CEA Updates Uniform Repair Codes

Arlington, Va. — The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has issued an updated version of its Uniform Repair Codes.

Written in collaboration with a CEA taskforce, manufacturers and service industry associations, the document is an industry-wide reference listing that includes codes for customer complaints and the needed repair actions for use on warranty claim forms.

CEA initially developed a uniform code in 1997 to end the confusion caused by multiple manufacturers and third-party administrators having differing repair codes for warranty claims. The new codes include products that have entered the market since the initial codes were written. The codes will also be reviewed every January by CEA for subsequent updates.

"The updated CEA Uniform Repair Codes are a welcome addition for both the servicer and the manufacturer communities," said Sharp Electronics' Steve Gelman, who serves as the chairman of the CEA Repair Codes Task Force. "Standardized data enables servicers to use a common language when identifying complaints and repair actions, and allows manufacturers to quantify repairs and identify weaknesses, which ultimately minimizes overall product failures."

He continued, "These updated repair codes help manufacturers to engineer new, more reliable products by lowering the costs associated with in-warranty repairs."

Hitachi, Microsoft, Panasonic, Pioneer, Sharp, Sony, Thomson and Toshiba were among the manufacturers who participated in the updating process. The National Association of Service Dealers, the National Electronic Service Dealers Association and North American Retail Dealers Association also helped.

A full listing of the revised codes is posted on CEA's Web site at www.ce.org/repaircodes.