XM Antenna

We bought a 2009 Kia Optima in early 2010 with an XM radio in it. We have had no problems until last Saturday; while driving, the XM cut off. The screen said 'acquiring signal', after 48 hours of no XM, I called Sirius and after 4 hours and numerous trips in and out of the house-car, etc., the third agent said it is the radio itself. They tried in vain to refresh the signal without success. I spoke with the dealer today and was informed the warranty expired at 36,000 miles. Our car is at 37,000 miles. Seriosuly!? The AM-FM and CD player work fine but somehow just the XM part is broken? What a rip off!

I just thank god I didn't purchase a lifetime subscription! And I definitely will not purchase new equipment that doesn't function beyond 2 years. I really would like to know what a mileage amount has to do with the functioning of a radio. I have clock radios lasting 20 years, so much for advanced technology. Give me a break.

During the first week of July, I purchased a 2009 Chevy Silverado pickup. Included was a three-month trial to SiriusXM radio. I was trying every day for a month to receive the activation signal but I failed. The dealer tried but with no success too. Finally, the dealer ordered a new radio for me, installed it, and we started the daily procedure again for another month. During this time, the technician would go through the whole routine after I had to explain the situation each time over and over. I know the procedure on receiving the signal well enough to be one of their technicians, but they go through it each time as though I'm two years old.

Well, after going on the Internet and requesting my "daily" signal sent, one day it started working. It worked for one week, and then stopped. From one of the many techs I spoke with, I was informed that a "blocking" signal was sent at the time my radio stopped working, and that some regular customers were affected. I assume that this is what happened to mine. In the meantime, I am continuing to daily request the activation signal, with no success. My radio I.D. is: **. They also asked me to go back to channel 0 to make sure this is correct. I know it by heart since the first week of trying. I can't give you my account number since this is not a secure page.

In July and October 2008, my husband and I, respectively, purchased new vehicles that had XM radio already installed. By husband's expired first and we started receiving calls for renewal, which I rejected. In January of 2010, when my subscription had expired, we started receiving calls again. They offered us a "deal" of $76/automobile for a years extended subscription. I agreed and they told me they would bill me for the service, and offered no further instructions. I promptly received a bill but no service, so I ignored the bill and decided I would not pay and let the offer expire on its own.

Within the last 2 weeks, I have been incessantly called by XM automated caller, morning, evening, weekend, holidays, etc. When I called the number back, and after waiting 1/2 hour to speak with a live person, they told me that I had had the subscription for a period of time and they had pulled it for non-payment. I told them that we never received the signal nor were we informed of any manipulation to our car radio that was necessary in order to receive the signal. Apparently, there is a whole protocol one needs to perform in order to activate the service. They informed me that we owe them $26 per account for the time they supposedly sent the signal to us.

I explained to the customer service manager that it was a misunderstanding as the representative whom I spoke with originally only told me that I would be billed and that nothing else was necessary. I offered to begin receiving the service for a year's subscription for both my husband and myself, but I would not pay for the service that I did not receive. The representative would not comply with those terms, which astounded me at first, and subsequently raised my antennae about this company's motive.

This company would rather pursue me to no end for money in exchange for nothing than to keep me as a satisfied customer and actually provide a service for a fee in return. I'm hypothesizing now that maybe that is true. If they do this to every person that buys a new car, that's a lot of $26 they will be collecting versus collecting $76 only from people that want the service. I'm thinking this would be 100's of thousands of new car owners, versus maybe only thousands of real customers. This seems to me like consumer fraud at a despicable level. This company has to be stopped.

They are demanding that we each pay $26 for receiving nothing, no service. Additionally, they have an automated system that calls our home telephone many times per day including nights, early A.M., weekends, and holidays. They are harassing us for $52, which they do not deserve.

" at all and no satistaction from the company- I doubt I will ever subscribe to this service now- but of course they take your credit card # up front!

A year ago, I bought a new Hyundai from Vancouver Ford. Nothing was said by the salesman or the finance person (who tries to sell you the extras) about XM Radio. But the car had a button marked XM on the radio and that ugly antennae thing on the roof - I asked and was told not to worry, it was a free 3-month trial, no obligation, just tell them at 3-months that you do not want it.

