Is it legal to change a name data plate?

[egleaves]

I have a little situation going on here and Google is not producing any helpful results, so I'm hoping someone here might offer some insight/experience.

Long story short; I shipped a video game console to the manufacturers repair facility for an issue covered by their warranty. The console I received back from them has different information on the data plate in the rear. It's just different enough that I know for a fact it is not the original data plate.

Is this legal to do?

The data plate shows the manufactured on date and the serial number, along with miscellaneous power specs (voltage, amps, etc). I noticed that the console I sent had the date of manufacture, but the one they returned has the date of service in it's place. The serial number is the same.

The unit failed again (different problem) after less than 10 hours of total use and I have concluded that they did one of two things:

1) Repaired my unit and placed a newly made data plate on it, or

2) Sent me a refurbished unit with a newly made data plate on it.

Number 2 seems obviously illegal to me, while number 1 seems shady at best. Does anyone out there have any experience or knowledge on such a matter?

[CatatonicBug]

#2 is most probably what they did (except the data plate is most likely original to that machine), and is NOT illegal. Electronics companies usually do it that way. Diagnosing and repairing a machine like that is expensive and very time-consuming. It's a lot easier and cheaper for them to just send you a working replacement. You sent them a used, broken machine, they sent you a used, working machine. That is all that matters. Your warranty should remain in effect on the replacement.

Remember that serial numbers only matter to the manufacturer, and they don't register those numbers with any government agency. The only thing that matters to anyone outside the MFG is the "Country of MFG".

[egleaves]

#2 is most probably what they did (except the data plate is most likely original to that machine), and is NOT illegal.

If that is the case, then both machines have the same serial number. That can't possibly be a legal practice.

[CatatonicBug]

The serial number only matters to the MFG though. For all we know, they deleted the old plate and simply moved your SN to the new machine, or they actually repaired your machine and put the same SN on a new plate with the new date so they could determine when it was last opened up by them. They then would have destroyed the old data plate. Really, no government authority cares what the serial numbers are on those things. It's all for tracking purposes inside the MFG facility.

[Silent]

The probably used your old serial number on the new machine to maintain your warantee. Nothing illegal about what they did.

[The Lorax]

Eric, did you experience the 3 red lights of death?

[dingman29]

my brother and i both sent our 3 red rings in and we received the same console with new plates... we new it was our same consoles due to the decal residue left on our consoles... i wouldn't really worry about it as long as it came back better than it was when it was sent out

[kirmit77]

I just got the three red rings of death this morning! SO PISSED OFFF

i use the xbox for my netflix and it just sucks. now im going to have to send it in and not watch movies for a week or more!!! WHAT AM I GOING TO DO!?!??!

[DGXSER]

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO!?!??!

Ride....ride....and then there is ride!!!!

[kirmit77]

well i have no second gear and my rear tire is showing some wire.... no RIDE for me till atleast next week when my new spitfires come in

[motoman]

Ride............real slow in first, or fifth if you got it dialed in at low RPM. It's about the ride, not how fast!