August 22, 2022
The FTC has taken action against Weber, alleging that third-party parts and repairs violate user warranties, and, as part of its right-to-repair push, the agency also demanded that Harley Davidson and Westinghouse stop waiving customer warranties for repairs.
“The FTC’s complaint charges that Weber’s warranty included terms that conveyed that the warranty is void if customers use or install third-party parts on their grill products. Weber is being ordered to fix its warranty by removing illegal terms and recognizing the right to repair and come clean with customers about their ability to use third-party parts,” the FTC said.
While the FTC has dealt with three cases, many more similar complaints are still awaiting resolution, with the FTC stating in its decision that Harley Davidson and Westinghouse will stop waiving customer guarantees for repairs.
The FTC’s decision follows a published report by Nixing The Fix that highlighted the increasing use of warranties, DRM and other underestimated tactics to undermine consumers’ ability to repair.
While companies trying to monopolize repairs are feeling the heat, more needs to be done, especially with new rules covering repairable items.
The sources for this piece include an article in Techdirt.
