PSA: Vendors must provide replacement parts for sale for e-bikes sold to customers in California, for 7 years

[Asher]

I believe it does not apply to non-CA customers buying from CA based brands, but does apply to CA customers of non-CA brands.

While it is technically only for people in CA, this could spur vendors to keep replacement parts longer if they knew their obligations, helping customers from other places.

LA Times editorial:

"Under the Lemon Law — a.k.a. the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act — manufacturers of most household electronic goods that sell for more than $100 have to provide spare parts for up to seven years, regardless of warranty status...
Section 1793.03 of the Lemon Law stipulates that any manufacturer of a TV, stereo, computer or similar electronic device worth at least $100 “shall make available to service and repair facilities … functional parts to effect the repair of a product for at least seven years after the date a product model or type was manufactured.”

It also says spare parts must be available “regardless of whether the seven-year period exceeds the warranty period for the product.”

A spokesman for California Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris confirmed to me that “replacement parts for many electronic goods have to be available for up to seven years.”

California's Lemon Law helps protect pricey consumer electronics

California's Lemon Law is intended first and foremost to keep new-car buyers from being stuck with a hunk of junk.

www.latimes.com

 

[fooferdoggie]

this would be great but also drive a lot of the low end sellers away. but Bosch already does that so no worries on my part. but 7 years would be pretty long for a bike.

 

[Asher]

7 years would be pretty long for a bike.

For a walmart bike, yes. Otherwise, no. Bikes last decades, cared for properly, if suitable parts are still available.

 

[m@Robertson]

For a walmart bike, yes. Otherwise, no. Bikes last decades, cared for properly, if suitable parts are still available.

A bicycle lasts for decades. An ebike with a proprietary motor... we've already seen how planned obsolescence can work.

I have already seen Bullitts with EOL'd Shimano motors die off thanks to Shimano no longer carrying spare parts. Shimano decided that follow-on motors wouldn't even have the same bolt pattern for mounting so forget about a more recent motor upgrade. You face throwing away a $7000 bike. Owners have been forced to buy entire motors on the secondary market. The people who have those motors know what they have and prices reported by those looking are about 1000 dollars. These are high prestige bikes from one of the top brands in the field. High level of fit and finish... the whole bit..

It remains to be seen if CA will have the attention span to enforce this law. I personally doubt it.

A spokesman for California Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris confirmed to me that “replacement parts for many electronic goods have to be available for up to seven years.”

Sadly, thats a clue right there that this is an out of date article and the subject is one nobody is paying any attention to. Article is seven years old almost to the day.

 

[Asher]

A bicycle lasts for decades. An ebike with a proprietary motor... we've already seen how planned obsolescence can work.

I haver already seen Bullitts with EOL'd Shimano motors die off thanks to Shimano no longer carrying spare parts. Shimano decided that follow-on motors wouldn't even have the same bolt pattern for mounting so forget about a more recent motor upgrade. You facethrowing away a $7000 bike. Owners have been forced to buy entire motors on the secondary market. The people who have those motors know what they have and prices reported by those looking are about 1000 dollars. These are high prestige bikes from one of the top brands in the field. High level of fit and finish... the whole bit..

It remains to be seen if CA will have the attention span to enforce this law. I personally doubt it.

Sadly, thats a clue right there that this is an out of date article and the subject is one nobody is paying any attention to. Article is seven years old almost to the day.

I see again why I have you on ignore - the law didn't expire.

 

[fooferdoggie]

For a walmart bike, yes. Otherwise, no. Bikes last decades, cared for properly, if suitable parts are still available.

yes bikes do because they are simple and are somewhat universal in parts. but e biked would have to change drastically busch is the only one that still supports their old stuff. but I doubt most e bike sellers could the market changes so much and they come and go so fast.

 

[Asher]

yes bikes do because they are simple and are somewhat universal in parts. but e biked would have to change drastically busch is the only one that still supports their old stuff. but I doubt most e bike sellers could the market changes so much and they come and go so fast.

Maybe if there were a law that stipulated otherwise...

 

[m@Robertson]

I see again why I have you on ignore - the law didn't expire.

A narrow view if I describe it as charitably as possible. It was a serious response. If acting like an asshole is all you have to contribute to the discussion then please, by all means keep me on ignore.

 

[m@Robertson]

yes bikes do because they are simple and are somewhat universal in parts. but e biked would have to change drastically busch is the only one that still supports their old stuff. but I doubt most e bike sellers could the market changes so much and they come and go so fast.

Exactly. The linked article is old news, and widely reported experience has already demonstrated it is not being enforced in any meaningful way. It would be good for us all if it was but that would mean the government is paying a LOT more attention to the marketplace than they are.

