Warranty News Headlines

January 1, 2005 to today

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December 2005

Allegiance Holdings to move Heritage Administration Services from Lincoln NE to Dublin OH.
Lincoln Journal Star, December 31, 2005
Two Alaskan contractors accused of making shoddy repairs plead guilty to conspiracy charges.
Anchorage Daily News, December 30, 2005
Country musician Willie Nelson touts the benefits of the biodiesel fuel he now uses in his Mercedes.
New York Times, December 30, 2005
Motor Vehicle Owner's Right to Repair Act would require carmakers to provide service and tool information to independent shops.
Laurel Leader, December 29, 2005
Massachusetts Turnpike Authority issues three-year warranty for electronic toll transponders.
Associated Press, December 28, 2005
Plaintiffs seek class action status versus Carlisle Tire & Wheel Co. in dispute over RV tire failures.
Associated Press, December 27, 2005
Directions Research survey finds only 26% would buy or lease a car manufactured by a bankrupt company.
Consumer Affairs, December 27, 2005
Memphis-area homebuilders cut back on home warranties; traditional 2-10 policies replaced with one-year terms.
WREG-TV Memphis, December 27, 2005
CA Magazine surveys 15 vendors of customer relationship management applications, and defines CRM.
CA Magazine, December 27, 2005
Dell advertises a Dimension 3000 desktop and an Inspiron 1000 notebook with only a 90-day warranty in Parade magazine.
The Inquirer, December 27, 2005
Fiber Optic Designs' Forever Bright LED Christmas lights last up to 200,000 hours and use less electricity.
Trentonian, December 26, 2005
Furniture makers can void the warranty if a power screwdriver is used for customer self assembly.
San Francisco Chronicle, December 26, 2005
SEC subpoenaes former Delphi CEO J.T. Battenberg III and a dozen other executives, lawyers say.
Detroit News, December 25, 2005
Mississippi builder says state lacks inspectors needed to enforce New Home Warranty Act.
Hattiesburg American, December 25, 2005
Italy's CNIPA office gives six ISPs official accreditation to deliver email carrying a legal warranty.
Italian Prime Minister's office via AGI, December 22, 2005
Toyota says warranty costs haven't risen despite doubling of US recall rate in 2005.
Detroit News, December 21, 2005
California Air Resources Board gets DaimlerChrysler to extend warranty coverage for catalytic converters on more than 90,000 light- and medium-duty trucks and vans from 1996-1999.
Press Release, December 21, 2005
DaimlerChrysler reaches $94 million settlement with EPA to repair defective emission controls on nearly 1.5 million Jeep and Dodge vehicles.
Associated Press, December 21, 2005
SAS ranks at the top of the list in the annual DM Review Readership Awards for Business Intelligence and Analytic Applications, and Business Performance Management and Web Analytics.
Press Release, December 21, 2005
General Motors discovers a seat belt defect on the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana through an analysis of warranty claims.
Associated Press, December 20, 2005
Fujitsu's responsibility for stock sale fiasco unclear; computer system's warranty likely expired.
Yomiuri Shimbun, December 20, 2005
Hawaii Insurance Division issues an order of liquidation for 1SourceAutoWarranty.com, PrimeGuard Insurance Co., First Assured Warranty Corp., and WarranteeWise Inc.
Press Release, December 19, 2005
Circuit City reports 3.8% of domestic sales is extended warranty revenue, same as in 2004.
Press Release, December 19, 2005
Warrantech selects Western Insurance Company and American Resource Insurance Company as underwriters after extending relationship with Great American Insurance Company.
Press Release, December 19, 2005
Gehl to increase earnings by 12 cents a share after resolving a warranty issue with a supplier.
Press Release, December 19, 2005
Continental Warranty co-sponsors Christmas party for needy children in Wilmington DE; George Adair plays Santa.
News Journal, December 19, 2005
Gripes about Apple's iPod warranty and repair policies reach Australia.
Sydney Morning Herald, December 19, 2005
Australian auto extended warranty company Promina looks to enter Asian market.
The Australian, December 18, 2005
Ford to lengthen warranty on intake manifolds to seven years and pay $735 to customers who already replaced defective units.
Associated Press, December 17, 2005
Cingular Wireless says aftermarket mobile phone faceplates can void the unit's warranty.
WRTV Indianapolis, December 16, 2005
New Zealand's Automobile Association to begin selling extended warranties.
Press Release, December 16, 2005
New "Welcome to Virginia" signs to be covered by a 12-year warranty.
Hampton Roads Daily Press, December 16, 2005
Overheating problem with New Zealand military's Pinzgauer vehicles is fixed, but new fans are too noisy.
New Zealand News, December 16, 2005
Blue plastic sheeting installed on hurricane-damaged roofs in Louisiana carries 30-day warranty.
Insurance Journal, December 15, 2005
Connecticut man fuels Volkswagen Jetta's diesel engine with used vegetable oil.
Danbury News-Times, December 15, 2005
Dec. 19 deadline to join Las Vegas class action lawsuit against partners of National Warranty Insurance Group.
Associated Press, December 15, 2005
Mark Brunelle's company, Hardware 4 Less, accused of selling counterfeit Compaq computers to nuclear labs.
Associated Press, December 15, 2005
Holiday Tree and Trim in Bayonne NJ sells artificial trees backed by a 50-year warranty.
San Francisco Chronicle, December 15, 2005
Ford's Power Stroke diesel engine drives up warranty costs.
Automotive News, December 14, 2005
Analysts say customers need to be sold on extended warranties, which Wal-Mart won't do well.
Dallas Morning News, December 14, 2005
Bobby Sutton joins Pete Stephens in allegedly deceptive garage door dealership chain that changes names to avoid warranty claims.
Tucson Explorer, December 14, 2005
Consumers represented by Handal & Associates sue Gateway over alleged defects in plasma TVs.
Press Release, December 13, 2005
Michigan townships choose 15-year warranties over five-year warranties for new sewage tanks.
Traverse City Record-Eagle, December 13, 2005
Symmetricom lengthens warranty on its Active Hydrogen Maser MHM 2010 to seven years to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
Press Release, December 13, 2005
Apriso announces Version 9.3 of FlexNet manufacturing and logistics software, including a quality management system.
Press Release, December 13, 2005
LG monitor's three-year warranty preferred over Gateway's one-year warranty.
Philadelphia Inquirer, December 11, 2005
Ncompass to provide warranty service on computers state of West Virginia buys direct from Lenovo.
Charleston Gazette, December 9, 2005
Injunction filed against C.A.R.S. Protection Plus Inc. prohibiting diagnostic charges for Powertrain Value Limited Warranty claims.
Press Release, December 9, 2005
VAC Service sold to Bankers Warranty Group Inc., a subsidiary of Bankers Financial Corp.
Press Release, December 8, 2005
ServicePower?s Field Service Solutions Division to provide Sylvan Source with a warranty service solution.
Press Release, December 7, 2005
Sun Microsystems to sell three year service contracts along with new Sun Fire T1000 and T2000 system.
Press Release, December 6, 2005
Honey, they shrunk the warranty: some PCs and CE now sold with only 90-day coverage.
Bankrate.com, December 6, 2005
J.D. Power ranks Caterpillar C-15 heavy-duty truck diesel engine highest in customer satisfaction.
Press Release, December 6, 2005
Fitch Ratings revises outlook for Aon Corp. upwards from negative to stable.
Press Release, December 6, 2005
Customer says Microsoft Xbox 360 has a design flaw that causes it to overheat and freeze up.
Reuters, December 5, 2005
AMR Research says delaying an auto recall can cost $1 million per day; says Early Warning Systems can cut time by 40%.
Press Release, December 5, 2005
Firestone Tire & Service Centers in Washington to refund extended warranties sold in past two years.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, December 3, 2005
Motorpoint to provide first year of warranty coverage for Subaru models it sells in the UK.
Auto Industry, December 2, 2005
U.S. passenger car recalls fall in 2005, but Toyota and Ford see increases.
Detroit News, December 2, 2005
CNET asks: Should you pay for an extended warranty?
CNET.com, December 2, 2005
China's Chery Automobile Co. Ltd. makes its first domestic auto recall announcement; defective mirror light in Oriental Son won't shut off.
Asia Pulse, December 1, 2005
New Tango electric car carries 10-year warranty with on-site repairs.
EV World, December 1, 2005
Samsung lengthens computer keyboard and mouse warranties from one to two years.
Channel Times, December 1, 2005
Interface launches carpet tiles for schools, backed with a 20-year warranty.
Building Products News, December 1, 2005
Honda Marine introduces five-year warranty on engines ranging from the BF40 through the BF225 purchased between January 1 and April 3, 2006.
Press Release, 5-Dec

November 2005

Toyota's 40G campaign notifies Prius owners that hybrid battery may leak; one fire reported.
Los Angeles Times, November 30, 2005
Deceased musician Jerry Garcia's dishwasher and toilet to be sold "as is" on eBay.
BBC News, November 30, 2005
Warranty Direct UK releases list of failure rates and average repair costs for British cars.
Press Release, November 29, 2005 (Word file)
Discount retailer Costco is selling Dell desktops and notebooks with a three-year warranty.
CNET News.com, November 29, 2005
Analyst sees Best Buy's "Geek Squad" as an advantage vs. Wal-Mart when selling extended warranties.
St. Paul Pioneer Press, November 29, 2005
Nassau County Consumer Affairs Department reports a 350% increase this year in complaints regarding Sears.
WABC-TV New York, November 28, 2005
Domestic & General Group plc reports higher extended warranty revenues and lower claims rates for half-year ended September 30.
Press Release, November 28, 2005 (PDF file)
New York Attorney General won't press criminal charges against AIG's Maurice "Hank" Greenberg.
Bloomberg News, November 25, 2005
Asus enters the UK LCD monitor market with a one-year "zero bright dot" warranty.
PC Pro, November 24, 2005
Dell Inspiron and Dimension units sold through Costco carry two and three-year warranties.
Current Analysis, November 23, 2005
Palm Inc. shareholder Sagio Investments urges company to cut its warranty costs.
PDA News, November 23, 2005
Microsoft sells service contracts for the Xbox 360 console: US price is $25 for one year and $50 for two years.
Web Page, November 22, 2005
Microsoft sells service contracts for the Xbox 360 console: Canadian price is $26 for one year and $52 for two years.
Web Page, November 22, 2005
Microsoft sells service contracts for the Xbox 360 console: Australian price is $90 for one year and $180 for two years.
Web Page, November 22, 2005
GM, Ford and Chrysler compete with new rebates and promotions, including longer warranties.
CNN Money, November 21, 2005
Bombardier service center opens at the Dubai airport, to provide regional maintenance and warranty services for Learjet.
AME Info, November 19, 2005
Carfax now offers a free flood damaged vehicle lookup service on its Web site.
Decatur (IL) Herald & Review, November 18, 2005
Intel says computer chips causing problems in China are counterfeits.
People's Daily, November 18, 2005
Arizona homeowners unhappy with First American Home Warranty's claims resolution process.
KPHO Phoenix, November 18, 2005
Chrysler to lengthen warranties from three to five years and give away free gas with purchases until Jan. 3.
Associated Press, November 17, 2005
Sanyo Canada equips new LCD home theatre projector with a three-year warranty.
Press Release, November 17, 2005
Norsat International lengthens its microwave equipment warranties to three years.
Press Release, November 16, 2005
Hewlett-Packard receives the J.D. Power and Associates Certified Technology Service and Support certification for its customer service.
Press Release, November 16, 2005
PA Attorney General sues Oleg and Angela Shtutman of Value Kia for numerous violations, including not honoring used car warranties.
Press Release, November 15, 2005
N.E.W. Customer Service Companies wins a 2006 International CES Innovations Design and Engineering Award for its Warranty Minder Web portal.
Press Release, November 15, 2005
Aon Corp. considers selling its warranty, credit insurance and property & casualty underwriting businesses.
Press Release, November 15, 2005
Volvo agrees with the California Air Resources Board to lengthen the warranty on faulty throttles from seven to 10 years.
Associated Press, November 15, 2005
Wal-Mart Stores reports $69 million in product warranty program expenses in quarter ending Oct. 31.
Press Release, November 14, 2005
IBM opening a new warranty repair center for its tape drives in Singapore.
CMPnet Asia, November 14, 2005
Warrantech Corp. appoints David J. Workman president of the company?s consumer product services division.
Press Release, November 14, 2005
Consumers filing complaints list five reasons not to buy an extended warranty.
Consumer Affairs, November 14, 2005
Planar LCD screens have industry-leading three-year warranties with a two-day advance replacement clause.
Entrepreneur magazine, November 14, 2005
Consumer advocate suggests scanning or copying recepits printed on thermal paper before they fade.
Richmond Times-Dispatch, November 13, 2005
SmashMyiPod.com crew buys an iPod, declines the extended warranty, and crushes it in front of the salesman.
Globe and Mail, November 12, 2005
AMR Research seeks participants for a survey examining the management of parts returns and the use of warranty data.
Online Posting, November 11, 2005
A.M. Best Co. affirms the B++ (Very Good) rating of Aon's UK underwriter, London General Insurance Co. Ltd.
Press Release, November 11, 2005
By selling discounted extended warranties, Wal-Mart is attacking the business model of Circuit City and Best Buy.
Business Week, November 10, 2005
Ultimate Warranty Corp. agrees to offer its automotive aftermarket products through the eMenu interface of DealerTrack Aftermarket Services.
Press Release, November 10, 2005
Wal-Mart enters ectended warranty business, threatening Besy Buy & Circuit City.
Bloomberg Business Week, November 9, 2005
J.D. Power and Associates' 2005 Major Home Appliance Study ranks KitchenAid and Samsung highest in customer satifaction for dishwashers, ovens and refrigerators.
Press Release, November 9, 2005
Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America home projector with TI's new Digital Light Processing technology gets two-year warranty.
Press Release, November 9, 2005 (PDF file)
Bombardier lengthens the warranty on the Learjet 60 to five years.
Flight International, November 9, 2005
Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. unveils the Eagle Plus Warranty Program, bridging the gap between its jet engine product warranties and existing service plans.
Press Release, November 9, 2005
Warranty Direct UK allows customers to build their own extended warranties, including or excluding specific components.
ITV Motoring, November 9, 2005
Jet Aviation Singapore will become the first authorized service center for Boeing Business Jets in the Asia Pacific region.
Press Release, November 8, 2005
Raytheon Aircraft Company places a five-year warranty on the airframe, engines, and avionics of the new Hawker 850XP.
Press Release, November 8, 2005 (PDF file)
Harris Interactive survey finds 50% of respondents see warranty as a factor that has a great deal of impact on their purchase considerations.
Press Release, November 8, 2005
South Florida's local roofers say out of state firms' warranties are meaningless.
Miami Herald, November 8, 2005
Distributors of RedMax/Komatsu Zenoah outdoor power equipment to use ServiceBench to manage warranty claims.
Press Release, November 7, 2005
Celestica Inc. acquires Displaytronix, a company engaged in the repair, recovery and replacement of flat-panel displays.
Press Release, November 7, 2005
North Korea's Choson Bugang Trading Co. apparently grants warranties on motorcycles imported from China.
JoongAng Daily, South Korea, November 5, 2005
Does that F-16 come with a warranty? What happens if the U.S. government sells you a lemon.
Slate, November 4, 2005
Service Net Solutions LLC to administer service plans for Toshiba America Information Systems? Digital Products Division.
Press Release, November 4, 2005
Warrantech Home Service Company launches new Web site featuring cartoon character Wally Warrantech.
Press Release, November 3, 2005
ServiceMaster reports revenue up 8% and earnings up 9%; American Home Shield revenue up 12% but income down 2%.
Press Release, November 3, 2005
Aon Corp. reports third quarter net income of $122 million or 36 cents per share, same as in 2004.
Press Release, November 3, 2005
Home Warranty Association of California says new 13 SEER requirements, effective Jan. 23, may boost value of home warranties.
Press Release, November 3, 2005
Western Star Trucks begins selling extended warranties for used trucks.
Press Release, November 3, 2005
Mazda North American Operations to give $500 to owners of recalled 2006 Mazda5 compact minivan and restart their warranties on Dec. 1.
Automotive News, November 3, 2005
Epson Australia doubles the warranty on the Epson Stylus CX3700 multifunction printer to boost sales.
Buy-n-shoot, November 2, 2005
State Farm Mutual Insurance Co. sued over salvaged car title settlement.
Associated Press, November 2, 2005
Queens district attorney closes down Black and Yellow Auto Parts for dealing in counterfeit auto parts.
WCBS-TV New York, November 2, 2005
Attorney David P. Meyer says numerous consumers are looking to join his iPod Nano class action lawsuit against Apple.
PC Magazine, November 1, 2005
Gregg Appliances Inc., also known as hhgregg, transfers its extended service plans to General Electric Co. and pays GE $21.5 million to administer them.
Press Release, November 1, 2005
Lawsuit brought by Penn Warranty against operator of a Web-based "gripe site" is dismissed; judge rules comments to be protected opinions of a disgruntled consumer.
New York Law Journal, November 1, 2005
International TechneGroup Inc. says it helped Sweden's Volvo Penta reduce warranty claims by 30%.
Press Release, November 1, 2005
Tire sellers and manufacturers differ on the merits of having new tire treads "siped."
KOMO-TV Seattle, November 1, 2005
Longtime ThinkPad owner upset with the transition from IBM to Lenovo warranty service.
InfoWorld, November 1, 2005

