Am I the jerk?

[tarmy]

If you gotta ask OP…

 

[Wrench97]

If you took it in and asked for the need calibration error to fixed and it was not, then they didn't fix it.
No different then if you took your car in for a MIL light and they sold you a tune up but the MIL was still on, did they work on your car yea did they fix what you asked for no.

 

[SweetD]

If you brought it in to have it calibrated and reset, and the shop said they could do both, then I think you have a legit beef with the shop. Which is what you said you asked for OP. If they said "we only can calibrate it, not reset the screen", then obviously it would be on you.

I'd take it up with Milwaukee.

 

[lolaetype]

Sounds like Milwaukee has found an annual revenue stream.

FWIW, this is what AI says needs to happen to properly recalibrate the thing.

f

 

[Bert_]

Pay the damn bill and move on. If you weren't happy with the service then don't go there again. It's a learning experience.

 

[gatewaysysop]

I’d assume the issue is that the torque calibration service provider can’t clear that message/warning? So they provided the service, which they should be paid for. Would have been great if they told you before accepting the work that they can’t clear that message.

I asked them to clear the screen. If they couldn’t do that they should have been upfront.

Both of these!

Not picking on anyone in particular, but I have issue with the line of argument that several have made, suggesting the shop might not have known their limitations. It's highly unlikely that this was the first such torque wrench and first instance of this particular error message that they've ever encountered. It beggars belief that they could have been unaware of their inability to reset the display before taking the job. Far more likely is the possibility that they knew they couldn't reset the display and just decided not to mention it because they wanted the work. Who hasn't been in a position and dealt with a service provider like this? I would wager it has happened to almost everyone at some point. Disingenuous service is not beyond the pale, hell its not even uncommon. To be clear, I disagree with not paying and/or disputing the charge, partly because they did do -some- work, and partly because I know the outcome will not work in the Op's favor.

I also find it a bit harsh that folks are beating up on the Op for not knowing about who can do the reset, while at the same time giving benefit of the doubt to the calibration shop for not knowing the same thing. People sometimes try way too hard on this board to tear each other down and side with anyone but the Op, no matter how ridiculous of a logical stretch is required. Nobody benefits if we all just keep our anecdotes and experiences with bad service, QC failures and such to ourselves, out of fear of being ridiculed by the "community" to which we're supposed to belong.

 

[1Bad55Chevy]

I posted a Reddit thread on the first page. There was a guy having the same issue after calibration, Milwaukee said to send the tool back in for warranty repair!

If your tool is defective then its not the service centers fault!

Again... pay the bill, ***** to Milwaukee! Or better yet... throw all your tools away!

 

[Hakeem]

*IF* the calibration center explicitly said they could repair the torque wrench and get rid of the error message, they did not honor their word. I would understand doing a charge back in that case. Frankly, I would expect any decent shop to refuse payment in that case.

If, on the other hand, the shop just said “we’ll calibrate it for you” and they did, you should pay them.

 

[Tynee]

I bought a 1/2” Milwaukee electric torque wrench. About six months into ownership the LCD screen tells me it needs to be calibrated. I took it to the Milwaukee tool place and they don’t do torque wrenches so they sent me to a torque wrench calibrator which I went to and I showed the lady at the counter that it’s telling me it needs to be calibrated. I get the wrench back yesterday and the LCD screen still says it needs to be calibrated. After a little round and round with another gentleman, I said I’ll pay, but I’m going to dispute this charge. He said it was calibrated and had a barcode I could look up online which I’m aware of, but the screen still said it needs to be calibrated and every time I use the device I have to clear that screen. I made it quite clear that only use this on lug nuts and all I really wanted was the screen cleared. Am I in the wrong here?

What this comes down to for me is, when did you tell them that what is most important to you is having the screen cleared? When you dropped it off, or after they had calibrated it?

If you were clear with them up front that you didn't really care about the calibration, you just needed the error message cleared, they took the work, and couldn't perform... I wouldn't pay either.

On the other hand, if you just dropped it off at a torque wrench calibration place and assumed that as part of the calibration process they would reset the screen, that's an incorrect assumption on your part, and not fair of you to refuse to pay after they've done what they thought you dropped it off for them to do.

 

[Burt Shaver]

I guess I expect to get what I thought I was paying for.

