# Is it legal for a brand to exclude a critical part of an electronic machine?



## kimuyen (Aug 8, 2013)

We bought a clothe dryer under the fancy brand of CarreFour about 1.5 years ago. The unit broke recently and after many failed phone calls and a trip to the store, an mechanic came to repair it. He found that the belt (la correa) broke. To replace it we had to pay almost 90 euros as the belt was not under the 2-year warranty. 

Is it legal to exclude a critical part of the system from the 2-yr warranty? The unit would not have worked if the belt was not built to handle the work of the machine. To us, the belt is as vital as the engine. We could understand if they want to exclude cosmetic repairs. The rep from Carrefour told us that the belt was excluded because it was subject to abuse (like when you put heavy wet towels in the machine. Well, isn't that what a clothe dryer is supposed to to? To dry wet clothe/items?) We did not dry any more clothes or did anything unusual when the unit broke so that excuse was not valid.

Has anyone encountered this? Could you share your experience in resolving it in your favor (or is it not even an option?)?

Thanks in advance!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

kimuyen said:


> We bought a clothe dryer under the fancy brand of CarreFour about 1.5 years ago. The unit broke recently and after many failed phone calls and a trip to the store, an mechanic came to repair it. He found that the belt (la correa) broke. To replace it we had to pay almost 90 euros as the belt was not under the 2-year warranty.
> 
> Is it legal to exclude a critical part of the system from the 2-yr warranty? The unit would not have worked if the belt was not built to handle the work of the machine. To us, the belt is as vital as the engine. We could understand if they want to exclude cosmetic repairs. The rep from Carrefour told us that the belt was excluded because it was subject to abuse (like when you put heavy wet towels in the machine. Well, isn't that what a clothe dryer is supposed to to? To dry wet clothe/items?) We did not dry any more clothes or did anything unusual when the unit broke so that excuse was not valid.
> 
> ...


I have no idea, but Carrefour is not a fancy brand name, it's a supermarket brand. Have you gone to the customer service desk in Carrefour? if you're not happy with the service you receive or the product you buy (in any store) you're supposed to ask for the complaint forms (hojas de reclamación) something I have never done myself.
By coincidence I have to take an iron back to Carrefour tomorrow, but it's not their own brand.


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## kimuyen (Aug 8, 2013)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I have no idea, but Carrefour is not a fancy brand name, ...


Ahem, please don't blow my cover! Of those products with complicated names like Bosch, Electrolux, Samsung, GE, etc. I found Carrefour a charming name. How could I not find it fancy? Just like Fiat. Getting into one is just like driving a Ferrari. Why not?

In all seriousness, yes, we did contact their customer service and file a complaint. Someone from Carrefour called to tell us the same thing about the belt not under warranty. Our broken Spanish got us through most of the conversation but she wanted to see the facturas of the purchase and repair. So off we will go back to Carrefour again tomorrow. Joy!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

kimuyen said:


> Ahem, please don't blow my cover! Of those products with complicated names like Bosch, Electrolux, Samsung, GE, etc. I found Carrefour a charming name. How could I not find it fancy? Just like Fiat. Getting into one is just like driving a Ferrari. Why not?
> 
> In all seriousness, yes, we did contact their customer service and file a complaint. Someone from Carrefour called to tell us the same thing about the belt not under warranty. Our broken Spanish got us through most of the conversation but she wanted to see the facturas of the purchase and repair. So off we will go back to Carrefour again tomorrow. Joy!


Good luck. I'll be there tomorrow too!


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## Calas felices (Nov 29, 2007)

A lot of manufacturers don't include what are sometimes called consumables in their warranties. Items like lamps and sometimes brakes on cars, fuses on some electronic goods. etc, etc To them it makes commercial sense. In the UK we have what is called fit for purpose and I suspect belts would be covered under this.


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## Dionysus (Jan 4, 2016)

*90 Euros?*

Being from the US, you probably know that a belt here costs about 8-12 US dollars. That is a huge markup, even with service included. Installing a belt on a dryer is one of the easiest things to do, with no experience at that. Look up the model, and instructions on YouTube, save yourself 80 Euros!


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

I would say that it's understandable not to cover the belt. 

Isn't it just like not covering the clutch on a car? It all depends on how it's used. For example, if you continually drive badly by slipping the clutch, then it will need replacing more often.

Similarly, if you overload the drier then the belt will take more pressure and may need replacing more frequently.


Excluding some parts is VERY common practice.


The fee to fix it does seem extortionate - did you not get competitive quotes first?


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Fees are always extortionate as they charge the call out fee unless you know a repairer who lives round the corner I was charged €80 call out for a washing machine before repairs as the guy came from Malaga. Same in UK too.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Isobella said:


> Fees are always extortionate as they charge the call out fee unless you know a repairer who lives round the corner I was charged €80 call out for a washing machine before repairs as the guy came from Malaga. Same in UK too.


Which is why I said "get quotes first". Our repair service is from a national chain and only charge 25€ call out fee which is only payable if no work is done!


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## kimuyen (Aug 8, 2013)

It is a common practice that manufacturers try to exclude parts from the warranty but it does not mean that all have good reason or are fair to consumers. I laughed when my husband wanted to buy a Carrefour brand machine. I told him it would break the next day. He was sure that we could past 2-3 years use of a cheap model given that the EU has 2-year warranty (take note, the U.S., 2 yr warranty!). Products should be built to the extend that it would pass the minimum requirements, otherwise they should not be on the market. The burden is on the manufacturers to prove that there was misuse or abuse and they cannot just say, "Sorry, we don't want/can't to cover this." Anyway, that is my personal belief.

Off to Carrefour we went this morning and gave them the facturas of the purchase and repair. After waiting for about 45 minutes at the store, the rep who called us on the phone yesterday came back and gave us a full refund of the repair. She still insisted that the belt was not covered. She was extremely nice and patient to us given our poor Spanish. Maybe we wore her out, I don't know. She redeemed Carrefour image to us. They still don't answer the phone when you call but I am sure she has her limit.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

kimuyen said:


> It is a common practice that manufacturers try to exclude parts from the warranty but it does not mean that all have good reason or are fair to consumers. I laughed when my husband wanted to buy a Carrefour brand machine. I told him it would break the next day. He was sure that we could past 2-3 years use of a cheap model given that the EU has 2-year warranty (take note, the U.S., 2 yr warranty!). Products should be built to the extend that it would pass the minimum requirements, otherwise they should not be on the market. The burden is on the manufacturers to prove that there was misuse or abuse and they cannot just say, "Sorry, we don't want/can't to cover this." Anyway, that is my personal belief.
> 
> Off to Carrefour we went this morning and gave them the facturas of the purchase and repair. After waiting for about 45 minutes at the store, the rep who called us on the phone yesterday came back and gave us a full refund of the repair. She still insisted that the belt was not covered. She was extremely nice and patient to us given our poor Spanish. Maybe we wore her out, I don't know. She redeemed Carrefour image to us. They still don't answer the phone when you call but I am sure she has her limit.


That IS good News, even better once they have actually fixed it. Next time (if there is one), of course it will not be under warranty, so ask locally amongst your neighbours if they know somebody who is good at sorting out those things - chances are they will know at least one person who could deal with your problem and quite inexpensively. Who knows, you may even make some new friends through it.


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