i don't remember the exact date of the recall but it was a long range.
Suunto pressure sensor failure common problem.
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David Haas
Contributor
I own four (4) of the newest (not sure what year) Suunto ZOOP Novo computers. Several have hundreds of dives on them and never have missed a beat.
The ZOOP Novo algorithm seems to be less conservative and diving NITROX (typical 32%) all over the world have never run out of bottom time in typical sport diving depths even 3-4+ long dives per day. Get a decent surface interval and you'll be fine.
I do recommend anyone with any older Suunto Cobra or maybe 3 button ZOOP (or earlier Gekko) have a second computer, preferably the same brand / algorithm. I'm not a fan of integrated hose computers like the Cobra but have dive buddies with 10+ year old units they still like and use. They all use a 2nd computer (wrist mount of some type) and have fun blowing bubbles
I dived several 3 button ZOOP computer over a decade to 1,000 dives with no problems. One guide in Philippines had 5,000 dives on his until it finally died and many of his buddies used the 3 button ZOOPs.
Every guide in Bali last May was diving the Suunto ZOOP Novo because they're affordable and have user replacement batteries with a long warning before needing changed.
Yes, Shearwater is the greatest thing since sliced bread and the display and all the adjustments are super cool.....You pay for that and for many here on ScubaBoard that's great!
I don't dive below 130' these days and pick up practically NEW Suunto ZOOP Novo wrist units for $100 or so. I always dive 2 computers and now my Apple ULTRA II watch.
Still learning my way around the Oceanic + settings (first dive in a pool yesterday) and the display is beautiful.......But I'll still strap on 1 or 2 Suunto ZOOP Novo units in the Red Sea in June 2025, Palau in March 2026, and Dumaguete Philippines in June 2026, etc.
Suunto has made thousands (maybe 10s of thousands) of computers over a long time. To bash a brand for a recall as others have stated they (like other brands) might have had a small batch of sensors that didn't last forever (another common complaint in the scuba world) I believe isn't warranted.
Just one old guy's opinion!
David Haas
The ZOOP Novo algorithm seems to be less conservative and diving NITROX (typical 32%) all over the world have never run out of bottom time in typical sport diving depths even 3-4+ long dives per day. Get a decent surface interval and you'll be fine.
I do recommend anyone with any older Suunto Cobra or maybe 3 button ZOOP (or earlier Gekko) have a second computer, preferably the same brand / algorithm. I'm not a fan of integrated hose computers like the Cobra but have dive buddies with 10+ year old units they still like and use. They all use a 2nd computer (wrist mount of some type) and have fun blowing bubbles
I dived several 3 button ZOOP computer over a decade to 1,000 dives with no problems. One guide in Philippines had 5,000 dives on his until it finally died and many of his buddies used the 3 button ZOOPs.
Every guide in Bali last May was diving the Suunto ZOOP Novo because they're affordable and have user replacement batteries with a long warning before needing changed.
Yes, Shearwater is the greatest thing since sliced bread and the display and all the adjustments are super cool.....You pay for that and for many here on ScubaBoard that's great!
I don't dive below 130' these days and pick up practically NEW Suunto ZOOP Novo wrist units for $100 or so. I always dive 2 computers and now my Apple ULTRA II watch.
Still learning my way around the Oceanic + settings (first dive in a pool yesterday) and the display is beautiful.......But I'll still strap on 1 or 2 Suunto ZOOP Novo units in the Red Sea in June 2025, Palau in March 2026, and Dumaguete Philippines in June 2026, etc.
Suunto has made thousands (maybe 10s of thousands) of computers over a long time. To bash a brand for a recall as others have stated they (like other brands) might have had a small batch of sensors that didn't last forever (another common complaint in the scuba world) I believe isn't warranted.
Just one old guy's opinion!
David Haas
I have three Suunto computers, on one of them the depth sensor has failed. It thinks it’s at ridiculous depths when it’s sitting on my bench. As I am in the UK, Suunto head office refused to repair it for free, and for what they wanted for the service charge I could buy a new basic dive computer.
I do some work with an electronics manufacturer, and ALL electronic components have some percentage of failures. QA varies across the electronics industry. And depth sensors are a cheap component. The spare parts price is at least 10 times higher than the manufacturer sourcing price. Added to the issue around failures is that during COVID, sourcing of almost all electronic components became scarce globally and quality was negatively affected across the entire electronics sector.
I’m realistic, It’s not the failures that bother me, but how the manufacturers choose to address the problem with their customers.
