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How Sony, Microsoft, and Other Gadget Makers Violate Federal Warranty Law (vice.com)

Reader citadrianne shares a Motherboard article: There are big "no trespassing" signs affixed to most of our electronics. If you own a gaming console, laptop, or computer, it's likely you've seen one of these warnings in the form of a sticker placed over a screw or a seam: "Warranty void if removed." In addition, big manufacturers such as Sony, Microsoft, and Apple explicitly note or imply in their official agreements that their year-long manufacturer warranties -- which entitle you to a replacement or repair if your device is defective -- are void if consumers attempt to repair their gadgets or take them to a third party repair professional. What almost no one knows is that these stickers and clauses are illegal under a federal law passed in 1975 called the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act . To be clear, federal law says you can open your electronics without voiding the warranty, regardless of what the language of that warranty says.

6 of 189 comments (clear)

  1. Re:What about bans for using 3rd party parts / sho by JasonKoebler · · Score: 5, Informative

    This is addressed in the article. All that shit is illegal, too

  2. Re:Warranty by xtal · · Score: 4, Informative

    Whenever car dealers pull this shady shit, get them to write it down on paper (or record it voice).

    Then apply your small claims court to the problem and notify the parent manufacturer. There are substantial liabilities for this foolishness.

    --
    ..don't panic
  3. Re: I'm shocked by adolf · · Score: 4, Informative

    I've been telling everyone (here, too) about the Warranty Act of 1975, every time the foolish notion of "voiding" a warranty comes up, for over a decade.

    If you're just hearing about it now, you should look around more.

  4. Re:warranty length by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    Actually, you're mistaken.

    http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/extended-warranties/buying-guide.htm

    "The median price paid for a plan was $123 for a major appliance and $37 for a small one"

    $685 - $649 = $36

    2.7% is substantially less?

  5. Re:warranty length by Moridineas · · Score: 5, Informative

    I just checked too, and I thought actually putting some numbers down would be informative, rather than just making statements without any backing data. What computer are you talking about that costs $649 baseline (I didn't see anything like that on a quick look on the Apple store).

    Germany, Baseline Silver MacBook (Apple.com/de/): €1449
    United States, Baseline Silver MacBook (Apple.com): $1299
    UK, Baseline Silver Macbook (Apple.com/uk/): £1049 (a lot more flux than normal in this price, due to Brexit and unusually low USD.GBP exchange rates)

    Cost of AppleCare = $129 for 3 years. Cost per year then is $43, so two years of warranty would be an added $86.

    DE €1449 -> $1600. Minus 19% VAT = $1,344. Plus two years of AppleCare ($86) = $1430
    UK £1049 -> $1395. Minus 20% VAT = $1162. Plus two years of AppleCare ($86) = $1248

    US $1299. Plus full 3 years of AppleCare ($129) = $1428. Two dollars difference from what what I estimated as the DE price breakdown.

    So the German price in Euros seems pretty darn close to me! Did I miss anything?

  6. False by TylerJWhit · · Score: 4, Informative

    This is an extremely limited and inaccurate view of the Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act.

    First, this details what a FULL warranty is, and does not supersede state laws or the FTC's addressing of antitrusts.

    Furthermore, the following law clearly states that they CAN detail the limitations of the warranty. https://www.law.cornell.edu/us...