transistor

[Grange]

I was told by an auto-electrician that a transistor in my car immboliser has
died. Is it possible for transistors to die? Why do they die?

 

[Sylvia Else]

I was told by an auto-electrician that a transistor in my car immboliser has
died. Is it possible for transistors to die? Why do they die?

Ian has probably identified the true source of the comment.

Your obvious response though is to ask the auto-electrician to replace
the transistor. Be interesting to hear his excuse for not doing so.

Sylvia.

 

[Sylvia Else]

For all I know he could be right about a transistor died, but automotive
electronic modules are more often than not potted so component level repair
is impossible, and they're notoriously expensive to replace.

Given the legal (The Australia Consumer Law) requirement that spare
parts be "reasonably available for a reasonable period", one would have
a case against the manufacturer or importer where the price is excessive.

Mind you, I suspect that no precedents ever get set - anyone who starts
down that path will likely get the part at a reasonable price.

Sylvia.

 

[yaputya]

Given the legal (The Australia Consumer Law) requirement that spare parts be "reasonably available for a reasonable period", one
would have a case against the manufacturer or importer where the price is excessive.

Would you please provide a link to the specific section of the 'The Australia Consumer Law' that you refer to.
If you are dealing with Aldi etc. you can just take the faulty thing back and they
will refund the purchase price (only within a month or so, unless covered by a manufacturers warranty?).

 

[Sylvia Else]

Would you please provide a link to the specific section of the 'The Australia Consumer Law' that you refer to.
If you are dealing with Aldi etc. you can just take the faulty thing back and they
will refund the purchase price (only within a month or so, unless covered by a manufacturers warranty?).

The right to return faulty goods, within a reasonable time, is a
separate matter. But long after any right to return the goods would have
expired, the company has to make spare parts available, so that the
consumer is not faced with discarding goods just because they have
developed a fault.

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/caca2010265/sch2.html

Unfortunately, Austlii has problems with schedules, and cannot provide
links to individual sections.

-------
58 Guarantee as to repairs and spare parts

(1) If:
(a) a person supplies, in trade or commerce, goods to a
consumer; and
(b) the supply does not occur by way of sale by auction;

there is a guarantee that the manufacturer of the goods will take
reasonable action to ensure that facilities for the repair of the goods,
and parts for the goods, are reasonably available for a reasonable
period after the goods are supplied.
-------

Now, there is a possible ambiguity as to what "reasonably available"
means, but I think a court would find that a spare part that was
unreasonably priced, by reference to the cost to the company of making
it available, then the part would not be "reasonable available".

Sylvia.

 

[Sylvia Else]

Yes, as long as they are silent about it ?- the manufacturer does not
want bad publicity from a court case, or a precedent set, and probably
will do a deal just to make it go away. (99% would just pay and not
argue) Would this be done by the person in a "small claims" type
court or on your behalf by consumer affairs ?

Most likely via the small claims route. Just a matter of filling in a
form and paying a modest filing fee (typically a few tens of dollars).
If the company is really trying to gouge consumers on spare part prices,
the matter would probably not even reach a hearing.

Consumer affairs would be unlikely to have the resources to chase such
things up, being more concerned (and rightly so, IHMO) with products
that endanger lives.

Sylvia.

 

[Grange]

Ian has probably identified the true source of the comment.

Your obvious response though is to ask the auto-electrician to replace the
transistor. Be interesting to hear his excuse for not doing so.

Not an option now. The guy snipped the wires presumably going to the
indicator lights which had been staying on incorrectly. Problem solved but
functionality now reduced.