Home Depot is no longer handling Ridgid LSA claims or any tool repairs. The RIDGID Limited Lifetime Service Agreement (LSA) is only available for eligible RIDGID tools purchased at The Home Depot and authorized retailers. The LSA covers all hand-held power tools, stationary power tools, and pneumatic tools. Registration is straightforward and can be completed in minutes. Upon approval, you are eligible for FREE batteries, FREE parts, and FREE service for life.
Home Depot does honor the lifetime warranty on most Ridgid tools. Rentals will take a Ridgid tool in for service and verify the LSA before proceeding with repair. However, they do not repair vacuum cleaners of any kind. Home Depot does not have any RIDGID power tool service centers, only independent owned shops that are authorized by them.
To register your power tools and batteries for lifetime service, you must complete and submit the Tool Repair Request Form. Warranted products will be repaired or replaced at the option of Ridge Tool, and returned at no charge. If after three years, any registered power tool or battery that fails with regular use will be repaired or replaced for free.
Home Depot is dedicated to supplying customers with superior tools, offering lifetime free service on batteries, brushes, chucks, cords, switches, and normal wear items. Since 2014, Home Depot has been the only Authorized Distributor of Ridgid “Held Power Tools, Stationary Power Tools, and Pneumatic Tools”.
📹 Ridgid Tools Lifetime Warranty any GOOD?
We turn in two tools to Home Depot for repairs. What does it cost and how long will it take?
Does Home Depot fix Ridgid tools?
The technicians comprising our Service Center Network have undergone rigorous training at the manufacturing facility, equipping them with the expertise to deliver superior repair services and to accurately determine and execute RIDGID warranties when necessary.
Are RIDGID and ryobi the same company?
TTI, a Hong Kong-based company, has a licensing agreement to produce hand-held tools under the Ridgid brand for Emerson. The company also owns Milwaukee, Ryobi, Homelite, Hoover, Dirt Devil, and Vax vacuum cleaners. While the cordless tools from Ridgid and AEG appear identical, they are not entirely identical due to AEG’s distribution in Europe and Australia, where the power standard is 230 volts. Notable tools sold under AEG include a plunge cutting circular saw, dust extractor, and cordless power planer.
Is RIDGID owned by Home Depot?
Ridgid, a house brand of The Home Depot, is owned by Emerson Electric and manufactured by the Ridge Tool Company in the U. S. with a red and black color scheme. Power tools with an orange and black color scheme are made in China by Techtronic Industries Co., LTD (TTI), except for Ridgid shop vacuums, which are gray and orange and made by Emerson in the U. S. The name Ridgid comes from the city where the Ridge Tool Company was founded, North Ridgeville, Ohio. Hart Tools, a budget-friendly tool line, is only sold by Walmart and is owned and manufactured in China by Techtronic Industries Co., LTD.
Can I claim a RIDGID warranty without a receipt?
RIDGID® Brand Hand Held Power Tools, select Stationary Power Tools, and Pneumatic Tools come with a 3-year Limited Warranty, which starts from the date of purchase and ends at the date of manufacture on the original purchased equipment. If a valid receipt is not available, the warranty period begins from the date of manufacture. For batteries and chargers, the tool serial code must be used to verify warranty, not the battery/charger serial code. All accessory batteries and chargers sold separately must have a valid receipt to verify warranty status.
The original purchaser of an eligible product may opt for a free Lifetime Service Agreement, which provides the original owner of qualifying RIDGID® Brand tools with lifetime free replacement batteries, service, and replacement parts. This service is available free of charge on all eligible RIDGID® Brand hand held power tools, select stationary power tools, batteries, pneumatic tools, compressors, and outdoor power equipment. The Lifetime Service Agreement status on a tool is not transferable to persons other than the original purchaser.
Who makes Home Depot Ridgid tools?
The Ridge Tool Company, an American manufacturer of tools under the Ridgid brand, was founded in 1923 in North Ridgeville, Ohio. It is a subsidiary of Emerson Electric and is primarily focused on the plumbing, pipe fitting, construction, and HVAC trades. Ridgid produces over 300 different types of tools, including red pipe wrenches, power tools, and wet/dry vacs. The company also sells power tools, primarily made by TTI, and wet/dry vacs made by Emerson. From 1935 to 2016, Ridgid produced a pinup calendar featuring artists George Petty and Raquel Welch, with models including Raquel Welch and Brooke Burke.
Does RIDGID really replace batteries?
