Nintendo Changes Repair Policies After FTC Warns Them About Warranty Stickers

[DooKey]

We've been following the issue with the FTC and warranty stickers over the last month of so and it looks like the FTC is winning this battle. Nintendo has changed their policy regarding unlicensed repair shops and voiding of warranties after the FTC told them they were violating the law. Six companies were notified of their law breaking including Nintendo. Thanks to the FTC their illegal policy has been changed and using a third party to repair your Nintendo product won't be the basis for losing your warranty. Of course they can still void the warranty if the third party causes damage to the device. Choose your repair shop wisely. Thanks cageymaru.

In a statement, Nintendo of America said it has changed its policies after review. “We have updated our warranty text to clarify that Nintendo provides warranty service for defects not caused by the user or by other unauthorized acts," the statement said.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Step 1 of protecting your ass, leave no outs for someone to possibly sue you in court

 

[vegeta535]

Why are you taking something to a 3rd party if it is still in warranty. There is no reason to be opening something up if it is fine. Outside of the warranty it doesn't matter anyway.

 

[OregonLAN]

Why are you taking something to a 3rd party if it is still in warranty. There is no reason to be opening something up if it is fine. Outside of the warranty it doesn't matter anyway.

It's primarily about the sticker, for now. Hopefully it will evolve into the "right to repair" option for electronics...

PC manufacturers use to do this. They use to put a sticker across the case or screws that said "warranty void if removed". There's a lot of legitimate reasons to open up a PC that wouldn't damage or otherwise "void your warranty". I remember when Dell actually tried invalidating our PCs warranty when we installed a 3rd party (unapproved) OS. Yeah, that didn't go over well either.

 

[cageymaru]

Why are you taking something to a 3rd party if it is still in warranty. There is no reason to be opening something up if it is fine. Outside of the warranty it doesn't matter anyway.

If you want to install your own hard drive in a PS4 instead of buying the "official" hard drive shouldn't you be able to? Should installing a WD hard drive into the PS4 void the factory warranty if Sony wants you to buy Seagate? I have no idea what the official hard drive is for PS4; just making a point.

Apple won't repair certain iPhone maladies and will sue repair shops that do repair them due to copyright. Do you think it is a legitimate crime punishable by tens of thousands of dollars in fines, confiscation of parts and business for replacing the screen on an iPhone for a customer? Apple now goes so far as to make firmware that can detect when the original phone's screen has been changed. They will disable the phone even though the phone works perfectly fine so that the customer is forced to buy a new device. Is this a Pro consumer practice in your opinion?

Say you were smart and figured out how to make a PC steering wheel work on the PS4. Should you be sued into oblivion for hooking up an "illegal" steering wheel to your own PS4? Sony demands that you pay for the official PS4 wheel. How long should a person go to jail for modding peripherals to work on machines that weren't intended to be compatible from the manufacturer?

There is a lot more to it than just exercising a right to open a machine to look inside.

 

[vegeta535]

If you want to install your own hard drive in a PS4 instead of buying the "official" hard drive shouldn't you be able to? Should installing a WD hard drive into the PS4 void the factory warranty if Sony wants you to buy Seagate? I have no idea what the official hard drive is for PS4; just making a point.

Apple won't repair certain iPhone maladies and will sue repair shops that do repair them due to copyright. Do you think it is a legitimate crime punishable by tens of thousands of dollars in fines, confiscation of parts and business for replacing the screen on an iPhone for a customer? Apple now goes so far as to make firmware that can detect when the original phone's screen has been changed. They will disable the phone even though the phone works perfectly fine so that the customer is forced to buy a new device. Is this a Pro consumer practice in your opinion?

Say you were smart and figured out how to make a PC steering wheel work on the PS4. Should you be sued into oblivion for hooking up an "illegal" steering wheel to your own PS4? Sony demands that you pay for the official PS4 wheel. How long should a person go to jail for modding peripherals to work on machines that weren't intended to be compatible from the manufacturer?

There is a lot more to it than just exercising a right to open a machine to look inside.

