*@#! Sena SMH10 Not Working

[CopB8]

We're leaving for a long weekend 1200 mile trip on Thursday so I start charging our Sena SMH10 headsets for the trip. It's been a while since we used them. Well wouldn't you know it, one is acting up! In one helmet you can't hear anything even though you can talk in that same helmet and the other can hear perfectly. Both units seem to come on, go through their cycle and show a flashing blue light.

It's definitely the little portable unit because if I move it between helmets the problem follows the unit. I've cleaned the connectors on both the unit and the helmet mounts but still that doesn't work. I jiggled it to try and make sure that I have really good connections but that hasn't helped.

I hate the fact that I buy something that's supposed to be quality, and that has had very little use on it, and we'll end up having to ride in silence or 5 days.

Is there any kind of reboot or something on these things? Any other suggestions? There's no time for a return because we leave day after tomorrow.

Or if there's anyone in the North Dallas area with one that I could borrow, that would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[MrZappo]

Sena releases a decent amount of firmware upgrades for their products. I would download and install the latest one ... It will give you the latest bug fixes and basically restart the thing from scratch ...

 

[BkerChuck]

There is a master reset button on the unit. I think you need to use a pen or pencil tip to push it in, it's sort of recessed to prevent accidental use. I would also make sure firmware is up to date. Latest firmware is 4.3 beta but it's still in beta phase not perfect just yet. I think most recent otherwise is 4.2.1.

 

[CopB8]

Thanks guys. I can't wait to get home and give this a shot. I hope it works!

 

[wheatonFJR]

Although I love my SENA units for easy useability, but mine has routinely had a problem with one or both of the units having some issue like this. Good, easy to use comm system....wish it was more reliable.

 

[CopB8]

Although I love my SENA units for easy useability, but mine has routinely had a problem with one or both of the units having some issue like this. Good, easy to use comm system....wish it was more reliable.

I also like them when they work but I've had to jiggle them frequently to get them to seat in their brackets otherwise I get no sound, or sound out of just one earphone.

What have you done in the past to get yours working again when it acted up?

 

[wheatonFJR]

Although I love my SENA units for easy useability, but mine has routinely had a problem with one or both of the units having some issue like this. Good, easy to use comm system....wish it was more reliable.

I also like them when they work but I've had to jiggle them frequently to get them to seat in their brackets otherwise I get no sound, or sound out of just one earphone.
What have you done in the past to get yours working again when it acted up?

Unfortunately all I thought I could do was send them back for a warranty repair, because that's what they told me to do. They've been good at replacing the bad units, but they told me that I can't do that anymore even though none of my units have worked problem free for longer than a year.

 

[lacofdfireman]

I have the Sena's also. Had the Starcomm before and hated all the wires. Also seemed like the Starcomm was a pain to get adjusted correctly. I have had no issues with my Sena's as of yet. Let's hope they keep working trouble free.... Good luck with yours. I would say make sure they are updated to the latest version and that should probably do the trick..

 

[CopB8]

Ok, so I updated the firmware and it started working again. Not sure why it stopped but I don't care. Thanks for all the advise guys.

I still have a problem with one set where one earphone doesn't work 90% of the time. 'Sometimes' it'll work if we jiggle the unit. I'll wait to send it in for repair after the trip.

BTW, I also had StarComm. The Sena is far superior if it were just more reliable.

 

[MrZappo]

Get some contact cleaner from Radio Shack or online somewhere and clean up the connectors ... Might help ...

 

[BkerChuck]

I had actually forgotten about this but on my wife's headset we did have a problem with clipping the unit on and off and one speaker not always working. When I compared how hers fit on her helmet with the unit on my helmet, I noticed hers seemed very tight against the helmet itself. I had to pull out a little on the top of the unit to get it to seat when you clip it on. I removed the headset bracket from her helmet and remounted it with a piece of rubber inner tube behind it to space the mount away from the helmet just a little bit. Snugged everything back up and now it goes on and off much smoother. This also had the side effect of fixing the intermittant speaker issue. I think that the main unit may not have been making complete contact on all of the pins of the base unit. Perhaps your situation may be similar? Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[CopB8]

Excellent thought. I'll check it out when I get home this afternoon. Thanks!

 

[HotRodZilla]

Did you ever find the reset button?? I'm betting the firmware update had the same effect.

If you're looking at the back of the unit, just to the right of the top if the label is a teeny tiny hole. You have to use a small paper clip to get into it. Push down and you'll feel it click.

I carry a paper clip with me just for this. These things ate great when they work, but they can be really glitchy sometimes. Mine is the older not-upgradeable version and my wife's is the newer one. I haven't messed with an upgrade because some people were having problems related to those.

When my wife's showed up, we were leaving for a trip in two days. It would not turn on. I reset it and it's been done ever since.

I think QC could be better, but hear the same complaints from users of every other brand also...So maybe it's justbtge nature of the beast.

 

[CopB8]

Well, it's all a mute point now. 200 miles into the trip and the thing was clicking and scratching like crazy. My wife was constantly trying to get it to work when it snapped and departed the vehicle at 70+ mph. Now i don't even have the unit to send back for warranty. POS!

Add this to being pulled over 3 times for speeding in the first 24 hours and I can safely say that this hasn't been our smoothest trip ever.

 

[BkerChuck]

Bummer! Sorry to hear your experience with Sena was such a disappointment. On the bright side you won't be able to hear her complain about your speeding...

 

[BigFJR]

FYI, should also be able to do a reset by holding down the phone button for 12 sec and then pushing the jog button. My issue of late is not getting mic out to my radio. Not had any issues with the audio. Have to check the mount as indicated above to make sure the pins are all making good contact.

Sorry to hear about loosing the unit and even worse the tickets. I'm using an Escort 9500ix tied into a Sena SR10 hub and would not be happy if I couldn't hear that!

Hope the rest of the trip improves.

Regards.

 

[bramfrank]

My experience has been that they are hard to get off the bracket - if it 'popped off' while underway then either the retainer snapped or it wasn't seated as it wanted to be - possibly because of a deformed mount (screws too tight or the bracket wedged open a bit?).

You'll never know now.

Sorry to hear about the issues AND about the 3 performance awards. Try to put that behind you and enjoy the rest of the trip in peace a quiet..

 

[CopB8]

I thought I'd follow up on this post with my experience with the Sena folks so others who find this thread one day have the full story.

When the unit came off the bike we pulled over to see if by some miracle it had survived. It hadn't. The only pieces we found were the rotating button cap and the lid to the battery compartment. With these 2 pieces and the broken bracket from the helmet I applied for RMA replacement through Sena's website. Even though they had nothing to really look at, and could have said it was our fault for breaking the bracket, the folks at Sena never hesitated. Today I received a brand new SMH10 headset. I thrilled about this since a new one would've set me back about $150.

I look forward to getting it installed and tested and I'm hopeful that it works as well as the unit on my helmet.

Thanks to all of you who chimed in to help me out.

 

[08FJR4ME]

Don't feel left out. Both trips to EOM my G4's have crapped out. I never had an issue with mine but my wifes set stopped working the last two times to EOM. I haven't got around to speaking with them yet. I am pretty sure the warrenty is up at this point. The first time I had them back and working again in 3 days. So I was happy about ther service end of things. It just sucks you pay all this money for blue tooth and the units keep crapping out. Replacement is not cheap.

My 2 centabo's,

Dave