Consumer warranty claim for Sony 4K Blu-Ray Player (2.5 years from purchase)

BuBerryCo on 23/12/2019 - 21:36
Last edited 24/12/2019 - 18:45 by 1 other user

Hi guys,

In July 2017, I purchased a Sony X800 4K Bluray player from JB. Very recently the player became faulty (no signal and non-responsive to remote).

https://www.sony.com.au/support/resources/en_AU/html/Warrant…

My warranty card (and link above) says - "Audio/Visual/DVD/Subwoofers & Speaker - 3 years". When I spoke to Sony Australia, I was advised the warranty on the product is only 12 months and I am out of warranty (and the 3 years is only for Car and marine products).

Do I have a chance under Australian Consumer Law to seek a repair despite purchasing the item 2.5 years ago? Would it be reasonable for me to expect the device purchased for $400 would last 3 years? Has anyone had experience with Sony in similar situations?

Thanks in advance.

Electrical & Electronics Blu-Ray Player Sony

Comments

  • JimmyF on 23/12/2019 - 21:47
    +2

    "Audio/Visual/DVD/Subwoofers & Speaker - 3 years". When I spoke to Sony Australia, I was advised the warranty on the product is only 12 months and I am out of warranty (and the 3 years is only for Car and marine products).

    I would say looking at the Sony link you have 3 years. Do Sony even make Marine subwoofers and DVD players?

    I purchased a Sony X800 4K Bluray player from JB. Very recently the player became faulty (

    I would take it back to JB and ask for a repair/refund/replacement as its within the 3 year warranty period.

    • dizzle on 23/12/2019 - 22:31
      +3

      I read that differently. The Car/marine is the heading. The A/V/DVD/Sub all fall under that category.

      The OPs items fall under "All Sony products except as listed below". If warranty for a TV is 1 year, the BD player is not going to be longer than that. Component speakers (such as Hifi and car, will often have longer warranty.

      Not saying he doesn't have rights, just that he won't be able to use the warranty card to get them.

      • JimmyF on 23/12/2019 - 22:48

        So car/marine products have better warranty than home products? Interesting.

        • dizzle on 23/12/2019 - 23:12

          They tend to not be self powered. Speakers on their own aren't as likely to fail. It's the powered amplifier that runs them that have issues. (I think marine/car amplifiers don't count in the 3 year warranty)

          Amplifiers and TVs have more wires, soldered connections, capacitors etc. The more they have, the more that can fail even from outside influence. Apart from physical damage (damaged cone, magnets not aligned), there's not too much that can go wrong with the speaker part itself unless you overpower it. And those wouldn't be considered manufacturers faults.

          Not too sure about the Car DVD system. I assume that's built in to the head unit. If it's a headrest one you add in, it's probably considered portable and not "car video"

  • whooah1979 on 23/12/2019 - 22:04

    PRODUCT
    WARRANTY TERM
    SPECIAL WARRANTY CONDITIONS
    All Sony products except as listed below 1 Year For Service - Except as listed below, return to Sony Authorised Service Centre.

    It is 12 months unless stated otherwise.

  • whats up skip on 23/12/2019 - 22:07

    Certainly no harm in asking, but a $400 item may not be covered by a Statutory Warranty of 3 years. However given that doesn't have to do much, unlike a portable device, may be it would be reasonable to expect that it would last 3 years.

    I was very unimpressed by the 1 year warranty on tv's. Given the price of some of the models that is crazy.

  • resubaehtgnolhcs on 23/12/2019 - 22:12
    +7

    My warranty card (and link above) says - "Audio/Visual/DVD/Subwoofers & Speaker - 3 years"

    And you conveniently left out the bit that says "Car/Marine" before the "Audio/Visual/DVD/Subwoofers & Speaker - 3 years".

    • BuBerryCo on 24/12/2019 - 06:44

      Thanks everyone for the comments. I will look further into the Consumer Warranties avenue under the ACL.

      However, just to comment on the wording of the warranty card. The original advertisement for the item links to the table of warranties I've referred to. The table item in question is ambiguous as to whether its limited to Car/Marine or a separate item. The headings/subheadings are used inconsistently for different product types. Example -

      Table Item 6 - SD Cards (line 1), Memory Stick Pro Duo (line 2) and XQD Memory Card (line 3). All three lines are for separate items (not heading/contents).

      Table Item 5 - "Hi-Fi Components:-" uses ":-" to indicate the below items are contents under the heading.

      Essentially I am thinking of the avenue of misleading & deceptive conduct (potentially a s18 ACL /s52 former TPA). This warranty table is part of their advertising. It can mislead a consumer to believe the 3yr applies to "Audio/Visual/DVD/Subwoofers & Speaker".

      Any comments much appreciated.

      Cheers,
      Sand.

      • BuBerryCo on 24/12/2019 - 06:45

        See below

      • whooah1979 on 24/12/2019 - 08:54

        No reasonable person finds the table misleading.

  • thetrain on 23/12/2019 - 22:12
    +2

    Definitely seek repair/replacement under Australian Consumer Law!

    2.5 years is poor, I aim for 10+ years out of most AV stuff

    For reference you can also check the ATO effective life of depreciating assets. For TV monitors it is 5 years

    • whooah1979 on 23/12/2019 - 22:19
      +3

      ATO effective life of depreciating assets. For TV monitors it is 5 years

      The ATO’s take on asset depreciation doesn’t have anything to do with consumer guarantees.

