At 2 o'clock in the morning, the elevator of the high-end apartment suddenly shook violently and stopped between the 17th and 18th floors. Ms. Li is trapped and the emergency intercom has already malfunctioned. She can only rely on her phone to search for "elevator self rescue guide" under weak signal. The property security guard casually said, "Don't worry, the repairman won't be back to work until tomorrow." This thrilling experience uncovered the long-standing hidden dangers in the elevator industry.
The Trap of Low Price Bidding
When bidding for a commercial complex, A brand won the bid with a price 30% lower than the market price. Not long after the contract was signed, the elevator frequently experienced door opening and closing malfunctions. The investigation found that the manufacturer replaced the originally planned imported components with cheap unnamed products in order to save costs, resulting in a decrease in sensor sensitivity and frequent incidents of people being trapped. The advertised 'ten-year maintenance contract' actually only includes simple lubrication, and actual replacement of core components requires additional fees.
Intelligent gimmick
A newly built community claims to have installed an "AI elevator" that can intelligently dispatch tasks by facial recognition. During peak hours, the system repeatedly misjudges floors and even delivers food delivery drivers directly to the top floor. More seriously, emergency communication was not connected to the regulatory platform, and the elderly missed the golden rescue time when they were trapped due to no signal on their mobile phones.
Maintenance monopoly
On the eve of welcoming foreign guests, the elevator of a five-star hotel suddenly went on strike. The contracted maintenance company refused to work on weekends, and the hotel had to seek third-party assistance. The elevator control cabinet has been encrypted by the original factory, making it impossible for external personnel to operate.
How consumers can protect themselves
Expert advice:
Pay attention to the full lifecycle cost, not only considering equipment prices, but also including 15 years of maintenance, energy consumption, and updates;
Require third-party testing, especially to verify the materials and processes of safety components;
Conduct emergency drills before acceptance to confirm whether the rescue response is truly effective within 24 hours.
Conclusion
Ms. Li ultimately protected her rights through legal means, but found that there were 127 instances of fraud in the elevator maintenance records. This experience reveals the flaws beneath the glamorous appearance: elevators have never been ordinary commodities, but a system closely linked to life safety. The choice of consumers is not about convenience, but whether they can avoid a 'elevator journey' from becoming a fatal adventure.