The RIDGID® Brand Lifetime Service Agreement is available to the original purchaser of eligible products, including hand-held power tools, stationary power tools, batteries, pneumatic tools, compressors, and outdoor power equipment. The agreement provides a lifetime of free replacement batteries, service, and parts for the original owner of these tools, subject to certain limitations. The tool’s service coverage lasts the lifetime of the original purchaser, and the status is not transferable to persons other than the original purchaser. The Lifetime Service Agreement is only available for eligible RIDGID tools purchased at the HOME DEPOT.
How to get a Ridgid tool fixed?
To have your tool serviced at the RIDGID Factory Service Center, complete and submit the Tool Repair Request Form. You will receive a Tool Repair Number and instructions for sending in your tool for repair. This service is only available for customers within the 48 contiguous United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. If you’re outside the US, contact your local Independent RIDGID Distributor or Authorized Service Center. For warranty/lifetime service agreement questions, call 1-866-539-1710.
Does RIDGID really have a lifetime warranty?
Ridge Tool Company provides a lifetime warranty for products under the RIDGID Brand, excluding licensed goods. These products are built with reliability, dependability, and durability, and are covered by a Full Lifetime Warranty against defects in materials or workmanship. If a product is damaged due to defects in materials or poor workmanship, Ridge Tool will remedy the issue in accordance with their warranty policy.
Ridge Tool’s tools are used in demanding applications and environments, and normal wear and tear may require service. While normal wear and tear is not covered by the RIDGID Lifetime Warranty, Ridge Tool aims to have the tool back in service as soon as possible. They offer a complete assortment of service parts and a network of RIDGID Authorized Independent Service Centers, which are factory-trained to provide quality repair service and accurate determination and execution of the RIDGID warranty if required.
Can I exchange a broken tool at Home Depot?
The Home Depot allows the majority of merchandise returns within 90 days of the original purchase date, provided that the customer can provide proof of purchase. Exceptions to this policy may be made at the discretion of the store management. Nevertheless, the establishment reserves the right to decline returns for defects that are not the result of manufacturing, damage caused by the customer, or in cases where fraud or abuse is suspected.
Does Home Depot fix tools?
While Home Depot stores do accept tool repair projects, it should be noted that not all have the ability to repair tools on-site. If a tool is taken to a store with a tool rental center, the repair process will take approximately two to three weeks. However, if the store does not have a tool rental center, the tool will be shipped to an offsite location, which will prolong the repair time to four to six weeks.
How do I claim my RIDGID warranty?
The Lifetime Service Agreement for One World Technologies, Inc., attn: RIDGID® Hand Held, is not a warranty and does not alter or limit the 3-Year Limited Service Warranty provided with the product. It does not create any implied warranties or rights, including warranties of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Any implied warranties are expressly disclaimed and are limited to three years from the date of purchase. and RIDGID, Inc.
Are not responsible for direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages. Some states restrict limitations on implied warranties and/or do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages. This Agreement provides specific legal rights, and other rights may vary from state to state.
📹 The TRUTH About RIDGID’s “Lifetime” Warranty!
Some product links are Amazon and other affiliate links which means if you buy something we’ll receive a small commission.
To start comparing quotes and simplify insurance-buying, check out Policygenius: Policygenius.com/731woodworks. Thanks to Policygenius for sponsoring this article! ▼EXPAND FOR LINKS TO THE TOOLS▼ 🎥 Watch Next – Hater’s Guide to Ryobi Tools youtu.be/TTtzXsfWt5M 🛠Tools in this article: Ridgid Router in article (newer model) – homedepot.sjv.io/RyzOvX See All Ridgid Tools – homedepot.sjv.io/KeaZWv Milwaukee Router – shrsl.com/3x0c0 Ridgid LSA Website – register.ridgidpower.com/about_lsa Major’s Forrest and Lawn – majorsforestandlawn.com 4321 Woodworking Experience with Ridgid LSA – youtu.be/yd6gEW7kxTA Other Tools/Equipment I’m Asked About Often: Shirt I’m Wearing – faithvalleytees.com/collections/all Boots I’m Wear – amzn.to/3HkUl3y Where I get my t-shirts (mostly) kerusso.com Toolbox in Background – homedepot.sjv.io/x9B2xy Tool Wall over Miter Station – amzn.to/3ZgWq7B Digital YouTube Sign – amzn.to/3GL2a2e Camera Gear I Use – kit.co/731Woodworks/camera-gear-i-use Computer Equipment I Use – kit.co/731Woodworks/731-woodworks-computer-equipment (If you use one of these Amazon and other affiliate links, I may receive a commission) Other useful links: Daily Tool Deals on my website: 731woodworks.com/tool-deals Subscribe the 731 Newsletter: mailchi.mp/7e44c16eefdc/731-woodworks-email-newsletter Check out our easy-to-follow woodworking plans:
Great to hear your tool was covered and serviced by Rigid without any cost . Had similar situation with my Rigid benchtop planer (11 years of use) and they replaced it with brand new generation 4331 model which worked out great as I had 6 sets of replacement blade packs from my 4330 model that could be used in my brand new planer. The only downside was the service centers near me (30 miles) on their website no longer provided service?? Ended up HD which has a tool rental department and they shipped the old planer to some HD service center and learned that didn’t have replacement parts so they ended replacing with a BRAND NEW unit. Can’t go wrong with Rigids LSA. PS, enjoyed the article with Blacktail Studio
Ten years ago (or longer), I was sanding a piece of wood in my shop with a 5-year-old Rigid orbital sander when that sucker literally exploded in my hand. It sent parts flying 30 feet all over the shop! Scared the crap out of me, but fortunately I only suffered a small cut on my hand. This accident could have been avoided had I registered the tool when I bought it because it had been recalled a couple of years earlier. I called them up, they asked me to mail the damaged tool to them, and they sent me a new one. Kudos to Rigid, seems like they’ve been backing up their stuff for a long time.