October 2005

Four executives of Accord Customer Care Solutions face conspiracy charges for faking warranty claims.
Channel News Asia, October 31, 2005
DaimlerChrysler says it has received only a small number of warranty claims on steering problem found in Dodge Dakota and Durango.
Associated Press, October 31, 2005
Seagate Technology wins Computer Dealer News Resellers' Choice Award for hard drives.
Press Release, October 31, 2005
Toyota expected to pass General Motors next year and become the world?s largest car company.
Times of London, October 30, 2005
DST Systems Inc. to merge its lock/line extended warranty subsidiary with Asurion Corp.
Nashville Business Journal, October 28, 2005
Reliant Home Warranty Corp. forms Reliant Insurance SCC, Barbados, as a wholly owned captive insurance company.
Press Release, October 28, 2005 (PDF file)
Business Development & Marketing Ltd. launches BDM Indico, a warranty analysis and forecasting package, in Europe.
Press Release, October 28, 2005
Wal-Mart Stores to sell extended warranties on TVs and computers priced over $300, administered by N.E.W. Customer Service Companies.
Press Release, October 27, 2005
Consumer Reports readers pick the 31 most reliable cars: 15 Toyotas, 8 Hondas, 1 Chevy, 1 Mercury, 0 European models.
Consumer Affairs, October 27, 2005
Nanometrics Inc. says it forgot to defer extended warranty revenue; restatement to decrease revenue for past 18 months.
Press Release, October 27, 2005
Automakers look for software to help manage warranty claims.
Managing Automation, October 27, 2005
Used car dealer Jesse Cavalone of Port Jervis NY pleads guilty to pocketing extended warranty premiums.
Middletown Times Herald-Record, October 27, 2005
Platinum Warranty's Anthony Hodel said to be behind the Nevada-based Automotive Research Corp.
Cleveland Scene, October 26, 2005
Readers write in to detail the scams of "Platinum Tony" Hodel.
Cleveland Scene, October 26, 2005
DaimlerChrysler says warranty costs set to fall.
Automotive News, October 26, 2005
Sciemetric Instruments Inc. says QualityWorX manufacturing quality analysis software can help cut warranty costs.
Press Release, October 26, 2005
Warranty Direct says MG Rover's last batch of vehicles suffer from elevated rates of mechanical defects.
Auto Industry (UK), October 25, 2005
Business First once again places Service Net Solutions on its list of the 50 fastest-growing companies in the Louisville metro area.
Press Release, October 25, 2005
Invensys Process Systems lengthens the warranties on its Foxboro pressure transmitter line from two years to five years at no additional charge.
Press Release, October 25, 2005
Plaintiffs seek class action status for new lawsuit alleging Apple iPod Nano defect.
Post Chronicle, October 24, 2005
To combat fears about longevity, Fujitsu General America to provide a five-year warranty on its new Plasmavision 50-series screens.
This Week in Consumer Electronics, October 24, 2005
Auditors find £8 million missing at Granville Technology Group, the owner of the Time and Tiny brands of computers.
IT Week, October 24, 2005
In the "conversation" of the market, a warranty is a signal to the buyer that the seller believes the product is reliable.
Forbes, October 24, 2005
Because of weak consumer protection laws, Georgia is seen as one of the worst places to buy a used car.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, October 23, 2005
Home Warranty Association of California says 90% of homes in the state are sold with a warranty, vs. 50% in TX, FL, and AZ.
San Francisco Chronicle, October 23, 2005
Man buys a 1996 Ferrari F355 Spider Convertible for $69,900 on eBay, but now says it's a lemon.
Greeley Tribune, October 22, 2005
Even with a 50-year warranty, Royal Prestige cookware is still a waste of money.
Consumer Affairs, October 22, 2005
Scott A. Burnell, former owner of Burnco Auto Sales, accused of pocketing extended warranty premiums.
Victorville (CA) Daily Press, October 21, 2005
Ford Motor Co. blames third quarter loss on weaker SUV demand, lower prices and higher warranty expenses.
Detroit News, October 20, 2005
Vertu, a subsidiary of Nokia, to make 200 diamond-encrusted mobile phones priced up to £50,000 but covered by only a year's warranty.
The Guardian (UK), October 20, 2005
Bankruptcy judge orders Platinum Warranty to hand over eight office PCs to investigators, but CEO Anthony Hodel can find only six.
Cleveland Scene, October 19, 2005 (last item)
Monaco Coach lays off 225 employees in human resources, accounting and warranty service departments.
Eugene Register-Guard, October 19, 2005
Asian Toy Source Ltd. announces device that connects the Sony PlayStation Portable to any TV screen, but doesn't void the unit's warranty.
Press Release, October 19, 2005
Lenovo launches ThinkCentre E Series of desktop PCs, prices start at $379, warranty one year, extended warranties also for sale.
Press Release, October 18, 2005
Kelon Electrical Holding Co Ltd is back in business after receiving cash infusion from Hisense Group and orders from its distributors.
Asia Times, October 18, 2005
Hisense proposes swapping its refrigerator business for Kelon's air conditioner and small appliance lines of business.
China Daily, October 18, 2005
Ford of Europe debuts FordEcat, its own Web-based electronic parts catalog, built on Enigma's 3C Platform.
Press Release, October 17, 2005
A look inside the mobile phone repair center of ATC Logistics, a subsidiary of Aftermarket Technology Corp.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, October 17, 2005
More to the story behind the Sony CCD sensor failures: three more manufacturers issue recalls.
The Imaging Resource, October 17, 2005
Vermont Dept. of Motor Vehicles sees 20% decline in lemon law refunds in year ended June 30.
Rutland Herald, October 16, 2005
Boston Scientific issues one-year warranty on its new Taxus coronary stent without knowing the future claims costs it faces.
Boston Globe, October 14, 2005
Toyota recalls 2004-05 Prius after National Highway Traffic Safety Administration received 68 reports of engines stalling.
Associated Press, October 13, 2005
Bridgestone to pay Ford $240 million to end a five-year dispute over Explorer/Firestone tire tread separations.
Bloomberg News, October 13, 2005
Diagnostic Ultrasound helps hurricane victims by suspending "Force Majeur" warranty clause for customers who lost their BladderScan equipment in the disaster.
Press Release, October 13, 2005 (PDF file)
Engenuity Motors International gives three-year warranties on their motorcycle engines to demonstrate their quality.
Press Release, October 13, 2005
Columnist details her run-around with Maytag/Magic Chef/Daewoo on an oven warranty claim.
The Chattanoogan, October 13, 2005
Aon Ltd. in the UK unveils Warranty Replacement and Acquisition Protection (WRAP), covering buyers in acquisitions.
Insurance Journal, October 13, 2005
ServiceBench Inc. named one of the 50 fastest growing technology companies in Virginia by Deloitte & Touche LLP.
Press Release, October 13, 2005
Ricoh Co. Ltd. issues CCD image service advisory that mirrors similar advisories from Canon, Fujifilm, Konica Minolta, Nikon and Sony.
The Imaging Resource, October 13, 2005
The rise and fall of Anthony Hodel and Platinum Warranty Corp.
Cleveland Scene, October 12, 2005
SAP AG unveils new versions of 28 SAP Best Practices offerings, including Warranty Processing with Returnable Parts for the automotive industry.
Press Release, October 12, 2005
Dealer says best ways to detect a flood vehicle are through a mildew smell inside and rust on the frame.
WMDT-TV, Salisbury MD, October 12, 2005
Land Rover reduced its provision for warranty costs from £222m to £188m last year.
Auto Industry, October 12, 2005
Sony UK to stress reliability of its Vaio Professional laptops, backed by three-year warranties.
IT Week, October 12, 2005
Sony Corp. reports problems in CCD imaging sensors made between Oct. 2002 and March 2004 for itself, Canon, Konica Minolta, and others.
Photographic Magazine, October 11, 2005
W3 Solutions licenses BlueRealm Solutions' WarrantyWare software package and plans to deploy it for both OEM and extended warranty customers.
Press Release, October 11, 2005
Toyota, Honda, and General Motors score highest customer satisfaction in annual Strategic Vision survey.
Associated Press, October 10, 2005
Seagate Technology announces a half-terabyte disk drive with a five-year warranty.
Press Release, October 10, 2005
Hewlett-Packard pulls ahead of Dell in home PCs with photo & printing innovations, and longer warranties.
Investor's Business Daily, October 10, 2005
Massive consolidation forecast for auto parts industry following multiple bankruptcies.
Business Week, October 10, 2005
The story behind the Sony CCD sensor failures: researcher suspects moisture penetrated chips' plastic packaging.
The Imaging Resource, October 9, 2005
Flowmaster exhaust system can boost miles per gallon, but also might void the vehicle's warranty.
Dallas Morning News, October 9, 2005
Delphi, the largest U.S. auto supplier, files for bankruptcy in New York on Saturday, secures $2 billion debtor-in-possession financing.
Associated Press, October 8, 2005
Better Business Bureau warns consumers to be wary of fuel-saving claims for aftermarket devices and additives.
Tucson Citizen, October 7, 2005
Sham sales by Delphi alleged. Investors claim officers sold worthless inventory for $300m to boost the bottom line.
Bloomberg News, October 6, 2005
Sony PlayStation Portable users who installed malicious code now find their units both inoperable and without warranty coverage.
CNET News.com, October 6, 2005
Mentor Graphics releases software tools to help automotive engineers reduce warranty costs in the design phase.
Press Release, October 6, 2005
Home Warranty of America Inc. cleared by the state of California to sell home warranties to real estate agencies and consumers.
Press Release, October 6, 2005
Hewlett-Packard PC customers share their gripes with extended warranty customer service plans.
InfoWorld, October 5, 2005
ATI explains why it recently cut its video card warranties from three years to one.
Legit Reviews, October 4, 2005
Tobyhanna Army Depot does warranty work on Dell, Itronix, Hewlett-Packard and MPC laptops for all federal agencies.
Military Information Technology, October 4, 2005
Vauxhall offers six-month warranty on £45 passenger car winterizing and inspecting service.
ITV UK, October 4, 2005
Brennan, Wiener and Associates attorney explains how a small business won $477K in damages from Ford in a 2004 California lemon law verdict.
Press Release, October 4, 2005
Cimtek appoints Stan Smith as president and CEO, replacing Ted Pattenden.
Press Release, October 4, 2005
Ewing Motor Homes is going out of business in October, and its service center is already closed.
Battle Creek Enquirer, October 4, 2005
Consumer Reports says don't buy an extended warranty for a tube TV, but consider buying one for newer TV technologies.
Press Release, October 3, 2005
John Hancock Retirement Plan Services to provide a "fiduciary standards warranty" to its 401(k) plan customers.
Press Release, October 3, 2005
Watford Electronics asks all Tiny customers to register their warranties with the new owner.
CRN, October 3, 2005
Monaco Coach Corp. turns over RV service facility to Beaver Coach Sales of Oregon Inc.
Press Release, October 3, 2005
Pennsylvania Supreme Court rules implied warranty of merchantability was not breached by two-year-old's use of a butane lighter.
Legal Intelligencer, October 3, 2005
The ranks of frustrated Dell owners are growing; University of Michigan detects falling customer satisfaction levels.
Business Week, October 2, 2005

