In times of disaster, we often rely on our smartphones to check on loved ones or connect with relief organizations. But that’s a difficult task if your device has been damaged during the storm. To that end, some smartphone manufacturers are offering free repairs to victims of Hurricane Harvey. [More]
warranty
Leaked Memo: Third-Party Screen Repairs Don’t Void iPhone Warranty
By 2.27.17
Like slices of buttered toast, cupcakes, and pans of lasagna, smartphones always seem to fall face-down when dropped. Third-party repair shops have popped up to help users when this happens, but using these companies while an Apple device is still under warranty has been a gamble until now. [More]
Owners Of Matte Black iPhones Complaining About Chipping
By 2.10.17 — Updated: 2.13.17
When Apple debuted the iPhone 7 last fall, the company also introduced two new finishes: the glossy Jet Black and the subdued Matte Black. However, some folks who chose those new colors say their iPhones are starting to chip — in some instances after only a few weeks. [More]
Nexus 5X Owners Say Device Boot-Looping Kills Phones; Getting Runaround From LG
By 1.27.17
Even in an age where you’re expected to regularly shell out hundreds of dollars on a new smartphone, you expect each new pricey device to last at least a year before becoming worthless. Yet, some owners of relatively new Nexus 5X phones tell Consumerist that their smartphones have unexpectedly been rendered useless. Making matters worse, the manufacturer is allegedly giving them the runaround, leaving them without a phone for months. [More]
Craftsman Tool Lovers Worried For Brand After $900M Sale To Black & Decker
By 1.5.17
In a bid to keep its sinking retail ship afloat, Sears on Thursday announced the sale of its iconic tool brand Craftsman to Black & Decker for a mere $900 million. But with the change of hands, many stalwart Craftsman lovers aren’t sure if they’ll be sticking with the brand in the future. [More]
GM To Compensate Some Vehicle Owners For Misstated Mileage
By 5.20.16
Last week, General Motors revealed that it had incorrectly calculated the fuel economy on three models of SUV. The carmaker stopped the sale of these vehicles and is now going through the mea culpa process, trying to make things right with drivers who already own one of these SUVs.
[More]
Regulators Close Probe Into Kia Airbag System That Fails To Detect Children In The Front Seat
By 2.15.16
Five months after federal regulators opened a probe into airbag mats that fail to detect when a child is present in the front seat of certain Kia sedans, the agency announced it would close the investigation without seeking a recall of the affected vehicles. [More]
Sony Says My PS4 Is Too Infested With Bugs And Dust To Fix Under Warranty, Won’t Offer Proof
By 6.17.15
There’s a certain sense of relief provided by a warranty — when your product stops working, you can just send it in for repairs or sometimes receive a new one to replace it. But Consumerist reader Levi says he found himself out of luck after his PlayStation 4 gave him the “blue light of death,” despite the fact that it was under warranty. [More]
Dealership Gives Disgruntled Customer $100 Refund… In Loose Change
By 7.24.14
Usually when a consumer receives a refund from a company they get a check in the mail, or store credit, or a gift card. But for one Florida college student who got into a dispute with a car dealership, that refund came in the form of two bags full of scrounged-together change. [More]
Buying Something On Amazon’s Site Doesn’t Mean You’re Buying It From Amazon
By 8.8.13
Brian bought a set of Klipsch headphones on Amazon a few months ago, and they broke even though he claims he didn’t damage them in any way. This isn’t an issue of the difference between defects and accidental damage, though. When he tried to make a warranty claim, he learned that there’s a difference between buying something on Amazon and buying something from Amazon. [More]
When Should My Appliance Service Agreement Actually Begin?
By 9.16.11
When should a new warranty begin? Reader ournextcontestant wonders this after purchasing a service agreement from Sears for a broken dishwasher. The new warranty begins on the day it was purchased, and not on the day that the appliance is put back in working order. Ournextcontestant doesn’t like this, believing that Sears is robbing him of valuable days of the warranty. Maybe weeks or months of the warranty, considering how long it takes Sears to actually fix things. [More]
Sorry, Joining Your Fiancé's Verizon Plan Voids Your Phone's Warranty
By 5.12.11
David and his fiancée decided that it was finally time to take their commitment to the next level: joining their mobile phone plans together. Unfortunately, they were both already Verizon customers and wanted to upgrade their phones. If can’t imagine why this would be a problem, you’ve never upgraded phones and then joined plans at Verizon. The process seems to be specifically designed to keep customers from doing this. [More]
Roku Replaces 3-Year-Old Streaming Video Box That Stops Streaming
By 4.13.11
When James’s father gave him one of the original Roku units from a few years ago, he couldn’t get it to connect to his house’s network… or to see any networks at all. He gave the company a call for help, not expecting much because the unit was well out of warranty. A short time later, a brand-new replacement box was on its way. [More]
Sorry, Your 3-Month-Old Starbucks Mug Is Out Of Warranty
By 4.12.11
Mark has a warning: it’s fine if you want to hand over your money for a venti Java Chip Frappuccino, but don’t buy durable items at Starbucks if you expect them to be, well, durable. He bought a mug back in December, and the mug now has a defect that makes coffee drip on you while you drink. Not liking this feature, he contacted Starbucks and learned that their warranty on mugs lasts only 60 days. “I was shocked that Starbucks would only stand behind their products for 60 days,” Mark writes, “specifically because those same products come at a premium price and sold with overpriced coffee.” [More]
6 Months And $420 Later, I Still Have No Sealy Warranty Replacement Mattress
By 3.22.11
A product might come with a warranty, but it isn’t much good if the company refuses to honor that warranty. Mike has had his Sealy/Stearns & Foster mattress replaced for sagging issues three times since he bought it in 2006. In October, it was time for a fourth replacement, which is worth a story in itself. After moving away from the original retailer that sold him the mattress, he has to go through the corporate office for his warranty claims. He still doesn’t have his mattress, but Sealy now has more of his money. [More]
Dell Promises Fix For Defective Alienware Laptop, Now Won't Help Me
By 2.23.11
David’s Alienware laptop has a defective hinge design, and he’s already had the problematic part fixed twice. While Dell has promised a fix for the defect in the near future, David’s warranty has expired and his computer is close to breaking again. He needs help from Dell that no one is interested in providing. [More]
Can High Humidity Void Your iPhone's Warranty?
By 8.23.10
It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity that can kill your iPhone, reports the South China Morning Post. Apple says their phones are built so that humidity doesn’t accidentally trigger the device’s water sensors, but users in Hong Kong, where humidity can reach 95%, say their devices’ warranty claims are unfairly getting rejected for water damage, even when not a drop has touched them. Humidity test results tell an unflattering tale: [More]
Best Buy Replaces Your TV, Forgets About It, Offers You Another
By 8.4.10
Reader Wayne is an honest person. His Best Buy Insignia TV died and so, of course, he brought it back to the store. They kept it for a little while, decided they couldn’t fix it, and replaced it with a similar model. Then they forgot they did this. [More]
