My 3 years old Panasonic Inverter CS-S9KKZW has been a constant nightmare. This is my first time using Panasonic and Inverter air-conditioning unit. It is a 18,000 BTU, 2 split system unit.
1. Need help with Panasonic? Need to call them? Check out their website
Panasonic Singapore and try to find their contact number. It cannot be found. There is no Contact Us on the main page. You gotta keep clicking in their product until you finally see the Contact Us icon. Salvation finally? NO. Click on it and it leads you back to their main page.
2. You need to clean it almost every 3 months professionally (not taking out the filters to wash), or it won't be cold. You start to feel that 24degree isn't as cold, and you have to get the same temp at 23degree, then all the way till 21degree for the same coldness. I had never use an air-con that need to be clean so often.
Is this a Panansonic issue or Inverter issue or e-ion issue? No one has an answer, just speculations through experiences.
3. The freaking warranty is only for 1 year. Even a table fan has 1 year. But $2000 over dollars of air con system only 1 year?
4. It a 2 split system. 1 unit is rarely use in the past 3 years (maybe a few times a month), 1 is used daily. Now I got an error code H36 "Outdoor gas pipe thermistor error". I google it and found quite a number of problem with this gas pipe and gas leak problem with Panansonic models.
5. This is a common problem. Repairs and services. $40 for labour and $20 for transport. A minimum of $60 charge. Then it is subjected to their 3rd party contract to diagnose the problem. If tell you this gotta change and that gotta change. You LL pay for each part additionally.
6. The earliest repair appointment is 8 days later. The call centre person still can say proudly that they are fully booked until next week. So I questioned, your air-con consumers are having so much problems that you are book for a week on repairs? She still got the cheek to ask 'Yes'.
So to all prospective buyers, the decision is yours. A more reliable brand name is more important than fancy features and design. Most ppl don't use the new features, and even if they do, they feel minimum difference. You wouldn't want electronics in your home (new or not) to keep breaking down one by one, or have a lifespan only equivalent to its warranty.