September 2005

Ford's senior purchasing VP says carmaker plans to cut number of suppliers and involve them earlier in design process to reduce warranty costs.
Toledo Blade, September 30, 2005
UK extended warranty administrator Domestic & General says revenue is higher and claims are running lower than last year.
Press Release, September 30, 2005
Apple admits some iPod Nano screens are prone to crack and scratch, says it's a supplier problem.
Business Week, September 29, 2005
Fujitsu General America chooses Service Net Solutions to administer service plans for its plasma TVs.
Press Release, September 29, 2005
Asurion CEO Bret Comolli is appointed to the board of the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association.
Press Release, September 29, 2005
California skating rink to install fake ice made of plastic panels and warranted for 10 years.
Stockton Record, September 29, 2005
Archetype Joint founder says 70% of warranty costs and 20% of product recalls are related to fasteners and joint design.
Detroit News, September 28, 2005
Bushnell Performance Optics says new version of Macromedia ColdFusion helped it deploy a new warranty claims system with printable forms.
Press Release, September 28, 2005
Sony of Canada Ltd. launches extended warranty program for its Vaio notebook personal computers.
Press Release, September 27, 2005
Agilysys Inc. launches its Services Surround program, selling service contracts for Hewlett-Packard products as an aftermarket option.
Press Release, September 27, 2005
Gerard Roofing Technologies touts its wind warranty; some Gulf Coast customers have now made it through multiple hurricanes without a claim.
Press Release, September 27, 2005
New York State governor signs lemon law that requires farm equipment costing more than $1,500 to be covered by a one-year warranty.
Oneonta Daily Star, September 27, 2005
Second Chance Body Armor allegedly sold White House, Secret Service and Pentagon defective vests even after they knew of Zylon material's problems.
Associated Press, September 26, 2005
Watford Electronics acquires Tiny Computers and says it will honor the bankrupt UK company's product warranties.
Computeractive, September 26, 2005
Tyco's M/A-Com unit to keep its New York State emergency radio contract after agreeing to warrant its work.
Boston Business Journal, September 26, 2005
Sub-Zero Freezer and Wolf Appliance Co. say they will broaden appliance warranty coverage in hurricane zones to include flood damage.
Press Release, September 26, 2005
Building inspector tells homeowners to buy heavier shingles with longer warranties to reduce future hurricane damage.
WNCT-TV Greenville NC, September 26, 2005
Except for near-term dip on Gulf Coast, extended warranty providers see limited impact of hurricanes on business.
This Week in Consumer Electronics, September 26, 2005
Concrete ties bought by Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road, warranted for 25 years, begin to fail after only seven years.
Empire Journal, September 26, 2005
Maxtor Middle East & Africa opens RMA collection center in Dubai for faster processing of warranty claims.
AME Info, September 26, 2005
Former chief of Singapore mobile phone repair firm Accord Customer Care Solutions Ltd. charged with warranty fraud.
New Kerala, India, September 26, 2005
Local car audio dealer warns that low-priced gear sold on the Internet may not carry a manufacturer's warranty.
Decatur Daily, September 26, 2005
Early buyers of new Apple iPod Nano music players say screens scratch too easily, even while in their pockets.
CNET News.com, September 24, 2005
Colorado Dept. of Transportation looks into road warranties after cracks appear on a brand new highway.
Daily Reporter-Herald, September 23, 2005
Home Warranty Association of California reports 500,000 contracts sold and 1.2 million claims processed in 2004.
Press Release, September 22, 2005
JM Family Enterprises Inc., parent of JM&A Group, donates $2 million to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
Press Release, September 21, 2005
Army Small Computer Program plans to bundle requests to buy PCs, negotiate better prices, and insist on three-year warranties.
Military Information Technology, September 21, 2005
Three California consumers seek class action status for lawsuit alleging sales of defective Palm Treo units.
Press Release, September 21, 2005
BBC Watchdog investigates Apple iPod batteries, questions why British owners can't get replacements for free.
BBC News, September 20, 2005
Short warranties for digital TVs incense consumers; some manufacturing defects don't show up until second year.
Chosun Ilbo, Korea, September 20, 2005
IMMI touts safety features and seven-year warranty of the SafeGuard Child Seat.
Press Release, September 20, 2005
Heritage Warranty lays off 30 employees; has reduced head count in Lincoln headquarters by 55 in the past year.
Lincoln Journal Star, September 20, 2005
Trend Tracker Ltd. finds UK franchised auto dealers get only 19.2% of repair jobs -? mostly warranty work.
Auto Industry, September 20, 2005
TimeHighway.com says better online appointment management systems can help auto dealers recapture out-of-warranty repair work.
Press Release, September 20, 2005
NCR's Teradata Division teams with Attensity to create a data warehouse and warranty data analysis solution.
Press Release, September 19, 2005 (PDF file)
Mercedes-Benz USA CEO tells Automotive News that warranty claims are down substantially after recent quality improvements.
Edmunds Inside Line, September 19, 2005
Pennsylvania Attorney General closes down M.E. Jones Hearing Instruments and Marketing Specialists Inc.; alleges companies failed to honor warranty and refund policies.
Press Release, September 19, 2005
Citadel Security Software warrants that customers using its security software will remain attack-free for one year; AIG underwrites the policy.
Federal Computer Week, September 19, 2005
Nevada court approves class action settlement in SC&E Administrative Services lawsuit; hearing scheduled for January 6.
Press Release, September 19, 2005
UK motorists who bought cars with credit cards get refunds through Barclays for the cost of cancelled Rover warranties.
Times of London, September 18, 2005
Honda says all replaced batteries in its Insight hybrid to date have been covered under warranty.
Associated Press, September 17, 2005
TV repairmen have all but disappeared, but service for plasma, HDTV and LCD units could spur a comeback.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, September 17, 2005
HP touts longer one-year warranties on its new notebook computers versus competition's 90 days.
Press Release, September 16, 2005
4CS Inc. says its iWarranty software has been fully implemented by construction equipment company Takeuchi Mfg. (US) Ltd.
Press Release, September 16, 2005
Pattern of engine fires prompts Chrysler to recall 2005 Jeep Cherokee SUVs with 3.7 liter engines and automatic transmissions.
Associated Press, September 16, 2005
Service Net Solutions to administer service contracts for computers and electronics sold by the Micro Center retail chain.
Press Release, September 15, 2005
Demotech Inc. assigns an A' (A Prime) rating to Aon's Virginia Surety Co. underwriting unit.
Press Release, September 14, 2005
Moisture Warranty Corp. to offer extended warranties on commercial buildings, backed by Western Pacific Mutual Insurance Co.
Press Release, September 14, 2005
U.S. Senator Arlen Specter introduces the Stop Counterfeiting in Manufactured Goods Act.
Press Release, September 14, 2005
New OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics service to email monthly reports to vehicle owners on engine and transmission diagnostics.
Press Release, September 13, 2005
Customers of bankrupt Car Now Acceptance Corp. in South Dakota will get $500 in warranty coverage, but interest rate on loans stays at 24.95%.
Sioux Falls Argus Leader, September 13, 2005
Computer vendors charge more for less service; Dell and Gateway reduce product warranties to 90 days and push extended warranty sales.
Consumer Affairs, September 13, 2005
Richland County, South Carolina wants longer warranties on residential roads built by developers.
Myrtle Beach Sun News, September 13, 2005
American Suzuki dealers to offer the Quaker State Limited Lubrication Warranty, protecting car owners from oil-related failures for 10 years or 250,000 miles.
Press Release, September 13, 2005
Oracle Corp. acquires Siebel Systems Inc. for $10.66 in cash per share; deal valued at $5.85 billion.
Press Release, September 12, 2005
Wireless carriers and electronics retailers offer extended warranties on wireless phones, cameras, and MP3 players.
McAllen (TX) Monitor, September 12, 2005
General Electric is moving its 1-800-GE-CARES consumer answer service to Rapid City, SD, and plans to hire 100 workers at its Advanced Services Inc. subsidiary.
Rapid City Journal, September 10, 2005
Mercedes Car Group offers European buyers an unlimited distance two-year warranty to boost sales.
Detroit Free Press, September 10, 2005
Louisiana rescuer predicts that cars damaged by Katrina's floods will be dried out and sold as is to unsuspecting buyers.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, September 10, 2005
Canadian retailer CompuSmart says the extended warranties it sells are better than Apple's.
Edmonton Journal, September 10, 2005
General Motors wants to reduce warranty cost from $24.90 per vehicle after six months in service in 2004 to $22.05 in 2005.
Detroit News, September 9, 2005
Recent recalls by Ford and Toyota likely to raise U.S. auto industry's warranty costs above last year's $12.7 billion total.
AMR Research Alert Highlight, September 9, 2005
DaimlerChrysler lengthens European warranty period from one year to two.
Automotive News, September 9, 2005
Anthony DeFrancesco, formerly of #1 Hempfield Motors Inc., barred from owning an auto dealership for life by Pennsylvania attorney general.
Press Release, September 8, 2005
Shoes for Crews offers a warranty with a $5,000 cap on work shoes costing $20 to $75 but guaranteed not to slip; paid out only $15,000 in claims last year.
Inc. Magazine, 5-Sep
Ford recalls 3.8 million pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles for a cruise control switch suspected of causing engine fires.
Associated Press, September 7, 2005
Toyota recalls 978,000 4Runner SUVs and T-100 pickups to fix steering relay rod that may fracture.
Reuters, September 7, 2005
Superdome operator says the building is structurally intact and won't need to be torn down.
NBC Sports, September 7, 2005
ServicePower's Field Service Solutions Division to provide a warranty service solution for the cooking products of Bertazzoni S.p.A.
Press Release, September 7, 2005
Consumer Reports? October 2005 issue says don't repair product costing less than $150 and don't repair if cost is more than 50% of purchase price.
Press Release, September 6, 2005
Dell and Gateway reduce the standard warranty periods on desktops and notebooks to 90 days, pushing extended warranty sales instead.
Computer Shopper, 5-Sep
House painter Mike Lucero prices jobs based on the desired length of warranty.
Arizona Republic, September 6, 2005
UK solicitor explains the Supply of Extended Warranties on Domestic Electrical Goods Order 2005, which became effective in April.
Shropshire Star, September 5, 2005
IBM to offer early warning software in effort to help automakers and suppliers collect and analyze large quantities of warranty data.
Automotive News, September 5, 2005
DriveSavers offers Hurricane Katrina victims tips on recovering lost computer data.
Press Release, September 4, 2005
Baseball bat manufacturer sells bamboo models backed by a warranty against breaking.
Knight Ridder Newspapers, September 4, 2005
Vidstone LLC backs its $1,500 solar-powered Serenity Panels for tombstones with a one-year warranty; a ten-year extended warranty is another $200.
Associated Press, September 4, 2005
Furniture retailers in Kokomo IN band together to spotlight questionable business practices of two competitors.
Kokomo Tribune, September 4, 2005
Pneumatic hammer made in 1904 repaired for free under warranty.
Associated Press, September 3, 2005
Heavy user of an MP3 player? Consider a lengthy warranty.
Seattle Times, September 3, 2005
General Motors to sell Hummer brand of rugged laptops, made by Itronix and backed with a one-year warranty.
Information Week, September 2, 2005
Dell warns that some resellers in Brunei are offering Latitude or Precision corporate models with only a one-year warranty.
Brunei Direct, September 2, 2005
Maxtor uses lengthy warranties as a promotional tool in India.
DQ Channels, September 2, 2005
Technicians at Tobyhanna Army Depot now repair Dell, HP, Itronix and MPC computers under manufacturers? warranties.
Army News Service, September 1, 2005
Tornado Air Management Systems offers fuel-saving gadget warranted for the life of the vehicle.
Press Release, September 1, 2005
City of Bartlett, Tennessee to sell trash cans for $25 covered by a ten-year warranty.
Bartlett Express, September 1, 2005
Warranty Activation Headquarters logs 150 complaints at the Better Business Bureau of Central Indiana.
Press Release, September 1, 2005
Apple lengthens the warranty on first generation iMac G5 computers that allegedly overheat.
Newsday, September 1, 2005
Extended warranties are rarely a good investment, except for plasma and LCD TVs.
Consumer Reports, 5-Sep

August 2005

Auto expert says the best warranty in the world cannot make a bad car good.
CarPoint Australia, 5-Aug
Massachusetts Attorney General tells police supply shops he expects them to replace bullet-proof vests made with Zylon.
Press Release, August 31, 2005
ServiceBench provides new dispatch interface to SwiftLink version 9.2, allowing users to generate service requests.
Press Release, August 31, 2005
Texas Memory Systems to use Kodak's on-site warranty and post-warranty service for its solid-state disk storage devices.
Press Release, August 31, 2005
Norki Energy Systems sells waste oil furnaces and boilers covered by three to five year warranties.
Press Release, August 31, 2005
Pasadena transportation officials expect to make a warranty claim for failed electrical connectors on its Gold Line tracks.
Pasadena Star News, August 30, 2005
IBM unveils its Quality Insight Solution, designed to help automakers and fleet owners collect and analyze large quantities of warranty data and to spot trends earlier.
Press Release, August 30, 2005
Analyst says the effects of Apple settling the iPod class action suit are unlikely to affect the company in any significant way.
PC Magazine, August 30, 2005
Goodman Manufacturing teams up with ServiceBench to improve communications with 300 distributors and thousands of participating contractors.
Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News, August 30, 2005
Hurricane Katrina destroys roof of New Orleans Superdome, replaced in 2000; Horizon Group of New England dispatches crew to assess damage.
Miami Herald, August 29, 2005
Judge in San Mateo County, California, gives final approval to iPod battery lawsuit settlement.
ZDNet, August 29, 2005
ClearForest to provide Issues Analytics to automotive manufacturers and suppliers, allowing marketers to analyze brand loyalty and customer satisfaction trends.
Press Release, August 29, 2005
Interwoven Inc. equips Avaya salespeople with Web content management solution that automates publication of warranty details for new and discontinued products.
Press Release, August 29, 2005
Andrew Corp. buys assets of Nortel?s wireless location business, will provide warranty and maintenance support for existing installed base.
Press Release, August 28, 2005
Flat rate books of Chiltons, All-Data, Mitchells and Motor's list what manufacturers will pay for warranty work.
Click and Clack (Tom and Ray Magliozzi), August 28, 2005
Whether or not to buy an extended warranty for laptops, cameras, or mobile phones depends on price, coverage.
New York Times, August 27, 2005
Warrantech Home Service Co. hires three regional sales managers the new Warrantech Advantage home warranty program.
Press Release, August 26, 2005
Allen County War Memorial Coliseum files warranty claim with Hussey Seating Co. to replace 9,867 seats.
Fort Wayne (IN) Journal Gazette, August 25, 2005
Sixty out of 103 bullet-proof vests tested by Justice Dept. fail ballistics test.
Associated Press, August 24, 2005
Hybrid vehicle's battery could cost as much to replace as it saves over eight years in fuel.
Beloit Daily News, August 23, 2005
FuneralOne to install video panels in tombstones, covered by a 15-year warranty.
CTV, August 23, 2005
Fastmac ships Apple iPod battery upgrade covered by a two-year warranty.
Mac News Network, August 23, 2005
Apple offers warranty repairs for problem iMacs sold between September 2004 and June 2005.
ZDNet, August 22, 2005
ReCellular says only 25% to 30% of wireless phones are recycled; carriers donate old units to charities for 911-only uses.
St. Petersburg Times, August 22, 2005
Arnold Clark, Scotland's largest auto dealer, will report earnings reduced by Rover's default on warranty claims payments.
The Scotsman, August 22, 2005
Lawsuit alleges AIG deliberately denied valid claims to reduce auto extended warranty losses.
Washington Post, August 21, 2005
KPMG and the Alliance for Gray Market and Counterfeit Abatement say as many as one in 10 high-tech products sold worldwide are actually counterfeits.
Wired News, August 17, 2005
Service Net to administer extended warranties for online retailer Newegg.com.
Press Release, August 16, 2005
Hyundai rides quality improvements and warranty policies into sixth place in the University of Michigan's American Customer Satisfaction Index; Toyota, Honda, BMW, Cadillac, and Buick grab the top five spots.
Associated Press, August 16, 2005
France implements the EU's WEEE directive on electronics recycling, but the UK has pushed its implementation back.
AMR Research report, August 16, 2005
MSX International says second quarter revenue, gross profit, and margins up on growth in warranty business.
Press Release, August 15, 2005
Iowa professor says failure rate on consumer electronics is one in six, large flat screens 40%, and hard drives 2%.
Bankrate.com, August 15, 2005
Florida's New Vehicle Arbitration Board took fewer Lemon Law cases in 2004 than 2003; Ford and DaimlerChrysler lead in complaints.
Jacksonville Business Journal, August 15, 2005
University of Arkansas in warranty dispute with Lasiter Construction Co. and ProGreen Sports Surfaces over artificial turf on practice field.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, August 14, 2005
U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan seeks financial records of Collins & Aikman; grand jury probes rebates and payments from OEMs and suppliers.
Detroit Free Press, August 13, 2005
Doubts surface over longevity and warranty coverage of ceramic coatings or radiant barrier paints.
Arizona Republic, August 13, 2005
Pennsylvania lawmaker proposes a lemon law for computers.
Harrisburg Patriot-News, August 12, 2005
Committee to Fight Microsoft wants new Windows operating system to include a warranty against defects.
ZDNet UK, August 11, 2005
Puerto Rico's new Law 6 requires automakers to match the best warranty they provide anywhere in the world when selling vehicles in Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico Herald, August 11, 2005
Mazda ends up paying $300,000 in a losing battle against a consumer who demanded a refund under Wisconsin's lemon law.
Lake Country Reporter, August 11, 2005
Malaysian prime minister proposes national policy encouraging replacement of diesel fuel with palm oil; wants automakers to amend their warranties.
Business Times, August 11, 2005
Auto suppliers must improve quality before their warranty claims rise through improved supplier recovery efforts by OEMs.
AMR Research, August 10, 2005
Federal judge in Oklahoma to decide whether lawsuit alleging piston slap defect in GM pickups and SUVs merits class action status.
Associated Press, August 10, 2005
VAC Service Corp. plans to move its headquarters into a bigger facility across town.
Market News, August 10, 2005
Home warranties may not always be transferable to investment buyers of new homes in Florida's red-hot real estate market.
Orlando Sentinel, August 10, 2005
Sub-Zero chills its warranty issues with SAS solutions.
Supply & Demand Chain Executive, August 10, 2005
Ford Motor Co. to cut costs by consolidating Ford, Lincoln and Mercury marketing divisions and closing most of their field offices.
Detroit News, August 9, 2005
Nissan lengthens tire warranty on 2003 & 2004 350ZX to 36 months to combat irregular tread wear pattern.
AutoWeek, August 9, 2005
RV returned under NY Lemon Law was sold at inflated price; customer now owes Monaco the difference.
Troy Record, August 9, 2005
GE Auto Warranty Services gets high marks in a quality of service survey of dealers.
Press Release, August 9, 2005
Consumer complaint about a claim on a water pipe service contract sold by American Water Resources goes unresolved in West Virginia.
Charleston Daily Mail, August 9, 2005
IBM launches WebSphere Information Integrator OmniFind Edition to analyze unstructured text in documents, including warranty claims records.
California Computer News, August 9, 2005
Attensity to use the open Unstructured Information Management Architecture standard and support the IBM WebSphere Information Integrator OmniFind Edition.
Press Release, August 8, 2005
ClearForest to support IBM's open Unstructured Information Management Architecture standard in its text analytics solutions.
Press Release, August 8, 2005
Leica Geosystems launches five-year warranty program for all Laser Tracker, T-Cam, and T-Probe units.
Press Release, August 8, 2005
JATCO shows Chrysler the warranty data for a continuously variable transmission it sells to Nissan; Chrysler plans to use it in the new Dodge Caliber.
Car Connection, August 8, 2005
UK's What Car? magazine picks ten most reliable autos: Honda, Mazda, Toyota, Nissan, Lexus, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Daewoo, Skoda, and Mercedes-Benz.
Chosun Ilbo, August 7, 2005
Extended warranty administrator National Home Insurance Co. is found liable in homeowner's claim that went through arbitration.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, August 7, 2005
NACCO Industries uses early warning system to analyze 80,000 warranty claims a year.
Associated Press, August 7, 2005
To fight imports of counterfeit air conditioners in the Middle East, LG Electronics tells consumers to look for warranty certificates.
AME Info, August 7, 2005
Wipro Ltd. provides Kuwait's Future Communications Co. with a dealer management system that includes warranty processing.
AME Info, August 7, 2005
Ford to withdraw Explorer from Australia and New Zealand markets in 2006, promises to honor warranties on all current models.
New Zealand Herald, August 6, 2005
Magazine compares warranties on synthetic decking made by TimberTech, GeoDeck, EverGrain, WeatherBest, Trex, ChoiceDek, CrossTimber, CorrectDeck, Procell, Deck Lok, Bear Board, and Eon.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, August 6, 2005
Bardavon Theater switches marquee to LED lighting to save on energy and maintenance over the sign's three-year warranty period.
LED Monthly, 5-Aug
Texas Residential Construction Commission seeks volunteers for warranty and standards advisory committee, to be chaired by a faculty member from Texas A&M University.
Insurance Journal, August 5, 2005
Beavers ate new trees planted by Northside College Preparatory High School along the Chicago River, but they were covered by warranty.
Chicago Tribune, August 5, 2005
Valley Fire Equipment and SG Reed Truck Services to work together in the event of a warranty claim on a new truck bought by the West Weathersfield Fire Dept.
Rutland (VT) Herald, August 5, 2005
Detroit Diesel appoints John Galbraith to the position of chief quality officer, in charge of supplier quality, reliability, and warranty.
Press Release, August 4, 2005
Western Digital stretches out warranty life on hard drives to three or five years.
Australian Reseller News, August 4, 2005
Warranty Direct Ltd. says the popularity of MTV?s "Pimp My Ride" has accelerated importation of American cars into UK; administrator now offers extended warranty coverage just for them.
Car Pages, August 4, 2005
Chief executive of Domestic & General Group plc tells shareholders the year has started well with stronger warranty turnover growth.
Press Release, August 4, 2005
Sony warns that Americans who update their PSP 2.0 prematurely with Japanese BIOS firmware were voiding their warranty by doing so.
Game Daily, August 3, 2005
Warranty Best Practices report from the Center for Automotive Research says a lack of standardization in warranty processing by dealers, suppliers and OEMs leads to unnecessary costs and inaccurate information.
Press Release, August 3, 2005
President of the Original Equipment Suppliers Association calls for automotive industry executives to work together to focus on reducing warranty costs.
Press Release, August 3, 2005
Honda recalls 2005 Odyssey minivans because of faulty sensors; pattern of defects discovered by analyzing warranty claims.
Associated Press, August 3, 2005
Hewlett-Packard to withdraw from digital camera business in Asia-Pacific region.
China Daily, August 3, 2005
Hewlett-Packard announces two digital projectors that carry a three-year warranty on the unit and 2000 hours on the bulb.
India Infoline, August 3, 2005
Terms and price for Apple's iPod battery replacement scheme in Europe remain unclear, but AppleCare plans now cost only £39 per unit.
Macworld, August 2, 2005
Warranty Direct UK survey finds Honda Accord to be most reliable and Fiat Punto to be least reliable; Asian cars fare best in reliability and cost of repair ratings.
Daily Telegraph, August 2, 2005
Aon Corp. says insurance underwriting revenue relatively flat in the second quarter of 2005.
Press Release, August 2, 2005
Oakland's Scottish Rite Center installs solar panels that will save it $1.5 million during the unit's 25-year warranty life.
Oakland Tribune, August 2, 2005
Warranty Corp. of America to administer service contracts for PC manufacturer ZT Group International Inc.
Press Release, August 1, 2005 (PDF file)
Hewlett-Packard stops reselling iPod; reports note HP units had one-year warranty while Apple provided only 90 days.
Computing, August 1, 2005
General Motors lengthens warranties on Buick and Hummer models to four years/50,000 miles; includes warranties as component of Total Value Promise.
Press Release, August 1, 2005