You are free to install your own HDD in your PS4 I believe it wouldn't void your warranty. Also a lot of this has nothing to do with warranty. Sony is not going to put you in jail for installing a mod chip to get around their copy protection. They will go after those who made it. I agree what Apple is doing is bullshit. But this just about warranty service. In the end if you modified a product you shouldn't be expecting warranty service.

 

[Guarana [BAWLS]]

Why the fuck isn't apple on that list of companies getting served?!

 

[cageymaru]

Sony is not going to put you in jail for installing a mod chip to get around their copy protection. They will go after those who made it.

Mod chip raid victim details the experience.
https://www.engadget.com/2007/08/04/mod-chip-raid-victim-details-the-experience/

Most of the time they just confiscate your stuff and destroy it. You don't get a refund from the company. But they can come and confiscate your stuff at home also because of the DMCA.

You are free to install your own HDD in your PS4 I believe it wouldn't void your warranty. Also a lot of this has nothing to do with warranty. Sony is not going to put you in jail for installing a mod chip to get around their copy protection. They will go after those who made it. I agree what Apple is doing is bullshit. But this just about warranty service. In the end if you modified a product you shouldn't be expecting warranty service.

FTC Staff Warns Companies that It Is Illegal to Condition Warranty Coverage on the Use of Specified Parts or Services.
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/pre...panies-it-illegal-condition-warranty-coverage

Before I quote the article please read the title of the article over and over to understand what rights are given to the consumer under the Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act.

The letters warn that FTC staff has concerns about the companies’ statements that consumers must use specified parts or service providers to keep their warranties intact. Unless warrantors provide the parts or services for free or receive a waiver from the FTC, such statements generally are prohibited by the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, a law that governs consumer product warranties. Similarly, such statements may be deceptive under the FTC Act.

 

[sfsuphysics]

If you want to install your own hard drive in a PS4 instead of buying the "official" hard drive shouldn't you be able to?

You modify their hardware from original specs, shouldn't they be able to not cover it any more?

 

[dragonstongue]

so Apple seems to "get a pass" why exactly, likely is the fact FTC knows they will do w/e the fk they want as it usualy with Apple and tends to be the same with all major corporations, they have the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ so they decide their own rules, the only way FTC or any "governing body" can force their hand is something along the line of

"until you follow the law, your products are no longer allowed to be legally sold on our shores or you will pay x $$$$$$$$$$$ every day you refuse to implement it and you will issue a press release saying after on this day hereafter the void if opened warranty no longer is applicable to any of your products sold in North America and should you try to enforce your current standing against this law, then you will be paying a triple amount fine per product that is in contempt of this ruling you stupid mofos" ^.^

 

[dragonstongue]

You modify their hardware from original specs, shouldn't they be able to not cover it any more?

unless your "modification" does not cause any damage to the base product (that is it is not modifying their IP) or others that rely on the base product specs (for example, if you SSD causes other systems to become damaged) then there really is nothing they can or cannot say, because we OWN the product after purchase (you bought 1 edition for use afteral) so what we do with it is OUR prerogative.

they can "block" the product from their services because it was modified of course....MSFT seems to skirt this law just the same IMO, we purchased the right to use the product, what we do with it after our purchase is OUR call, not a corporations right to force how/where/when we use it, course my opinion still stands, we have the continued right to use it even if it is modified BUT they can legally say

"well, you fk with the base line design, while we cannot take YOUR rightsy to use it as you see fit, we can prevent its use on OUR highway"

 

[sfsuphysics]

unless your "modification" does not cause any damage to the base product (that is it is not modifying their IP) or others that rely on the base product specs (for example, if you SSD causes other systems to become damaged) then there really is nothing they can or cannot say, because we OWN the product after purchase (you bought 1 edition for use afteral) so what we do with it is OUR prerogative.

they can "block" the product from their services because it was modified of course...

And this is what this is all about, it has zero to do with whether or not you are legally able to repair/modify your stuff, the whole "right to repair". This is about whether or not they should be held accountable to a warranty if you modify their stuff.