Unless I’m missing something I agree with you. Correct me if I read this wrong? Milwaukee sent you to this place to have your digital torque wrench calibrated? They calibrated it, but didn’t or couldn’t reset the prompt? Uhhh, yea it’s the shops fault if they are certified by Milwaukee to do this work. I’m sure I’m missing something though, this seems to much like a cut a dried case for me not to be missing some piece of information. As mentioned call, Milwaukee,

 

[neophyte]

OP (Vercingetorix) sais he took the tool to “The Milwaukee Tool Place”, by which I presumably he means a place that sells and services Milwaukee Tools.
If this is an “authorized service center” than they should have been able to repair the tool, or direct OP on how to have the tool repaired.
The Milwaukee Tool Place told OP to go to a particular “Calibration Service Center”, who said they could calibrate the tool.
After “Calibration” the tool still has the error message, it had before calibration was supposedly done.
The issue, baring a bunch of misunderstanding in language, is that Milwaukee Tools doesn’t actually seem to have a list of “Authorized Service Centers” for this particular tool model, or specifically not listed, leading to outside Servicing Agents being recommended, without proper vetting to determine the full and complete job can be done.
Basically, the fault is three parts, Milwaukee Tool, fir being knobs who don’t actually have proper repair places, the local Milwaukee Tool Place, and the calibration service, that couldn’t completely do the job they were paid to do.

If you make sell tools that can’t be easily or quickly serviced, especially ones that seem yo be made for professional use that will potentially require frequent calibration and resets, having complaints about you is justified.
Milwaukee Tool isn’t some random Chinese eBay tool brand.

If you run an authorized Tool Repair shop, you should be upfront about what you can repaur, and be upfront about advice about outside repair services that you recommend, or suggest, but which may only be able to partially do a particular service.

If you are a “calibration service”, you should be upfront about things like error messages you might not be able to clear, even if you can technically calibrate the instrument brought to you.

 

[Junkman]

I have no use for Milwaukee Service Centers. I took an electric buffer in for the trigger to be replaced. I asked in advance if the trigger was in stock and was told it was. I paid for the repair in advance because that was their policy, and came back 2 weeks later when the tool was supposed to be repaired. They handed it back to me in a box, all apart, with the old trigger missing. I was extremely upset and asked to speak with the manager. The manager informed me that it was unsafe to use the tool, and the part was no longer in stock. I pointed out to him that I had asked that question before leaving the tool, and his only comment was that it was no longer available. I filed a claim against the Milwaukee Repair facility in small claims court, and the judge sided with me, ordering them to either repair the tool or provide a new tool of like kind. I got a new Milwaukee buffer, and promptly sold it and bought another brand. I learned after that experience that the Milwaukee Service Center in that town had a reputation for deliberately destroying tools that they couldn't fix to make sure that they were taken out of service.

 

[tak1313]

My opinion, as worthless as it may be. MILWAUKEE could not calibrate the tool, despite written instructions in their included manual to take it to a Milwaukee facility for calibration.

Milwaukee sends OP to a facility they state is able to calibrate the tool, inferring the facility is authorized by Milwaukee to perform such service.

The secondary facility is able to calibrate the tool, but is not able to clear the message for proprietary reasons set in place by Milwaukee, despite the inferred authorization to calibrate/repair the tool.

Not OP's fault. If Milwaukee states that "outside facility x" is authorized and capable of calibrating the tool, part of the "calibration process," should include clearing the warning message. It's like taking your car in for an oil change because the maintenance light comes on and the dealer changes the oil without resetting the light. It's part of the entire process created by the manufacturer - change oil, reset light. So the "service" is incomplete because not all the proper steps has been completed.

The fact that the facility is not capable of resetting the warning is an issue between the facility, authorized by Milwaukee, and Milwaukee to provide the instrument or proprietary method to reset the warning.

 

[zendriver]

A “reminder” that can not be cleared during use?

This makes me love my $10 harbor freight special (with sturdy plastic case )even more.

 

[dnschmidt]

I'm a MIlwaukee fan boy. That stated Milwaukee making torque wrenches is equal to Eclatorq making drills. This product proliferation never ends well. The Harvard MBA's hate the idea of sticking to your lane but that is exactly what most companies should do rather than being all things to all people. Because you know how to make a Sawzall doesn't mean you know **** about torque wrenches and I absolutely guarantee that Milwaukee is buying the guts of this digital torque wrench from someone else and didn't develop it internally.

 

[mikedodge]

Both of these!