July 2005

Ford Motor considers closing some of the 34 regional offices that help dealers with marketing and warranty repair audits.
Bloomberg News, July 30, 2005
Chrysler head Dieter Zetsche going back to Germany to become CEO of DaimlerChrysler AG; quick announcement of a succession plan.
Detroit News, July 29, 2005
Tom LaSorda, an architect of DaimlerChrysler's recent efficiency and quality gains, appointed to head U.S. operations.
Bloomberg News, July 29, 2005
Hyundai Motor Co. sees net profit rise on fewer bad loans and warranty liabilities, but operating profit tumbles on high steel costs and foreign exchange rates.
Reuters, July 29, 2005
Granville Technology Group, UK's largest PC maker, slips into receivership; administrator Grant Thornton to fund warranty claims on a limited basis.
BBC News, July 29, 2005
Western Digital's new WD Caviar RE2 SATA hard drive's warranty is five years, but its MTBF rating is almost 137 years.
PC World, July 29, 2005
Intrepid Technical Services Inc. to do warranty work in U.S. for check and document imaging equipment made by Kleindienst Corp. (KLD).
Press Release, July 29, 2005
SATO America to offer extended warranties on its barcode printers, available within 60 days of initial purchase at a 10% discount.
Press Release, July 29, 2005
Telkom in South Africa to lease PC hardware and DSL service bundles; Mustek to provide 24 months of local warranty service.
MyADSL, July 29, 2005
Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner seeks customers of Covenant Home Warranty Corp. who had claims pending before he suspended their license.
Insurance Journal, July 27, 2005
Texas and Nebraska Departments of Insurance oppose terms of the proposed SmartChoice class action settlement.
Insurance Journal, July 27, 2005
Automakers say free maintenance services aren't as important to customers as price; cutbacks spread.
Wall Street Journal, July 27, 2005
National Electronics Service Dealers Association panel discussion says poor parts management leads to significant costs.
Press Release, July 27, 2005
Hutchison Whampoa's Irish mobile phone service to provide two-year warranties on handsets to help attract customers.
Silicon Republic, July 27, 2005
American Automobile Association offers extended warranties on used cars. (b)
Philadelphia Inquirer, July 26, 2005
Ohio Attorney General compels Craftmatic Organization Inc. to pay $200,000 civil penalty to settle deceptive warranty charges.
Consumer Affairs, July 26, 2005
Mitsubishi Fuso announces longer warranties on Class 4 through 7 medium-duty trucks.
Lawn & Landscape, July 26, 2005
American Automobile Association offers extended warranties on used cars.
Philadelphia Inquirer, July 26, 2005
Rhodes Furniture in St. Louis closes all five shops and won't honor warranty claims.
KSDK-TV St. Louis, July 26, 2005
Dubai Department of Economic Development publishes a Consumer Protection Guide to help inform consumers about warranty rights.
Al Bawaba, July 26, 2005
NEC Computers International names Computer Castle as its authorized service partner in Saudi Arabia.
Information & technology Publishing, July 26, 2005
Gehl Co. reports warranty charge of $1.5 million, or 21 cents per share, but anticipates recovering a substantial portion from its suppliers.
Press Release, July 25, 2005 (PDF file)
Maytag warranty registration leads police to suspect in murder mystery.
Associated Press, July 25, 2005
GE Energy issues four-year warranty for 66 turbines to be used at massive Erie Shores Wind Farm in southern Ontario.
Renewable Energy Access, July 25, 2005
New Hampshire Attorney General's Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau welcomes calls from consumers concerning builders.
Union Leader, July 24, 2005
J.D. Byrider/Dan Nelson Automotive Group dealership in Rapid City SD accused of not honoring extended warranty claims on policies it sold.
Associated Press, July 23, 2005
New Department of Energy rules require more energy-efficient air conditioners, which cost more but get ten-year warranties.
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, July 22, 2005
Long Island Rail Road blames bad batch of concrete for cracks in rail ties made by Rocla Concrete Tie Inc.; warranted for 25 years, they don't even make it to ten.
Newsday, July 22, 2005
BigByte Corp. re-enters the LCD and plasma panel repair business after exiting it in the 1990s.
Press Release, July 22, 2005
Toyota recalls 2004 and 2005 Sienna vans after reporting more than 3,000 warranty claims on seat belts.
Louisville Courier-Journal, July 21, 2005
Latest Motor Trader Franchise Barometer survey finds 35% of UK auto dealers believe their staff is not complying with new Financial Services Authority extended warranty rules.
Motor Trader, July 21, 2005
Sennheiser UK increases its standard warranty from one to 10 years on 3000 and 5000 Series wireless microphones.
Lighting & Sound International, July 21, 2005
Western Digital lengthens warranties on Raptor and Caviar RE disk drives to five years; others to three years.
Press Release, July 20, 2005
J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Customer Service Index Study rates Lincoln highest, followed by Cadillac, Saturn and Lexus.
Press Release, July 20, 2005
Platinum Warranty Corp. to offer a full refund to customers who do not incur any claims on policies with terms greater than 48 months.
Press Release, July 20, 2005
Bowen & Groves adds quality and warranty modules to its enterprise resource planning software package.
Press Release, July 20, 2005
Family discovers the puppy warranty they purchased from the Family Pet Center in King of Prussia PA became worthless when the shop closed.
WCAU-TV Philadelphia, July 20, 2005
Ford's automotive costs increased by $1.4 billion in the first half, with about $300 million coming from warranty.
Bloomberg News, July 19, 2005
Hewlett-Packard to cut 14,500 jobs, primarily in support functions, and will close the Customer Solutions Group.
Press Release, July 19, 2005
BlueRealm Solutions Inc. and Clarity Customer Management Inc. announce a strategic partnership to join claims processing and customer service applications.
Press Release, July 19, 2005
QLogic Corp. lengthens warranties on host bus adapters sold by its channel partners to five years from three.
Press Release, July 19, 2005
WFS Financial chooses GE Auto Warranty Services as its exclusive provider of vehicle service contracts to its national network of automobile dealers.
Press Release, July 19, 2005
Guidant Corp. recalls 28,000 implanted pacemakers manufactured between 1997 and 2000; makes supplemental warranty program available through year's end.
Press Release, July 18, 2005
Volkswagen Group CEO Wolfgang Bernhard says cutting warranty costs is a top priority.
The Car Connection, July 18, 2005
Sometimes retailer's return policy is better than even the manufacturer's warranty, allowing replacements or refunds up to 90 days.
Philadelphia Inquirer, July 18, 2005
Whirlpool offers $17 a share for Maytag, outbidding Triton Acquisition Holding.
Press Release, July 17, 2005
Toyota, Lexus, Audi, Saab, and Volkswagen cover engine sludge under warranty for up to eight years, but only if motorist can produce oil change records.
Asbury Park Press, July 17, 2005
Audi agrees to fix A4 timing belt problems for free through 105,000 miles.
Boston Globe, July 17, 2005
Synnex makes HP and Lexmark leasing bundles available to VARs that combine multifunction printers, toner and an extended warranty.
CRN, July 15, 2005
Northern Virginia Technology Council selects N.E.W. Customer Service Companies, Inc. for "Hottest Management Team."
Press Release, July 15, 2005
Dr. Jeffrey Runge to leave NHTSA in August to take a job as chief medical officer at Homeland Security.
Detroit Free Press, July 15, 2005
IDC publishes report, "Business Imperatives in Automotive Warranty Management."
IDC Manufacturing Insights, 5-Jul
Dan Nelson Automotive Group and Family Hyundai dealerships close, leaving extended warranties in limbo.
Rapid City (SD) Journal, July 14, 2005
Armor Holdings Products Division to replace up to 156,000 bullet-proof vests made by Second Chance Body Armor under terms of an Oklahoma state court lawsuit settlement.
Press Release, July 13, 2005
City of Muskegon MI will buy two new fire trucks from a single source to streamline warranty management.
Muskegon Chronicle, July 13, 2005
Dell shuts down the Customer Care board in the Dell Community Forum, says consumers should chat with its customer reps instead.
CNET News.com, July 13, 2005
KB Home reaches a $2 million settlement with FTC over mandatory arbitration clauses in home warranties.
Investor's Business Daily, July 12, 2005
Amtrak resumes limited Acela express service after three-month suspension; cracks in brake rotors were covered under warranty but manufacturer had no spare parts.
Delaware News Journal, July 11, 2005
N.E.W. Customer Service Companies to use Corticon Business Rules Management System (BRMS) to enhance their warranty claims processing services.
Press release, July 11, 2005
TurboChef Technologies sells a one-year extended warranty to all Subway sandwich shops; at $350 per oven for 20,000 oven, the deal is worth $7 million.
Press Release, July 11, 2005
To save money, Coachmen Industries reduces staff and combines customer service, parts, and warranty into one unit.
Press Release, July 11, 2005
American Power Conversion's $100 backup power supply is sold with a $50,000 equipment protection policy.
Press Release, July 11, 2005
Gulf Warranties will provide extended warranties for Nissan and Renault vehicles sold by the Al Babtain Nissan dealership.
AME Info, July 9, 2005
Apple-owned retail stores offering $40 discount on $99 iPod replacement batteries if original fails to hold 50% of its factory capacity.
Apple Insider, July 8, 2005
Volvo, Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota reduce or eliminate free maintenance programs that helped reduce warranty costs.
Wall Street Journal, July 8, 2005
New trash bins in Fond du Lac, WI have serial numbers and 10-year warranties.
Fond du Lac Reporter, July 8, 2005
Proposed Texas tax bill would tax computer and car repairs but would exempt cars still under warranty.
Brownsville Herald, July 8, 2005
ProQuest Business Solutions acquires certain assets and technologies of Active Web Services LLC
Press Release, July 7, 2005
4C Solutions Inc. licenses iWarranty eClaims software to International Truck and Engine Corp.
Press Release, July 7, 2005
O'Neil Product Development Inc. launches three- and five-year extended warranties on printers, featuring next-day replacements.
Press Release, July 7, 2005 (PDF file)
Warranty Corp. of America joins Atlanta's Clean Air Campaign to reduce traffic congestion.
Peachtree Corners Weekly, July 7, 2005
Hackers can now duplicate PlayStation Portable games, but Sony Computer Entertainment America says their use will invalidate the unit's warranty.
Reuters, July 6, 2005
Magoo's Automotive Consultants launches a re-designed Web site featuring more detailed information about the firm's services and history.
Press Release, July 6, 2005
Consumer advocate says Stainsafe is to customer service what mad cows are to cheeseburgers.
Orlando Sentinel, July 6, 2005
Evan Greenberg remains in charge of ACE by keeping a low profile despite having testified that his father blamed him for AIG's auto warranty debacle.
Washington Post, July 5, 2005
Buick lengthens warranties on all 2006 models to four years or 50,000 miles.
Associated Press, July 5, 2005
Ford president Jim Padilla wants to increase quality, but time may not be on his side.
Bloomberg News, July 5, 2005
Automotive Service Association schedules two-hour panel discussion on the impact of super warranties for Nov. 2 in Las Vegas.
Press Release, July 5, 2005
Retail clerks at Beijing's new Silk Market use hair dryers to peel off "Warranty Void If Removed" stickers.
ChinaTechNews.com, July 5, 2005
Experts differ on the cost of using OEM vs. compatible ink and toner cartridges in printers.
Inside Bay Area, July 4, 2005
Toyobo reacts to Dept. of Justice lawsuit naming it as a co-defendant with Second Chance Body Armor over alleged concealment of bullet-proof vest defects.
Press Release, July 2, 2005

