Feds Target Those ‘Warranty Void if Removed’ Stickers

The Magnuson Moss Warranty Act prohibits them in most cases.
www.lehtoslaw.com

[@MegaCyberleader]

these corporations don't even honor their own warranties

[@bdp-racing]

Gigabyte is the only one that has been good about taking care of customers.

[@goldenhate6649]

Thats because Gigabytes reputation was so far down the shitter for their products being terrible they had to do something to recover customers

[@hugegamer5988]

@@bdp-racing some of them, I assume, are good companies.

[@richbadour6002]

Perfect

[@silverXnoise]

Get used to it. Individual rights and consumer protections are a thing of the past.

[@tedhardulak7698]

I removed the tags from all my Pillows and Bed several years ago. The Police were there within the hour.

[@hugegamer5988]

The dreaded answer to “What are you in for?”

[@kaotickj]

That stopped being funny decades ago. Because 1) Those are California fire code tags, and 2) "Except by the consumer"

[@qualicumwilson5168]

Next time just remove the ones that say "Do not remove until purchased" Hold it, that is what almost ALL of them say. . .

[@DebraGill]

😂

[@im2yys4u81]

😅🤣😂

[@markhellman-pn3hn]

WARNING : warranty void when opening the box !!

[@jeffreyhowll1392]

I can remember when software packages used to say by breaking the tab, you agree to the terms and conditions contained herein... So you couldn't read them until you broke the sticker - at which point you were told you didn't own the software you purchased, you only had a license to use it at the programmer's discresion...

[@SplitScreamOFFICIAL]

Warning: If you read this, your warranty is void

[@pickeljarsforhillary102]

Purchasing said product voids warranty.

[@davebrown6552]

Write your own sales agreement and stick it on your debit card, "by agreeing to this sale the manufacturer agrees to offer free babysitting services (or whatever)

[@misterdeplorable2088]

Guaranteed fresh until opened

[@mikeyh0]

The right to repair is a huge issue. Louis Rossman had been discussing this for years,

[@DageLV]

But your right to repair shouldnt be honored by warranty. Sure it should be easy to repair, no fancy screws or whatever, but if i think my mouse scroll wheel is acting up a bit, my right to repair using a sledgehammer to knock the mouse wheel back in place shouldnt be honored by warranty. After warranty expires, sure i can use sledgehammer to nudge it back in place. On december my mouse wheel went loose, the part which makes the scrolling happen broke off. i didnt want to wait for warranty, so i opened up the mouse, detected the problem and used superglue to glue the wheel to the scrolling mechanism, it works as new, but should the company warranty apply for my superglue stuff? No.

[@mikeyh0]

@@DageLV That made me laugh a bit. Repaired without a warranty? What a concept! Be careful. If this news gets out, it could bankrupt the mouse manufacturers.

[@DanniV8]

Warranty isn't a right to repair issue. To me it's just perfectly logical to have some tamper protection so that manufacturers can't be on the hook if the end user starts fiddling with the product which results in it being damaged, and then requests it to be replaced or fixed under warranty. In my opinion, the law in the USA regarding this part of the warranty is illogical, and if followed, will result negatively on the end users. Without a warranty void sticker to see if the product has been tampered with resulting in damage, the manufacturers then have to open up the product and inspect it for user made damages before accepting the claim which leads to further delays and issues for the customer who subsequently might get charged an inspection fee if user made damage is found. A warranty void if removed sticker is a much more effective way to quickly figure out if the claim should be honoured or not. Right to repair is a completely separate issue, and it has everything to do with what happens after the warranty has expired and the manufacturer has no longer any obligation to repair or replace the device for free.

[@mikeyh0]

@@DanniV8 There is more to this that your summation to be sure.

[@AprilJMoon]

@@DanniV8 The problem with warranty is that you have to send the item back to the manufacturer rather than an approved 'local' repair shop. Apple have been perverting warranties and insurances for years, and reducing right to repair. It is people born into this corrupt Apple era that make arguments such as yours

[@CyberDocUSA]

Just send it to Louis Rossman - he's got our backs.

[@talkingjoseph5582]

Great guy, very knowledgeable

[@EthansSmallHands]

But he can't do everything. We need all the voices on this.

[@billfarmer7984]

@@EthansSmallHands Exactly, God can't do all the work, we need to help.

[@4FlatTires]

You know Louis supports the little guy... He is one of the biggest bugs in Apple's butt by always calling out all the anti consumer nonsense the company comes up with.

[@GeorgeWashingtonLaserMusket]

Rossmann*

[@jacksprat418-ju5qo]

These corporations do not want independent repairmen to fix their products! More GREED!

[@Absaalookemensch]

Louis Rossmann, an Apple motherboard computer repair shop owner revealed how shoddy Apple's main warranty repair facility work is. They have repair quotas for numbers of cases resolved per day, thus many are "resolved" despite still being broke. Rossmann is a big Right to Repair advocate.

[@hugegamer5988]

They don’t want you to even legally be able to own your possessions, rather you must rent them and if you don’t keep paying you lose them.

[@baldrian22]

@@Absaalookemensch i think he have his own youtube channel to. and that apple tryed to make thing dificult for him.

[@finned958]

Warranties are usually one year. Why wouldn’t you follow their instructions if you want to claim a warranty repair where they pay? After it is out of warranty, you can do whatever you want.

[@jhoughjr1]

Independent repaitmen dont do warranty repair. Have you EVER tried to support a system that has unknow things done to it?

[@pirobot668beta]

While working at University, we received a power-supply from a well known vendor. The "do not remove" sticker was placed over one of the output terminals of the supply. We couldn't use the thing without tampering with the sticker! Calls to the vendor didn't help at all...they'd sell us a new supply but they absolutely would not exchange our 'defective' supply! Had to break the sticker to test the supply...

[@EnlistedBombin]

ATX lol

[@orppranator5230]

Take a picture before and after breaking the sticker, then inform them of that and the MM warranty act. The sticker is literally not legally enforceable.

[@rothn2]

@@orppranator5230 The thing is you have to be willing to sue them, and often you can't even do that because there is usually an arbitration agreement, meaning you have to argue in front of an arbitrator, that THEY PAY and have a business relationship with, who will intentionally misunderstand you in order to preserve that relationship. The whole thing is so corrupt. My approach: Look for a company that explicitly stands by their products and does not do that kind of thing. If I don't find one, buy the very cheapest thing that meets my needs.

[@auturgicflosculator2183]

@@orppranator5230 Maybe send the BBB a copy, too.

[@nicholasvinen]

​@@orppranator5230 not only is it not legally enforceable, the sticker is illegal to put on the product since they can't deny a warranty just because you opened it.

[@BlackJesus8463]

Louis Rossmann and Gamer's Nexus have been talking about this for years! I mean these corporations have lawyers and they know they're breaking the law to the detriment of their customers but it keeps happening. Like how the state swears an oath to uphold your rights but knowingly violates them anyway. If the organization doesn't serve the public interest it doesn't deserve to exist.

[@riccochet704]

Yup, Steve at GN covered this extensively. Those stickers have zero legal backing, and he says it every time he cuts/pokes through one.

[@JoeRogansForehead]

Because they never face penalties other than fines . Once some lawyers and executives get prison time I bet it would slow down

[@showwhite7320]

It's been going on forever. A common example is the statement on parking garage tickets that state that the parking lot is not responsible for stolen or damaged cars. However, by common law, the parking lot needs to take reasonable steps to protect the cars. Another common example is skiing tickets that state that they aren't responsible if you get hurt. However, by law, they are responsible for their negligence. You can't agree to certain contract terms due to issues of public safety. However, businesses know that these warnings are not enforceable, but they know that most people will believe the warnings and won't file a lawsuit. Their strategy works.

