I’m sorry to hear you’ve had so many issues. Yes, this is a known issue with firmware 3.2+ on the GC3. There is no fix for it yet (will check again with 2GIG), but it can be worked around by changing the Motion Detector type to (10) Interior with Delay.
Would I benefit by claiming manufacturer warranty…or does this truly apply to all GC3 Panels (via the firmware version)?
No, it applies to any GC3 with firmware 3.2+
You would need 3.1.3 firmware or older on a GC3 for this not to occur.
It is a known and frustrating issue. The more users vocalize disappointment the more likely it will be resolved quickly by Nortek of course. We have contacted 2GIG a good deal regarding this. I’m fairly confident that the error is due to some interaction with the new Partitions (Smart Areas) so I am not sure how difficult it would be to fix.
I can’t speak to another dealer’s policies and billing choices, but there would be no reason to continually pay someone regarding this because there are only two real work-arounds: changing the sensor type to (10) Interior with Delay, or simply do not put a motion detector anywhere between the entry sensor and the panel location, but this second option often defeats the purpose of the detector.