Canon Ixus 500 intrinsic metering error

I have discovered that the Ixus 500 has a design error in that the
centre-weighted average and evaluative modes are reversed and this leads to
the automatic mode default being the centre-weighted average and not the
intended evaluative mode. The automatic setting is fixed. I thought I had
read of this somewhere but my dealer (Jessops UK) has confirmed this error
*in writing*
as applying to my camera and another randomly selected from stock; and I
will be writing to Canon UK. I have reported it also by phone. Is this fault
restricted to UK cameras or all Ixus 500s - and does anyone know if it
affects other models.

Could I ask anyone with the Ixus 500 (Powershot 500) to reply saying whether
their camera is affected or not. Easy test: dark oblong in centre of target
with white newspaper surround. Spot meter (correct) will overexpose
surround, evaluative should be as well balanced as possible and centre
weighted should make light surround slightly overexposed. Thus, correct
exposures would be: spotcentre-weightedevaluative. However, the Ixus 500
gives
spot"evaluative""centre-weighted." Not subjective - read exposures from
downloaded photos into ZoomBrowser EX. (ie spot [lighter/more
exposure]than "evaluative etc

Or: light coloured oblong surrounded by darker area should be
spotcentre-weightedevaluative [spot setting darkest - evaluative
brightest] but "centre-weighted" is brightest - thus wrongly labelled.
means more than; means less than.

Thanks for any replies.
Peter McKenzie