'Warranty Void if Removed' stickers illegal warns FTC

[HEXUS]

Meanwhile an Apple iOS update is disabling the iPhone 8/Plus with third party screen repairs.

Read more.

[Millennium]

oh good Right to Repair man! 11

[Potbellieddwarf]

Just wondering if this will have any effect on items sold and used in the UK,

I have despised the "Warranty void" stickers for many years, as they stop you upgrading or replacing parts inside the machine.

[will19565]

the only thing this will do will make manufacturers either go with completely and utterly sealed units or re-word the warranty that if there are any altered parts the warranty is null and void

[Strawb77]

this will please the bods at ifixit, even if briefly, until @will19565`s prophecies start coming true- as they inevitably will
i do think it`s a bit much forcing companies to make their stuff compatible with third party hard/software though
surely there`s something wrong about that, the onus should stay with with them i reckon

[spacein_vader]

this will please the bods at ifixit, even if briefly, until @will19565`s prophecies start coming true- as they inevitably will
i do think it`s a bit much forcing companies to make their stuff compatible with third party hard/software though
surely there`s something wrong about that, the onus should stay with with them i reckon

It's not forcing them to make stuff compatible with 3rd party parts, it's making them not refuse to work if someone installs an otherwise perfectly functional 3rd party component just because it wasn't made by them.

[DanceswithUnix]

I wonder if this will cause some grief for people like hard disk companies where the do not open stickers are there for a reason.

[Ttaskmaster]

I wonder if this will cause some grief for people like hard disk companies where the do not open stickers are there for a reason.

Why would it? It's a safety thing, not a warranty thing... like having a CD player or laser pointer with "Don't look into the laser, or you'll go blind, mate!" printed on it.

It's not forcing them to make stuff compatible with 3rd party parts, it's making them not refuse to work if someone installs an otherwise perfectly functional 3rd party component just because it wasn't made by them.

The issue is with "perfectly functional" - In order to honour the warranty, the manufacturer would have to test each and every different make/model of each and every 3rd party component, to certify whether or not it's fully compatible with their device and of sufficient standard. It's a lot of work.

However, if they can prove the 3rd party part was duff and/or the cause of OEM bits borking, then I imagine they can spit that warranty back at you and tell you to go hassle the aftermarket side about it. I'm sure they'd still offer to fix everything including your borked aftermarket bits, but you'd pay for it rather than it being a warranty thing.

[peterb]

I wonder if this will cause some grief for people like hard disk companies where the do not open stickers are there for a reason.

"No user serviceable parts inside - opening the case will void warranty". And then put a tamper detect sticker across the case seal. - or use a recessed screw with the recess filled with epoxy resin so it's obvious if it has been tampered with.

Why would it? It's a safety thing, not a warranty thing... like having a CD player or laser pointer with "Don't look into the laser, or you'll go blind, mate!" printed on it.

No, its a performance issue - the distance that the head flies above the surface of the disk is very small and particles of dust etc can intefere with the operation and/or cause a head crash. Hard drives are assembled and serviced in clean rooms.

[OilSheikh]

If you are going to be opening up something, messing around with it and then claim a replacement because you are inside your warranty period - how will manufacturers survive ?

[Strawb77]

It's not forcing them to make stuff compatible with 3rd party parts, it's making them not refuse to work if someone installs an otherwise perfectly functional 3rd party component just because it wasn't made by them.

i`m just thinking about things like third-party inkjet carts and the printer manufacturers` constant efforts to stay `ahead of the game`, for instance.

@Ttaskmaster seems to have got the gist of it.

[whatif]

this will please the bods at ifixit, even if briefly, until @will19565`s prophecies start coming true- as they inevitably will
i do think it`s a bit much forcing companies to make their stuff compatible with third party hard/software though
surely there`s something wrong about that, the onus should stay with them i reckon

It's not forcing them to make stuff compatible with 3rd party parts, it's making them not refuse to work if someone installs an otherwise perfectly functional 3rd party component just because it wasn't made by them.

This has already been applied in Australia.
A good example is car manufacturers. They tried to have warranty voided if you didn't get the car serviced and repaired at their workshops during the warranty period. Now it is set up that as long as the repairs and servicing are done by relevant industry accredited companies, there is no voiding of the warranty. And the third party company has to provide warranty for any non-standard parts used, plus these parts must meet the correct standards for that use.
In something like the Apple screen issue, it would be acceptable if the third party screen did not exactly match the original's colours, but it would have to function the same as the original. And as long as the third parties replacement work followed the same procedures (eg - say Apple replace with new quality glue or seals if a water-resistant phone and if Apple check the resistance, then the third party has to do the same).
Basically, all work must meet the same standards as done by the original company, but OK to use cheaper third-party parts if they to meet the appropriate industry standards.
So they are not forcing manufacturers to make their products compatible with third-party products, it is in fact, doing the exact opposite.

[Ttaskmaster]

No, its a performance issue - the distance that the head flies above the surface of the disk is very small and particles of dust etc can intefere with the operation and/or cause a head crash. Hard drives are assembled and serviced in clean rooms.

^ Yeah, that's kinda what I meant, as in merely opening this unit will quite likely bork it, whether you fiddle with it or not.

Now it is set up that as long as the repairs and servicing are done by relevant industry accredited companies, there is no voiding of the warranty. And the third party company has to provide warranty for any non-standard parts used, plus these parts must meet the correct standards for that use.

Not too dissimilar to how it runs here already, except that if the 3rd party screws up the work the manufacturer is not liable... which I fully agree with. There has to be that comeback, otherwise any old bod could get industry accreditation but still do a cowboy job (or simply make an honest mistake) and the manufacturer would have to pick up the pieces for free under warranty.