June 2005

Delphi restates earnings, says warranty payments were used to reduce its pension obligations.
USA Today, June 30, 2005
Gateway lengthens warranty on flat panel LCD screens from one year to three.
Press Release, June 30, 2005
Oklahoma Insurance Department suspends the license of Covenant Home Warranty Corp. because it failed to pay claims.
Insurance Journal, June 30, 2005
Refurbished home electronics and computer products are usually covered by a manufacturer's warranty.
New York Times, June 30, 2005
Optus reverses warranty policy, says it will now replace cable modems damaged by lightning strikes and power surges.
Whirlpool News, June 30, 2005
J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Vehicle Dependability Study measures across-the-board gains in three-year-old vehicles.
Press Release, June 29, 2005
Brightstar Corp. awarded a patent for a customized serialization control system that helps track warranty claims for mobile phone handsets.
Press Release, June 29, 2005
Hino Motors Sales USA Inc. to buy new supply chain management system from IDS Enterprise Systems.
Press Release, June 27, 2005
ServiceBench Inc. adds a warranty analytics module to its Service Intelligence offering; future enhancements to include modules for service call, field service and parts.
Press Release, June 27, 2005
CNN finds same cruise control deactivation switch causing fires in Ford F-150 pickup trucks was used in 16 million other vehicles from 1992 to 2003.
CNN, June 27, 2005
Diebold Elections Systems Inc. says demonstrations of how voting machines can be hacked may invalidate the system's extended warranty.
YubaNet.com, June 27, 2005
Griffin Ford of New Canaan launches Web site selling Ford, Lincoln and Mercury extended service contracts.
Press Release, June 27, 2005
Whirlpool implements SAS Warranty Analysis solution to beef up Early Warning System.
Supply & Demand Chain Executive, June 24, 2005
Second Chance employee wrote during a 2001 meeting that he worried their body armor wouldn't live up to its warranty.
WZZM-TV Grand Rapids, June 23, 2005
Pakistan's Federal Railways Minister says 3000-horsepower engines imported from China developed cracks; manufacturer lengthened warranties from 2 to 5 years.
Pakistan Times, June 23, 2005
Ballard Power Systems Inc. sells German subsidiary to DaimlerChrysler and Ford; will continue to do warranty work for fuel cell buses under contract worth $3.6 million.
Press Release, June 23, 2005
A "lemon law" covering farm equipment has been approved by both houses of the New York state Legislature and now goes to the governor.
Poughkeepsie Journal, June 23, 2005
Assurant Solutions to be separated into two businesses: Assurant Specialty Property and Assurant Solutions
Press Release, June 22, 2005
A.M. Best Co. affirms the financial strength ratings of A (Excellent) and A- (Excellent) of Assurant Inc. and its subsidiaries.
Press Release, June 22, 2005
Renault puts Logan on sale in Western Europe at base price of US$9,300 with a three-year warranty.
Business Week, issue dated July 4, 2005
Whirlpool Corp. announces its implementation of SAS Warranty Analysis and SAS Text Miner solutions at international conference in Lisbon.
Press Release, June 22, 2005
Hewlett-Packard issues three-year warranty on $999 HP Compaq nx6125 notebook computer to attract small business customers.
PC World, June 22, 2005
All Hitachi desktop hard disk drives sold by Cyberstar in India to be covered by five-year warranty.
Channel Times, June 21, 2005
SAP Canada Inc. expands SAP Labs offices in Montréal, the source of some of the warranty enhancements in mySAP CRM.
Press Release, June 21, 2005
Technical Satellite Repair Inc. to begin doing warranty work on plasma screens, LCDs, and DVD players.
Press Release, June 21, 2005
Maytag Corp. receives $16/share bid from Haier America Trading, Bain Capital Partners, and Blackstone Capital Partners, topping previous offer by $2.
Press Release, June 20, 2005
Quantum launches StorageCare Guardian service, a remote monitoring, backup and diagnostic service for disk storage.
Press Release, June 20, 2005
CNA National handles 1500 claims on peak days; answers 80% of calls within 20 seconds.
AIADA Best Practices, June 20, 2005
NHTSA investigates rear middle seat belt problems in the 2004 and 2005 Toyota Sienna; 3,089 warranty claims reported.
Consumer Affairs, June 18, 2005
Ford faces $375 million in potential claims for up to 500,000 cracked plastic intake manifolds in 1996 to 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis, Lincoln Town Cars and Ford Crown Victorias.
Bloomberg News, June 18, 2005
ATC Logistics and Electronics to add 500 jobs; does warranty work for Nokia in North Fort Worth facility.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, June 18, 2005
Guidant Corp. recalls Ventak Prizm 2 Model 1861 defibrillator after 26 failures.
New York Times, June 17, 2005
HP packs desktop features plus a three-year on-site warranty into the Compaq Evo N800w mobile workstation.
Broadcast Newsroom, June 17, 2005
Solectron to close its computer repair and warranty service operation at Lincoln AirCenter by the end of August; does warranty work on HP computers and printers.
Sacramento Business Journal, June 17, 2005
Nova Bus wins contract from Brampton City Council because its bid featured lower prices and longer warranties than rival Orion's.
Mississauga News, June 17, 2005
4CS Inc. says DaimlerChrysler's Freightliner Group to implement its iWarranty software for warranty claims management.
Press Release, June 17, 2005
Warranty and service are major issues for computer resellers attending seminar in India.
Channel Times, June 17, 2005
Volkswagen of America fined $1.1 million for not promptly reporting spike in emissions warranty claims in 1999 and 2000.
Detroit News, June 16, 2005
Los Alamos Public Schools selects Enertec video surveillance cameras for its school bus fleet because of their three-year warranties.
Los Alamos Monitor, June 16, 2005
CDI Developments Corp. changes its name to Home Warranty Services of America Inc. and splits stock two for one.
Press Release, June 16, 2005
Gulf Stream Coach Inc. selects Active Web Services as the supplier of warranty process management, service parts order management and TREAD early warning software.
Press Release, June 15, 2005
GE Auto Warranty Services increases bonuses and lowers qualification levels for dealers who sell its vehicle service contracts.
Hartford Business News, June 15, 2005
IBM/Lenovo has 200 warranty service providers and 16 ThinkPad repair centers in India.
CRN Network, June 14, 2005
U.S. Military Academy at West Point selects Dell Precision M70 mobile workstations for its cadets, bundled with CompleteCare service contracts.
Press Release, June 14, 2005
ServicePower's Field Service Solutions to provide scheduling, dispatch, and warranty claim processing services to the National Service Alliance Inc.
Press Release, June 14, 2005
Lawmakers want to withdraw $30 million from New Jersey's New Home Warranty Security Fund to fund property tax rebates.
Asbury Park Press, June 14, 2005
Outdoor Power Equipment Institute enhances Web site to accept submission of warranty claims.
Grounds Maintenance, June 13, 2005
ClearForest wins an MITX Technology Award from the Massachusetts Innovation & Technology Exchange in the category of Performance Management and Analytics.
Press Release, June 13, 2005
Remaining MG Rover cars to go on sale at reduced prices with a 12-month warranty.
BBC News, June 9, 2005
Delphi's treasurer and former VP of treasury resign as company prepares to restate financial reports by end of June.
Associated Press, June 9, 2005
HP's iPods are identical to Apple's, but offer a 12-month warranty compared to Apple's 90 days.
Computing, June 7, 2005
Canadian chain Mister Transmission to back its work with five-year, 100,000 km warranties.
Auto Service World, June 7, 2005
NHTSA upgrades investigation of flickering headlights on DaimlerChrysler minivans after company says it received more than 35,000 related warranty claims.
Associated Press, June 6, 2005
Aftermarket associations ask California Air Resources Board to rescind 15-year, 150,000-mile "super warranties" covering vehicle emissions.
Aftermarket Business, June 6, 2005
Jury convicts Arnold Dreier Sr. of North 95 Auto Sales for pocketing extended warranty premiums paid by customers.
Bonner County Daily Bee, June 4, 2005
Christie's now issues five-year warranties of authenticity in Hong Kong for Chinese artworks and ceramics.
Weekend Standard, June 4, 2005
Pennsylvania man files breach of warranty lawsuit against Guidant Corp., seeks class action status for pacemaker defect.
St. Paul Pioneer Press, June 3, 2005
Dell rolls out lead-free computer chassis to meet European RoHS goals, says it recovered more than 24 million pounds of used product from customers in 2004.
Circuits Assembly, June 3, 2005
Home Warranty of America adds an online ordering system to its Web site for real estate professionals.
RIS Media, June 3, 2005
UK consumer magazine finds Hoover and Dyson to be the least relaible appliance manufacturers and Bosch and Miele to be the most reliable.
London Times, June 2, 2005
Apple to give customers whose older iPods had poor battery life $50 coupons and extra year of warranty coverage.
Associated Press, June 2, 2005
Apple iPod mini from HP features one-year warranty and one year of phone support.
Press Release, June 2, 2005
Ohio Attorney General files second lawsuit against Craftmatic Organization and J Kaz (doing business as Craftmatic of Pittsburgh), alleging deceptive warranty practices.
Press Release, June 2, 2005
ServicePower Field Service Solutions announces version 1.3, allows service companies to dispatch technicians more selectively than was previously possible.
Press Release, June 2, 2005
Coach Care opens more service centers in Virginia and South Carolina for Onan generators, Cummins engines, Spartan chassis, and RV appliances.
Press Release, June 2, 2005
Ohio Attorney General sues Car Care Warranty LLC of Phoenix (doing business as Vehicle Owner Warranty Notification Center), alleging it telemarketed without first registering as a telephone solicitor.
Press Release, June 1, 2005
Texas home builders subject to new warranty standards starting June 1.
San Antonio Express-News, June 1, 2005
Toyota mechanic says Prius problems are few and far between, though owners report lower than touted 55 miles per gallon fuel efficiency.
Los Angeles Times, June 1, 2005
ServiceBench helps Sears and its appliance vendors move from a PC-based warranty claims system to a Web-based application.
Appliance Magazine, 5-Jun

