Broken Ryobi Tool? Here's An Easy Guide For Submitting A Warranty Claim
When making a significant new purchase, a warranty tends to be a vital thing to consider. We always hope we won't need to make claims, and coverage can be costly, but potentially not as costly as having the worst happen and not having the option.
Tools, or power tools in particular, might be some of the sturdiest and most hard-wearing items in an owner's possession. Not to mention that if you're in the trade or do a lot of work around your home, your toolbox could consist of some very valuable items. What to do if a tool gets damaged, breaks down, and needs to be repaired or replaced? Fortunately, if the stricken item in question is a Ryobi tool, the process of making a warranty claim is quite simple.
Here's exactly what a Ryobi warranty will cover for a particular type of tool (and for how long) and how to go about making a claim if your specific tool is covered by one.
The extent of a Ryobi warranty
How did your tool break in the first place? In the case of accidental damage caused by the users themselves, coverage will not apply. Full details of Ryobi's warranties on various products, from non-powered hand tools to pneumatic handheld power tools, are available on the manufacturer's website. In the latter category's case, the document notes that "any malfunction, failure or defects resulting from misuse, abuse, neglect, alteration, modification or repairs by other than authorized service centers" renders a tool ineligible for warranty coverage.
For the former, Ryobi notes that any issues arising from the owner not maintaining their tool, "as determined by TTI, in its discretion," will also mean that a warranty claim will not be successful. It's crucial to begin by consulting Ryobi's warranty documentation for the type of tool you need to make a claim.
Armed with that information and the knowledge that you've been a conscientious tool owner whose product has become defective through no fault of your own, what else do you need to know? Only the original owner may make a claim and must do so within the eligible period. This is variable, too. It covers "the usable life of the original product" for hand tools, and up to three years from the date of the purchase for power tools (except USB Lithium tools, two years for those), you'll need a receipt.
Submitting the warranty claim itself
To make your claim in the U.S., you can take a Ryobi tool back to The Home Depot or another store where it was purchased, subject to their own warranty requirements. You'll need to get your tool to one of the aforementioned authorized service centers through Ryobi directly.
To find the closest center to you, you can visit Ryobi's Help Plus service, then input the model number of your tool in the Product Knowledge Base (search by category is also available if you don't know the model number). Here, you'll find the manuals for your product, as well as warranty and registration information. Beneath that, hit Locate A Service Center. Here, you can search for the center by inputting your location and the product line of your tool. Ryobi warns, however, that you'll have to pay for any repairs if the warranty isn't applicable and that not every location will be able to repair a specific tool, so checking ahead is important.
Ryobi's Hand Tool Limited Lifetime Warranty notes that users can call TTI directly at 1-800-525-2579 to detail the issue, then post a completed Warranty Claim Form, along with the packaged tool, to this address: TTI Consumer Power Tools, Inc., Attention: RYOBI Products Service Department, 100 Innovation Way, Anderson, SC 29621. The owner must cover insurance and packaging, and TTI will only cover the dispatch back if the warranty is applicable.