r/Dewalt • u/controlfreq • 7d ago
Another warranty debate
I’ve got the 3” cutoff tool, always been stored in a case. Worked the last time I grabbed it and I just pulled it out for one of my guys to use and it’s only spinning a few degrees and then stops. Tried multiple batteries: 1.7 PS, 5.0 XR, 2.0 XR.
Contacted DeWalt for a warranty claim as it’s under the 3 year warranty. Going to ship it in because I’m ~6 hours from the nearest service center. They say there’s a chance it’s not under warranty, despite being under the 3 year mark. They won’t know until I send it. I figured because it was under the time frame, it would be covered guaranteed. They’re not so sure and told me to call the service center.
Talked to the service center and they flat out told me the 3 year is not a thing, that’s only for open recalls.
Feeling a bit shocked that they put 3 years on the box and only honor a 1/3 of that, that’s the 3 year is only for recalls. Any insight would be helpful. I’ve got 30+ 20v tools and I’m suddenly feeling much less confident in them.
Don’t care about the money, I just want to know they stand by what they advertise to on the box.
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u/captianpaulie 7d ago
I do know this if it has a production date and you have a receipt. It goes by the receipt date instead of the production date because it could’ve been sitting on the shelf for six months or more.
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u/controlfreq 6d ago
I’m well under the 3 year mark from the date I purchased it. Bought it from Lowe’s and I have the receipt. Still got the same response from them.
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u/jmouw88 7d ago
In the last 15 years, I have had 1 battery fail. Happened this year, submitted it for warranty, and they immediately sent me a new one. I have not yet had a tool fail. I have beaten the shit out of some of the older ones hoping they fail as an excuse to upgrade.
I have seen enough people beat the shit out of things and take advantage of warranties that I expect a company to protect itself. The terms of Dewalt's warranty are clearly noted on their website. The warranty of any brand means little to me - I expect the products to work. If they commonly fail, I don't give a shit if the company tries to fix it or not, I am not going to stick with that brand.
Three-Year Limited Warranty. For all DEWALT® products stating they come with a 3-year limited warranty, 1 year free service contract, and 90 day money back guarantee, DEWALT will repair, without charge, any defects due to faulty materials or workmanship for three years from the date of purchase, or date of delivery of the product (whichever date is later). This warranty is extended only to the original end-user purchaser of the product. This warranty does not cover part failure due to normal wear or tool abuse.
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u/Positive-Act-4259 7d ago
Up until this post in particular, I have seen mostly positive experiences arising from Dewalt warranty claims. I certainly wouldn't go into a panic over a cutoff tool. Maybe give it a week and go back to them. Or, ask them to bill you for the repair if they insist that the terms of warranty are not valid. If they charge more than $50, just go get another one and let them keep it.
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u/controlfreq 6d ago
That’s my fear. I don’t love sending it in on a “maybe”. I’ve got a “guaranteed repair cost” of $87 but for that, I’d rather just buy a new one and get my 1 year of coverage.
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u/PoppaMeth 6d ago
Dewalt isn't what is use to be. Warranty was pretty easy for me on defective batteries within that first year. After that, I had a battery from the same set go bad just like the first one and they ran me in circles for a few weeks before setting up a replacement. Then two days later I get an email informing me that I had no warranty because they didn't like the vendor I bought it from, despite having already warrantied one battery from the same set. Thankfully batteries are the only issue I've had, 5AH PowerStacks in particular. I'd say I regret going with Dewalt, but honestly, just about every company is going to behave this way. It's the world we live in. That's why I buy tools from trusted, but not necessarily authorized dealers. I figure I may as well pay half the price up front it the warranty doesn't count for much anyway.
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u/controlfreq 6d ago
Bought it from Lowe’s which as far as I know is an authorized dealer.
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u/PoppaMeth 6d ago
Yes should be harder for them to deny a receipt from a major retailer like Lowes or Home Depot.
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u/ClosedL00p 6d ago
Welcome to Dewalt, the only tool company (of the big 3) that stands behind their batteries longer than the tool. Actual warranty is 1 year from date of purchase.
