Understanding Your Treadmill Warranty

The Manufacturer’s warranty of a treadmill is one of the most important things to consider when purchasing a treadmill.  It not only prevents future costly repairs that may occur, it also shows how much a company is willing to stand behind their product.  If you want to protect your investment, a solid treadmill warranty is a must.  Manufacturers usually cover defects in workmanship or material over a specific time. What that means is, if the treadmill malfunctions because it was assembled incorrectly, that would be covered under the defects in workmanship.  In addition, if the treadmill malfunctions because of a part breaks and wasn’t caused by excessive wear and tear, that would be covered under the defects in material.  This brings up another point, what is excessive wear and tear of a treadmill?  All treadmills, through usage, will have wear and tear.  What is excessive wear and tear?  Well excessive wear and tear of a treadmill varies from brand to brand.  As long as you are using the treadmill under the specifications of their user guide, you will not be causing any excessive wear and tear on the treadmill.  There are 4 major sections to a treadmill warranty: motor, frame, parts, and labor.  While different treadmill brands may offer slight variations to these 4 sections of a treadmill, most brands wrap their warranties around these 4 areas.

Motor- The motor of the treadmill is usually something that takes a while to wear out.  While it is probably one of the most expensive single parts to a treadmill, you will find that good treadmill brands will cover their motor for more then a 10 year period.

Frame- The frame of the treadmill is one part of a treadmill, if it was built properly and with quality materials should never break or wear out.  You will find as you are reading reviews on specific treadmills, they will talk about the grade of materials they use on their frame.  The higher quality models will use “commercial grade” materials in their treadmills.  Usually, the frame will break at the welding points if they are not welded properly, or the material just gives out and distorts due to the pressure from usage.  You will find that a good treadmill brand will offer a lifetime warranty on their frame.

Parts- Many warranties offer free replacement of treadmill parts that malfunction within a specific amount of time period.  Parts along with labor are the 2 areas of the warranty coverage you potentially could be using frequently.  While motors are usually the most expensive part of the treadmill, it’s the little things, like the electrical components that would have a higher chance of malfunctioning and can be frustrating.  A good treadmill brand will offer at least a 2 year warranty on their parts.

Labor- The labor warranty should cover all costs incurred from a service or repair tech coming out to your location to work on your treadmill.  This is another in treadmill service repair that can get quite costly. Different manufacturers have different terms in their warranties. The better manufacturers cover their warranties themselves while others require their retailers to cover them.  A good treadmill brand will offer at least a 1 year warranty on their labor.

I always recommend paying close attention to the parts and labor, section of the warranty.  If you re going to be using a warranty, most likely, you will be taking advantage of the parts and labor sections. Make sure to read the supplied warranty information of a treadmill brand or model to see what the terms and durations of the warranties are. A good warranty isn't just to protect your investment; it lets you know about the quality of the treadmill parts and the manufacturers willingness to stand behind their product.  A good warranty is an indication that the manufacturer has a good product.