[@suedefringe]

Right to repair ! Love Louis. Came across him by accident years ago.

[@starchitin]

@@showwhite7320 Until someone gets creative and goes after them for "practicing law without a license"

[@redneckcoder]

GAmers Nexus was about them denying warranties claiming the product was damaged - even on new items that just didn't work out of the box.

[@jeraldbottcher1588]

Also when they would sell refurb items without repairing them as new

[@spvillano]

@@jeraldbottcher1588 ah, but the prize winner was the Miniscribe bricks. Where, to inflate their inventory, they literally put bricks in the box in place of hard drives. A few accidentally got shipped, they'd also send out defective units repackaged. But, fugly mess that well, destroyed the company and well, prison ensued...

[@kevinerbs2778]

actually, that was because they had to do minimally damage it to get device open to get the drive out it. It was in their own materials that you had to remove the drive out of the device, before sending it in for the warranty claim.

[@redneckcoder]

​@@kevinerbs2778 all I know is that I buy all electronics presuming there is no warranty now days. I might try for something like an iPhone, but even then its a crap shoot if they will honor it. That said, I have a now almost 6 years old iPhone that still works - though the battery is getting worn out. Going to need to replace it this year I think. Hope the next lasts as long.

[@clynesnowtail1257]

It seemed to me what ASUS was doing was if you sent a product in, they would look it over and inspect for damage first, and then quote you for any repairs without mentioning the original fault it was sent in for. These would even be for cosmetic issues such as scratches or light damage to a laptop chassis that doesn't affect function. The quote would make it sound like you had to pay for the unrelated repair to get your warranty service. Very scammy. If you pressed them on a cosmetic issue they would give in and do the warranty repair but a lot of people didnt do that and paid out for the unwanted repair.

[@a-k-jun-1]

A friend's husband bought a generator from a major sporting goods store here in the USA. He registered the 3 year warranty u der his name at the time of purchase. He passed away unexpectedly a few months later. Well the generator had a catastrophic failure at 16 months old. The company denied and canceled the warranty because she was not the original purchaser. Now she has a $4000 paperweight. It's sad hiw slimy some companies have become.

[@jhoughjr1]

Well any second hand owner could claim that. Weird they sell generators at a sporting good store

[@davidh9638]

Small Claims Lawsuit.

[@timdowney6721]

Most companies.

[@richardcranium5839]

take it back and list the owner as him

[@donwyoming1936]

Most companies don't offer a transferable warranty. He bought it. The warranty died with him.

[@mcapps1]

Why don't you mention Apple and their "moisture dots" that can't handle humidity????

[@jhoughjr1]

Thats been resolved for a long time now.

[@wallychambe1587]

Had Samsung phone wouldn't charge, said "moisture in the connector" I live on the coast!🤬🤬 Sent the phone to son in Kansas, worked fine up there!!😲😲😲

[@timdowney6721]

Another reason not to live in the Midwest or South.

[@wallychambe1587]

@@timdowney6721 🤣🤣🤣

[@1978garfield]

I had a Motorola phone die and was told it was water damage. One of the moisture stickers had started to turn colors. That had nothing to do with the cable between the halves wearing out (it was a flip phone) but was enough to keep Moto from fixing it. I wish they actually had to find moisture damage in stead of being able to say "We don't have to fix it because a sticker changed color in one corner." I could have fixed it if they would have sold me the part. Oh, well.

[@youtuuba]

In my experience, a lot of manufacturers don't seem to have very good warranty policy, oversight or coordination within their own doors. One example: I bought a piece of electronics test equipment, and indeed it had a sticker reading "No user serviceable parts inside. Warranty void if removed.", and indeed it was placed over a screw that needed to be removed in order to open the enclosure/case. Then right in the user manual was a section describing how to open the case in order to change the fuse, or add an accessory, or touch-up the calibration, etc; and it instructs the owner to "peel off and discard" the warranty sticker, remove the screw, and open the case.

[@robertgolding]

Changing RAM is like changing an air filter. In Australia those case stickers have been illegal for over 20 years for that reason alone.

[@Metalrogue]

Exactly! Not to mention needing to clean out dust to prevent overheating.

[@alli3219]

It still prevents a lot of people from messing with devices, and that's why manufacturers leave those stickers still on there. I'm not sure the ACCC will ever have the guts to go after them. Much more pressing cases with actual injuries are simply being ignored by this "regulatory body"... 😔

[@MrDlt123]

They try things like "You used a non-OEM air filter. Your entire car's warranty is void."

[@asrr62]

yep also you know hp printers are maddening you cant even use a non hp ink cause of drm. remember that keurig 2.0 that was a disaster!!! but hp gets away.

[@abandonedcranium6592]

Cellphones had small stickers inside that would change color if the sticker was exposed to moisture. People would bring their phones to authorized repair shops for repair only to be told it won't be covered under warranty because the stickers showed signs of moisture exposure. Those stickers could change color just from someone having the phone in their pocket when they were sweating. Even though the phones never got wet, the manufacturers would not honor the warranties. Companies will do anything to get out of honoring a warranty. 🤬

[@thewalkingcrow8946]

They change color in the humidity in my state. I used to repair phones. I saw a lot of those stickers.

[@hyperchuk]

Florida, right​@@thewalkingcrow8946

[@LRK-GT]

Watched one in an LG phone change in (near) real time while taking a shower. IIRC, I'd overheated the room w/ a dehumdifier and the phone was overheating. So, I pulled the battery, left the phone on the counter, and hopped in the shower.

[@gordonshumway7239]

The current FTC Chair is a rare bright spot in government …

[@JH-pt6ih]

And under Trump it's going to be - eff the FTC and corporations do what you want!

[@lightw8johnny]

Remember how to vote, one of em will be swift to ensure nothing protects the average American/consumer.

[@_PatrickO]

@@lightw8johnny It is ok to use his name. Joe Biden. Vote Joe Biden.

[@prodigalpriest]

Biden shits his pants trying to think. Try again.

[@_PatrickO]

@@prodigalpriest The right wing media narrative is not reality. A month ago Joe Biden did a 1hr interview live on howard stern. There is no faking a live interview. Biden talked about details of his life from young childhood to now. It is impossible for him to do an interview like that if his mind is not sound. Stop trusting the "main stream media" and look with your own eyes. Go look at the howard stern interview. He may have had a poor debate performance, but it was no where near as disastrous as trump and his endless lying. Trump isn't even capable of dropping the lies during a debate, he is sticking to all the crazy stuff he has been scaring people with at his rallies. This is why we keep seeing footage of people walking out of his rallies. When he starts doing the "Mama" bit or talking about hannibal lector as if he was a real person, people realize Donald Trump is insane.

[@patricej3481]

What is really crazy is when part of the troubleshooting they have you remove a covering or open a sealed compartment. After you verify something damaged or blown they tell you sorry the warranty is voided because you opened the compartment.

[@jhoughjr1]

Yeah thats definitely corrupt. The whole point of the seal is to ensure noone has altered it.

[@llareia]

Yeah I've definitely seen this practice before. "Are you sure? It says void if removed" "No that's not true it's just to scare you away". Later..."Sorry you voided the warranty by opening the case". "BUT YOU TOLD ME TO!"

[@SpaceCadet4Jesus]

Why do I not believe this as a standard practice?

[@Tahgtahv]

​@@SpaceCadet4Jesus Ya, I don't believe it either. You know how hard it is to actually talk to a person to troubleshoot these things? Let alone them telling you to open the device.

[@BuzzKiller23]

Consumer protection in the US is a joke. I hope the FTC gets it's act together.

