Consumer7 min read10/11/2026

The Appliance Broke Again After Repair: When You Are Entitled to a Replacement or Refund

A recurring malfunction in a refrigerator, television, or washing machine does not always automatically entitle the buyer to choose a refund. However, if the importer or manufacturer is unable to remedy the defect during the first year, it must replace the product or refund the amount paid.

Numbers and facts

•More than ₪150 — the threshold for new electrical, electronic, and gas appliances
•1 year — the mandatory warranty from the date the product is actually delivered
•7 calendar days — the period for installation by an authorized technician, if installation is mandatory
•14 days — a separate cancellation period for many distance purchases

Which Appliances Are Covered by the Mandatory Warranty

The rules are established by the Consumer Protection Regulations (Warranty and After-Sales Service), 2006. They apply to new electrical, electronic, and gas products costing more than 150 shekels, as well as mechanisms in furniture and water heaters. The mandatory warranty is valid for one year from the date the product is actually delivered to the buyer. An additional warranty after the first year may provide for different terms, but any restrictions must be stated separately and prominently in the warranty document.

Who Must Perform Repairs and Who Pays

During the first year, the manufacturer or importer must remedy any discovered malfunction free of charge. The repair must restore the product to the condition it would have been in without the defect; installed parts must be new and original. If an individual part or the entire product must be replaced, no fee may be charged for that either. Therefore, statements by a service center such as “the first repair was under warranty, but the second is chargeable” do not by themselves cancel the importer’s obligation.

The Repair Period Depends on the Product and Place of Service

The Regulations set different repair periods and locations depending on the type of appliance, so before handing over the product, it is worth checking the Consumer Protection Authority’s official table. Certain large appliances must be repaired at the buyer’s home, while other appliances are taken to a service center. If the warranty depends on installation by an authorized technician, the importer or manufacturer must carry out the installation or provide instructions at the buyer’s home no later than seven calendar days after delivery, unless the parties agreed to a longer period. It is best to request in writing any response involving an indefinite wait “until the part arrives,” together with the date of acceptance and a description of the malfunction.

Recurring Malfunction: Replacement Is Possible, but the Buyer Does Not Always Choose

If, during the first warranty year, the manufacturer or importer is unable to repair the product, it must provide a new identical product or a product of a similar type, quality, and value—or refund the price paid. According to the official explanation, the manufacturer or importer, rather than the buyer, chooses between these options. A single recurring malfunction is not described in the materials as automatic grounds for a refund, but a series of unsuccessful repairs may demonstrate that the product was effectively not repaired. It is important to distinguish such a claim from the ordinary cancellation of an online purchase within 14 days: these are different legal mechanisms.

What Proves an Unsuccessful Repair

Keep the receipt, warranty document, service requests, correspondence, photographs or videos of the defect, and every service report. The report should record the complaint, the work performed, the parts replaced, and the date the product was returned; the wording “no malfunction detected” is especially important if the malfunction recurs shortly afterward. The Israel Consumer Council recommends attaching to a claim an expert opinion confirming that the product was not repaired or that recurring malfunctions indicate a defect. In cases published by the Council, courts considered recurring malfunctions in a new car, a computer, and a television, assessing the number of service requests, the outcome of the repairs, and the buyer’s actual ability to use the purchase.

What to Do After the Second Malfunction

First, contact both the seller and the importer or manufacturer named in the warranty in writing, listing the dates of all repairs and attaching the reports. Ask them to specify how the warranty will be fulfilled: a final repair, an equivalent replacement, or a refund of the price if repair is impossible. If there is no response or the appliance is once again returned in a defective condition, you may file a complaint with the Consumer Protection and Fair Trade Authority. Consumers also use the Small Claims Court for monetary claims; the Israel Consumer Council publishes a sample claim concerning recurring defects in products costing more than 150 shekels.

FAQ

Can I immediately demand a refund after the second warranty repair?

The rules presented do not establish an automatic right for the buyer to choose a refund after the second malfunction. A refund of the price or replacement becomes a mandatory alternative when the manufacturer or importer is unable to repair the product, and it chooses the option.

Can the service center charge again for the repair?

During the first year, the malfunction and any necessary replacement of parts must be remedied free of charge. The parts must be new and original; it is best to dispute the cause of the malfunction in writing and demand a technical explanation for any refusal.

Whom should I contact—the store or the importer?

Under the Regulations, the main obligation to perform warranty repairs is imposed on the manufacturer or importer. In practice, it is useful to send the same written demand to both it and the seller, retaining proof of delivery.

What should I do if the service center says that no defect was detected?

Ask for a report containing that wording and the dates of the inspection. If the malfunction recurs, record a video and immediately open another service request. For court proceedings, an independent expert opinion regarding the existence of the defect or an unsuccessful repair may be useful.

Is the mandatory warranty extended after a repair?

In the official material provided, the mandatory warranty is defined as one year from the date the product is actually delivered. It does not specify any grounds for automatically starting a new one-year period after a repair or replacement of a part; the terms of any additional warranty must be checked separately.

What to do next

After a recurring malfunction, do not limit yourself to a telephone conversation: gather the documents and send the seller and importer a chronology of the malfunctions, with a clear demand that they specify how the warranty will be fulfilled. If another repair does not resolve the problem, document this in a service report and consider filing a complaint with the Consumer Protection Authority or, for a monetary dispute, using the small claims procedure. The appropriate step depends on the documents and circumstances of the purchase.