I don’t knock Suunto for having sensor failures or the product recall but for damn poor customer service. In North America they were forced to address the issue by a class action lawsuit. Unfortunately in Europe and elsewhere they continue to stonewall customers.
David Haas
Contributor
Not sure of UK / Europe policies for repairs or replacements. My limited knowledge on the Suunto recall and lawsuit that resulted in the recall and replacement in the US wasn't even known to me until I read it here......And I had been using Suunto ZOOP 3 button models for 4-5+ years by then with zero problems as had many of my dive buddies.
I checked and got one new ZOOP Novo for free for an old one the sensor failed on at about 1,000 dives. It wasn't even new so well out of any warranty.....Think I bought that one for less than $100 with maybe 5 dives on it (???)
Today there are several great sport diving computer choices for under $300.00 USD. To me, going back decades of diving that's darn affordable considering how far dive computers have come.
Part of my work life was for Allen Bradley (acquired by Rockwell) and I'm aware of electronics, the COVID supply chain problems, etc. My wife also works in electronics distribution so maybe we have a different perspective coming from manufacturing backgrounds.
People forget to manufacture something at a price people will buy is challenging.......
When Benemec (a Finnish manufacturer competitor of Suunto back in the day) manufactured the ORCA Dive Computers (also sold as the Dacor Equinox, Dive Rite Status II and a couple other "badged" models) I worked a few dive shows for ORCA......Both consumer and DEMA......
Once, a guy came up to us at the ORCA Dive Computer booth) asking if we had a 2 or 3 gas computer. We said "no" and he said why not? We said; "Sure, we can build you one.....Give us $300,000.00 dollars to develop, test, make prototypes, decide on how many models, source components, do more testing and you'll have it."
His reaction was priceless as he stumbled away stammering his objections
Hell, recalling that story the guy shouldn't have been SPORT scuba diving much less 2-3 different gases as I recall his physical condition was one foot in the grave !!! More $$$$ than brains......
I really think people need to chill out, buy some easy to use equipment and go work on their watermanship skills and physical shape before worrying about the toys.
But whatda' I know?
LOL......
DH
Old photo diving TWO Suunto 3 Button ZOOP computers! LOL......
I checked and got one new ZOOP Novo for free for an old one the sensor failed on at about 1,000 dives. It wasn't even new so well out of any warranty.....Think I bought that one for less than $100 with maybe 5 dives on it (???)
Today there are several great sport diving computer choices for under $300.00 USD. To me, going back decades of diving that's darn affordable considering how far dive computers have come.
Part of my work life was for Allen Bradley (acquired by Rockwell) and I'm aware of electronics, the COVID supply chain problems, etc. My wife also works in electronics distribution so maybe we have a different perspective coming from manufacturing backgrounds.
People forget to manufacture something at a price people will buy is challenging.......
When Benemec (a Finnish manufacturer competitor of Suunto back in the day) manufactured the ORCA Dive Computers (also sold as the Dacor Equinox, Dive Rite Status II and a couple other "badged" models) I worked a few dive shows for ORCA......Both consumer and DEMA......
Once, a guy came up to us at the ORCA Dive Computer booth) asking if we had a 2 or 3 gas computer. We said "no" and he said why not? We said; "Sure, we can build you one.....Give us $300,000.00 dollars to develop, test, make prototypes, decide on how many models, source components, do more testing and you'll have it."
His reaction was priceless as he stumbled away stammering his objections
Hell, recalling that story the guy shouldn't have been SPORT scuba diving much less 2-3 different gases as I recall his physical condition was one foot in the grave !!! More $$$$ than brains......
I really think people need to chill out, buy some easy to use equipment and go work on their watermanship skills and physical shape before worrying about the toys.
But whatda' I know?
LOL......
DH
Old photo diving TWO Suunto 3 Button ZOOP computers! LOL......
I think this sums up well the difference in Suunto’s consumer “protection” offered in North America, even if forced to do so by a class action lawsuit, and their treatment of their consumers elsewhere.
If Suunto is aware that 1% of their products will fail in this way, they should simply replace them period.
Shearwater has also experienced quality problems on some of their models, but does free replacements in North America (lawyers advice to head off an expensive lawsuit) but expects customers to pay elsewhere. One SB member is on his 8th Teric, in 5 years, and only paid for the first one. He’s still a fan of the brand.
It’s not the failures which negatively affect the company’s reputation, but how they deal with them.