[@llareia]

Nah they're too busy making sure Sony maintains its market dominance in video games by declaring Microsoft a monopolist on a new niche market they just created. 🙄

[@johntracy72]

FTC: F The Customers

[@KM-zu9we]

I remember the days when products were built to last. Now we have disposable products. They are made cheaply and more expensive to fix than replace.

[@jhoughjr1]

Even when products wwre "built to last" they still had warranties. They also cost a hell of a lot more. In engineering there arent solutions only trade offs and price sells consumer goods once they become common.

[@timdowney6721]

@@jhoughjr1 I would be interested in seeing an inflation-adjusted price study on, say, the “most reliable” products across a variety of appliances comparing the last 30 years.

[@dnandez79]

Its called planned obsolescence and it should be a crime to purposely sell a product you have purposely made to break.

[@Arum638]

I'm wondering how much survivorship bias accounts for that. How many brands back in the day were just as shit as some today, and we just don't remember? I haven't seen any literature about it, would like to read it if it exists.

[@craigbarnett5992]

Clearly, you mean BMW cars. Rolling (temporarily) crap made of self destructing brittle plastic parts.

[@bartsanders1553]

I wish they'd go after those "warranty void if purchased" stickers

[@spvillano]

Warranty void if you make the mistake of actually trying to use our product as intended.

[@ChiEKKUsama]

If a major company like O'Reilly's can figure out how to sell spare parts and accept returns for defects - and still be profitable - surely electronics companies can do the same thing. We USED to be able to buy components at Radio Shack!

[@micholob86]

I think that's a bad example. go to O'Reilly's website and look at their warranty requirements. items must be unopened and uninstalled. so if you get a bad part and install it well you are just SOL I guess.

[@johndougan6129]

Many moons ago radio tuners had color-coded paint over the tuning scews inside the radio set. My SF Commo man friend had a set of paints that could match any conceivable color combination. His radios were always the most powerful in the Group. He was a wizard! 😎

[@ClumsyCars]

golden screw driver lol

[@spvillano]

The problem being, the most powerful radio is the easiest radio to find, either by missile or a personal visit.

[@willj1598]

That's more of an FCC issue than FTC.

[@Tahgtahv]

@@spvillano Strictly speaking, a radio tuner doesn't emit radio waves, so I don't see how it would be more findable by anything. That said, unless the OP means the radio was capable of receiving more frequencies than other radios, power isn't a concept that makes sense. Power is a concept you use with radio transmitters, and doesn't really have much to do with what frequency it's broadcasting on.

[@spvillano]

@@Tahgtahv actually, quite a few tuners do emit in their IF frequencies. But, that's beyond this context. In over 28 years of military service, I never used a receiver only in the military, only transceivers that could by definition, transmit and receive. It's called communications, it's bidirectional to be able to ensure proper communication. And powerful receivers, well, no such thing, transmitters have power, receivers can only be efficient in reception. Now, I've saw transmitters that were detuned and had a higher effective power, this was at the cost of inefficently splattering signal over an entire band, making that transmitter even more easily located. The rule of thumb with military radios was the lowest power setting that gets one's signal to its recipient, not scream across the entire solar system and get incoming aircraft, missiles, artillery and very irritable infantry visiting in large numbers.

[@Mucklegipe]

In the United Kingdom we have the ‘Sale of goods Act’. This states an item should remain working and fit for purpose for a reasonable period of time. That means if for instance an expensive laptop fails just outside the manufacturers warranty period they may still be liable for a repair to be done free of charge.

[@silkvelvet2616]

Yes! This was brought in because of the shrinking warranty periods on expensive items. What used to have a 2yr warranty suddenly only came with 6 months or less. Build quality tanked, and nothing worked for long. Bringing that legislation in improved quality to a degree, but it did ensure that electrical goods with 3month warranties were far more likely to last at least 12months. And warranties are why I drive a Kia and will never buy any other brand of car. 7 year warranty. I even had an accident that was repaired by my insurer. They agreed to purchase Kia parts, but not use a Kia licensed mechanic. However, they did agree to a 7 year warranty on the parts and repair. Kia said my warranty with them still stood, except on that part of the car. And the warranty is transferable. I cannot think of any other company that offers such a thing. I do think even mattresses.e with more than a 12-month warranty anymore, they used to come with a 25yr one.

[@alli3219]

​@@silkvelvet2616 I loved the residual transferable KIA warranty, when I bought my car from a local hire company with still a few years left. Such peace of mind... 😊

[@Ryarios]

I used to use calibration equipment used to calibrate instrumentation. The calibration equipment had to be certified yearly as accurate. They would put these little sticker over the case screw holes that would void the calibration certificate if damaged. On some of the equipment, you had to remove the back of the case to replace the battery thus voiding the calibration certs. In some instances, calibrations used to be very expensive. On a side note, I never had an inspector check to see if those stickers were intact before allowing the equipment to be used to calibrate their instruments.

[@paulbingville6485]

I prefer the shirt that says "No User Serviceable Parts Inside".

[@bobbarker1798]

I notice your flag is upside down. Is that because you hate your country? Move to another one, there are plenty of choices.Better than disrespecting the one you are in.

[@OmniscientWarrior]

At least that one is true and fair.

[@Tahgtahv]

@@OmniscientWarrior Ya, that would be pretty funny if taken literally. The wearer is what would be inside the shirt, and I certainly wouldn't want to try and repair myself.

[@joshua43214]

I bought a used pair of Manley monoblock amplifiers. I deciphered the serial number from the images the seller had posted, and emailed Manley about it. I told that the amp had been properly registered, they gave me the some history on the amps, and told me to register it if I purchased them. EveAnna Manley Herself actually wound up in the email chain. Some companies are actually honorable and do the right thing

[@spacemissing]

Yes, but a family like the Manleys will often run things in a way very different from the way a corporate board does.

[@drzarkov39]

I bought a chair from Amazon that needed to be assembled. When I got to the very last step - to attach the arm - the screw would not go in the screw hole because there was a broken drill bit in the hole. I could not remove the bit. When I called Amazon about the problem, they told me there's nothing they could do because the product was no longer in its original condition. (I called the manufacturer, and they sent me a new arm for free.) The point is, once you start to assemble a product, Amazon's return policy is voided.

[@RJTC]

I had a somewhat similar thing - I bought a power supply made for vintage video game boards; the first board I was working on did not need one of the outputs (-5V). A month or so on, I started on a different repair - and found that the labelled -5V terminal, listed in its specifications, did not have any connection or components to produce the -5V supply! I contacted Amazon and said it was not as described, and was told it was outside the return period so they could not do anything. I said to the rep: "Does that mean Amazon UK does not honour English consumer law?" which got an instant "Of course we do!" response, then a few seconds of silence, then I was told I they were refunding it. Some of the reps just do not seem to see beyond the amazon "unwanted item" return time script, until they get a mental kick to shift them to consider laws and warranties instead.

[@alli3219]

Intended use? Not fit for purpose? That wouldn't fly in Australia, I guess...

[@ramjam720]

Many of these decals now say "No user serviceable parts inside".

[@jhoughjr1]

Because its true. Most users dont have surface mount gear. Most users dont know anything about electronics or mechanics.

[@kenbrown2808]

those have been around for decades.

[@SpaceCadet4Jesus]

Decals are to prevent ignorant people form messing around with stuff they shouldn't be messing with and actually make it worse or break it further.

[@captainjimolchs]

@@jhoughjr1 But some users do know something about electronics and mechanics.

[@nicholasvinen]

I wrote a useful comment but KZbin deleted it when I mentioned a large online retailer starting with A.