Not picking on anyone in particular, but I have issue with the line of argument that several have made, suggesting the shop might not have known their limitations. It's highly unlikely that this was the first such torque wrench and first instance of this particular error message that they've ever encountered. It beggars belief that they could have been unaware of their inability to reset the display before taking the job. Far more likely is the possibility that they knew they couldn't reset the display and just decided not to mention it because they wanted the work. Who hasn't been in a position and dealt with a service provider like this? I would wager it has happened to almost everyone at some point. Disingenuous service is not beyond the pale, hell its not even uncommon. To be clear, I disagree with not paying and/or disputing the charge, partly because they did do -some- work, and partly because I know the outcome will not work in the Op's favor.

I also find it a bit harsh that folks are beating up on the Op for not knowing about who can do the reset, while at the same time giving benefit of the doubt to the calibration shop for not knowing the same thing. People sometimes try way too hard on this board to tear each other down and side with anyone but the Op, no matter how ridiculous of a logical stretch is required. Nobody benefits if we all just keep our anecdotes and experiences with bad service, QC failures and such to ourselves, out of fear of being ridiculed by the "community" to which we're supposed to belong.

Maybe they've never had a miluake torque wrench come in before. I'd never think of them when it comes to that.
Just for fun you should get someone to call the place that did the calibration and say they have a miluake torque wrench with the error message you want fixed and see what they say.

How much did they charge for the service? That they calibrated it does mean they did something. To keep customers happy they should have at least offered a discount for not being able to clear the error. They might not have known that till after they worked on it, if they did anything more then check it. At the sane time if a customer is mean from the start they're not likely to get any favors in return.

 

[finn]

After contemplating the story, I’m on the side of those that say the problem is with the Milwaukee service center that sent the op to a calibration shop not capable of resetting the display.

The shop did apparently certify the calibration, so they should be paid for that service. They didn’t clear the codes, which seems to be an issue unique to Milwaukee torque wrenches, which in turn raises the question “why should customers who own standard torque wrenches pay for training and time requirements that are unique to Milwaukee?”

Bottom line is that Milwaukee sent him there, and Milwaukee should have known the calibration Service couldn’t reset the display, because the torque wrenches in question uses non standard processes to complete the job. Milwaukee should have vetted their subcontractors.

Drop the torque wrench off at the Milwaukee Service Center and tell them to contact you when they figure this mess out. The Milwaukee Service Center is under contract with Milwaukee Corporate to service Milwaukee branded tools, and by advertising that fact, is obligated to do that, as long as parts are readily available. The Calibration Service is not. They just do calibrations.

 

[InjectorService]

I have no use for Milwaukee Service Centers. I took an electric buffer in for the trigger to be replaced. I asked in advance if the trigger was in stock and was told it was. I paid for the repair in advance because that was their policy, and came back 2 weeks later when the tool was supposed to be repaired. They handed it back to me in a box, all apart, with the old trigger missing. I was extremely upset and asked to speak with the manager. The manager informed me that it was unsafe to use the tool, and the part was no longer in stock. I pointed out to him that I had asked that question before leaving the tool, and his only comment was that it was no longer available. I filed a claim against the Milwaukee Repair facility in small claims court, and the judge sided with me, ordering them to either repair the tool or provide a new tool of like kind. I got a new Milwaukee buffer, and promptly sold it and bought another brand. I learned after that experience that the Milwaukee Service Center in that town had a reputation for deliberately destroying tools that they couldn't fix to make sure that they were taken out of service.

You took a company to court over a buffer? Man I'm glad I have better things to do with my life.

 

[dnschmidt]

Why do people do this? You just call Milwaukee they issue a FedEx pick up sticker, you put the thing in a box and take it to a FedEx pick up center which at least here in Phoenix are on every street corner and be done with it.

 

[T VETTE]

Thanks for bringing this to our attention. Another reason I will continue to use an old school torque wrench. No not a Jerk as long as you didn't scream and yell and jump up and down in their shop.

 

[liliysdad]

You took a company to court over a buffer? Man I'm glad I have better things to do with my life.

You said it before I could.


As to the original…who buys a digital torque wrench for lug nuts, let alone a Milwaukee?

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

I'm not going to opine on the original case, but:

Whether said tool is necessary or justifiable for the user's simple purpose, isn't relevant.

