Hey there everyone!
I have a Nintendo Switch which has recently decided to start playing up. It hits around 80% battery life and then flashes a "no battery" logo on the screen before turning off then on again, at which point it repeats this process. Before that I had trouble even turning the thing on, the screen would just light up, show the full battery logo (it was plugged in at the time and had been on charge for hours) but then it would just turn straight back off.
Anyway, I realize the manufacturer warranty is only 12 months, so obviously I'm out of warranty there, but thought I would try my luck getting a remedy from JB HIFI where the unit was purchased. I mentioned that the ACCC states consumers have statutory rights which extend outside of the manufacturers warranty where items are deemed to be expected to last a certain time period. Specifically this piece here;
"Statutory rights are not limited to a set time period. Instead, they apply for the amount of time that is reasonable to expect, given the cost and quality of the item.This means a consumer may be entitled to a remedy under their statutory rights after any manufacturer’s voluntary or extended warranty has expired.For example, it is reasonable to expect that an expensive television should not develop a serious fault after 13 months of normal use. In this case, the consumer could argue the item was not of merchantable quality and ask for it to be repaired, even if the manufacturer’s voluntary warranty had expired."
I mentioned this to the sales clerk who then went out the back only to return to tell me I would have to pay $60 just for them to look at the Switch, and then there would be additional cost on top of this for them to repair it. I said "all good, I'll leave it for now" and left on my merry way. I can provide an MS Paint diagram of the scenario if needed. I just sent JB HIFI customer support an email quoting that ACCC passage, so time will tell what they do.
Has anyone here been in the same boat? Had any luck claiming a replacement or repair out of the 12 month warranty period? Am I crazy for trying to claim a warranty that has since expired?
Thanks in advance!
EDIT - I should say, the unit was working fine last week, would play for hours and the battery would cycle properly. The Switch itself doesn't really get played that often either and is in good condition. It's only this week out of nowhere that it switches off randomly and refuses to turn on. If plugged in the Nintendo logo would briefly come on then flash away, if not plugged in, the screen would briefly turn on with the full battery indicator, then turn off.
Sounds like you've got an issue with the battery. Batteries are notorious for a get out of jail for manufacturer's, as it's easy to destroy a battery (eg. leaving it on charge for the last 14600 hours). I'd say you're out of luck here.
I'd be contacting Nintendo if JB Hifi doesn't assist, as they may give you a 'courtesy repair' to keep you a happy Nintendo user (and keep buying games/accessories/next gen etc).