May 2005

American International Group Inc. (AIG) files 2004 annual report and 2000-2003 restatements; reduces net income by $3.9 billion over five years.
CFO Magazine, May 31, 2005
Onsite warranty service provider Intrepid Nationwide Maintenance appoints Marty Evans as vice president and general manager.
Press Release, May 31, 2005
UK extended warranty provider Domestic & General posts a 26% hike in annual profits.
Scotsman, May 31, 2005
Smith Seeding Inc. grants city of West Des Moines a two-year warranty on trees and shrubs planted along Interstate 235.
Des Moines Register, May 31, 2005
Platinum Warranty Corp. of Cleveland, also known as Warranty Wizard, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Crain's Cleveland Business, May 30, 2005
W3 Solutions Inc. to administer the Mariner?s Product Protection Extended Warranty Plan for Port Supply, West Marine?s wholesale division.
Press Release, May 30, 2005
NEC lengthens the warranty on plasma panels from one to three years.
Smarthouse News, May 30, 2005
Allegedly dead trees along sides of recently widened Rout 3 near Boston were under warranty and will be replaced.
Boston Globe, May 29, 2005
Linn Products says damage resulting from the playing of DualDiscs in its audio equipment will not be covered by the unit's warranty.
High Fidelity Review, May 28, 2005
Wisconsin Supreme Court rejects Volkswagen's contention that lemon law does not apply to leased vehicles.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, May 27, 2005
State of Maine works through problems caused by use of biodiesel, including clogged fuel filters and replaced fuel pumps, but warranty coverage largely unaffected.
Central Maine Morning Sentinel, May 27, 2005
PricewaterhouseCoopers sizes MG Rover's debts at £1.8 billion (US$3.28 billion), larger than previously thought.
Times of London, May 27, 2005
Seagate Technology opens new SeaCare Centre for warranty replacement drives in Malaysia.
The Star, May 27, 2005
DealerTrack Holdings Inc. acquires North American Advanced Technology Inc., also known as NAT Inc., for an undisclosed sum.
Press Release, May 26, 2005
AIG and former CEO Hank Greenberg sued by NY Attorney General for allegedly using accounting tricks to mislead regulators.
CNN, May 26, 2005
Kia Motors America recalls 2003-2005 Sedona minivans equipped with alloy wheels after four warranty claims point to wheel bearing assembly problem.
Associated Press, May 26, 2005
Ford bails out Visteon, buys back 24 plants and their inventories, speeds up payments for parts, and makes $250 million loan.
Press Release, May 25, 2005
Volkswagen and Audi owners in the UK are being told they cannot renew extended warranties because VAG group did not register in time with the Financial Services Authority.
Auto Industry, May 25, 2005
Cimtek Inc. is helping Microsoft with pre-shipment testing of new Xbox 360 units.
Press Release, May 25, 2005
Roofers at Richard L. Sensenig Co. receive 2005 Master Contractor Award and Inner Circle of Quality Award from Firestone Building Products Co.
Ephrata (PA) Review, May 25, 2005
Food and Drug Administration officials meet with Guidant Corp. to discuss flawed defibrillator; company recommends doctors not replace the unit although it will honor the warranty.
New York Times, May 25, 2005
Investor sees automotive suppliers assuming more warranty cost than before, while OEMs want lower prices.
Crain?s Detroit Business, May 24, 2005
Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America lengthens powertrain warranty on Class 4 and 5 trucks to five years/175,000 miles.
Furniture World, May 24, 2005
First Solar LLC to debut warranties that include end of life recycling services paid for by insurance.
Toledo Blade, May 24, 2005
EMA Design Automation unveils a service to help manufacturers comply with the European Union's restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS) directive for electrical and electronic equipment.
Press Release, May 24, 2005 (PDF format)
Bill to protect auto parts firms from counterfeiters passed U.S. House, heads for Senate.
Detroit News, May 24, 2005
Electrolux launches automated warranty claims processing system in Mexico, powered by ServiceBench.
Press Release, May 23, 2005
Sears misses five appointments to fix a broken dishwasher covered by extended warranty, ends up selling a replacement unit at a discount.
Philadelphia Inquirer, May 23, 2005
BMW begins delivering the M5 to UK dealers; top speed is limited to 155 mph but company says removing this restriction won't affect the warranty.
Classic Driver, May 23, 2005
Arkansas authorities and Ford haggle for six weeks over a news release about a 2005 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor purchase; state wanted to retain ability to sue over warranty issues.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, May 21, 2005
NY State Attorney General settles case with Gerow Auto Sales, accused of selling extended warranties but pocketing the premiums; gets Guardian Warranty Company to honor the claims anyway.
Empire Journal, May 21, 2005
A.M. Best Co. assigns A- (Excellent) rating to Global International Insurance Company Inc., A RRG, underwriters of Guardian Warranty Corp.
Press Release, May 20, 2005
Trans Global Warranty Corp. reserves CA$4.4 million in dispute with Alberta authorities over insurance tax.
Edmonton Sun, May 20, 2005
Seagate allows customers in India to check a disk drive's warranty coverage using a mobile phone's SMS service.
ChannelTimes, May 19, 2005
Gateway founder and chairman Ted Waitt to retire after company's annual meeting, to be succeeded by Richard Snyder.
Reuters, May 19, 2005
Southwest Florida man sues General Electric, alleging defect in his refrigerator's ice maker, seeking replacement.
Associated Press, May 19, 2005
South African man buys a dud mobile phone covered by a five-day/15-min. airtime warranty from a Motorola franchise.
All Africa Global Media, May 19, 2005
Computer, not car, is crash-prone; Prius problem shines headlight on cars' software glitches.
Los Angeles Times, May 18, 2005
Warranty Corp. of America to administer extended warranties for the Car Toys chain.
Press Release, May 18, 2005
Amusement park manager, who stopped repairing ride after warranty ran out, is convicted of reckless homicide.
Associated Press, May 17, 2005
ATX Group president sees vehicle telematics and wireless networks as warranty cost-reducing technologies.
Press Release, May 17, 2005
ProQuest Business Solutions signs Kawasaki Motors, Stihl, and others to use its parts catalog and warranty solutions.
Press Release, May 17, 2005
ARI Network Services Inc. signs Kioti Tractor as first customer to use ARI WarrantySmart product registration and warranty claim processing software.
Press Release, May 17, 2005
Hernandez Companies Inc. to provide service and maintenance to holders of Home Services of America home warranty contracts.
Press Release, May 17, 2005
Washington state governor signs tax on extended warranty contracts into law.
Associated Press, May 17, 2005
Chrysler to end seven-year powertrain warranty with 2006 models; reverting back to three years/36,000 miles.
Reuters, May 16, 2005
Delphi meets about refinancing as two more executives resign because of the accounting investigation.
Associated Press, May 16, 2005
Cimtek to partner with the Peer Group Inc. to provide centralized management and remote monitoring capabilities to companies with distributed manufacturing processes.
Press Release, May 16, 2005
McCusker & Associates LLC to use telecom solutions from PowerNet Global for its Beyond Warranty call center operations.
Press Release, May 16, 2005
Columnists advises readers to buy extended warranties directly from PC manufacturer, but to watch for exclusions.
Fort Myers (FL) News-Press, May 16, 2005
Plastic surgeon says his Breast Implant Registry will notify patients when their ten-year warranties expire.
Press Release, May 14, 2005
UK's Department of Trade and Industry posts fact sheet on MG Rover warranty issues.
DTI Fact Sheet, May 13, 2005
Nationwide Autocentres says it will repair MG Rover vehicles covered by now-worthless warranties at half price.
Car Keys UK, May 13, 2005
Magazine publishes guide to automotive lemon laws by state.
Woman Motorist, May 12, 2005
Tellabs FiberDirect Solution Purchase Program offers longer warranties to telcos installing fiber-to-the-home networks.
Press Release, May 12, 2005
GM recalling 300,000 trucks and SUVs because of turn signal problem identified through warranty reports.
Associated Press, May 10, 2005
ServiceMaster's company-wide net income down slightly in first quarter but operating income at its American Home Shield unit soars.
Press Release, May 10, 2005
Warranty Direct Ltd. suggests people who bought an MG Rover car with their Visa Debit Card should complain to the UK's Financial Ombudsman Service that the bank won't honor their warranty.
carpages.co.uk, May 10, 2005
GE Auto Warranty Services trains more than 200 agents, expands number of active auto dealerships by 36% during a 12-month period.
Press Release, May 10, 2005
NJ Governor orders state Department of Community Affairs to develop a Web site where consumers can view complaints against builders.
Newark Star-Ledger, May 10, 2005
Microsoft's Maestro project aims to deliver business-intelligence software that can provide warranty reports and can work with SAP, Oracle and Siebel.
CNET News.com, May 9, 2005
ServiceBench enhances online communications options for field servicers and automated mailings of surveys for marketing and warranty fraud detection.
Press Release, May 9, 2005
Two-week puppy warranty doesn't cover the pneumonia that snuffed out Snuggles, says sellers at local Pet City store.
WSLS-TV Roanoke VA, May 9, 2005
June 2005 issue of Consumer Reports finds less than 1% of mattresses are returned for warranty failures such as broken springs.
Press Release, May 9, 2005
Solar energy company PV Powered CEO explains why he gives 10-year warranties on his inverters while others give only five years.
Press Release, May 9, 2005
ARI Network Services Inc. wins the "IQ (Innovation Quotient) Award" from Small Business Times magazine and the Wisconsin Technology Council.
Press Release, May 9, 2005
International Business Systems acquires software developer IDS, aims to specialize in supply chain management solutions.
Press Release, May 9, 2005
Real estate agent no longer suggests home warranties because claims are frequently now denied for pre-existing conditions and seller's failure to maintain the equipment.
Washington Post, May 7, 2005
Even with premium mattresses, normal wear not covered by 20-year warranties.
Business Week, May 6, 2005
Why business analytics software could save CRM.
CRM Buyer, May 6, 2005
Metaldyne says new Dynaturn process helps improve brake performance and reduce warranty claims on car chassis.
Press Release, May 5, 2005 (PDF file)
2001 Ford F150 catches fire in the garage; model not covered by recall of faulty cruise control switches.
KTRK-TV Houston, May 5, 2005
Law & Politics magazine names attorney Robert M. Silverman, founding partner of the lemon law firm of Kimmel & Silverman, as a 2005 New Jersey Super Lawyer.
Press Release, May 5, 2005
Point Blank Body Armor, maker of vests recalled by US Marines, had union safety and quality problems in its Florida factories.
The Militant, May 4, 2005
Starting June 1, all new homes in Texas are warranted 1 year for workmanship and materials, 2 years for plumbing, electrical, heating and air conditioning, and 10 years for major structural defects.
Austin Business Journal, May 4, 2005
Targeting small businesses in India, Iomega begins offering three-year warranties on hard drives this quarter.
Channel Times, May 4, 2005
W3 Solutions Inc. chooses General Fidelity Insurance Company, part of the Bank of America, to underwrite U.S. service contract business.
Press Release, May 4, 2005
Third-party warranty companies in Texas that provide services for homeowners on behalf of builders/remodelers must now register with the Texas Residential Construction Commission.
Press Release, May 3, 2005 (PDF file)
Aon Corp. reports a decline in warranty, credit and property and casualty revenue, though net income was up 18%.
Insurance Journal, May 3, 2005
Several furniture chains stop selling Stainsafe fabric protection warranties after consumers report it's almost impossible to collect on a claim.
WFTV Orlando, May 3, 2005
1998 Ford Expedition catches fire in the garage; model not covered by recall of faulty cruise control switches.
WFTV-TV Orlando, May 2, 2005
Hewlett-Packard enhances its PartnerONE program to allow channel partners to sell HP Care Pack service contracts for printers.
Press Release, May 2, 2005
Glynn General Corp., warranty administrator for Kobelco, Daewoo, Bomag, Hyundai, and others, licenses iWarranty software from 4C Solutions Inc.
Press Release, May 2, 2005
W3 Solutions Inc. launches P3 Appliance Performance Protection Plan for major appliance retailers.
Press release, May 2, 2005
AIG calls transactions with Capco Reinsurance Company Ltd. improper, says auto extended warranty losses were improperly recharacterized as capital losses.
Insurance Journal, May 2, 2005
China's Lenovo Group completes $1.75 billion purchase of IBM's PC division, and IBM takes an 18.9% stake in Lenovo.
CNET News.com, May 1, 2005

April 2005

Former AIG executives say American Home Assurance improperly recorded about $1.5 billion in premiums.
New York Times, April 30, 2005
New car warranties get better with roadside assistance, trip planning and free loaner cars.
Arizona Republic, April 30, 2005
New Hummer H3, built in Louisiana, to feature a lengthened four-year/50,000-mile warranty plan.
Shreveport Times, April 30, 2005
Microsoft's Bill Gates announces the Peak Performance Initiative to improve communication and collaboration across the automotive enterprise.
Press Release, April 29, 2005
Active Web Services to support Microsoft's Peak Performance Initiative in its warranty process management software.
Press Release, April 29, 2005
UK's National Franchise Dealers Association estimates Rover owes up to 200 companies £25m in sales bonuses and warranty payments; hopes dim for company restart.
BBC, April 29, 2005
Harley-Davidson lengthens motorcycle warranties for military personnel deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan by the number of days they were deployed.
Press Release, April 29, 2005
Author Phil Edmonston suggests bringing a woman along when buying a car; new book details service bulletins and "secret warranties."
CanWest News Service, April 29, 2005
Dell cuts warranty on the Latitude D510 to one year so the price for small businesses can fall below $1,000.
Information Week, April 28, 2005
Sony equips new Qualia 002 HDTV camcorder with a $5,800 pricetag, 1440 pixel x 1080 line resolution, and a three-year parts and labor warranty; available only through exclusive shopping clubs.
Let's Go Digital, April 28, 2005
Assurant Solutions opens Assurant Danos de Mexico S.A. to underwrite extended service contracts and appoints Gabriel Balzaretti as director general and country manager for Assurant Solutions Mexico.
Press Release, April 27, 2005
Caterpillar Inc. and StatSoft Inc. to showcase Proceed manufacturing simulation and modeling software at ASQ conference.
Press Release, April 27, 2005
In an industry first, Proteam Computer Corp., distributor of Mora brand motherboards, offers a five-year warranty on its Pro series boards.
Channel Times, April 27, 2005
Town of Lehighton votes to pick the lowest bid for transformer despite school board's advice to go with a bidder offering a longer warranty.
Allentown Morning Call, April 27, 2005
Bill Kolb Jr.'s Subaru dealership sells special edition Legacy GTX models whose engine computer chips boost horsepower but void the factory warranty.
Detroit News, April 27, 2005
Mitsubishi Motors Australia goes back to five-day work week; lengthier warranties helped clear out backlog of vehicles.
ABC News Online, April 27, 2005
Teradata Division of NCR unveils Manufacturing Logical Data Model 3.0, helps company build enterprise data warehouses, track and trace electronic product code-tagged units, and perform fleet logistics.
Press Release, April 26, 2005
NHTSA investigates cruise control deactivation switch made by Texas Instruments in additional Ford models after receiving reports of 218 engine fires.
USA Today, April 26, 2005
California Assembly rejects bill allowing carmakers to sell hybrids directly to consumers; Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers said it would have raised warranty issues.
Associated Press, April 26, 2005
Warranty Corporation of America deploys the Xert Precision Suite for enterprise contact management, email marketing and communications analytics, integrated with WaCA's customer service and warranty management systems.
Press Release, April 26, 2005
PolyVista Inc. signs Southwest Airlines Co. to deploy its Discovery text and data-mining solution for the analysis of operational data filed by pilots.
Press Release, April 26, 2005
Spanish group Domingo Alonso, based in the Canary Islands, will represent Volkswagen in Cuba for sales and warranty service.
Cuba Travel Explorer, April 25, 2005
JM Synthetic Grass Surfacing sells polyethylene grass for lawns, playgrounds, town squares, and road medians, covered by a 10-year warranty.
Knight Ridder, April 25, 2005
McCusker & Associates LLC, parent of the Beyond Warranty consultancy, moves to the Millennium Center in Dallas.
Press Release, April 25, 2005
The Ontario New Home Warranty Program claims the wind caused homes to settle and crack.
Canadian Television, April 23, 2005
Home warranty company won't pay claims because of pre-existing conditions unknown to condo buyer.
New Bedford Standard-Times, April 23, 2005
ArvinMeritor is using software from solution provider Entigo to establish a Web-enabled warranty claims management system.
Supply & Demand Chain Executive, April 23, 2005
Washington state budget negotiators agree to charge sales tax on extended warranties.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, April 22, 2005
Hewlett-Packard takes 50% off the cost of its online hardware recycling service for U.S. residents until the end of May.
Press Release, April 21, 2005
AIADA notes that extended service contracts cover expensive repairs after the manufacturer?s warranty runs out.
AIADA Online, April 21, 2005
Kelley Blue Book name Kia Spectra Hatchback one of their 10 "coolest cars" because of its lengthy warranty.
Press Release, April 21, 2005
Honda Accord models sold in United Arab Emirates feature three-year unlimited mileage warranties.
AME Info, April 21, 2005
Autologica aims new dealer management and warranty processing system at Mexican car dealerships.
Press Release, April 21, 2005
Applica Inc. warns of net loss, points to increased warranty costs.
Press Release, April 20, 2005
Boston Congressman wants Big Dig contractors Bechtel and Parsons Brinckerhoff to issue a warranty on their work.
Boston Globe, April 20, 2005
Chrysler's Frank Ewasyshyn awarded the Shingo Prize; Chrysler Group says that based on warranty expense, it has improved its quality by 40 percent since 2000.
Press Release, April 20, 2005
Acela trains sidelined until summer; Bombardier doesn't have enough spare parts though its warranty lasts until October 2006.
Washington Times, April 20, 2005
Don Erway and his wife Neva accused of diverting $941,000 in credit card cash back funds to their own accounts before the collapse of National Warranty Insurance RRG.
Lincoln Journal Star, April 20, 2005
MG Rover's collapse leaves Motor Group Australia with hundreds of unsold cars, no warranty cover, no marketing budget and two defunct brands.
The Australian, April 20, 2005
Rover dealers to be offered a VAT and income tax holiday to help them with their cash flow crises.
The Guardian, April 20, 2005
New Subaru Blitzen, coming to New Zealand in June, to feature unlimited distance three-year warranties.
Press Release, April 20, 2005
NHTSA upgrades investigation of tailgates on GM pickups, though the smaller models seem to have less warranty claims.
Associated Press, April 19, 2005
IBM's PC warranty service offerings, known as ServicePacs, to be renamed Lenovo ThinkPlus Services.
Computer Reseller News, April 19, 2005
Warranty Direct offers MG Rover owners a 20% discount while Nationwide Autocentre offers 50% off normal labour rate.
Auto Industry, April 19, 2005
Warrantech appoints Laurence W. Tutt as senior vice president and chief operating officer.
Press Release, April 19, 2005
Bankrupt Rover's dealers to foot the bill for warranty work; Caterpillar bought its parts business last year.
Cambridge Evening News, April 18, 2005
TV repairman hasn't fixed a VCR in 18 months; e-waste piles up in Canadian landfills but Alberta begins recycling program.
Montreal Gazette, April 18, 2005
Amtrak suspends Acela service over cracks found in brake rotors; warranty claims expected.
Bloomberg News, April 15, 2005
IDC Australia finds warranty, service and support are still the most important factors for PC purchases by small businesses.
Reseller News Online, April 15, 2005
HIH Insurance founder Ray Williams and board member Rodney Adler begin jail terms related to their company's 2001 collapse.
Australian, April 14, 2005
How Hyundai went from punch line to powerhouse, dictating warranty trends that others now follow.
Forbes, issue dated April 25, 2005
General Motors stock slides after acounting experts cast doubt on 2000-2001 warranty transactions with Delphi.
Detroit Free press, April 14, 2005
Securities and Exchange Commission asks General Motors for documents related to two transactions with auto parts supplier Delphi Corp.
Washington Post, April 14, 2005
Oregon state economist credits Klamath County officials for moving swiftly to replace closed call center with jobs at NEW Customer Service Cos.
Klamath Falls Herald and News, April 13, 2005
RepairClinic.com says consumers should fix their own appliances and avoid buying extended warranties.
Press Release, April 13, 2005
Although Apple and Hewlett-Packard sell the same iPod hardware, HP offers a 12-month warranty versus 90 days from Apple.
Computing, April 13, 2005
Hewlett-Packard announces 30 and 60 GB iPods backed by one-year warranty and a year of phone support.
Press Release, April 12, 2005
GE Auto Warranty Services to administer the Kawasaki Good Times Protection Plan for motorcycles sold in Florida.
Rubber Magazine, April 12, 2005
Adam Aircraft to augment authorized support centers with factory-owned centers and a Web site that provides warranty administration services for new A500 aircraft.
Press Release, April 12, 2005
IBM Research promotes a Parametric Analysis Center that uses a Telematics Control Unit to process data from a car's electrical system and alert the driver to malfunctions.
CNET News.com, April 11, 2005
City of Rochester and ferry engine maker MTU agree to settle a warranty claim; city will pay $1.3 millioin instead of full $2.8 million cost.
WROC-TV Rochester, April 11, 2005
Circuit City Stores Inc. reports $379 million in domestic extended warranty sales last fiscal year, equal to 3.8% of total sales.
Press Release, April 11, 2005
ATX Group develops a telematics service that enables auto dealers to remotely pull mileage and other real-time data from vehicles they have sold.
Press Release, April 11, 2005
PC-Doctor Inc. says its networked diagnostic test system can lower warranty costs by reducing no trouble found returns.
Press Release, April 11, 2005
Xceed Mortgage Corp. to offer home warranties free for the first year to home buyers in Canada.
Press Release, April 11, 2005
Owners of 300,000 Rover and MG cars may face uncertainty over new car warranties if company goes into receivership.
Financial Times, April 10, 2005
Lawyer wants to add Second Chance Body Armor to a class action lawsuit pending against Zylon manufacturer Toyobo Corp.
Traverse City Record-Eagle, April 10, 2005
MG Rover dealers in the UK estimate they're owed £25 million in unpaid warranty claims and bonuses from the first quarter.
The Telegraph, April 9, 2005
AMR Research analyst Kevin Mixer says technology vendors are moving quickly to support Early Warning Systems.
Research Alert, April 8, 2005
Columnist says 90-day warranty on a laptop is good enough, advocates savings accounts instead of extended warranties.
Arizona Republic, April 8, 2005
United Parcel Service to provide warranty management services to Asian exporters at expanded Singapore hub.
Business First, Louisville KY, April 7, 2005
Marvin Windows and Doors celebrates latest victory in $150 million breach of warranty lawsuit first filed in 1994 against PPG.
Grand Forks Herald, April 7, 2005
Canadian Tire Financial Services plans to expand extended warranty offers to credit card customers.
Press Release, April 6, 2005
Panels blow off the new Colorado Convention Center in Denver; city officials look for a cause and pursue a warranty claim against architect Fentress Bradburn and contractor Hensel Phelps.
Rocky Mountain News, April 6, 2005
Tougher rules covering extended warranties come into force in the UK.
The Scotsman, April 6, 2005
Affiliated Computer Services Inc. to provide data entry services for warranty registration cards filled out by customers of Brother International Corp.
Business First of Louisville, April 5, 2005
Brother International to offer three year warranties on laser printers; two year warranties on fax machines; and one year warranties on inkjet printers in India.
India Infoline, April 5, 2005
The Kohler Co. relaunches its Web site, including a new online warranty claims processing module for dealers.
Lawn & Landscape, April 5, 2005
Zurich Financial Services Group sells Universal Underwriters Group for $1.1 billion to an investor group led by Hellman & Friedman LLC.
Press Release, April 4, 2005
FBI joins in the probe of Delphi's accounting errors after the SEC makes a criminal referral to the fraud section of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Associated Press, April 1, 2005
Carfax adds an estimate of the remaining time on the original manufacturer's warranty to its Vehicle History Reports.
Press Release, April 1, 2005
State Commission of Investigation report cites shoddy and corrupt residential construction in New Jersey and recommends passage of a new home lemon law.
Cherry Hill (NJ) Courier-Post, April 1, 2005

