Skip to main content

When you buy a new smartphone, computer, home appliance, or other product, you may not always think about whether it can be fixed if it breaks or has an issue. But here’s the thing: some manufacturers prevent you from fixing the things you buy. They might do things like gluing in batteries, limiting the availability of spare parts, and not giving you the repair instructions and software to help figure out the problem.  

The FTC released a report today about repair restrictions and how they limit your ability to fix products that break. The report suggests what the FTC, lawmakers, and manufacturers can do to make it easier for you to fix the things that you own.

But there are some things that you can do yourself. Before you buy, do some research online to find out:

  • What is the average lifespan of the product?
  • What is likely to go wrong with it if it breaks?
  • How hard will it be to fix the problem?

Here’s something else to know, in case you find yourself in this situation. Let’s say you took a product to an independent repair shop to fix or maintain it. Then later you go to the product’s manufacturer for a repair — but one not related to the earlier fix. If that repair is covered by your warranty, and if your warranty hasn’t expired, the manufacturer can’t refuse to make the repair.

If you’re told that your warranty was voided or that it will be voided because of independent repair, we want to hear about it. Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.  

It is your choice whether to submit a comment. If you do, you must create a user name, or we will not post your comment. The Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes this information collection for purposes of managing online comments. Comments and user names are part of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) public records system, and user names also are part of the FTC’s computer user records system. We may routinely use these records as described in the FTC’s Privacy Act system notices. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy.

The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.

  • We won’t post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions.
  • We won’t post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups.
  • We won’t post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity.
  • We won’t post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. The comments posted on this blog become part of the public domain. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission.

RICO ALASKA
May 06, 2021
Sad but true. But that's the case with many products. I removed the burglar alarm from my SAAB (2003) because a dying battery was causing it to shriek loudly at weird times. But I couldn't replace the battery because the cover was glued. Why was that? GM trying to make a bundle selling a new burglar alarm? Who knows...
Figmo6673
May 06, 2021
This is some great information! Even vehicles are made today with planned obsolescence. They are not made to last like the good ole American cars from way back when. They are designed to last a while, but if they were to last a long time, there wouldn't be buyers. The owners would keep their good ole cars. The same with the items mentioned in this post above. Again, thank you!
Ben
May 06, 2021
Thanks, I didn’t know that.
Deme
May 06, 2021
Many of these examples that are mentioned in this article, manufacturers should not be allowed to do in the first place. Especially, the whole "gluing in" of the batteries. Not to mention the ridiculous reason or"lie" they give us for doing so. No manufacturer should get away with being allowed to do any of these things and get away with them ! I hope the FTC will be more proactive in regards to these issues and put a.stop to this "crooked-greedy" behaviors of these manufacturers!
GEO.
May 06, 2021
Thanks for the Info, good to know
TumbleweedEra1960
May 06, 2021
Ok, this whole issue hits me to my core. Why? Because I'm over 70, I come from that wonderful "Eco-Green Era" of the 50's, 60's and even 70's when one could (1) repair the car/appliance/etc or (2) take it to a repair place to be repaired. Today we no longer live in an (Eco-Green World" contrary to what our governing world wants us to believe. Does it make me feel good when I got to buy a new refrigerator that I'm told I'll be lucky if it lasts 7 to 10 years? And I'm spending how much for this new "lemon". Someone needs to create a firestorm of change, a change to make the things we buy repairable, not "Throwable" or "Throw Aways". That is just plain stupid.
bc@143
May 06, 2021
Several years ago I bought a better than average quality floor fan. After three years, in early spring the fan would not start. I carefully disassembled the fragile plastic part only to find that further disassembly required cutting the exposed magnet wire in order to check and clean or replace the motor bearings. These wires are insulated with a transparent material similar to polyurethane varnish. At that point I realized that the fan could not be repaired. How many fans are sent to the dump each year because the bearings can't be serviced?
Ausi Puleng
May 06, 2021
Refrigerators!!
Tpac
May 06, 2021
Good information. The FTC should draft regulations to make this law.
citizen-0
May 06, 2021
So, does this mean it *is* unlawful? > If you’re told that your warranty was voided or that it will be voided because of independent repair, we want to hear about it. <
Dean
May 07, 2021
Emily, a gazillion thanks to you and the team!! FTC.GOV is really giving us our money's worth this time around!
Jo
May 07, 2021
I bought a cell phone from Verizon and later found out the battery was glued in and they couldn't/wouldn't fix it. That was my first introduction to products that you couldn't replace the battery. This is great information. Unfortunately I learned the hard way. Thank you for taking this position on "non-fixable" items!
ConiB
May 10, 2021
I experienced the glued in battery, ridiculous!! Thank you for the information and I can only hope and pray that this is made into LAW for "all products"!!!!! Thank you again!!!!