After the 3 months - during which my daughter used the XM one time for about hour - we started to get bills. I called, tried to cancel, was told I had signed up for it and I either pay or they would go to the credit bureaus and sue me. Last week, we bought a new Toyota Venza - no obvious XM Radio antennae that I could see, no XM button on the radio, though the dash and the radio are extremely complicated. But we just got the letter in the mail with the information from XM telling us we had a 3-month trial membership. I tried to cancel by Internet and their site froze each time I entered our ID number (from their letter). I called and called, and called back for an hour, I was either transferred to a customer service number that never answered, or I was read a script and ignored when I tried to talk, or I was told it was a trial period and I was unable to cancel, or I was told not to worry, no bill would be sent.

I feel the whole approach is deceptive and dishonest, the billing and their attempts to make me pay are dishonest and threatening, and their customer service is a joke and designed to discourage or prohibit a cancellation. When they finally did disconnect their services from our car radio, they took the outrageous, presumptuous act - because they have 2-way access to your radio via their system, have you ever thought about that - to change all our presets to Christian music. I guess they are all Christians at XM Radio.

The XM Radio receiver was giving us a message of "Antenna". I found out that the antenna electronics had gone out, the antenna equipment was over 5 years old. I went to Best Buy, who replaced the antenna equipment from parts I had from an "aftermarket" purchase of an XM Radio receiver replacement unit. Best Buy gave us a new XM Radio ID and told us to call XM Radio to have the service transferred. I had earlier purchased a lifetime agreement for this radio unit - $499.00. The service rep informed me that I would be charged a transfer fee of $75.00. I asked for this to be waived since I had no knowledge of this when I signed up for the lifetime agreement nor did XM Radio provide me with a written agreement. It is not their policy to provide customers with a written agreement.

I spoke with a supervisor (another foreigner who spoke poor English) who gave me little satisfaction. I went ahead and agreed to the transfer fee as this was the only recourse we had to receive XM service. Very poor customer service when a company fails to provide a written agreement for what would be charged should service be transferred.

I use to think satellite radio was the future. Used it for awhile and enjoyed some of the programming. Then my receiver went out and that's when the trouble began. I called customer service and asked the representative to send me a new receiver. I could hardly understand her, but I figured as long as she heard "new receiver" and had my address, no problem. A few days later I received an entire XM radio car kit; a receiver (which did not fit the home base or the one in the car) a base, an antenna, remote, etc. The car system was fine and I didn't need all this stuff for the car. I called XM customer "service" and tried to explain the situation to the man I was speaking with. It seems all their representatives have heavy accents of some kind and are very hard to hear and understand. This man had a heavy southern drawl, and instead of apologizing and saying they would send the right receiver, he begins talking to me like I am six, and telling me how it's really not that difficult to install the components for the car. I just want to listen to the damn radio, not become a technician. Besides, the car unit is fine. It's just the little receiver I need.

Somehow I ended up getting XM service half-price for a year, thinking at some point I'd get to an XM dealer and get things straightened out. However, I'm quite some distance from an XM dealer and haven't gone in. Also, I need simplicity with things like this and if it's a headache it's not worth my time. So, I figure I've given it several months, I'm a long way from a dealer, the telephone "representatives" are hard to deal with, etc., it's time to go ahead and cancel. Should be simple. Well (surprise!) it's not. See the attached article. I went through all this baloney and I'm still not sure if my account has been canceled. I'll call my bank tomorrow and see what they can do to make sure these crooks don't try any more funny stuff.

The bottom line is that I am encouraging every one to either not start a satellite radio subscription, or get out of any current situation with one, because there will be trouble at some point if you have equipment problems, technical questions, or other things unforeseen.

On 8/10/2008 I called XM Radio to deactivate a Skyfi2 radio that was stolen the night before.

I figured I would also cancel my account as I didn't want to spend
the hundred bucks or so I thought it would cost for another one. I was told the radio would be deactivated right away but when I said to cancel the account I was put on hold then offered a XM EZ radio for $9.99 plus shipping which had to paid up front with a credit card. I agreed provided that it did not require any additional

wiring to what was already in the car. (my XM antenna and a feed to the Cigarette lighter for power)

The Skyfi2 broadcasts directly to an open FM frequency as is. This worked for me for the last couple of years. I heard from different people about different units needing more setup.
I was assured after another hold that I would be good to go with what's in the

vehicle when I received the radio.