Yes I have some Ridgid tools. My 1/2″ hammer drill quick working after about 5 to 6 years. I sent an email to Ridgid tools they told to take to a certified shop, which was about a 1 hour drive. Left it there and called them back in a week, and they told me they could not fix it. But one week later a received a brand new in the box new 1/2″ hammer drill. Great service.
Love Ridgid, most of my shop is Ridgid, and I am starting to have to use the LSA on my older tools as well. I have had zero issues or pushback from them on anything. They replaced 3 batteries, replaced a motor in my tablesaw, and fixed a bearing in a sander. I wish Jet and Rikon would give even half the level of customer service considering the price tags on their products.
I personally own many Ridgid products – several 18v cordless power tools (though I’ve been slowly converting to Milwaukee), a 12″ dual bevel sliding miter saw, and a cabinet style table saw. My very first experience with their LSA and lifetime battery warranty was circa 2010 and was a nightmare. I followed all instructions and registered my impact/drill combo and batteries on their website as well as mailed in all original receipts and UPCs. Weeks later after hearing nothing I contacted their customer service to check on the status of my warranty/LSA registration. They told me they’d never received any of my original receipts or UPCs. Too easy, I said – I scanned all of these and saved them on my computer before mailing just in case. I was then informed that those documents would not be accepted as they weren’t “originals.” I asked what else could be done to complete my registration and I was told – nothing. I would not be able to register my tools and batteries. Since then I’ve not even bothered trying to register any of their products and as stated have slowly been phasing them out of my shop (minus the two large saws). Given the fact this was 13ish years ago, its obviously possible they’ve refined their processes with their customers in mind. Take my negative experience with whatever measure of a grain of salt you will. I still believe they put out a solid performing product at a good price with or without a warranty that requires jumping (back then) through a mess of unnecessary red tape.
My Ridgid palm/trim router is plug in but I’ve noticed exactly the same issue of getting really hot even with precautions and not routing too deep. And yes I’ve had it shut off for no apparent reason, mine is only a year to two old! I’ve also had bits that were tight and should have been secure and were till routing when the bit suddenly drops slightly ruining my round overs or even grooves. I tighten almost too much bc I’ve had my bits drop and it scares me the bit will go flying. I’m bummed because Ridgid is supposed to be a high quality brand much like bosche, etc. yet my router is unpredictable so I’m glad you’re talking about it
When my Gen5X hammer drill chuck broke they fixed it but I did have to take it to a HD service location 50 miles away. Fortunately I work in that area but also had to pay a $30 refundable fee that got back when I got my drill back. It was fixed good as new. Also my Gen5X hand vacuum got replaced with the newest model when Ridgid stopped making replacement filters for my old vacuum. That was awesome and this new vacuum is much more powerful!
Also forgot to comment if Ridgid did you right, i think they did a good job on backing their service warranty. I have alway said to younger people to buy your new tools through Ridgid because of the lifetime service and battery replacment agreements its a win/win deal if you are going to buy tools especially cordless battery tools.
Went with Rigid since the rated reliable tools came with the LSA. Mid 90’s I was Waukee during the NiCad phase and those 90’s $80 dollar batteries went for only 3 years. Luckily I tossed those NiCad’s in the bed of my truck and drove around with them for 2 years until I stumbled upon a recall. I cleaned up the batteries and sent in for 4 new NiCad but they only lasted another 3 years.