[@mickhardin15]

A lot of companies require customer pays warranty shipping both ways and it is sometimes more than its worth. So there is always a work around.

[@janem3575]

I learned that the hard way. Now, I weigh, very carefully, how much I want / need the product vs the costs to upkeep and maintain it. I'm wondering if perhaps the fees involved with executing the warranty can be reclaimed in small claims court because the company is violating the spirits of Magnuson Moss

[@highrider9168]

Microsoft, they also give you 1 quote on the phone and then once they have the console or computer, start raising the price. If you ask for it back, sure, $125.99 for shipping For a Xbox I got for 150$ 😂 Extortion!

[@johnathansaegal3156]

Back in the 90s my step-son has a gaming console that had a fan that sucked in all the dust which was within five miles of his bedroom (we live in a desert, it was impossible to keep dust away even if I dusted five times per day). His gaming console had one of those stickers on the case of the unit. Using canned air to spray through the slots to try to free up dust from the internal components was only scattering dust around inside the case. His console overheated several times and under warranty had it replaced every time, but it was a headache and he had to wait for the repair guy for a week just to learn we needed to have it replaced. A kid in mid-summer heat of the desert had nothing to do outside, so not having the gaming console was a pain. I finally gave up, sliced the sticker and carefully cleaned every unit inside the console (I was a commercial printer repairman... I knew how to clean electronics). After I started cleaning the inside of the console case, his gaming system worked perfectly until it was time to upgrade to the next generation. Even then, I continued cutting the sticker to clean inside. Never once did I cause damage to the inside of the unit. Those stickers are stupid in my opinion. How much did it cost Sony (or whatever company his console was from) to replace all those burnt up units because they had a "Warranty Void if Sticker Removed or Cut"?

[@duanesamuelson2256]

I also grew up in the desert and my friends and I had no problem playing outside any season. Hydration was well taught and even in preteen we would take off riding bikes all over. Of course if you don't consider Sonora as desert.. By the early 80's kids tended to quit venturing outside for entertainment. Not a comment if it was good or bad but kids have run around outside even in extreme weather as long as there has been people. For you to say 40 years later it was in the desert has it sounding as your justifying the behavior.

[@nutronik9]

What is the recourse for these warranty violations? Do the consumers need to front a bunch of money to sue the corp to try to get their 300 dollar motherboard warrantied? Unless legal fees get moved, it doesn't feel like this has teeth to deter the corp from still doing it.

[@geoffh1]

That's exactly what the companies are banking on. They know consumers have virtually no power in enforcing warranties on small items.

[@winstonwolf6791]

It provides for the company paying all legal fees and expenses if you prevail. Companies count on the fact that most consumers have no idea and wrongly think they will have to pay legal fees even if they win and never fully research it or bother to consult an attorney.

[@noosphericaltarzan]

0. Don't pay any mind to "warranties".

[@HammondOfTexas0]

They also bank on you not having the money to keep fighting if they draw it out a long time. They will do it even if it costs them more than it would to settle just to avoid setting a precedent.

[@spvillano]

Thermonuclear bombardment. Good luck getting one. Hey, work with me, it's just that damned hot outside right now... OK, close. Not quite as hot as Djibouti got, there, walking on the flightline for five minutes or longer literally melted combat boots.

[@mikep490]

I used to have a "Warranty Void is Seal is Broken" t-shirt with a picture of a baby seal. The void sticker was on my son's defective PC (late '90s). It never seemed to work for more than 90 days. It'd then be in the "shop" a 3 to 6 weeks for each repair. They didn't fix it the first time and the 3rd time they refused warranty work "because the seal is broken". Needless to say, that famous company went out of business. They'd cover warranty but charge a $110 "handling fee" for each warranty claim.

[@1waffleiron]

Love the crossover with gamers nexus and Steve Lehto, two of my favorite KZbinrs!

[@somethingepic777]

I had a computer that was having some issues while it was still under-warranty. Took it in to the chain-retailer i bought it from. Long story shortened - Employee voided the warranty. The company wanted to charge me "because the warranty's voided". Another customer (who was an attorney) who saw the whole thing threatened a lawsuit. We both made complaints to that retailers corporate _and_ the computer-company. The two companies worked it out where i got a new computer that was slightly-upgraded and a year of tech-support from the retailer (not sure if the other customer received anything beyond my gratitude). I havent gone back to that retailer since

[@WarrenGarabrandt]

I'm so glad the government is tackling warranty stickers instead of fixing healthcare, protecting people's rights, dealing with corrupt officials in government, fixing our crumbling infrastructure, fighting corporate greed-driven inflation, or a thousand other things that would actually help people. I guess it's cool that those labels that are already bogus and not enforceable are getting some attention too.

[@nabbunsechkie]

Steve over at Gamers Nexus has been talking about these stickers forever! Magnuson Moss act! Edit - Made this comment before watching and you mentioned Gamers Nexus!

[@RealJohnnyGuillotine]

Tech Jesus saves all.

[@MrTeff999]

The edit menu has a delete option.

[@kathleenboggan6616]

I NEVER pay extra for any warranty. They are almost NEVER honored.🙄🤷👎

[@ColtonRMagby]

Ben is behind the KAARME plate and the plate under it. I can't read that one because of the right-most microphone and bobblehead. Too many corporations are putting quantity over quality, and the end user suffers the consequences of their greed. The FTC needs to go on the news and state that those stickers are to be IGNORED, and that they will NOT be on any new products beginning in January 2025.

[@janemiettinen5176]

Nicely spotted! I think the lower plate says RES IPSA. Kaarme, or käärme rather, means a snake in Finnish. Just thought Id throw that in there :) My (Finnish) husband is an electronics tech (by trade), he hates those stickers with passion. They are nearly always just on American made things, or American owned, but made in China etc. Sometimes they aren’t like regular stickers at all, reasonably easily removable, but thick plastic, that seems to be glued in place with resin or some other very permanent option. And smacked over the only place that cant take heat or solvents, or just where it makes most problems and least sense. One I helped him with (Im an artist, material problems are my thing), eventually came off layer by layer, it had nearly 10 thin as thought tiny plastic sheets on top of each other.. while heat gunning it, it had distinct stink too.. yeah, “fun”.

[@ColtonRMagby]

@@janemiettinen5176 My dad's an electronics tech at CalFrac Well Services in Beebe, Arkansas. The worst equipment for him to work on is a blender.

[@TheMrZuhalter]

It's RES IPSA which is short for Res Ipsa Loquitor which means 'The thing speaks for itself' i.e. something is so obvious the case around it can't be argued.

[@ColtonRMagby]

@@TheMrZuhalter Oh, okay. Thanks.

[@tqlla]

I wish the Feds would target these "AI" companies like Adobe and Microsoft for stealing their users data. I built a new Windows 11 PC for my wife and put her files in my documents. 15 minutes later I got a message saying my ONE-Drive was full. Everything I put in "My Documents" was uploaded straight to the cloud. Ridiculous. I disabled the sync to the cloud, and found that the data I copied WAS NOT on the machine. Luckily it was still on my USB drive. These companies are getting too comfortable stealing and using our data. Apparently this was a new change as of June 17, 2024

[@MyName-tb9oz]

I really can't understand why anyone uses any of TinyFlaccid's software for anything at all. I really cannot. You could have Linux for free. It's certainly not what it used to be (back when everything just worked) but at least you don't have to worry about them reading all the data you ever create and deleting bloatware, adware, and spyware that is installed with the OS!

[@henrikjensen3278]

In Europe full warranties is mostly mandatory by law, it must be honored by dealers, not manufactures.

