The FTC believes all six companies are violating the 1975 Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which states that no manufacturer charging more than $5 for a product may put repair restrictions on a device its offering a warranty on. Despite being illegal, many companies have such restrictions. Apple, noticeably absent in this round of of warning letters, often steers customers away from third-party repair services.
Statistics: Posted by burger2227 — Wed May 02, 2018 2:58 pm
Under the 1975 Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which the commission cited in its letter, companies can't put repair restrictions on their products unless they provide the parts or services for free or receive a waiver from the FTC. Thomas B. Pahl, Acting Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a statement:
"Provisions that tie warranty coverage to the use of particular products or services harm both consumers who pay more for them as well as the small businesses who offer competing products and services."
Since warranty stickers are a common sight on popular consumer electronics, like say, the PS4 and various phones, it was pretty unclear whether the law covers products much cheaper than cars. As Motherboard noted, though, the letters made it crystal that it also covers electronic devices, so long as they cost more than $15.
Statistics: Posted by burger2227 — Thu Apr 12, 2018 8:35 am