA as well as Wahoo USA for advice and support. The SA guys told me to take a 5 - 10 second video which I did and their diagnosis was that the PCB was damaged and that I could send them the damaged Kickr for a trade-in. Unfortunately the unit is out of warranty and Wahoo SA trade-in price is not feasible.

Surely if the PCB is damaged you can replace the part but what really worries me is how a support person can diagnose a Kickr from a 5 - 10 second video without actually seeing the complete unit?  

 I really wanted to know what owners of out of warranty Kickr's are doing with their units?

[Pieter-za]

Which device do you use as a head unit, i.e. notebook etc?

Also, is eg your watch / phone picking up Power (via the app) etc from the Kickr?  (OK - after reading again I saw you mentioned the app)

(Coincidentally I suddenly had kind of the same issue with my Snap2 on Saturday, and only when I moved the NB to almost next to the Snap I could get Power etc)

Edited August 22, 2022 by Pieter-za

[slickjay007]

I normally make use of a laptop for Zwift but use the Wahoo app on my iPhone to do spin down's etc. No matter where i place a device to read the unit, it doesn't pickup anything. 

Funny thing is that the unit was used frequently up until now but hasn't been used for about a week. The unit connects to Zwift as well as the Wahoo app but no other measurements work.

 

[Steady Spin]

The PCB is a weak point of the Kickr. The fact that they don’t so regular repairs is frustrating. 

I’m on my 3rd Core since 2020. 

[lechatnoir]

Get hold of iKhambi. the support they give is good

[Lance Stephenson]

Are you by any chance riding in a place with direct sunlight hitting the unit?  I know and have experienced athletes riding in winter near windows and the sunlight hits the sensor and interrupts the signal and confuses the sensor.  (the fly wheel had the stripes on for the sensor to read speed ) perhaps this may be your issue?

[slickjay007]

12 minutes ago, lechatnoir said:

Get hold of iKhambi. the support they give is good

I have contacted them who diagnosed that the PCB was damaged or faulty. Support from them has been less than desirable.

I have also contacted Wahoo USA who have yet to get back to me with more feedback.

[slickjay007]

W

20 minutes ago, Steady Spin said:

The PCB is a weak point of the Kickr. The fact that they don’t so regular repairs is frustrating. 

I’m on my 3rd Core since 2020. 

What did you do with the old Kickr's? 

[slickjay007]

6 minutes ago, Lance Stephenson said:

Are you by any chance riding in a place with direct sunlight hitting the unit?  I know and have experienced athletes riding in winter near windows and the sunlight hits the sensor and interrupts the signal and confuses the sensor.  (the fly wheel had the stripes on for the sensor to read speed ) perhaps this may be your issue?

The Kick'r is near a window that only gets a bit of sun in the afternoon. Strange that it has been working perfectly in the same position for the last year

[shaper]

How old is you Core, if 2018 model there was a known issue with ESD which killed the onboard chip and caused no power/speed

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/01/wahoo-ceo-details-fixes-for-issues-surrounding-kickr-2018-kickr-core.html

[slickjay007]

3 minutes ago, shaper said:

How old is you Core, if 2018 model there was a known issue with ESD which killed the onboard chip and caused no power/speed

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/01/wahoo-ceo-details-fixes-for-issues-surrounding-kickr-2018-kickr-core.html

I read the article. Mine is a 2018. I have also read online though some Wahoo forums that Wahoo USA supplied owners with replacement PCB's and new power supplies for out of warranty units. Unfortunately this service exchange hasn't reached SA yet.

[Steady Spin]

3 hours ago, slickjay007 said:

W

What did you do with the old Kickr's? 

All exchanged by iKhambi

[cadenceblur]

3 hours ago, slickjay007 said:

I read the article. Mine is a 2018. I have also read online though some Wahoo forums that Wahoo USA supplied owners with replacement PCB's and new power supplies for out of warranty units. Unfortunately this service exchange hasn't reached SA yet.

I would wait for the US to respond then. Surely you will be sorted out. Strange that our reps aren't coming to the party though.

[slickjay007]

40 minutes ago, cadenceblur said:

I would wait for the US to respond then. Surely you will be sorted out. Strange that our reps aren't coming to the party though.

From a support perspective it's always easier to swop out the complete unit...less hassles or dirty hands.

I'm in the service and support industry and when I phoned iKhambi to voice my concern over communication and support, was told that sometimes they have 100 tickets to go through which now leads me to wonder how good a Wahoo product actually is with regards to quality IMO.

[cadenceblur]

11 minutes ago, slickjay007 said:

From a support perspective it's always easier to swop out the complete unit...less hassles or dirty hands.

I'm in the service and support industry and when I phoned iKhambi to voice my concern over communication and support, was told that sometimes they have 100 tickets to go through which now leads me to wonder how good a Wahoo product actually is with regards to quality IMO.

I've heard that these units are bomb proof, barring the issues that were had with the infamous batches that. That being said, the general consensus is that their after sales service is also great?

Hopefully you come right and quickly as well.

[slickjay007]

17 minutes ago, cadenceblur said:

I've heard that these units are bomb proof, barring the issues that were had with the infamous batches that. That being said, the general consensus is that their after sales service is also great?

Hopefully you come right and quickly as well.

After reading many posts on this site about their after sales service, i thought I'd be in good hands but unfortunately a week later and I'm nowhere closer to a final decision on the way forward. Holding thumbs