[@melkiorwiseman5234]

The same in Australia and, I believe, NZ. The retailer is the one who has to bear the cost, so the retailers just don't want to take the risk of carrying a shoddy product. With retailers refusing to carry them, shoddy products generally don't stay on the market for very long, and the manufacturers learn to make their products up to at least a certain minimum standard.

[@paulqueripel3493]

The retailer then passes the item/claim back to their supplier for a refund, all the way back to the manufacturer or importer i(n Europe).

[@gsleatherworks2442]

My experience with manufacturer warranties makes those stickers meaningless to me. Why would I be afraid of losing something that never works as advertised-there is almost always some loophole that makes them unable to honor the warranty before the sticker/seal is broken? I figure, if I can’t fix it, I must pay to have it fixed or replace it.

[@jhoughjr1]

Because if someone else has been inside messing with it, its in an unknowm state. You cant warrant somethinf tou dont know.

[@hugegamer5988]

@@jhoughjr1 yes you can. It’s how cars work. If you have a new car and you swap out things for third party parts you still have a warranty. The auto manufacturer has to show the actions led to the problem, they can’t just say your engine isn’t covered any more because you put a spoiler on the back.

[@TheLuceon]

@@jhoughjr1 This is absolutely absurd. The manufacturers MADE the product. They, of all people, will be able to identify when something is wrong with the product which is entirely the point of the warranty consumer protections. Manufacturer has to be able to point to something customer/3rd party did to product that specifically created the problem the customer is attempting warranty for.

[@mustangnawt1]

Right to Repair

[@coldlakealta4043]

prime example: John Deere agricultural equipment holding farmers to ransom

[@jamesyoung448]

@@coldlakealta4043 Case does that too along with Kenworth Peterbilt and other heavy truck manufacturers. It's all a scam nowadays.

[@obsidianjane4413]

This video is not about that.

[@KenJackson_US]

Years ago my company rented a portable computer that had an available slot for our custom PC board. We discussed it at length with the rental company, so they new very well what we intended to do. And why would anyone rent that model of PC anyway if not to use the slots? Never-the-less, when we received the PC, it had a sticker blocking access that said the warranty was void if the sticker was removed. We immediately removed it.

[@TheRealScooterGuy]

I'm not quite sure I understand the problem here. During the period of the warranty, there shouldn't be any reason to do "repair" as that would be covered under the warranty. "Right to repair" is a concept that comes up AFTER the warranty is over. I understand that it is ridiculous to prohibit someone from opening the case on a PC, since adding a peripheral isn't repair, per se, but is using the PC as intended. I have a TV that has a "Warranty void if damaged or removed" sticker over a screw hole. There is also a sticker that says, "No user-serviceable parts inside." That TV is well past any warranty it once had, so if it were to quit working, and given that I do have some skills with electronics, I would not hesitate to open up that TV to check for common faults, rather than simply sending it to be recycled. But if I were the manufacturer, I wouldn't want people doing that to TVs they are sending in for repair under the warranty. Instead of simply finding the fault and fixing it, we would be responsible for making sure the customer didn't mess up anything else, and we'd end up being responsible for those damages too.

[@Baughbe]

Gigabyte doesn't honor it's own warranties. I had bought a GB board and had bought all components to the 'compatibility list' for that board. Put it together and it would start and freeze up. After swapping out basically everything with the same result. Ran testing software and got insane results from the readings on the board. (Negative 43 degrees temp on the board?) Sent the board to the service center and waited, and waited, and waited, Couple weeks went by and no word at all. Finally bought another board from another maker, put my computer together with all the 'compatible' parts that the GB board wouldn't work with instantly had a fully working computer that I still use to this day. After 3 months GB finally sent my original board back saying they had taken it out and had run tests and it was fine they said. Only one slight problem. I had packed the board back in the original box and taped that box shut. And packaged that box inside another box for shipping. They had opened the shipping box, but they had never opened the original box the board was in. The tape I had put there was untouched. They had just opened up the shipping box. Put in a fake testing readout result in and shipped it back to me after letting it sit somewhere for weeks. And just for a lark, I tried the board again, froze right on up. Never will buy from GB ever again.

[@jhoughjr1]

Yeah im sure random testing software is definitely accurate and totallly not using the wrong drivers.

[@SpaceCadet4Jesus]

It's obvious testing software was at fault in terms of the temperature measurement, and it's reasonable that the wrong drivers would definitely cause it not to boot up. But to give an actual analysis there would need more specific information.

[@roberttharalson7072]

Had a laptop die ~3 months after the warranty expired. Since it wasn't covered I opened it up to try a repair and found a roughly three cent (in quantities greater than a million or so) component that had the typical pin layout of a voltage regulator but no markings whatsoever. Tracing the circuit paths from the putative output pins revealed a SMT resistor whose sole purpose was to shunt the voltage to ground. This made no sense from a circuit longevity point of view, but there it was in all it's overheated uselessness. The point is its sole function was to load that regulator to just barely past its current rating to cause a failure just past the warranty period. That required a brilliant EE with no moral compass to design a planned failure into their product. Fortunately I was given an excellent education by the Air Force to repair aircraft RADAR system components and after replacing the failed component along with throwing out the useless resistor, five years later it's still working perfectly. Not counting my time the repair cost was roughly sixty cents instead of eleven hundred to replace the whole computer, which undoubtedly had the same planned failure mode as mine. No thank you!!!

[@ScooterFXRS]

Customer support, what the heck is that?

[@jerrykr7kz]

Steve, on another subject, what do you think about this: I recommend a new amendment to the Constitution. . . All Representatives of any state who support a bill that becomes law within that state that even remotely affects an opposition to any of the Statutes within the U.S. Constitution shall be held in contempt. Those Representatives who sponsored the bill shall be charged with treason accordingly.

[@user-le7sr4cz7o]

If you think about it the moment they do just that like any gun law is null a void and their violation of their oath to the constitution supposed to removes them from their position (Supposed to) Yet think about how many laws would have to be null and void from them not having the power anymore from after that point. Basically if they violated it on X date anything else after X date is also null and void.

[@spacemissing]

Congress, which is where amendments are written, would never even approach your idealism.

[@fishyfool]

Sent a board back to Gigabyte with a warranty claim, a valid claim in my humble opinion. Denied. I called Fremont Ca. police department and asked them to look in to what I thought was fraud. I don't know what was said, but I got a new board two days later. If you believe you have something, try calling their local PD or DA. Can't hurt and it might just cut the chase.

[@fishyfool]

If you're curious, the issue was bad electrolytic caps. I had the same issue with a few boards but only Gigabyte denied me. Asus was the best, I called, they shipped it to me in a return box. Overnight 🖖👍😻

[@tournamentmaster2000]

@@fishyfool Was this during the time where there was a bad batch of Elecrolytic caps on a lot of boards?

[@SpaceCadet4Jesus]

There was a couple long periods of time where inferior electrolytic caps were present on manufacturers motherboards who tried to save a few pennies. Eventually the problem went away, and then if by magic it returned again recently.

[@spacemissing]

But don't use 911. Call on their 'business' line.

[@melkiorwiseman5234]

@@SpaceCadet4Jesus According to something I read a while back, it was a result of industrial espionage which went wrong. One manufacturer tried to steal another's formula for electrolytic capacitor electrolyte, but they wound up getting an early version of the formula, from well before it had been adjusted correctly. They faithfully copied that wrong formula to make their capacitors, which led to almost all of them failing prematurely.

[@BenLeitch]

Ben is behind Illinois RES IPSA tag

[@Bobs-Wrigles5555]

Late drop or having one of those days?

[@user-no1cares]

@@Bobs-Wrigles5555 I paid extra to get a 6 sec drop today.