I got the same deal on the Milwaukee router. As much as people say Milwaukee is over-priced, they definitely work hard to get tools in our hands and much more reasonable than Festool. It’s just a matter of perusal for sales.I have some Ridgid corded tools, including the corded version of that trim router. I get those from Direct Tool Supply for less than HD.
I don’t post much, but this an informative and realistic experience with the LSA process. It’s important to know where the closet service center is for the brand you’re about to purchase. Relatedly, search places like Reddit if the service center is well reviewed. I live in Toronto and I found out afterward the local DeWalt service center had a reputation for questionable rejections under their ‘limited warranty ‘. Never DeWalt again.
Cudo’s to documenting the process, for a $100 tool that’s 5 years old, I would have just sent it to the dumpster in my shop and had a great reason to upgrade 😎. I’m terrible at registering tools, I figure if it last 5 years I “got my money’s worth” and there probably is a much better option available by now. Just me, not saying it’s “the” way to do go.
I believe I shared my Rigid experience on another one of your articles last year. I also purchased the power drill combo 5-6 years ago. The drill stopped working and I took it to a local shop where Rigid directed me to. I paid $35.00 up front but and that was refunded once the drill was fixed and returned to me. It took more than 2 weeks to get it fixed but Rigid stood by what they claim with the LSA.
I took my R4331 planer in to get it repaired and got it back 2 months later. Went to use it and it was still messed up. Took it back in for repair and now I’m still waiting. They say they are waiting for Rigid to send them the parts. It’s been 5 months now that I’m without a planer. Thinking of buying a Dewalt 735 and keep the Rigid as a backup. The LSA is great, but the actual repair and service sucks!
I have many Ridgid tools but haven’t had anything go wrong with them to try out the LSA. A friend of mine has a Ridgid bandsaw and the blade guide broke and Ridgid said they no longer made that part and wouldn’t replace the saw but did tell him that the DeWalt part would interchange so he bought that part and fixed it himself but Ridgid never paid for it. He obviously wasn’t impressed with the LSA. If they no longer have the part, then they should replace the tool. Wonder what they would have done if there had been a motor design change in your router and no longer made the replacement?
Love my Rigid as well. However, my battery died, I reached out to them, and they told me that my battery wasn’t in the LSA. Furthermore, they said I didn’t complete the form within 90 days. So make sure you get verification that you submitted. They however, sent me a replacement but will only be good for 90 days. Lesson learned! 👊👊👊👊
I burnt up a drill that I had purchased from a pawn shop. I took it to the home depot tool rental center and said they would try to fix it and if they couldn’t they would send it off to rigid. They couldn’t, I paid 6 bucks to have it shipped to Atlanta and they fixed it b4 contacting me. 8 days passed and I got the call about my non registration, I explained and she said if you pay the 12 bucks for shipping it back to me we are all good. Not just a great product but a great company. I highly recommend
Update on LSA. I bought Ridgid table saw and had a problem with the blade height adjustment at about 4 months (after full refund period). I took it to Home Depot, and they fixed it under the LSA. It happened again and when I took it back to H.D. they found a problem with the motor and since that motor was no longer available, Ridgid sent a new saw. Well, the blade adjustment failed again, and I returned it to H.D. When I got there, I found out that Home Depot has stopped all service on these in January. Ridgid told me that I need to get it to an authorized repair location, but the nearest one to me is 140 miles. If you send it via UPS (my cost), they will fix it and ship it back for free. The cost of shipping was more than the cost of the saw. I drove it to repair location and will have to drive back when fixed.
If i had to guess, your bearing probably went clear out causing your battery to pull way too many amps this is probably what caused your terminals to get screwed up, pulling this many amps probably caused your switch or any one of many components to melt, i would not be surprised if your battery pack took a pretty good strain and it might have cooked them alittle which might affect their longevity.
dude… the title and intro of the article are completely unwarranted and blatant click/view bait. I used to enjoy your articles until you decided to pull this kind of chicanery and throw in sermons by surprise. I’m pretty sure I won’t be coming back for articles that actually sound like something I’d want to watch.
