Pioneer Electronics USA INC Warranty refused on unit less than 4 months old, sent to Long Beach California

According to Pioneer I caused moisture damage to a unit that had faulty functions. This item is a DDJ-SR.

Unit was purchased through Amazon. Worked great for almost 2 months. Was used in live performances and at home. Always stored either in a closet when not in use, or left on a Stand designated for the unit.

Over time it appeared the right jog wheel was not always responsive. It was a pressure sensitive part that was no longer reacting. The left side of the unit was fine.

Within a few weeks specific buttons would trigger alterniative buttons on the opposing side of the unit. Also the right filter knob no longer worked as normal, and would start to interfere with the audio stream when not being used.

I packaged and sent the unit to Pioneer as it was less than 4 months used and was no longer usable for a live performance.

They have sent me pictures taken by a poor cellphone camera of this supposed moisture damage to the unit. It is unclear from these photos if it's even my unit. It's not clear from the picture what possible residue or debree is being shown, or which part of the unit was damaged. The other picture is of the actual PCB boards inside something and it appears grainy and impossible for diagnosis as to the condition of these PCB boards due to the low quality image.

They are asking me for more than half the value of an item that is less than 5 months purchased to repair unspecific damages caused by a source of moisture.

I cannot understand how this item of mine was wet. Drinks are not kept near it, moisture was not present in or near the unit, let alone the draught stricken area i'm living in.

The only conlclusion I can draw to this item being wet or stored in a moist enviroment were the various floods and rainfall records set in the South West in late September while the unit was in Tranist. I have found several articles describing flooding and other unexpected bouts of rain in the area this unit was shipped for warranty repair.

So far I am having the unit returned as I cannot trust them to keep it, let alone the exceptional value they expect for repairing damage that I honestly do not believe I caused.

So far I have not had the change to open this unit myself as it was under warranty and I really thought Pioneer was a good company for DJ equipment of this nature. I don't even know if what they are sending back will be the same one and/or in worse condition thatn when shipped to them.

I would rather have sent some of the rainfall data and other flooding information and lack of proper diagnostic images they procured in denial of this warranty with somebody who actually cares about customers, but there appears to be a lack of connection to that part with Pioneer.

Maybe I did somehow ruin this unit, which honestly I don't believe I had. Meanwhile I have several computers, laptops, cellphones, gaming consoles, and other electronics both new and old that work just fine and are carried through far more abuse than this unit was. If it was me that got this item wet, atleast to a degree where I could have witnesssed it, this report would not be here and I would not have sent it in for a Warranty repair.

Side note: Pioneer: You really made me happy with this controller and I even taught people how to use them and helped you sell others. I don't really want to try others but it looks like that may be my best bet and this has been an expensive lesson for me and the faith I had in you for many many years is fading.