8/11- I get an email that the order was shipped. The total was $21.91. (11.92 for

shipping)

8/19 The XM EZ was delivered. In the box there was a packing slip that
mentioned a SURE CONNECT included with the radio. I figured it was sent in error
as the instructions in the manual didn't mention it. I plugged the antenna in and
attached the power cord and plugged it into the cigarette lighter. I tuned it to the
same frequency I had been using for the Skyfi2 that I knew was ok and it didn't

work. (I was told it would already be activated) It wasn't.

I called SHOP XM to
activate the radio. While sitting in my car and on the phone with XM, I could see it activate and get the stations but it wasn't broadcasting to the radio. After being put on hold a number of times, while she kept checking who knows what, the rare someone who actually knew something about the equipment must have told
her that the XM EZ (you guessed it!) needed to have the SURE CONNECT

installed.

I told her at now the 1 hour 8 minute mark, that this was useless to me and unacceptable and I wanted to return it, get my money back and CANCEL my account. She was already painfully aware that I was told before I accepted this model, I wouldn't need a SURE CONNECT . ( I guess whoever packed the box must have had one in their car!)

After another attempt at putting me on hold, I said no I wanted to CANCEL my account and send back the radio. After some muffled backround conversation, she said she could transfer me to someone who would issue me an RMA number (for excepted returns UPS) but also to offer me a better deal.

The new woman she transferred me to (how come you never get cut off when
they are trying to sell you something else!) gave me an option of getting an XM Skyfi3 THAT WOULD NOT NEED ANY ADDITIONAL WIRING. (sound familiar?) I
asked her twice to make absolutely sure this model did not require a SURE

CONNECT as I didn't want to waste any more time on this. ( my wife heard me as I was now in the house)

She assured me that I only needed to connect the antenna already there and plug in the power to the lighter and then activate it. She told me the radio would be $49.99 plus an activation fee of $14.99 which would be credited back to me and $20.97 for 3 months of XM in advance which would be credited back also for what you have gone through and your patience.

She said this had to be paid up front with a credit card after I agree to XM radio for 12 months, and early cancellation fee. At this time I asked one final time about the SURE CONNECT because as I've said I didn't want to go through this again. The elapsed phone time at this point was somewhere past 2 hours.
At this point I agreed, asked for all this to be documented in an email to me. She said my RMA# for the return of XM EZ (remember that? Seems like years passed!)

will be emailed and when they get it into the warehouse I will be credited with that also.

Later that night I received an email detailing the charges with another shipping charge, now only $9.60 (I guess I earned a preferred rate) but this has tax included of $6.02. Go figure. The total is 101.57. The email has no mention of any agreement or a verification that the Skyfi3 doesn't require a SURE CONNECT.

There is a second email with the RMA# and instructions for returning the XM EZ.
The Skyfi3 was shipped the next day and I received it on 8/28. At this point I
figured they weren't bad people just incompetent and ignorant about what they are selling people.

On 8/29 I installed it and called XM to activate it and was told I would get a signal in 10 or 20 minutes. I went out in the car and was running errands all evening.

While out I noticed it was activated but when I tuned to the frequency I use for XM it wasn't coming through the car's radio. When I got home I stayed in the car while I called XM and was continuously told to try another frequency. In my haste
to install the radio I didn't inspect ALL of the contents in the box. While I was on one of my 10 minute holds, I noticed (now your catching on!) a SURE

CONNECT!!!!!

I asked the girl to please find out if this was needed. She had no idea what a SURE CONNECT was.

After a routine of:

1st On hold

ok sir lets try a different frequency
still nothing? May I place you on hold?

I say Please find out if I need to use a SURE CONNECT

2nd On hold
ok sir lets try a different frequency
still nothing? May I place you on hold?

I say again Please find out if I need to use a SURE CONNECT

3rd
On hold
ok sir lets try a different frequency
still nothing? May I place you on hold?

I say again Please find out if I need to use a SURE

Finally she places me on hold for what seemed like a fortnight and when she
comes back, are you ready?, she says
sir, you should have a wire that attaches to your cars antenna...