The quality of any service we receive is partly informed by providers meeting our expectations. If we tolerate tools being returned in pieces with parts missing, without querying it and not backing down, then some providers will learn and adjust from the inch they were just given and take a mile from all of us.

 

[scfoxman]

You’re fine. The wrench was calibrated, but the shop can’t clear Milwaukee’s software reminder. Only Milwaukee can reset that.

 

[Junkman]

Yes, because back then, in the 1980s, a Milwaukee buffer cost about $180 (That is over $550) in today's dollars! I took it in because the trigger had to be held, since the button to keep it engaged wasn't working. I asked in advance if they had the part to repair it, and the answer was yes. Their policy was that you had to pay for out-of-warranty repairs in advance, which cost approximately $25 for parts and labor. I didn't get the money back that I paid for the repair, but the buffer was delivered to me in parts with major parts missing, namely the handle and a bunch of screw. It was usable the way it was, and I could have continued to use it if they hadn't dismantled it. The small claims court ruled in my favor and ordered them to replace the buffer. I learned very early in life to do the right thing, and when someone pisses on your leg and tells you it is raining, I set the record straight. To me, in the 1980s, a $180 tool was a lot of money, and so was the cost of the repair. Back then, the minimum wage was about $3, and I think that I was making about $4.50 or $5 an hour. That buffer would have cost me a week's wages. Keep in mind that was 45 years ago.
If you bought a tool that cost $550 a year ago, and took it in for repair to a Milwaukee Service Center, only to have it returned to you in a box full of parts, what would you do? Please be sure to answer my question!!!!!

 

[liliysdad]

If you bought a tool that cost $550 a year ago, and took it in for repair to a Milwaukee Service Center, only to have it returned to you in a box full of parts, what would you do? Please be sure to answer my question!!!!!

I’d probably not take anything back to them, then go on with my life.

 

[zendriver]

This thread is going the usual route - into bizarro-world.

People here harp literally endlessly "fix stuff forever", that's what they did in the good old days. . then, when someone actually does it and gets the today's usual expected results - dissatisfaction, then they are jumped for being so gullible.

The repair shop should have at least put the tool back into whatever condition it was before, but no, no reason to even bother.

Of course people can't understand why it is desirable to just buy something imported and inexpensive, use it until it craps and then pitch it into the scrap pile and get another one.

 

[Wamsutta]

Milwaukee has no business marketing hand tools. Same with DeWalt.

 

[T VETTE]

Where we are at now it appears.

 

[tak1313]

More useless opinion (of mine). If Milwaukee requires it to be calibrated every 5,000 clicks, and the warning isn't reset, how is the user supposed to know when the NEXT 5,000 clicks occurs? Is he supposed to count how many clicks - possibly over months or years - to the next 5,000th click?

 

[1Bad55Chevy]

More useless opinion (of mine). If Milwaukee requires it to be calibrated every 5,000 clicks, and the warning isn't reset, how is the user supposed to know when the NEXT 5,000 clicks occurs? Is he supposed to count how many clicks - possibly over months or years - to the next 5,000th click?

The OP stated he only uses it for lug nuts so he dosen't need to count to 5,000 clicks, he only needs to count to 1k tires! Unless its a 10 lug semi then its only 500 tires!! This method is much easier to keep track of!

 

[zendriver]

Milwaukee has no business marketing hand tools. Same with DeWalt.

Why not? Looks like they charge stupid money for them.

It's not even Dad's Milwaukee Tool, anyway. It's now owned by a Chinese conglomerate, in business to make money, selling anything they can, tool related. China is already chock full of useful products they can put their name on, or, developed their own. .

If People just realize and accept that fact, life might be a little better. "Buying on name" has become pretty irrelevant for decades with a lot of companies.

Besides The torque wrench is probably fine, it just needs to be calibrated where they know so say the magic words, to remove the reminder. Agree it's pretty lame to have it that way, but that's the world we live in today.

If it wasn't Milwaukee, it would be someone else.

 

[msharley]

I don't do much torque wrenching. Rebuilt a couple engines here and there though.
Is there something special about an electronic torque wrench that its a must have? I mean if you're working on the space shuttle, maybe? Did they even have electronic torque wrenches back then or is this some new tool/gimmick? Honestly I had no idea such a thing existed or why it would exist after knowing it exists.
I just use the standard dial a click.
And if I'm just using a regular ratchet, I just say "click" when I think its sufficient on the tightness.
Lol