March 2005

Court bars owners of CMS Pools and CMS Construction from operating in West Virginia after they fail to make repairs under warranty.
Associated Press, March 31, 2005
New Jersey appeals court rules that a man leasing a vehicle from Honda is entitled to warranty protection under the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.
Newark Star-Ledger, March 31, 2005
Wabash National Corp. lengthens the warranty on DuraPlate trailer sidewalls from five to ten years.
Press Release, March 30, 2005
Maurice "Hank" Greenberg to retire as CEO of American International Group Inc. before end of March; U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission expands its probe of AIG.
Reuters, March 29, 2005
Acer Computer Australia ends two-hour guarantee for laptop warranty work, replaces it with a pick-up repair service for TravelMate owners.
Australian IT, March 29, 2005
Oshkosh Truck Corp. rebuilds Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks and Heavy Equipment Transporters for second tour of duty in Iraq.
Associated Press, March 29, 2005
Allen Systems Group Inc. acquires Cypress Corp., plans to fold its products into existing product families.
Press Release, March 29, 2005
Washington state legistature proposes a sales tax on extended warranty agreements.
KOMO-TV Seattle, March 28, 2005
Carfax produces one minute radio news feature about extended warranties.
Medialink Newstream, March 27, 2005
ComputerRepair.com plans Canadian expansion as soon as electronic payment issues are resolved.
eChannelLine Canada, March 27, 2005
Sony Electronics Inc. provides warranty concession to plasma TV owner whose screen "burned in" logos of news channels from excessive watching.
Richmond Times-Dispatch, March 27, 2005
A.I. Life Ltd. denies allegations by Nebraska Department of Insurance that it illegally offered insurance in the state.
Lincoln Journal Star, March 26, 2005
ServiceNet says revenue grew 15% in 2004 and expects another double-digit growth rate in 2005.
Press Release, March 25, 2005
Sony Computer Entertainment America tells customers to wait a week or two before making warranty claims for dead pixels on PlayStation Portable screens.
GameSpot, March 25, 2005
Dialex Minerals Inc. changes its name to Reliant Home Warranty Corp. and its business from diamond exploration to home warranties.
Press Release, March 24, 2005
Chairman of Delphi's audit committee says company improperly accounted for $237 million in warranty claims paid to General Motors Corp. in 2000.
Associated Press, March 23, 2005
Microsoft disputes source of electrical problem found by users of its Xbox game consoles.
The Register, March 23, 2005
B.C. Place Stadium pays CA$1 million for the FieldTurf used last season by the Montreal Expos; eight-year warranty is apparently transferable.
Canadian Press, March 23, 2005
Australian Reseller Association, allegedly an industry watchdog for third-party warranty providers, turns out to be just a front for the United Electrical Engineers.
ARN Editorial, March 23, 2005
Trend Tracker's new MFBI study documents a seven-year decline in UK auto service market and predicts five more years of shrinkage.
Auto Industry, March 23, 2005
Capital Mortgage Funding of Southfield, MI, to give away a home warranty protection policy with every home purchase.
Press Release, March 22, 2005
GE Auto Warranty Services, part of GE Consumer Finance, says its vehicle service contract volume grew 32% in 2004.
Press Release, March 22, 2005
UK's National Beef Association offers Private Breeding Warranty that includes protection against infertile bulls.
Stackyard News, March 21, 2005
City of Rochester, NY, finds its new ferry engines aren't still under warranty; bills could top $2 million before service even begins.
WROC-TV Rochester, March 21, 2005
KTM lengthens warranty on Model 950 motorcycle from two to three years.
Press Release, March 21, 2005
Florida's used car dealers set to battle 60-day, 3000-mile warranty legislation.
Used Car News, March 21, 2005
Starting June 1 all new homes in Texas will be covered for one year for workmanship and materials, two years for plumbing, electrical, heating and air conditioning, and 10 years for major structural defects.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, March 20, 2005
Xbox modifier says Microsoft's root cause analysis mistook power supply flaw for power cable problem, and issued recall of 14 million units in error.
The Register, March 19, 2005
Lawyers say one-year warranty on Intoxilyzer 5000 unit is evidence the manufacturer doesn't stand behind its accuracy.
Durham Herald-Sun, March 19, 2005
Toyota Kirloskar Motors in India lengthens new car warranties from 2 years/50,000 kilometers to 3 yrs./100,000 kms.
Economic Times, March 19, 2005
Volkswagen AG and Archer Daniels Midland Co. say their joint research team approves blend of up to 5% soybean oil in biodiesel fuel; VW says warranty still valid if blend is used.
Press Release, March 18, 2005
Boise State University give away 15-minute repair appointments as demo of their repair skills, but professor notes the work is done without warranty.
Idaho Statesman, March 18, 2005
Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin auto warranty attorney James W. Stevens passes away, age 50.
New York Lawyer, March 18, 2005
President of Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Caribbean says sales and market share were up in Puerto Rico in 2004 thanks to lengthened warranties.
Caribbean Business, March 17, 2005
Gilford police dog will come with a full one-year warranty on health and work ability.
Laconia (NH) Citizen, March 17, 2005
West Star Aviation's facility at Walker Field Airport becomes one of only six independently owned Cessna Citation Service Centers in the US able to do warranty work on series 500, 525, 550 and 560 aircraft.
Grand Junction (CO) Daily Sentinel, March 17, 2005
Home warranties seen as cost-effective option for home buyers.
Long Island Newsday, March 17, 2005
Beaufort County Council to pursue warranty claim against Balfour Beatty Construction for cracks in a highway bridge.
Hilton Head Island (SC) Packet, March 17, 2005
South Carolina lawmakers pass a bill limiting home warranty claims to eight years.
Associated Press, March 16, 2005
N.E.W. Customer Service Companies becomes the first service plan company certified by the J.D. Power and Associates Certified Call Center Program, for providing "An Outstanding Customer Service Experience."
Press Release, March 16, 2005
IBM ThinkPad user and EasyServe extended warranty policyholder tries a CMOS battery self-repair, ends up with a $725 repair bill for a $799 laptop.
InfoWorld, March 15, 2005
American International Group CEO Hank Greenberg retires and CFO takes leave; AIG also to miss 10-K annual report filing deadline.
Press Release, March 14, 2005
Consumer advocate says fill out warranty registration cards for certain products, but beware of direct marketing.
KLTV Tyler TX, March 14, 2005
Attensity Corp. announces Attensity Workstation, promises users can be trained in 30 minutes to extract meaning from unstructured free form text.
Press Release, March 14, 2005
Saab Automobile AB is lengthening its 2.3 liter engine warranties from 4 to 8 yrs. after oil sludge problem appear in 1998-2003 models.
Automotive News, March 14, 2005
UK's PowerPlan appliance extended warranties and cashback schemes to pay only pence on the pound after administrator goes into receivership.
Sunday Sun, March 14, 2005
Arizona appellate court rules that state's lemon law can apply to leased vehicles.
Arizona Republic, March 14, 2005
Asus offers a 30-day zero bright dot warranty on LCD notebook screens, models W1, V6V and M6, part of a warranty upgrade plan.
ARNnet.com.au, March 14, 2005
Judge sentences 13 to home detention for their parts in auto loan and extended warranty fraud scheme at Joe Florek Volkswagen and Gray Mountain Auto Connection in Arizona.
Yuma Sun, March 12, 2005
Nashville Metro Public Works pays $187K per year for 10 yr. replacement warranty on 120K new trash bins, for a $2 million total.
WTVF Nashville, March 11, 2005
FN Herstal USA says decrease in accuracy of pepper pellet gun used at Fenway Park is a "training and warranty" issue after Justice Dept. cites testing data; recall expected.
Associated Press, March 11, 2005
Lenovo-IBM deal wins approval of the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States.
Asia Times Online, March 10, 2005
ServiceBench Inc. moves into new corporate headquarters with 45% more floor space.
Press Release, March 10, 2005
The StoneEagle Group aligns with Major Payment Systems LLC for a warranty and insurance claims payments processing system using the vCom Virtual Credit Card Platform.
Press Release, March 9, 2005
Nebraska Department of Insurance files petition accusing A.I. Life Ltd. and president Robert Gatusso of selling vehicle service contracts without authority and failure to pay VSC taxes.
Lincoln Journal Star, March 9, 2005
Florida's official tourism agency begins offering a weather warranty for meetings held from August through October 2005.
Orlando Business Journal, March 9, 2005
Federal magistrate sides with Long Island Rail Road management against engineers who objected to nonunion labor doing Bombardier's warranty work on train cars in their yards.
Newsday, March 9, 2005
Nissan Micra, Ford Focus, Volvo S/V40, and Mazda MX-5 among the best used cars in Warranty Direct's UK repair cost survey.
Press Release, March 8, 2005
Federal judge allows lawsuit against bankrupt Second Chance Body Armor to advance in Arkansas state court.
Detroit Free Press, March 8, 2005
Twelve automakers agree to introduce first-time new car warranties in Thailand; government committee suggests one year or 20,000 kilometers as a minimum.
Bangkok Post, March 8, 2005
Consumer Reports removes 7 small cars from recommended list after they fail crash tests; Chevrolet Cobalt and Toyota Corolla pass on their second tries; Toyota, Subaru, and Honda dominate top picks.
Bloomberg News, March 8, 2005
ComputerRepair.com appoints Diana Daugherty as director of business development.
Press Release, March 8, 2005 (PDF file)
McGraw-Hill Companies signs an agreement to acquire J.D. Power and Associates.
Press Release, March 7, 2005
Why Electrolux chose ServiceBench: reporting features, low cost, and online processing capabilities.
ITnetcentral Philippines, March 7, 2005
Consumer Reports finds Hyundai, Lexus and Infiniti tied for first in reliability rankings based on reader surveys; Ford Mustang top U.S.-made model and Lincoln Navigator lowest ranked.
Associated Press, March 7, 2005
General Motors lengthens warranty on 2006 Hummer from 3 yrs./36,000 miles to 4 yrs./50,000 miles.
Reuters, March 7, 2005
Sprint's retail storefronts now perform light repairs on mobile phones while-you-wait, but immediately replace handsets requiring more extensive warranty work.
Associated Press, March 7, 2005
WennSoft introduces Service Management for Axapta, a solution for warranty tracking, installation, work orders and field service operations running atop either Microsoft SQL or Oracle databases.
Press Release, March 7, 2005
More than 9,400 DaimlerChrysler managers to get 8.5% bonus in May for profitable 2004 results; amount of bonus partially based upon warranty costs and vehicle quality data.
Detroit News, March 6, 2005
Aon to settle insurance probe by NY Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and pay $190 million in restitution.
Associated Press, March 5, 2005
Circuit City Stores now includes extended warranty revenue in same-store sales measures; new measures shows 1.8% quarterly drop vs. 2.9% drop under old method.
Richmond Times-Dispatch, March 5, 2005
General Motors gets 80 offers of $24.7K each for 6 yr old EV1 Vigil electric cars it plans to scrap, last 78 surviving units the subject of a sit-in outside Burbank, Calif. GM facility.
EV World, March 5, 2005
Whole house surge suppressors carry warranties promising up to $25,000 to repair or replace items damaged by electrical power surges.
Charlotte Observer, March 5, 2005
Used car dealer Dave Green Auto World charged with not paying NY state sales tax on extended warranty sales.
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, March 5, 2005
Delphi CFO Alan Dawes resigns under pressure as auto parts maker considers restating financial results; improper accounting of warranty payments to GM suspected.
Reuters, March 4, 2005
Epson to warrant fine art prints made by its high-end Stylus Pro printers using UltraChrome ink against fading for 80 years.
Press Release, March 4, 2005
BearingPoint helps Georgia legislate mobile phone handset compliance, a necessary precedent before warranties on imports will be honored by manufacturers.
The Message, March 4, 2005
Pakistan Railways finds locomotives made by Dongfang Electric Corp. to be defective; stops deliveries, alleges bribery and pursues warranty claims.
Dawn, March 4, 2005
New Zealand army's fleet of Pinzgauer vehicles sidelined by gearbox defects; government says manufacturer Automotive Technik is attending to expected warranty issues.
Manawatu Standard, March 4, 2005
SparePartsWarehouse.com, a division of United Computing Resources, opens Web site to speed the location of obscure computer parts.
Press Release, March 4, 2005
Home Warranty of America chosen as exclusive provider of home warranty services by Prudential Preferred Properties in Chicago.
Real Estate News, March 4, 2005
ServicePower Field Service Solutions to provide warranty claims processing and analytic services for Style Crest.
CRM Today, March 3, 2005
John Deere factories in East Moline and Waterloo to begin filling fuel tanks with 2% biodiesel fuel blend called B2; spokesman says up to 5% blend won't damage engines or affect warranty.
Moline Dispatch, March 3, 2005
For the first time, Alliance Housing, an India-based subsidiary of Magma Consulting Inc., provides new home warranties on luxury villas in Bangalore.
Times of India, March 3, 2005
Acer enhances warranties on its TravelMate notebook series, adding pick-up, repair and return courier service for all and three-year warranty durations for the high end of the line.
PC World Australia, March 2, 2005
Apple Computer sued in California by five resellers who allege the manufacturer started its warranty clock at time of shipment to dealer, not time of purchase by end user.
San Francisco Business Times, March 1, 2005
Stephen Layne, CEO of Entigo Corp., has acquired all of the company's assets from its private investors in a management buyout; plans change of focus to warranty services.
Press Release, March 1, 2005
GM Europe Chief Fritz Henderson says Opel now has only half as many warranty claims as five years ago.
Press Release (in German), March 1, 2005
Belden CDT Electronics Division and On-Q Home to jointly sell 15-year extended-warranties for home networking projects.
EC&M, March 1, 2005