I never thought I’d actually ask this question concerning a power tool, especially being an owner of some fine Ridgid tools myself, but… Can you “Febreeze” a router? And if so, do they have an appropriate fragrance like “sawdust” or “cedar” to make it blend in??? If not maybe you could just hang one of those pine tree rearview mirror things from the battery. 😀
I’ve personally had good luck with using the LSA (as noted in the article I did that you linked to above THANKS!) on 2 tools and a battery so far in the 5 years I’ve had them. With that said I used to just drop them with the repair guy 25 miles away (I live rural so everything is 25 miles away) but he is getting out of it due to how RIGID is doing him dirty on payment and other aspects. All the small shops are getting out of LSA service so now my closest two repair centers are 100 miles away in either direction. Driving that twice I’ll just buy another tool. I like the tools I have but I’ll probably leave the brand at some point, tool bear says dead tool walking and seeing how other brands are expanding line ups and RIGID isn’t doing much I’m inclined to believe him. In any case great article, glad it worked out.
SOOO glad to hear this. Ridgid’s LSA was the reason I bought into their line recently. When I heard that it also meant free batteries for life, I was SOLD on this platform. Better than any other warranty or service agreement on the market and the tools are really well made!! I’m so glad I chose Ridgid and this vid makes me even happier I did.
I left Ridgid for Milwaukee a while back and have not looked back first they gave up creating new tools up until recently and they totally gave up on the Octane. I had warrantied some batteries in the past but apparently if you do not call them and warranty the replacement battery they will not extend the lifetime agreement to its replacement and I got burned twice on that. Also they totally gave up on all the workshop tools I have a cast iron bandsaw, table saw, jointer, planer and miter saw. I am worried that I may not be able to get parts for those if they brake luckily most of them are clones from other companies and I can probably get parts that way.
I have a whole drawer full of DeWalt cordless tools (The older 18V line). I picked up a cheap Ridgid drill/driver a few years ago and really liked it. Since then, I’ve purchased replacements for almost all of the DeWalt tools, which have now become my backups. I’ve never had to use the Ridgid LSA, but I’m glad to know it’s there. Also, during the holidays, Home Depot likes to do a “Buy battery, get free tool” promo, so I’ve now got several extra batteries that are all covered by the LSA. Thanks for the vid!
I have almost exclusively the rigid line. Ridgid has treated me real well with battery exchanges. Luckily I have not had any problems with their tools over the last almost 30 years. I was surprised to hear you did not like their vacuum. I happen to like that particular model. Thanks for the article. I really enjoy all of your articles. Keep them coming.
For cleaning up the terminals on the tool: grab some interdental brushes from the supermarket (they’re like a dime a dozen) and your favorite contact cleaner. Spray the cleaner on the brush, push it inside the connector and just go back and forth in there. Repeat until you get a relatively clean surface.
The “rainbowing-affect” is from the heat generated by short-circuit when you “let smoke out” of the motor. You see, all solid state electronic components are built with ‘smoke’ in them. You don’t ever want to ‘let the smoke out’.😎 It will stink for a long long time. The burnt smell probably got into the life-long-lubricant the tool was built with. When you get it hot, it’ll stink. I had a 20yr old Milwaukee drill that the I burnt the brushes up in. I replaced the brushes, and the trigger switch and she still smells like it’s burnt.
As a hobbyist I’m good with it, especially the battery replacement. I’ve had several tools repaired and one was replaced with a factory refurbished unit probably because it was cheaper than fixing it. No complaints here and when I call them they are extremely helpful. That being said I am now adding tools from different brands based on need. For example I picked up a Ryobi 23ga pin nailer because Ridgid doesn’t make one and their ratchets and oscillating polisher. Also grabbed the new a Milwaukee sander and 12v drill/impact kit. I think I have a tool problem lol.
I bought a circular saw and really loved it, mainly just quality for price value. When I needed a router I got a rigid and registered it. Then worm drive saw. Took it out of the box and a friend beat the living tar of it demo-ing my roof. My service place is 45 minutes away but they gave me no trouble at all.
Hey brother. Thanks for doing what you do. Saw the thing about the smell. Check out a small ozone generator. Those will pull out that smell esp if it gets in the shop. But beware. Ozone smells too. I got a small one from Amazon bout 50 bucks and deodorized camper, furniture and a few other things. God bless.
You were done right. Especially considering no other power tool manufacturers (that I can think of)are doing a LSA or equivalent service…and apparently honor it, according to most testimonials I’ve seen in the subject. I can attest to sending in a Octane battery and had a new one in just about 2 weeks. The fact I’ll never have to buy another battery unless I want more is awesome. As far as the service centers…if one is not close by, you can bring it back to your Home Depot and they should ship it out to one, no cost to you.