[@nolongeramused8135]

California vehicle standards essentially ruined vehicles for a few few decades. I had an old Toyota that was built to California emissions standards, but my Chilton's manual was quite helpful in removing nearly all of the various hoses and devices to regain the engine performance that it was supposed to have everywhere in the world outside of California. Ironically, the vehicle was never sold, licensed, or emissions tested in California. Toyota just sold all of them in the US to comply with California laws because it was easier for Toyota to do so.

[@tccurtis2932]

I have a tankless water heater that has one of those on the cover. The BIG problem was that you had to take off the cover to wire it. So the seal was broken before it was even able to used. That was 6 years ago and it's still working like a charm.

[@BlondieSL]

Yeah.... that's such a tankless job! LOL Sorry.... I'll let myself out! ✨😅😂🤣😁✨

[@pesky-media]

This reminds me of the signs on the back of semi trucks hauling gravel the say “Stay back 250 feet- Not responsible for window damage to your vehicle”….how valid are tgese?

[@Dr.Claw_M.A.D.]

Posting a sign doesn't change the laws. "we are not responsible for anything that happens to you or your personal property on our property. A light fixture falls on your head? Tough. Slipped on a wet floor tough. Get mugged by the stock boy? Yeah NO! it doesn't work that way.

[@NereidAlbel]

Those signs have exactly 0 validity.

[@primafacie9721]

I need to get a sign on my car that states "Gravel trucks in front of me incur a $500 charge". Yeah, that will work.

[@josephrankin6055]

They are responsible for securing their load so they would be responsible for a rock falling off and breaking a window as well as a ticket for an unsecured load. The reason for the sign is to scare people away from them so they don't have to pay the ticket it costs more than the window.

[@roberteltze4850]

There are devices that should be able to enforce void if removed stickers. Hard Drives for example you do not want to open unless you have a clean room (and I don't mean picking up after the kids). Getting a spec of dust in a hard drive could potentially destroy the drive.😊

[@robertpayne6781]

Companies: Blatantly break the law in plain view FTC Enforcement: Here is a strongly worded letter Me: Breaks the law Law Enforcement: You're going to jail. Here's you're fine. You're on probation for the next 5 years

[@nodak81]

I distinctly remember that sticker on the first computer my family ever bought. A Gateway computer in 1999.

[@marcush4741]

Im so happy you mentioned ifixit. That dude needs more love. He's one of the most vocal right to repair content creators I've ever seen. Dude needs more love. He is to right to repair what you are to legal review. Thank you for mentioning him. Please consider a collab.

[@richardkeller4892]

Did the Supreme Court decision stop the ability to fine these companies or it has to go through courts?

[@nordicexile7378]

I don't have the answer but am posting this to be notified if someone else does. (I sure hope not!)

[@tboneforreal]

No, the SCOTUS ruling mostly deals with rules made using ambiguous statues in laws. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act has very specific conditions for issuing rules. Besides, this is just an enforcement of rules that have been on the books for decades. The FTC is just reminding these businesses of their obligations under the law.

[@frozencanary4522]

Many computer companies have proprietary parts, so you have to go to them for parts. When you try to buy the part, they void the warranty.

[@nolongeramused8135]

You just described Apple's entire business plan. No warranty actually offered, just pressure to buy an entirely new item, which a good Apple slave was going to do anyway every 180 days.

[@SpaceCadet4Jesus]

Easy fix is to stop buying Dell who is notorious for doing this.

[@jdanon203]

@@SpaceCadet4Jesus Never had this problem with Dell. Then again I am a business customer, so maybe we get a little more leeway.

[@SpaceCadet4Jesus]

@@jdanon203 let me elaborate. Dell computers are full of proprietary parts. The power supplies are proprietary, the connections to the motherboard sometimes are, and the motherboard is Dell only. I was referencing only the proprietary parts where you have to go to them for parts, I wasn't speaking about voiding any warranty issues.

[@dank9561]

@@SpaceCadet4Jesus At one point in the past Dell's laptop warranty terms actually stated the customer had the right to do things like replacing the hard drive or upgrading the RAM without invalidating the warranty, providing they didn't damage the product in the process. Not sure if their warranty still says that.

[@johncox2865]

I DIDN’T KNOW THAT! Thanks Steve ❤

[@am4793]

In the UK we have statutory protection irrespective of a manufacturer's or sellers' warranty.

[@RabbiJesus]

Great on paper. Whats the actual success rate?

[@tournamentmaster2000]

Same in Australia. It;s usually more than the Manuacturers warranty. Also, I'm fairly sure those warranty void stickers are not enforcable in Australia either. The're mainly there as a tamper proof seal.

[@am4793]

@@RabbiJesus Three years protection. As long as it is not smashed or for example something crazy like submerging a TV in to the swimming pool. The success is usually 100% because manufacturers and sellers know the penalties. The courts would come down on a company in ways you would not see in the US.

[@cgi2002]

Basic rule is, if the US has a consumer protection law, the EU and UK have one that's 5 times more effective and have had it for twice as long. Oh and it actually works because our courts don't side with businesses over consumers, and our politicians don't either because they are not allowed, by law, to be bought by them (lobbying is illegal here).

[@RabbiJesus]

@@cgi2002 basic rule is lobbyist pay the real salary for our politicians and the consumers get dumped on.

[@user-no1cares]

Ben’s behind the bobble head on Steve’s LHS.

[@Bobs-Wrigles5555]

I guess you're not having "one of those days" that I'm having, Well Done Mornin' Bill

[@user-no1cares]

@@Bobs-Wrigles5555 I haven’t initiated the early morning heavy drinking policy yet. Brain & eyes still functional.

[@swamprat5660]

No, it's not. It is behind the RESIPA tag on his LHS.

[@shut-up-and-obey]

​@@swamprat5660I think that's what they mean. Technically, they are correct. It's just that you're more specific.

[@shut-up-and-obey]

Good spot. I looked and looked and kept missing it.

[@triciaarnold5555]

Good morning! Have a great weekend!

[@user-no1cares]

Judy Arnold is a friend of mine.

[@lukek8357]

Australia has the Australian Consumer Law which is pretty good. In addition to the manufacturer warranty we also have statutory warranty rights so even if it's out of warranty if a reasonable person would expect the product to last longer than it has it has to be repaired, replaced or refunded. Example: You buy a 60" 4k LED TV from a major brand costing $1200 and has a 12 month warranty. At 14 months it stops receiving a signal on the antenna port and you realise it's out of warranty but a reasonable person would expect a TV of this brand and price to last 3-5 years. Under the Australian Consumer Law you can contact the manufacturer or the retailer to force a statutory warranty repair under the Australian Consumer Law.

[@AzraelsTear]

Gamers Nexus has done some really good reporting over the years on this kind of stuff. Glad to see it is getting more attention, PC DIY is a MASSIVE industry with a lot of great people doing very interesting things, the more people know that its ok to tinker with what they own the better for everyone.

[@P_RO_]

In many countries warranties and terms are stipulated by law as to coverage, meaning, and sometimes even fitness for advertised purpose. In my state, used car warranties are handled that way; if you offer any warranty you have to fulfill the minimum requirements and if you can't, then you can offer no warranty at all on the car.

[@melkiorwiseman5234]

I'm guessing this might be the UK? What you haven't stated is that the price also has to be in line with whether or not the warranty is offered. The courts will generally be happy to say "that price was too high for a vehicle of that age and in that condition to be sold without a warranty, so the implied warranty applies, no matter what you agreed to when it was sold." Or to put it another way, the price for a vehicle sold without a warranty must be significantly lower than the price for a vehicle sold with a warranty, otherwise the courts might decide that the warranty still applies (and the reverse can be true, too).