Still Kicking
Contributor
People buy a new phone every couple of years no problem ....not because the old one is broken but because....new.
But by god, my 18 year old dive computer (which I take into high pressure saltwater regularly and drop on the deck of the boat frequently) had better keep working until my grandkids hang up their fins! Lol
Suunto is effectively out of the US market now. They have paid their price.
But by god, my 18 year old dive computer (which I take into high pressure saltwater regularly and drop on the deck of the boat frequently) had better keep working until my grandkids hang up their fins! Lol
Suunto is effectively out of the US market now. They have paid their price.
i bought a mares m1 in 2005 i ve put around 100 dive on it until 2010. It s been sleeping on a shelve til 2022. Sometimes it work sometime not. LoL it s my back up computer. When it s gonna die i will replace it with the new zoom suunto send me.
Be safe
Be safe
David Haas
Contributor
Reading the response on how it's not the product but the request (or demand, or threat, etc.) being more important has me scratching my head.
I watched one dive shop who was all gaga about the Teric until as you said "problems" however major or minor. If I was on an 8th dive computer that failed I wouldn't feel all warm and fuzzy about the brand no matter how much they responded and replaced it.
During that same period Sunnto pumped out thousands of watch dive computers as did Seiko (they failed in the market mainly due to whoever was providing the algorithm) until along came Garmin. Once they jumped into the watch dive computer market real competition was off to the races. Now Oceanic, Shearwater and Garmin are the biggest players.
I do think we've almost reached a plateau in more features, complications, do everything from monitor you and your dive buddy / partner and what, 6 more people's gas supply? Geez Louise!
I dived my new "covered as smart watch on my Medicare policy" Apple ULTRA II yesterday in a pool.
The display is grand, start up and programming was simple and no, it doesn't have gas integration (yet, stay tuned...) I don't need that anyway for how I dive. As I've posted before 99.9999% of divers I have on trips worldwide with a 1st stage pressure transducer STILL run some type of SPG back up in their 2nd HP port.
Whether the Apple ULTRA II works 100% on my next trip remains to be seen. I like the display and it blows every other watch display out of the water.
Yeah, it "only" does ATA 1.4, O2 up to 50%, blah blah blah......It's married to Oceanic + App too which many will love and some will hate.
To each their own
Dive safe, dive often and enjoy yourself!
DH
Cousteau team Britannic divers circa 1975-1976. They dived TRIMIX before computers or even super developed dive tables.
They had a Dr. and some research decompression guru plus a diving bell to come back up and complete decompression in relative comfort. I think they did a few hundred dives in total to maybe 374' feet with no bends.....
Note the gear.......A watch, a depth gauge, triple tanks, no BCD, WET SUIT, etc. Pretty amazing!
I watched one dive shop who was all gaga about the Teric until as you said "problems" however major or minor. If I was on an 8th dive computer that failed I wouldn't feel all warm and fuzzy about the brand no matter how much they responded and replaced it.
During that same period Sunnto pumped out thousands of watch dive computers as did Seiko (they failed in the market mainly due to whoever was providing the algorithm) until along came Garmin. Once they jumped into the watch dive computer market real competition was off to the races. Now Oceanic, Shearwater and Garmin are the biggest players.
I do think we've almost reached a plateau in more features, complications, do everything from monitor you and your dive buddy / partner and what, 6 more people's gas supply? Geez Louise!
I dived my new "covered as smart watch on my Medicare policy" Apple ULTRA II yesterday in a pool.
The display is grand, start up and programming was simple and no, it doesn't have gas integration (yet, stay tuned...) I don't need that anyway for how I dive. As I've posted before 99.9999% of divers I have on trips worldwide with a 1st stage pressure transducer STILL run some type of SPG back up in their 2nd HP port.
Whether the Apple ULTRA II works 100% on my next trip remains to be seen. I like the display and it blows every other watch display out of the water.
Yeah, it "only" does ATA 1.4, O2 up to 50%, blah blah blah......It's married to Oceanic + App too which many will love and some will hate.
To each their own
Dive safe, dive often and enjoy yourself!
DH
Cousteau team Britannic divers circa 1975-1976. They dived TRIMIX before computers or even super developed dive tables.
They had a Dr. and some research decompression guru plus a diving bell to come back up and complete decompression in relative comfort. I think they did a few hundred dives in total to maybe 374' feet with no bends.....
Note the gear.......A watch, a depth gauge, triple tanks, no BCD, WET SUIT, etc. Pretty amazing!
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