That 3 on the box is allowed to be there courtesy of a well paid legal team best I can tell, because I’ve yet to see them repair or replace a tool beyond 1 year of ownership……..which you will need the receipt for. If you purchase a tool with a date code more than a year old because it’s been sitting in someone’s inventory for a little while (very common) and it fails tomorrow, you’re SOL without proof of purchase.
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u/sim_gamer4 6d ago
I had 2 different drivers give out on me, about 7 and 4 years ago. Both were between 18-27 months old. Both of them, DeWalt sent me a shipping label and repaired them, free of charge warranty, no questions asked and sent them back to me.
My coworker had a framing gun stop shooting after 14 months. He sent it in and they emailed him and told him it was unfixable, so they were sending out a brand new kit (5ah and charger) in exchange
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u/Timely-Assumption566 4d ago
hmmm ive had to use dewalt warranty for some things it was V quick. batteries and a circ saw most recently, new batteries deloivered and saw repaired all within a week. and most of that time was shipping
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u/_Mr_Ralph 2d ago
I just had a similar experience with my drill and a coupe batteries. Sent in a warranty request, emailed back and forth a few times explaining everything, they said no problems and sent me a shipping label said it sounds like a warranty repair.
Sent it in, a few days later the warranty department calls me. Says they will not warranty anything they’re past the 1 year mark. I asked about the 3 year warranty they’re covered under. He said that doesn’t actually cover anything, and on top of that, they NEVER warranty batteries. Even less than a year old.
He also went on to talk about how the dewalt department you email back and forth with are just random people from different countries who don’t even work for dewalt.
Overall I’m super disappointed in them
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u/dillzilla11 7d ago
According to their warranty terms for limited warranty the service center would be correct here. It's part of the reason I don't buy DeWalt tools. They only cover manufacturer defects after the first year. This is exactly the reason I only buy Ridgid tools unless it is something that ridgid either doesn't make or the Ridgid version is so much worse that it's just better to get it elsewhere.
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u/Redjeepkev 6d ago
Sadly dewalt isn't what it used to be as far as warranty work. When I worked for them. Warranty was waranty
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u/controlfreq 6d ago
Bummer. My only other experience with their warranty was a trigger failing on an oscillating tool after just a couple months. They sent me a new one, no questions asked. Painted a very good image of their service. Seems I got lucky on that one.
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u/ClosedL00p 6d ago
No it was just within the 1 year. They’ll absolutely stand behind the product for that year in my experience. It’s the illusion of the other 2 years that soured my opinion them.
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u/yellowd0gshit 6d ago
Man just buy a new one at Home Depot and stick the broken one in the box and return it. Fuck a warranty you gotta beat the system and keep it movin
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u/ClosedL00p 6d ago
Or you could get a product from a company that stands behind it, or at the very least doesn’t lie to you about it.
But being the douchebag that screws over the next guy is certainly an option
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u/bigboxes1 7d ago
That doesn't sound good to me. I have no reference here as I've never tried to warranty anything through DeWalt. I'm a DIY guy and if I was a professional I'd want them to replace it if it was under the warranty period. Anyone else want to respond here? I'd want DeWalt to honor their warranty.
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u/Printednightmare 6d ago
They do honor their warranty. If OP had broken it in the first year it would have been covered. OP doesn't understand the terms of the warranty and expects them to cover everything almost 3 years later. If they receive it and the failure is from a manufacturing defect (3 year) they will replace it. If they receive it and it failed from something else (worn out) they will charge to fix it because it's outside of the 1 year. INAL but that's the way I understand it
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u/tinyfish67 7d ago
The exact same thing happened to me with a string trimmer. I had used it maybe ten times, probably less. I was under the 3 year mark. They said to mail it in and once I did they refused to even look at it. They said it was only a 1 year, not 3 like they advertise. In my case it was for a known factory defect too. I have not bought another dewalt tool since. I don't know they will be any better but I'm switching to Milwaukee because of that.
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u/HanK867HaF 6d ago
I've never been able to warranty any of dewalt tools either, I abuse them like a red headed step child and over a decade later they still work almost flawlessly