[@billrehm3590]

I thought it was going to be about removing the tag on a mattress. I thought the FBI was going to break down my door for removing the tag.

[@xenuburger7924]

In Pee Wee's Big Adventure, a man was in prison for that

[@joshuacheung6518]

That's only for the stores lol

[@garyblackford8366]

Given the condition of the "Administrative State" and recent ATF murder, I would still be concerned.

[@9sheri9]

​@xenuburger7924 😂 FACTS! 😂 the whole interaction with the fugitive was great. My little brother & I used to recite the entire movie during dinner & drive my parents nuts. Classic.

[@craigbarnett5992]

No, they won't break down the door. They are hiding under the bed beside the monster and those socks you can't find.

[@donaldsingleton5446]

Steve, Thank You for this information! I’ve been in the OEM service / repair and now the manufacturing industry and never heard of or knew about Magnuson-Moss! I’m definitely going to research it.

[@JimMooreVirginia]

Steve, while I'm not an attorney, I once negotiated large purchase agreements for municipalities. In the 1990s, I found IBM's mini-computer purchase agreement intriguing. IBM's only obligation seemed to be delivering crates labeled "computer," with no warranty of use. This made me wonder if the agreement could be voided due to a lack of adequate consideration.

[@michaelmoorrees3585]

Damn, I got real good at bypassing those stickers, without damaging them ! Now, I find out its all mute.

[@im2yys4u81]

*moot

[@noahhastings6145]

​@@im2yys4u81 No, the volume is just turned all the way down. Duh.

[@Bobs-Wrigles5555]

Ben sneaking behind RES IPSA, Steve's LHS

[@user-no1cares]

‘RES IPSA’. Despite a recent post explaining it, I couldn’t remember the acronym with mics & bobblehead blocking it. G’nite Bob.

[@Bobs-Wrigles5555]

@@user-no1cares It is what it is...😉😂 1st sign of getting old?

[@user-no1cares]

@@Bobs-Wrigles5555 An old friend told me it’s the 2nd sign of aging.

[@Bobs-Wrigles5555]

@@user-no1cares Ok, You got me, what's the 1st?

[@arinerm1331]

@@Bobs-Wrigles5555 Can't remember...

[@SmittyAZ]

Years ago, a lifetime warranty on jeans purchased at JCP: You washed them, warranty denied; we can't take them back. Was I never supposed to wash them throughout my lifetime?

[@The_Slavstralian]

I'm so glad we have fairly strong consumer protection laws in Australia.

[@alli3219]

EU with its 2 year minimum warranty is much better in practical terms. And try going to the ACCC, a Bunnings rangehood took one of my fingertips clean off when cleaning it, even cut through the cleaning cloth. Now I have little to no feeling on that finger, but no compensation offered. Lawyers wouldn't take the case .. 😔

[@alli3219]

Lasered so sharp, but not filed off to avoid injury 🩸

[@goblin3810]

As a pc enthusiast who builds my own pcs. Good

[@user-wc8lu7qd2m]

So, I sell Inverters and Lithium batteries. Many, but not all, of the products have warranty void if removed stickers. Here is the problem; many DIY people with mess up their equipment by incompetence. They then open it up, try to “fix it.” Then send it in for warranty work. THAT is when the warranty is void. I haven’t seen one with the sticker was just simply removed.

[@xavier1964]

You shouldn't be punished for trying to fix something yourself.

[@user-wc8lu7qd2m]

@@xavier1964 correct; except when you make it worse. Which, usually, Mr. DIY does. See when they open them they usually lose screws, or damage parts of the electronics. THEN try to claim “it came that way.” See the problem is so many people are so dishonest that as a business you can’t survive the dishonesty. So you have to make rules like “don’t open it unless you know what you are doing.”

[@alt7244]

Let's see how many people take stuff apart, damage it, and then try to get new ones for free.

[@rikschaaf]

Great to see you also covering right to repair. I'd be happy to see more of those stories on your channel. Nice that the article mentioned Gamer's Nexus and IFixit. Gamer's Nexus did some great investigations and IFixit's fight to make all electronic devices easier to repair is great! It wouldn't surprise me if Louis Rossmann also were to do a video on this topic.

[@TOONMAN200]

I saw a case here in California, the person who bought a brand-new car, and stuffed it full of stereo equipment and high-powered amplifiers. A few days later the vehicles computer system electronics burned out. The owner took the car into the dealer said this vehicle is only a few weeks old, and look what happened to my electronics. Although the owner removed all the stereo and high powered amplifiers and equipment, he left telltale signs of what he did, the dealer had the legal right to deny the repair, because in the warranty it says if the vehicle is modified in any way, it voids the warranty. The person was left with a $10,000 repair bill out of his own pocket. And the dealer was well within its rights to deny the repair.

[@callak_9974]

Well, they'd be within their rights to deny possible repairs to the electrical system. But if it was something mechanical, they'd have to cover it under the warranty (let's say the axle cracked in half).

[@TOONMAN200]

@@callak_9974 You are correct, any other problem not connected to the electrical system is covered.

[@leftoverthoughts2275]

@@TOONMAN200 Makes sense. In office equipment terms, if you use crappy aftermarket inks that damage the ink feed system, it isn't covered; but a mainboard fault that prevents the system from starting should still be.

[@TOONMAN200]

@@leftoverthoughts2275 Makes sense you know whoever writes the warranty, is going to look for a loophole. It's a fine line between denied warranties and warranties accepted. Misuse and abuse is usually what they are looking for.

[@spooner454]

I repair CB and Ham Radio gear, I put those stickers on the equipment because people try to modify their equipment and then try to say I did something wrong, I'm happy to repair my own mistakes but not theirs

[@wallychambe1587]

Yes, after a repair you need to keep those sticky fingers out!!😁😁😁

[@PGspeed88]

The problem is you are still required to honor your warranty. You can only deny repair if you can PROVE what they did caused the damage. Opening equipment up does not meet that standard. Repair shops like you are part of the reason Magnuson-Moss protections are needed to begin with. It's not fair to assume that no user knows how to do anything at all and your prices should cover all potential warranty work.

[@spooner454]

@PGspeed88 lol well I guess they can sue me lol

[@SpaceCadet4Jesus]

​@@PGspeed88 If the prices get raised any more to cover all "potential" warranty, then no one will going to buy because the prices are way too high. The customer then decides to buy from China.

[@shekharmoona544]

Home warranty companies don't even use factory certified specialists. 😂😂😂

[@skaterlover1999]

Thank you!!! Never heard of this law!

[@mikenjenn72]

hey only took the 50years i have been alive

[@jimbodabimbo1483]

Keep in mind, folks - a lot of the time, somewhere far under that sticker, is a part thats good for at most a couple of years. Thermal interface materials dry up pretty quickly...then comes overheating problems and even hardware failures from over-temp...unless you change the thermal interface materials...underneath that "warranty void" sticker... BIG FACTS

[@jhoughjr1]

The parts are good for the warranty period. Its called building to a price point. Thats how business works

[@kenbrown2808]

considering the warranty usually doesn't outlast that thermal material, it's not a problem. and if the warranty does outlast it, it seems that should be handled under warranty.

[@josephrankin6055]

It lasts at least 5 years if installed properly.

[@hugegamer5988]

This is exactly why to _actually_ void a warranty the company needs to show the actions led to the problem. If the thermal paste was replaced by a third party but it keeps overheating because of a faulty fan they should not be able to void the warranty.

[@gantmj]

When the pr0n tape gets stuck, but the VCR has that warranty sticker.

[@iamnolegend2519]

That’s old school!!