It was quite a process to get my miter saw repaired when I had an issue with the base. I live in the Los Angeles area and the closest repair center was 40 miles away. Kind of unbelievable that none of the Home Depots in the area are repair centers either. The repair took 3 months because the shop said Ridgid wouldn’t send them the parts until they reached the dollar value for free shipping. I even offered to pay shipping but the shop declined. Makes you wonder what the threshold is because the base is listed at around $125. After a bunch of driving and waiting, I got it back and it works great. Despite this, I still own a couple Ridgid tools and would maybe consider them again, but the LSA situation in my area will give me a reason to think twice about buying them.
Just had my first need to call or attempt to call Ridgid LSA, what a pain in the ass, nobody ever answers the phone or chat…so I tried text, after an hour I got a a reply. I have a 8′ tile saw that has motor issues. They recommend taking it to a service center, Ha! they are nearly 200 miles away and i live right in the middle of San Antonio and Austin TX, neither of those cities has a service center. My only option she says is for me to pay for shipping both ways, yeah, right… told them I might as well throw it away! The LSA is useless, I have many ridgid tools but never again.
I have many Ridgid tools and I’ve had some go through the LSA process. A word to the wise: you have to register the replaced tool. Even if it’s the same serial number you have to at least chat with the company and see if it needs to be re-registered. I’ve received replacement batteries and tools. They needed to be registered.
I bought my first Ridgid 18V power tool in 2003 when the line was first came out. I’m on my 4th set of replacement batteries for that hammer drill kit. I now have over 60 tools and batteries registered for the LSA and haven’t had any issues getting service. Up until recently you could go to any Home Depot with a tool rental department and they would ship the tool out for you. Unfortunately I heard that is no longer the case.
I’m part of the Ridgid family as well and love my tools. They’ve replaced one of my batteries under the LSA after 4 years of use, and I think they are the only company that warranties batteries for life as long as they have been registered. But there is a catch, in order for the battery to be covered, it had to have been purchased along with a tool. Batteries purchased individually aren’t eligible.
As the son of, and personally being a retired factory maintenance and side job handyman, we’ve dealt with a lot of burnt up electric things over the years. There are two things needed to get rid of that smell. Sunlight and wind. Set it out on your back porch in the sun on a breezy day. Repeat as needed. It’s amazing what sunlight can do. You don’t even need to disassemble the unit, but opening it up does help. 2 or 3 days and you’ll be amazed at how much better it is.
I have only good experiences with the Ridgid LSA. I had the exact same router fail in 2022, and the tech told me this model was under “direct ship replacement”. So, about 3 weeks from droping it to the repair shop, I got a brand new one in my mailbox! I have almost only Ridgid tools in my cordless arsenal and used their LSA many times. I admit, it can sometimes be long before you get the tools back. But for the price, I have at least two of each tools and a whole bunch of batteries, so I am never left without a usable tool. The new battery replacement service is also a big win. No need to send the old batteries. Just a call and a quick chat with a Ridgid rep for diagnosis/approval and your new battery is in the mail.
My experience was not good. I bought a sander, my first rigid. It failed at 93 days 3 days after the 90-day retun policy at Home Depot. I then contacted rigid. They told me to take it back to Home Depot and they would tell me what to do. Home Depot informed me that I had to pay 35 dollars to ship it to the closest service center (about 4 hours away). Then, “if” they fixed it, I would have to pay 35 to ship it back. This was a 60 – or 70 dollars sander. They wanted 70 just for shipping. I trashed it, and I have not bout rigid since.
Mornin’ Matt. Really enjoy your articles I watch them everyday. I am another Arkansas Woodworker like you. Being on a fixed income I have to save any way I can. I own mostly Ryobi tools with the exception of my Rigid Table saw and Miter Saw. I also started out with a 12v set of Rigid tools that included the Drill, Driver, and Oscillating Multi-tool. I got them used at a Pawn shop in 2013 have used them for over 10 years. Last year the Driver quit working and I contacted Rigid through their website was given an LSA number and told to take the unit to Home Depot down the street. They sent the unit to Rigid and it was repaired for free. Took about 4 weeks to get it back but when it came it had been completely refurbished. I will continue to use my One+ Ryobi system for most of my work since I have over 40 tools that use the same battery. However I buy Rigid tools ever time I find them on sale. I just got the corded palm router from Rigid at Christmas when Home Depot put it on special. I use it every day almost and love it. I am looking to buy a cordless one right now and was leaning towards the Ryobi until I saw your review. Will probably go with the Rigid instead. God Bless, Thank you for your service to our state and keep up the great work. Combat_Devildoc 75th Ranger Reg.