February 2005

Former owners of Joe Florek Volkswagen and Audi in Flagstaff sentenced to 3 and 5-yr. jail terms for conspiracy to defraud banks, warranty companies, and customers in 1997-2000.
Associated Press, February 28, 2005
Hewlett-Packard touts lifetime warranty and low prices on ProCurve Secure Routers.
eWeek, February 28, 2005
Harley-Davidson last year lengthened warranties from one to two years with no mileage limit, helping spur unit sales in 2004.
Toledo Blade, February 28, 2005
Belle Tire in Detroit provides road hazard warranties on tires for $6 per wheel per year or per 12,000 miles while new car dealers sell wheel insurance policies for $300-$500 for five years.
ClickOnDetroit, February 28, 2005
Guardsman reconsiders furniture warranty claim it initially denied, following inquiries from State of Florida Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher.
WFLA-TV Tampa, February 27, 2005
John Clare, chief executive of Dixons Group, discusses "Whateverhappens," his company's revamped extended warranty package.
Daily Telegraph, February 27, 2005
Super Pets of Santa Rosa, Calif. faces warranty claims for allegedly selling sick puppies; California has a pet lemon law.
KGO-TV San Francisco, February 24, 2005
York International encounters significant setbacks implementing new Siebel-based CRM system for call center and warranty processing.
Managing Automation, February 24, 2005
John and Eddie Affoussi, owners of Car Center USA, Foreign Cars North, Cars R Us, and Suzuki of Boston, ordered by state Attorney General to pay $350K fine to settle warranty fraud and other charges.
The Daily Item of Lynn, February 24, 2005
Protesters target Apple's iPod as a symbol of the growing problem of electronic waste, noting that Dell and HP recycle.
Evansville Courier & Press, February 24, 2005
Aankhen Inc. enhances IRIS product suite, used by Dell and others to compute freight costs in warranty and supply chain applications.
Supply & Demand Chain Executive, February 23, 2005
Caterpillar expands its on-highway department from six to 11 districts to enhance customer and dealer support.
Today's Trucking, February 23, 2005
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration probes more than 10,000 warranty claims on seat belt buckle failures on 2001 Ford F-Series pickups, Windstar minivans and other vehicles, despite earlier recall.
Bloomberg News, February 22, 2005
UK's Metrocab battles back from bankruptcy, appoints new dealers and authorized warranty service outlets.
Auto Industry, February 22, 2005
Four Ford dealerships in eastern Virginia win President's Award following customer satisfaction survey of their warranty customers.
Hampton Roads Daily Press, February 19, 2005
Shawnee Civic and Cultural Development Authority tells Krueger International to honor its 10-year warranty and replace 1,000 defective chairs or face a lawsuit.
Shawnee News-Star, February 19, 2005
No court decision yet in Long Island Rail Road vs. union dispute over warranty work done by non-union contractors.
Newsday, February 19, 2005
Motor Trend equates extended warranty with service contract in online glossary.
Motor Trend, February 18, 2005
Car Center USA, Suzuki of Boston, Foreign Cars North, and Cars R Us settle with Massachusetts Attorney General; accused of pocketing extended warranty premiums.
Press Release, February 18, 2005
What Car? magazine asks 200 UK dealers if work done by independent service stations would invalidate warranty and 41% incorrectly answer definitely or maybe.
Auto Industry, February 18, 2005
Microsoft Corp. recalls 14.1 million Xbox power cords after a defect burned some users; affects all Xboxes sold in continental Europe before Jan. 13, 2004 and the rest of the world before Oct. 23, 2003.
CNET News.com, February 17, 2005
Specialty Silicone Products sells windshield wiper blades featuring five-year warranties while six months is typical in industry.
Washington Times, February 17, 2005
Fiat Group's Iveco unit to deploy SAP Warranty Management on its dealer portal.
Press Release, February 16, 2005
Window tinting from Madico Inc. cracks homeowner's window; manufacturer warrants only first $500 but doesn't say so clearly in warranty certificate.
WAVY-TV, Hampton VA, February 16, 2005
Home Solutions of America. Inc. drops plans to acquire RAM Home Warranty; chooses to buy Cornerstone Building and Remodeling Inc. instead.
Press Release, February 16, 2005
NHTSA investigates Saturn L Series, Lexus RX 330, and Toyota Sienna after processing reports of warranty claims and customer complaints.
Reuters, February 16, 2005
Customers of The Dog House try to collect on "pet warranties," but owner Chris Carty states through his attorney that it's not his fault.
WJAR-TV, Providence RI, February 15, 2005
IBM Global Financing offers PC Price Per Seat Programme, which bundles PC equipment, warranty, maintenance, and other services into one monthly invoice per unit of equipment.
Press Release, February 15, 2005
Everything is coming up roses for ServiceMaster Co., but a majority of earnings growth comes from TruGreen lawn care unit and American Home Shield warranty services unit.
Motley Fool, February 15, 2005
Hewlett-Packard Executive VP Vyomesh Joshi sees every PC as "an opportunity to sell extended warranty services."
Computer Reseller News, February 15, 2005
Board of Circuit City Stores to consider $17 per share buyout offer from shareholder Highfields Capital Management.
Associated Press, February 15, 2005
Neoteric Infomatique India lengthens warranty on Umax Apus 210 USB flash drives to three years.
TechTree.com, February 15, 2005
Hewlett-Packard enables Authorized Warranty Delivery Partners to sell warranty extensions for HP Care Pack services.
Press Release, February 14, 2005
Stainsafe denies claim for multiple stains in furniture, says contract states it will honor only singular "stain," but Macy's grants a warranty concession after local TV reporter inquires.
WABC-TV New York, February 14, 2005
Amnesty International finds few diamond merchants follow Kimberly Process Certification Scheme, which warrants that gemstones are from conflict-free sources.
Press Release, February 14, 2005
SummerWind Performing Arts Center in Connecticut cancels 2005 season after dispute with Birdair Inc. over collapsed roof warranty claim.
Hartford Courant, February 14, 2005
Ten truck dealers sue Detroit Diesel Corp., alleging they were excluded from warranty work by the DaimlerChrysler subsidiary.
Associated Press, February 9, 2005
Customer alleges now-defunct Knoxville GMC dealership pocketed her extended warranty premium; administrator has no record of her policy and now she has a claim.
WATE-TV, Knoxville, February 9, 2005
Toyota and Mitsubishi launch promotional five-year warranties in New Zealand, but Holden and Ford decline to match them.
New Zealand Herald, February 9, 2005
IBM launches new eServer Power5 system with a three-year warranty.
Internet News, February 8, 2005
Nebraska Insurance Director says current scheme allowing administrators to hold reserves won't work.
Lincoln Journal Star, February 8, 2005
Western Digital extends hard disk drive warranty to five years in India after the product is registered online.
Channel Times, February 8, 2005
Proposed North Dakota legislation would make new home warranties more precise.
Associated Press, February 7, 2005
Andrew Corp., told by a customer about a component's high failure rate, plans to take a $15 to $20 million charge to cover unanticipated warranty costs.
Press Release, February 7, 2005
Tower Automotive declares bankruptcy; suppliers squeezed by rising steel prices and higher warranty expenses.
The Car Connection, February 7, 2005
Optus won't honor warranty on cable modems knocked out by storm; all affected customers must pay $179 for a new unit.
Australian IT, February 6, 2005
Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Boston issues 14-day warranties on pets.
Daily Item of Lynn, February 5, 2005
Danka Business Systems to perform warranty work for an as-yet unidentified printer manufacturer.
St. Petersburg Times, February 4, 2005
South Korean government to mandate 30-day warranties on used cars.
Yonhap News Service, February 4, 2005
Wyse Technology appoints Datacom Engineering Services as its authorized service provider in New Zealand for both in- and out-of-warranty repairs.
New Zealand Reseller News, February 4, 2005
South Dakota Supreme Court upholds conviction of former auto dealer charged with theft; Lance Swalve accused of selling extended warranties and pocketing the premiums.
Associated Press, February 3, 2005
ProQuest Business Solutions, a subsidiary of ProQuest Co., to acquire Syncata Corp.
Press Release, February 3, 2005
Mysterious dashboard button in Toyota Prius turns it into an all-electric car for a short while, but using it can void the vehicle's warranty.
ABC News, February 1, 2005
Warranty Direct UK finds franchised dealers charge more for parts than retailers, with independent garages somewhere in the middle, when repairing four-year-old cars out of warranty.
Car Pages, February 1, 2005
3Com SA enhances warranty program with advance hardware replacements for all rack-mounted and desktop switches and wireless devices.
IT Web, February 1, 2005

January 2005

NAT Inc. signs Ultimate Warranty Corp., which will install NAT's eMenu and eGateway at dealerships selling its extended warranties.
Press Release, January 29, 2005
NAT Inc. signs Old Republic Insured Automotive Services Inc., replacing the extended warranty administrator's traditional operating and claims systems.
Press Release, January 29, 2005
The Dealer Services Group of Automatic Data Processing Inc. launches an F&I eForms Library for dealerships, including state-specific extended warranty forms.
Press Release, January 29, 2005
Federal Trade Commission's new anti-spam rules permit unsolicited communications about warranties, recalls, and safety-related matters.
Mondaq, January 28, 2005
Long Island Rail Road union threatens strike over non-union workers doing warranty work on its train cars.
Newsday, January 28, 2005
Glen and Joan Hammer of Warranty Corp. of America host their first-ever company-wide meeting at headquarters.
Press Release, January 28, 2005
Intrepid Nationwide Maintenance appointed as the exclusive warranty service provider for Advanced Premise Technologies LLC, a manufacturer of blade servers.
Press Release, January 25, 2005 (PDF file)
Florida's official tourism marketing organization announces a "weather warranty" to combat fallout from last year's hurricanes.
Insurance Journal, January 24, 2005
Warranty claim denial uncovers insurance company selling wrecked cars to unsuspecting new owners.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 23, 2005
Home inspector helps buyer decide what to include in a warranty claim made on a newly constructed home.
Houston Chronicle, January 23, 2005
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission finds more than half of all Australian Web sites surveyed try to disclaim consumers' warranty rights or limit liability.
Sunday Times, January 23, 2005
Japanese companies prepare a bailout of at least $3 billion for Mitsubishi Motors Corp.
Wall Street Journal, January 21, 2005
Money-saving tips: complain when warranty claims are rejected, keep all receipts in a logbook, and wait to see if your car is trouble before buying an extended warranty.
MSN Money, January 21, 2005
Guardian Web Company LLC says AAautoWarranty.com affiliate program has improved tracking and safeguards to help referrers get their commissions.
Press Release, January 21, 2005
New Apple Mac mini has a longer warranty than a comparable Dell model, but $499 base price includes nothing besides system unit.
Wall Street Journal, January 21, 2005
Caterpillar sells used diesel engines, truck transmissions and other heavy-equipment components at half price with a like-new warranty.
New Zealand Herald, January 19, 2005
ComputerRepair.com says it has 7,600 service providers and 1,700 clients after eight months of operations.
Press release, January 18, 2005
Texas Attorney General files lawsuit against spammer Ryan Pitylak, accused of promoting mortgage, debt counseling, and warranty services without a state license.
Daily Texan, January 18, 2005
Warranty Direct advises UK motorists to avoid dealers selling self-insured extended warranties so they can evade new FSA regulations.
Car Pages, January 18, 2005
NACCO Materials Handling Group Inc. chooses Attensity Warranty for its Hyster and Yale product lines.
Press Release, January 17, 2005
New elevators in Pembroke Pines, FL, City Hall dubbed "Tower of Terror," frequently broke; city to make warranty claim for stationing radio-equipped employees as elevator monitors.
Sun-Sentinel, January 15, 2005
Public Citizen calls NHTSA's TREAD Act data confidentiality policy "a stunning perversion of the Freedom of Information Act."
Press release, January 14, 2005
UK's Financial Services Authority takes over regulation of the general insurance market, including all extended warranties valued in excess of £350 (US$654) or lasting more than five years.
Financial Times, January 14, 2005
UK's Department of Trade and Industry publishes new rules for extended warranties, set to come into force on April 6.
vnunet.com, January 14, 2005
DTI publishes "Guidance for Business: The Supply of Extended Warranties on Domestic Electrical Goods Order 2005."
Online PDF File (28 pages), Jan. 2005
Gulf Warranties celebrates ten years in business; has sold 400,000 extended warranties in the Middle East since late 1994.
Mena Report, January 12, 2005
Partial Zero Emission Vehicle standards require a 15-year/150,000-mile emissions warranty.
Green Car Congress, January 11, 2005
Tarsus Technologies and Geneva Printotek lengthen their TallyGenicom printer warranties from one year to three.
IT Web, January 11, 2005
Sony of Canada Ltd. unveils Advanced Exchange Warranty Program for LCD monitor; Web-based service speeds replacements for corporate customers to within two to four working days.
Market News, January 11, 2005
All BNA Payment Systems point of sale terminals distributed throughout North America now covered by a W3 Solutions Inc. manufacturer's service plan.
Press Release, January 11, 2005
Critics say new home building rules in Texas give too much "wiggle room" to builders and too many requirements for homeowners.
San Antonio Express-News, January 11, 2005
Washington Post profiles Vincent Zumbo, new CFO of ServiceBench Inc.
Washington Post, January 10, 2005
Leaks recently found in the new roof of Los Angeles City Hall are covered by builder's warranty.
LA Daily News, January 7, 2005
Finbarr O'Neill resigns as CEO of Mitsubishi Motors North America to become CEO of Reynolds and Reynolds.
USA Today, January 5, 2005
Yamaha Motor Corp. provides five-year service plan free of charge to buyers of its outboard motors until April 30; coverage kicks in after product warranty expires.
Press Release, January 5, 2005
The Millau viaduct in France, now the world?s tallest road bridge, features a 120-year warranty.
Innovations Report, January 5, 2005
W3 Solutions Inc. partners with GE Commercial Distribution Finance Canada Inc. to co-market service contracts in the Canadian Market.
Press Release, January 5, 2005
New study from the Service Support Professionals Association and Tech Strategy Partners looks at the high cost of customer support.
Destination CRM, January 4, 2005
Visionary Vehicles LLC, started by the man who brought the Yugo to America, plans to import Chinese automobiles backed by a 10-year/100,000 mile warranty.
Reuters, January 3, 2005
4CS Inc. licenses its iWarranty application software to construction equipment company Takeuchi Mfg. (US) Ltd.
Press Release, January 3, 2005
The University of Pittsburgh and the Pennsylvania Department of General Services file a lawsuit over leaks in new basketball stadium's roof after the manufacturer voids its warranty.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 3, 2005
NEW Customer Services Companies uses WebMethods integration tools to connect its systems with those of its customers and service partners.
Application Development Trends, January 1, 2005

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