      • dizzle on 23/12/2019 - 22:32

        Yeah, 10 years for a BD player is a bit (lot) of a stretch.

      • thetrain on 24/12/2019 - 09:14

        Well ATO thinks it will last that long.
        Statutory warranty deals with reasonable lifetimes

        Make of it what you will

  • jimbobaus on 23/12/2019 - 22:25
    +2

    $400 item
    12 months is reasonable. 3 years is pushing it.
    I used to work for company that was an authorised Sony warranty partner
    They are usually really good when it comes to higher value items even long after warranty is finished.
    But for a DVD/BR player you would be pushing your luck

  • [Deactivated] on 23/12/2019 - 23:42

    It's complex. If it's a polyfuse due to a power surge, then the manufacturer isn't responsible. If it's component failure they are responsible. If it's usage related wear, the answer is somewhere in the middle. To find out, someone has to pay.

  • FiremanFred on 24/12/2019 - 01:48
    +2

    Just had dealing with SONY AU regarding a faulty BRAVIA 60" TV (Main board) bought from TGG. TV was $2000 new and 5 years old. TGG didn't care and sent me to SONY. SONY didn't care either. Poor customer service from their part. They won't repair after 12 month warranty and won't comply with Australian consumer law.
    They offered a 25% discount off RRP on similar new TV from their range, which equaled to today's price from JB HIFI or TGG for the same so no real deal there!
    Logged a complaint with ACCC who replied saying they couldn't help as they usually looked after BIG cases and recommended I deal with TGG or SONY!
    If you want to fight for your right, you have to go to small claim tribunal (In QLD ).
    Ended up buying parts from https://speedyspares.com/ for $165 and fixing the TV myself (15' job). Google and YouTube is your friend for advice.

    • whooah1979 on 24/12/2019 - 01:58

      TV was $2000 new and 5 years old.

      5 years is a reasonable time for a TV.

  • BuBerryCo on 24/12/2019 - 06:47

    Further to my ref to the new s18 of the ACL, the linked article has a good summary on s18 (essentially the same as the former s52 of the TPA).

    http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/PrecedentAULA/2011…

  • modsec802 on 24/12/2019 - 08:08

    You can buy bluray players on gumtree or FB for $20 - much less hassle than trying to get this repaired by sony

    • BuBerryCo on 24/12/2019 - 08:25
      +1

      Not 4k bluray players. Think the cheapest are around 250

    • OzHunterNSW on 24/12/2019 - 10:57

      4K….. 4K

  • OzHunterNSW on 24/12/2019 - 10:57
    +2

    Don't be sucked in with this 12 month crap, or lash out for "extended warranty"… under the Australian Consumer Law, a product must perform to the standard one would expect for that particular device.
    In your case, and I know how expensive these items are, you would expect the item to last more than 2.5 years and the Consumer Law would agree.

    Contact the Dep of Fair Trading and seek their advice. They may even rectify the issue for you.
    They love to enforce and remind these companies that Australi will not lay down and take your SH1T

    • whooah1979 on 24/12/2019 - 11:15

      They love to enforce

      Fair trading NSW doesn’t have the power to enforce expired warranties.

  • Amanda3724 on 24/12/2019 - 11:42
    +5

    Don't worry about a warranty or what Sony say. All goods sold in Australia have to last for a reasonable period and where it's not long enough, you have redress through the ACCC. I have had recent personal success having a 3.5 year old Bosch dishwasher and 4.5 year old Swiss watch repaired free of charge thanks to a pro forma letter from the ACCC. In each case, the retailer agreed to a free repair after the first contact with no resistance at all. Here is the link: https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/complaints-problems/write-…. Good luck!!!

    • croc330 on 27/12/2019 - 10:33
      +1

      Thanks, bookmarked! Aussies stand up for your consumer rights!

  • Karfaffel on 24/12/2019 - 13:53
    +2

    Yes, beware ozbargainers. Sony seems to have a particularly hardline attitude to warranties. Their staff seems to have been instructed to do and say anything to get out of a repair, including ignoring ACCC. I have had personal experience with this and will not buy Sony products anymore. Those letters sound like a good idea. We shouldn't accept these poor excuses, nor should we accept that products only last for a year.

  • 1bug on 24/12/2019 - 22:36
    +1

    According to CHOICE, life expectancy for Bluray, DVD and CD Players is estimated as follows (subject to reasonable use and maintenance):

    Budget / entry level: 4 years
    Mid-range: 6 years
    High-end: 8 years

    How long should your household appliances last? (Last updated: 26 September 2018)
    https://www.choice.com.au/shopping/consumer-rights-and-advic…

  • 1bug on 27/12/2019 - 15:01

    Here's some examples of successful outcomes (for faulty TVs) after invoking Australian Consumer Law (ACL)…

    Faulty 3-year-old Sony 65" X9300D TV (left-hand side of screen displaying blue colour with heavy banding and pixilation) was replaced by a brand new 65" X9500G TV after the consumer invoked their ACL rights:
    https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/thread/9j04npv9?p=52#r1021

    Faulty 2-year-old Sony 55" X9300D TV (2 parallel lines running across TV) was replaced by a brand new 55" X9000F TV (in 2018) after the consumer invoked their ACL rights:
    https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/thread/9j04npv9?ux=118609

    Faulty 4.5-year-old TV (the screen stopped working) had the $3500 purchase price fully refunded after the consumer lodged a claim in the small claims court ($106 fee in QLD):
    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/389179

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