Haven’t had to use it in about a decade but the reason I jumped all in for ridgid was because the shop I worked out of all had ridgid. Multiple times we had guys take their tools into the service center (ours was literally in a HD lol) and that’s what sold me on it. I had one impact go to shit because I used it for things WAYYY bigger than I should have and they fixed it for me. Since I left that job I never had anything else go out (my tools are all for home owner / DIY for friends stuff now) but I have still been all in on Ridgid due to my 2 years at that shop. Never had an issue with the batteries either (I did skip that bluetooth crap and I’m glad I did lol) but from the guys I know that used it they just straight up gave them new batteries lol, can’t beat that!
Thank you for taking the time to clearly explain the RIDGID Lifetime Service Agreement (LSA) not Warranty. I have 8 RIDGID tools 6 out of 8 have the LSA because 6 were purchased at Home Depot the other 2 were not. As you probably know there are two catches to the LSA first you MUST purchase the RIDGID tool from Home Depot and second you have 30 days to register your tool for the LSA. As an electrician I think its important that you take your router back to the service provider and have the electrical connector on your router replaced because it appears by your close up photo that you have a loose electrical connection where the battery plugs into the router, this will cause high current and burn up another motor. Thank you for your Christian testimony tee shirts with Bible verses and Biblical quotes brother!
Hey Matt, the one issue to this is it depends on user and people if they are going to be nice about it or not sometimes too. I have had great experiences with it, and found out that they don’t make parts for their lights or other accessory items to say, and ship a replacement (sometimes the updated model) directly to customer with responsibility to dispose of as you wished.
I have a Ridgid 4560 table saw (the Delta one) – it’s basically junk, unless you don’t require a flat cast iron top and extension wings that are also flat, then it’s great. It’s too much of a PITA to ship back (plus this was my second saw and was tired of the shipping process, which was also another massive pain in the ass) so I’m stuck with it. My only other Ridgid “tool” is a shop vac, which I actually like lol.
With Bosch they will just ship you a refurbed unit once they establish you are under warranty. I actually got my new (well refurb) driver before I had boxed up and sent in the old one. Zero problems with it and functions as good or better than the original did. Not bashing either brand but it seems like a bit less hassle then what you had to go thru.
Matt the Ridgid tool seem to be a good line for residential and commercial use however I do want to send you a notice that service agreements are done for residential customers if you declare yourself a business using this commercially they do not warranty in the same way and they do not offer service agreements in the same way for commercial customers commercial customers are not allowed to return and they considered it a used-up item just like any other equipment that you have to replace in a shop so that is important to also be aware when you’re talkin to people that own their own business and use them commercially. Another thing is the article came across choppy in its delivery I don’t know if this is something done in the editing but just so you’re aware just as another customer mentioned it does not go through smoothly and had several stopping point where I had to reset the article to start
I’m a yellow and black fan boy I even have DeWalt ice chests, shop fans and chairs, but for my miter saw I went with the 12″ duel bevel sliding Ridgid saw and with the exception of how large the miter saw is I love it. I also have ridgid shop vacs so recently I decided to go ahead and add some ridgid hand tools to my wood working collection. I picked up the same router, new jig saw and a 1/2 and 3/8 high torque impact wrench. I am happy with all of them, I think a service agreement is more than fair. They are not Snap-On charging 50x what it cost to make, so no questions asked replacement seems excessive. I’m glad I’ve begun registering all my new stuff.
Before you follow the LSA route, take the unit to Home Depot returns desk. This isn’t we’ll documented, but HD will replace the item most likely, no matter the age. I just walked into HD with my broken 5yr old Ridgid orbital sanderwl, no receipt, and was instantly refunded the current retail price, which I used to buy up to the 6″ version.
Good to know that Ridgid backed their product for you Matt! Longevity is one of those things that comes from good engineering and confidence that their product design will last under the worst conditions. A good company will back that with quality service with minimum hassle to the customer which insures happy loyal customers and excellent feedback to the engineering team. CS isn’t what it used to be and not much gets my britches in a bunch more than bad CS. IMHO they probably should have replaced the contacts and perhaps given you a new battery (lifetime warranty) as a short like that can definitely shorten its life or even kill it, primarily because you have invested thousands into their company over the years. Just a thought on the contacts is to pick up some CRC contact cleaner and devise a small scrubbing device with scotch bright or 4/600g paper…I’ve used this for decades. As for the smell I’ve had good luck with baking soda in a pan and the whole thing in a box for a few days…eventually it will dissipate, depending how much plastic or varnish is involved. Not much worse smell than a fried armature. Thanks for all you bring forward for us and great to learn something every day!
