Exposure Lights MaXx D Problems

Right, this is more enquiry than "What do I do"… (I know I can send the light back, I'm just curious)

A couple months ago I picked myself up a Exposure MaXx D light for my winter nights road training. First month or so I was really impressed, bright enough even on the lowest setting, battery length, neat & tidy etc…

I thought I'd made the right decision in ignoring other more powerful light systems because the MaXx D seems like a bargain in comparison. It's all one unit, most others are a light–>cable–>battery system. I hate this type of system because, companies spend all this time developing the "best" light in the world, only to use a piece of velcro to mount the battery.

Basically, the MaXx D seemed like the lighting system for me, unfortunately I've started to encounter issues that are starting to make me think otherwise! I was out for a couple hours recently on the road riding in some pretty heavy rain. The light started to switch between brightness settings at the slightest bump in the road. This got gradually worse during the ride until the light turned off all together (It was fully charged before the ride)! Fantastic I think you will agree at 8pm on dark back roads! Ok, so it was very heavy rain but the light's charging port should not allow water in to cause a short on a £350 light.

I put this down to the rain, dried out the light, charged it and it was fine again. A week later in lighter rain and I'm having the same problem again! Finally last night, in bone dry conditions I experienced the switching of brightness setting again!

I know my light isn't a one off because a friend of mine had the same issues to the point his has now died totally and will not turn on.

So, I'm now in a position of return it, ask for a new one or return it, ask for money back. I've bought 3 different lights in the last 3-4 years and I don't want to be buying another one in preparation for winter next year! So….

Before I decide which route to take, who has one, any problems, how often do you use it etc…

Help appreciated…

I had one of the older Enduro Turbos. That went wrong (And was repaired FOC) twice, then water got into it and did something similar to what you're describing. I sent it back and got a refund.

if you bought it new and it's less than 2 years old then you should be able to send it back to Exposure and they'll sort it gratis.

For what it's worth I've had mine for about 15 months, used daily through all types of conditions and riding and aside from the battery life understandably being a little less than it was when i got it, hasn't missed a beat.

But anyway, get onto Exposure – their customer service team is pretty good (and that's part of the reason you're paying £300 for a decent light is the backup and warranty)

Yeah, chase exposure. My light unit has been fantastic for a number of years but I have a major issue with the bar mounting brackets but I rarely mention it. Anyway, they've sent me two new brackets in replacement for the old ones when they have broken.

In one way I believe it's karma. When you start asking 20 quid for a bit of metal and a spring, the taking the piss god comes down hard on you.

Stick with the exposure – as mentioned above – they offer excellent after sales service and (from what I've read) are generally reliable.

if you're goign to start askign for refunds etc then you need to take that up with your retailer as your contract is with them

My light unit has been fantastic for a number of years but I have a major issue with the bar mounting brackets but I rarely mention it.

do they start rattling? mine started and gluing a small triangle of inner tube to the light mount has sorted…

Enduro Max here, bought from Evans in Jan 09.

Last July (no rain) it stopped working completely, tap on the back of it would get it to come on but only momentarily.

Returned it to them with clear instructions that I was going to be away for 2 weeks and not to return it to me then. They did of course. Royal Mail kept it for a week and then it gots lost for 6 bloody weeks in their 'returns system' (apparently all returns now go to a shed in London rather than directly back to the sender).

Ok Exposure we're apologetic but nothing else. Lucky I had my old L&M to get me by.

I got it back eventually, they replaced a board apparently and it's been fine since but I'm worried about the long term durability – what happens after the warranty is up?

Then last weekend the red-button off the mounting bracket fell off during a ride.

Emailed them last Sunday and have yet to hear anythning.

In fact I was just about to give them a call.

I know they must have sold sheds of them, about 5 of them in the group I ride with, one failed battery and one failed LED. I was wondering if their durability was all it was talked up to be. Perhaps this thread might prove otherwise?