She is describing the SURE CONNECT!!

I tried to maintain my composure..sir are you still there?
I said, DO YOU MEAN TO TELL ME AFTER ANOTHER 1 1/2HOURS ON THE

PHONE YOUR TELLING ME THAT THIS NEEDS A SURE CONNECT?

She said yes she just checked with someone. I wish I could have called that person last week and saved myself a lot of pain.

I said to transfer me to the area that handles returns. I am done, I want to return this and CANCEL my account. (there is that word again that triggers all sorts of weird behavior) Now I was being stalled so she could find a number that I could call. I soon found out why. When my watch struck 11PM EST she had no problem transferring me to that department.

The message was that they close at 11pm.
8/30 The next day first thing, I call SHOP XM and go through everything again

with a new rep who kept saying she couldn't let me return a radio unless it was defective. I said the person who sent it to me was defective not the radio. She offered me another Skyfi3 to replace the one I had. When I got off the floor and stopped laughing, I explained to her for the seventh time that I was sent this in error. It was not what I agreed to. She asked me if there was anything ELSE I can help you with?

I said what do you mean ELSE? I haven't been helped yet in the last 2 weeks.

Please put your supervisor on or someone that has the authority to undo all this nonsense.

I must say though, she did have the routine down pat. She kept saying that it should work if you use the same frequency as your radio.

At this point I knew that it's not that they don't know their product as much as they are trained to do as instructed by the company. All those people in a

company can't all be incompetent.

Now I get her supervisor- Philip- I believe. He said he has heard everything and I dont have to re-explain.

This is going to be hard to type but Phil tells me I will have to use a SURE CONNECT with this model radio. He asks me why I refuse to add this wiring. I give him my reasons even though I didn't feel I needed to and then he says well you were UPGRADED to a better radio.

My cost was UPGRADED too. You are forgetting that I didn't want this. He
insinuates that I was aware of what the requirements were. At that point I said
Why on earth would I send back one XM EZ radio for the same reason which XM

accepted because I have the RMA to prove it then let you send me a radio that just cost me 5 times as much with the same requirement that is not acceptable to me. That makes no sense.

He couldn't answer that. At this point he said sorry all sales are final. You agreed to the terms. I said I didn't agree to something I didn't want. The agreement was based on misinformation that I took in good faith. Such an agreement would have to be unenforceable. I said I wanted to close my account and I would take further

action to get my money back. He brazenly said yeah we get a lot of that. I told him I'll bet you do. He said there would be an early cancellation fee of $100.

By the way, the transfer to the cancellation department never went through. if you'd like to make a call...

Now I will try to find an upper management person to send a letter to, for a chance to make this right before I take this to claims court.

I would welcome any and all help in this matter. In return I would my best to insure that this does not happen to anyone else. I should have cancelled my account in the first place instead of being a victim of what appears to be fraud.

My 17 year old son received a letter on January 11, 2008 stating that XM Radio was unable to bill my debit card due to expiration. I called to inform them that he did not wish to extend the service. They then transferred me to their deactivation department. They deactivated the radio and asked me why we no longer wanted service. I told them the antenna broke after 3-months and my son, who has the service in his name, did not have the funds to purchase another antenna, therefore did not use the service. They were sorry and deactivated the service. They then informed me that I had to pay $7.80 because the contract expired on December 24th and I did not call until January 12th. I told them I just received the letter on the 11th. They told me that they had sent notice prior to the expiration date. I told them that we had not received anything and she said they sent an e-mail. I informed her that I had not received an e-mail as I no longer had that internet service. She said they had sent notice so I was obligated to pay the fee. I told her that upon sending the e-mail they would have received a mail deamon that it did not get delivered as the internet service/e-mail had rejected it. She did not care. I told her that I needed proof that the email was sent/delivered. She indicated they would send me something but they didn't have my e-mail. I told her to send it via mail and they obviously had my address as I had just received this letter. I plan to take their notice upon receipt and report them to the better business bureau. Of course I will have to pay the charges to keep my credit rating intact, but their unethical approach to increase their profits is unacceptable.

Payment of $7.80 penalty for them not sending notice in a timely manner. In addition I feel that doing this to an underage child is extremely unethical and they should be brought to further consequences for their actions.