 

[mschwett]

Exactly. The linked article is old news, and widely reported experience has already demonstrated it is not being enforced in any meaningful way. It would be good for us all if it was but that would mean the government is paying a LOT more attention to the marketplace than they are.

i wonder what the remedy is supposed to be? consumer tries to get parts, not available, files a complaint, vice president of the united states [sic] goes after said company?

 

[Asher]

If you're a Californian and a company isn't complying, take them to court in small claims. Or find a law firm to take on a class action and find people with the same brand and issue (e.g. through this forum, FB owners groups, etc).

 

[Gionnirocket]

I see again why I have you on ignore - the law didn't expire.

Another dick_bag that's so proud of his ignore list... They all tout it then reply to the ignore'es all the same .
Good luck getting that law enforced.

 

[pmcdonald]

This sounds terrible, but the advice I give to friends looking at ebikes is to approach the purchase with the mindset of buying, say, a smartphone. Measure the lifespan in years, not decades.

My last pushbike gave me 26 years of service before we parted ways. It rode pretty much as well on year 26 as year 1. If I get to 5 years with my current bikes I'll consider us even. Every year after that is a bonus.

Of course if you have the electrical know-how and pick dudiciously like a number of forum members here you may be able to extend the lifespan through repairs and third party upgrades. But for the technically inept we're at the mercy of the dealer and manufacturer. And that's often not a cost effective path five or more years down the path, if it even exists.

In my case my first ebike needed parts at the 6 year mark. The manufacturer had pulled out of Australia at that point and I got zero help from their HQ in Spain. No local repairer would touch it. That was the end of that bike.

I welcome any and all legislation that requires manufacturers to stock replacement parts for the life of the bike. It's very much the antithesis of our consume and dispose culture.

 

[Asher]

Good luck getting that law enforced.

Defeatism isn't the genius argument you think it is. But that aside, better to speak plainly and instead say 'shut up and accept your fate'. It amounts to the same thing.

This sounds terrible, but the advice I give to friends looking at ebikes is to approach the purchase with the mindset of buying, say, a smartphone. Measure the lifespan in years, not decades.

My last pushbike gave me 26 years of service before we parted ways. It rode pretty much as well on year 26 as year 1. If I get to 5 years with my current bikes I'll consider us even. Every year after that is a bonus.

My tentative plan is to sell my ebike when the extended warranty period ends, at which point it's like a bomb that goes off at some point (with a costly part failure) for whoever has it, because the prospect of repairs is murky. But I've got a few years till then and will see how the bike has fared and what the practical repair options are. I'm also hopeful that e-bike repair skills proliferate, so anyone in a city could hire a guy to replace the motor in a typical Juiced/Rad/Aventon etc type hub motor bike.

 

[mojoe]

I registered my ICE trike to get the ten year warranty. Yes, I know that the Shimano motor and battery are less than ten years, but I would think that ICE will be able to provide replacement parts for many years.

If the motor holds up, but the battery dies, I can always have it rebuilt. Worst case, I have to mount a different motor onto the front of the boom, and swap out the battery. With a top brand like ICE, and components from Shimano, Rohloff, etc., I'm not too worried about riding this trike for many years to come.

If I need something that I will use only once in a blue moon, or that I consider disposable, then I'll buy cheap. If it is something that I will use for many years, I buy top shelf, from a company that has been around for a long time. Of course, a company may turn to crap or go out of business, but you need a crystal ball to know that.

 

[retiredNH]

What's going on here? AFAIK, an ebike is not a "household electronic good".

worse, as others have said, this is an OLD law. Why did the OP post it now?

 

[FrankR]

Would love to see more laws requiring parts availability. Even if 7 years seems to be extreme for some companies, I'd be happy with a solid 5.

Not sure how this would apply to stuff ordered direct from China, v.s., stuff ordered by a U.S. dealer selling the stuff from China.

 

[Asher]

What's going on here? AFAIK, an ebike is not a "household electronic good".

Why not?

worse, as others have said, this is an OLD law. Why did the OP post it now?

Because no one ever mentioned it. it's relevant.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Would love to see more laws requiring parts availability. Even if 7 years seems to be extreme for some companies, I'd be happy with a solid 5.

Not sure how this would apply to stuff ordered direct from China, v.s., stuff ordered by a U.S. dealer selling the stuff from China.

hell most thing don't last 5 years. or the turn around on them is more because everyone has to have the latest and greatest. no way it could ever be implemented.

 

[Asher]

hell most thing don't last 5 years. or the turn around on them is more because everyone has to have the latest and greatest. no way it could ever be implemented.

We put a man on the moon and we already have the same law for cars. I think we can manage.

Are Auto Manufacturers required under US Federal Law to provide parts for a set period of time?

Via snopes.com Message Board and here, and a similar question on mechanics.stackexchange.com: Auto manufacturers are required by US Federal Law to have parts available for any models they sold f...

skeptics.stackexchange.com