They all rattle pretty much out of the box. Nope, one broke it's little knob on the very first ride. The other corroded away unacceptably quickly for my liking.

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I ride with, one failed battery and one failed LED. I was wondering if their durability was all it was talked up to be. Perhaps this thread might prove otherwise?

Good luck with that one. I had the audacity to suggest here that garmin units were a bit crap after 4 of them broke in quick succession and was told that it was 'an ill thought out rant'.

In fact I was just about to give them a call.

And I did, and to be fair they've said they'll warranty it for one of the newer design brackets.

i have been using an Exposure joystick maxx and Enduro Maxx for the last 2 years. During the winter months they get used 5 days a week which also includes a 2-3hrs night ride.

In that time they have performed perfectly with no issues whatsoever. They have been out in the rain, covered in mud and never have went out on me!

My Joystick Maxx had to be sent back as the battery was running dead at 2 hrs not the 3 it should be. I've always been 'fairly' happy with it but know of a lot people who have had problems with Exposure lights.

I looked at a Maxx D when i upgraded but went for the Ayups which have been faultless.

Customer service is very good i will grant you but ideally if the products worked well anyway you wouldn't need the customer service in the first place.

commuted & night ridden in a maxx 2 enduro & joystick maxx 2 for months in all weather with no problems.

ill be frank its better you send the msg above to exposure so they can show you how good there after markey service is rather tan posting on a here .

sadly things do break its how its dealt with that is important.

ive used them from day one with an early race model through to the maxx-d .never had a problem

on another note ayups win all the awards but 3 people in our night ride gang use them & 2 have loose connections on the lights & yes guess what the little buggers have to be sent to australia for warranty …….no thanks

That is the downside to Ayups now and in all honesty i probably wouldn't have bought them had they not had a UK base at the time. But until they go wrong (if ever) then i've been very happy with them.

I had a Exposure joystick maxx for 11 days before it completely died in the middle of a ride! I sent it back via Wiggle (who were very good I might add) it the took 12 weeks for Exposure to return the unit. 10 days later it died again!

So it worked 21 days out of a total of 105 or 20% of the time I 'owned' it. I got a refund and 'upgraded' to a Hope Vision 2 which has been faultless!

Ive been using my joystick maxx all winter, 5 days a week with no problems.

joystick max and maxx D

every day and 2 24 hour races since october – faultless

But anyway, get onto Exposure – their customer service team is pretty good (and that's part of the reason you're paying £300 for a decent light is the backup and warranty)

When mine went wrong the 3rd time, it was 14 months old. They offered me a new light. I asked if they would warranty that for a further 2 years. They said no. SO I got a refund instead and bought a Lumi……

I haven't had any problems with my maxx d. I've had it over a year and it's coped with rain, being vertually submerged in mud and use pretty much every day through two winters. The only problem I've got with it is that it doesn't seem as bright as my £30 deal extreme head torch. It is, but the head torch beam washes out the light – not exposure's fault though. Send it back until you get a good one.

Have a MaxxD /Joystick and haven't had any problems except for a faulty charger. Contacted Exposure and they were more than happy to replace it for a new one free of charge..

Def get it sent back and I'm sure they will sort it out or replace completely. Pretty good at sorting things IMO 😉

So it really does seem like a split down the middle no problems, loads of problems.

As I said, I know I can send it back to exposure and all will be sorted but I was curious to see how many people have had issues. I don't want to send it back, get a new light or repaired, put it away for most of the summer only to break it out next winter and face the same issues.

A note on the brackets, I'm on my second. I had a SLOW "off" on some ice and it snapped (far too easily in my opinion). Cost me £20 to replace but I suppose it was my fault, technically!

Thanks for your comments, I'll monitor over the next week and seem how it goes…

A trick with the bracket is to not tighten it up so tight so when you do come off it just moves it round the handlebars instead of snapping 😉

good luck with the light… IMO get it sent off and double checked for peace of mind why it did it.