In reply to:
It took couple of minutes for it to shut off, the receiver itself never got hot at all, perhaps a little warm, but nothing that should shut off because of inpending thermal damage.
Ah... It sounds to me that the thermal shutdown circuit has likely been set too conservatively. Or, perhaps some of power transistors are not properly thermal-coupled to the heatsink. Who knows? Since the thermal sensor monitors the temperature of certain critical internal locations of the receiver (such as the surface of power transistors), the receiver case does not necessarily have to be "hot" before it kicks in. However, I do not think it is functioning properly if it shuts down when the case is only "a little warm."
At any rate, I believe that Onkyo has a legal obligation to repair/exchange a brand new unit that is not properly working, regardless of whatever BS they declare about "non-authorized" dealers. I would request a warranty repair.