[@Robbie-sk6vc]

When the tape has YOU on it! 🧐😉🤣

[@lockedonlaw]

The word, "ubiquitous", has become ubiquitous in my life thanks to these videos. Thanks, Steve!

[@FlyinRaptorJesus]

I'm 100% for right to repair, but if someone modifies the product they shouldn't be be forced to honor the warranty.

[@50PullUps]

There’s a lot of grey area. What counts a ‘modifying’ a product?

[@bobjoe1593]

@@50PullUps the way i see it, that sticker helped to eliminate the grey area, and if they aren't allowed to enforce it, the logical thing for a company to do would be to reduce their warranty

[@hugegamer5988]

This is not how it’s done, like with cars for example. The manufacturer has to show the third party actions directly caused the problem. Otherwise you replace a wiper blade with the wrong one and it completely dissolves your car warranty.

[@johncox2865]

Case by case!

[@johncox2865]

@@50PullUps You looked at it…

[@sophie20015]

I told Hubby his sign stating he wasn't responsible for property (motorcycle repair shop) left on his premises after 30 days was unenforceable. Then one day, Customer wanted work done. Hubby was too busy, had no room in his shop, and couldn't take the time to offer an estimate saying it looked in rough shape and may not be worth the cost of repairs. Hubby passed on the job. Customer persisted. Hubby stood his ground. A few days later, after business hours, Customer chose to deposit his motorcycle in the yard outside the shop. Hubby repeatedly asked Customer to pick it up asap reminding him of the business's "policy". Customer refused. Then one night the custom-painted gas tank was stolen off of Customer's motorcycle. Customer sued. Hubby was left with a worthless pile of metal and had to reimburse Customer $600 for the "stolen" gas tank.

[@llareia]

That's ridiculous. There was no contract for work, so there's no obligation for your husband to be responsible for the property that was abandoned on his property. I'm guessing he didn't have any documentation of his interactions with this non-customer?

[@winstonwolf6791]

I am sure the customer probably claimed your husband authorized the drop off. If you had called the police immediately to report someone leaving unauthorized and maybe stolen property on the lot and had it impounded it may have turned out the opposite. Trying to enforce a "policy" pretty much sets up a custodial business relationship. I hope this was a good lesson for him to always consult an attorney when someone does something outside the norm.

[@kicapanmanis1060]

I’d never thought I’d ever hear Gamers Nexus ever be mentioned in a Steve Lehto video but it’s happened. Watch both channels a lot, they’re some of my favorites. They’re each even headlined by a guy named Steve!!

[@ray_donovan_v4]

I've been a pc service technician (certified) Certain warranties have wording for service repairs, by qualified technicians, and of course the findings of of said "qualified technicians" should be weighed into warranty considerations.. For example if a pc motherboard has a defect.. its in the customer's best interest to get a thid party evaluation of the defect. This is part of the issue with online purchases, returns, RMAs, etc Noticably.. if a seller has poor RMA procedures.. the customer ultimately loses, especially if they may have to deal directly with the manufacturer directly.. (and literally be lost in translation or transmissions)

[@DHB373]

You ought to get together with Louis Rossman to help make is all aware of these practices and how the law applies.

[@finkelmana]

I do want to point one thing out. "Warranty void if removed" stickers are probably illegal in most cases. However, I do see the more appropriate "No user serviceable parts inside" stickers, which are valid on various components. No average consumer should ever open up something like a computer power supply. Unless you are knowledgeable in electronics, you can damage or destroy the device - or even yourself. Im not saying you cant service your equipment. Im saying the appropriate people should.

[@Robbie-sk6vc]

Most people today aren't smart enough to find and fix such problems anyway!

[@patrickday4206]

most of the time it is a bad capacitor $10 sometimes they still work but wine which is irritating

[@aaronmicalowe]

I've never had any issue with warranty stickers. If you get a computer the warrantee usually runs out after about 1 or 2 years. Sometimes as little as 90 days. Then you have to pay to get a repair whether the sticker is there or not. By the time you're removing the sticker it's normally many years after the warrantee (and often the company) has expired.

[@PALM311]

Love the Bobby Isaacs shirt! When he got out of racing in 1973 he did it by pulling into the pit at Talladega Speedway, and told Bud Moore “I quit”! He said he heard voices in his head telling him to get out of the car now and quit racing or something bad was going to happen. True story. unless of course it was Buddy Baker’s car then I stand corrected, but still love the shirt lol

[@chuck8094]

I have heard those voices, too. It was a dark and stormy night when a voice said, "Get away from this intersection." I quickly turned right on to the frontage road. When I was about 200 feet down the frontage road, two cars crashed together and spun into the space I had been in while waiting for the red light to change.

[@righteousbyfaithinChrist]

If you stick a label concerning a warranty on an item that has to break the label to be opened and repaired??? What about the right to repair? How does that fit in? Where are these items coming from China? I have ordered from companies that I thought were based in UK and other areas but they are still produced in China. I'm not trying to support communist China... I hate having to buy made in China products when I'm thinking I'm supporting businesses in America and other free world countries.

[@RT-qd8yl]

What?

[@righteousbyfaithinChrist]

​@@RT-qd8ylwhat, what? What I'm saying is that the simplification solutions seems to be supporting communist China instead of supporting the businesses in the free world.

[@Joe-by8jh]

Are there any cell phones made in the USA with US parts ?

[@RT-qd8yl]

@@Joe-by8jh If there are I'm not sure I'd trust them any more than a phone from anywhere else. You're still gonna get spied on, just by a different government. Just don't use a smartphone if you're gonna do goon shit.

[@dixiecyrus8136]

Taiwan makes most as well as Japan.

[@Zundfolge]

This sounds good on first glance, but it also means you can open the thing up, tinker with it and break it and then demand the warranty cover it. All this will do is push companies to stop offering warranties at all.

[@qualicumwilson5168]

I know of NO warranties that cover anything you purposely broke, either inside or outside of a boxed portion of the product. Some stupid stores might give you your money back within a few weeks of proof of purchase. But that is why the sales mark up is often greater than all other costs of consumer goods, combined. For those of us that do not do that, Thanks for the higher prices, guys. Thanks a lot.

[@progenitor_amborella]

It doesn’t work that way. This is just about breaking the sticker to open the device, not about causing damage to the product at the hands of the user.

[@CL-yp1bs]

All the manufacturer has to do is provide proof that it was damaged, and did not happen through regular use (like pry marks or such damaging components....just an example) and they can still deny the warranty.

[@mgreg8134]

Did you watch the video he addressed that scenario.

[@mwaynem]

We just bought a twin bed frame that came in a box and needed to be assembled. Right on the seem of the box where it needs to be opened was a large bright red sticker that stated warranty void if this sticker damaged or cut. Did I cut? Of course I did. When a manufacturer does something like this.there is no warranty. If you see anything like this, you can pretty much bet they will nut honor any type of warranty claim.

[@DashRiprock513]

The sticker is warrantied, the rest of it, you're on your own.

[@terryjwood]

This reminds me of the stickers inside of CB radios that said, "Admit No Adjust". A repair guy told me it meant, "If you adjust it, DON'T ADMIT IT!" 🙂

[@briankeeler2508]

Drove a Renault Fuego for a while and there was a small round medallion welded to the block that just said removing it voided the manufacturer warranty. Years later, well after all the warranties had expired, we threw a rod. It punched clean through the block exactly where the medallion was. Wise guys.

[@veryblocky]

I was going to say upon reading the title, I thought these were already illegal. Good to see them actually enforcing this

[@poolmotorrepairguyFL]

The Florida pool pump motor repair guy 32750 approved ! that was good info & see Steve Lehto