Purchased a Ridgid 24v tool kit in 2007.. in 2021 the batteries stopped holding charge. Contacted Ridgid and they said.. “well we don’t make the 24v anymore but the 18v works because we make everything compatible.. you need all new batteries and chargers… so we’re sending you all replacement batteries and chargers.”… um.. what? Great!!
Thank you for all your articles. It is great that Ridgid offers a lifetime warranty for most of its tools. Most of my power tools are from Ridgid. However, I find that the lifetime warranty comes with a price because the closest authorized service center to me is about 40-mile drive, and I live in the city. Also, I feel that Ridgid replaces its tools with refurbished ones. I received an R4331 replacement planer 6 months ago and used it only twice and it was skipping, then the belt broke, and smoke started to come out of the machine. I checked the blades, and they were really bad. How is it possible on a brand new machine….I may have to start paying more for better built tools.
Bought a Ridgid octane router on sale at Direct Tools, their factory outlet store, for $48, which included LSA. I originally bought a factory RECON (only 1 yr. warranty) for $36 but while runnng it, it smelled burnt so I returned it and got the new one for $12 more with the LSA. I’m not a wood worker, per se, and you got 5 1/2 years using it quite a bit so it should last me a long time without issues. For what I paid, you’d thought Ridgid would of just sent you a new one over repairing the old one. By the way, I buy the factory RECONs only on tools I figure I’ll rarely use, and if there’s substantial savings over a new one. $12 wasn’t a substantial savings. And on RECONs, I always give them the “smoke” test by running them and smelling. I only had the router that smelled burnt. The other 3 tools, hammer drill & 1/4″ impact kit ($100 with 2 max batteries and charger), and 6 1/2″ subcompact circular ($48) all “smell” and with the exception of a few scuff marks and scratches on the circ, look relatively new. The scuffs mostly come from factory re-testing and reboxing using generic cardboard boxes with very limited packing material, if any, instead of repacking in original boxes. The outlet store employees said they had to send back tools because of repacking issues that caused damage thru shipping. Unless severely damaged, they’re tools meant to be used so a few scuff marks and scratches aren’t going to affect the performance, especially if substantial savings can be had.
Ridgid service sucks. I have Ridgid cordless hammer drill covered by the Lifetime Service Agreement (LSA). Mine broke down so I went to Home Depot where I bought it for service in HD’s Tool Rental. Turns out they no longer do it, either they quit it or Ridgid pulled it. So I spoke to Ridgid and they said use the independent repair shops. Turns out in our city of 1 million (Tucson) they don’t have a independent repair shop (IRS) set up, so my closes IRS is Phoenix 120 miles but they where closed. So I sent it to the Tool Store in Alamogordo NM, 380 miles away. John the IRS is super nice guy, checked the tool out and said Ridgid advised him that they would replace it due to the age of it. Nice I thought the LSA pays offs. So now 8 weeks later still no tool, and no answer when I’m going to get it. Currently on phone hold with Ridgid for 1 hour,12 minutes and counting According to John everything has been fine with Ridgid Customer Service until 3 months ago when the wheels fell off. Now he has lots of customers waiting weeks and months for parts or tool replacements. Ridgid service sucks
I have a lot of the Ridgid tools. I have had some problems with the LSA. The person they said was a service center – was not qualified. Cut some notches out of my Caulk Gun and made it worse. Ridgid eventually refunded my money. But I wish I had the working tool. Plus, some of my batteries are a very old design – so they are no longer made and they won’t replace – since a replacement does not exist. Now, I don’t use commercial. Everything is personal. You, on the other hand – are Commercial. You have a shop; making stuff for sell; amplify your YT presence etc. So, actually you don’t qualify for the LSA and the Personal warranty. Since your use is COMMERCIAL. So very nice that they covered you.
This recently happened to me. My impact driver brunt up like your router. It was about 4 years old. Reached out to them. They told me I had to drive 45min to a home depot that could “handle” the service request. Needless to say, it was cheaper (IMO) for me to order a factory blemished sub compact from direct tools for $50(which came with a charger and 2ah). Than for me to deal with the hassle and spend the gas money to drive to that Home Depot. I dont care for their “warranty”. What I do like about Ridgid and Ryobi is that their tools are dirt dirt cheap from Direct tools. So if it’s 50 bucks and last me 3-4 years. I can justify that. Tools are expendable anyways and with how I abuse mine I don’t expect to have them forever. You are right, they NEED to offer a way to ship your broken tools. In no world, for a small hand tool should you have to drive to a “service center”. Also my main gripe, is what if you are in a trade and really really need that tool. Your out of pocket anyways if you have to buy a new one while someone random tries to fix your broken one.
IT’S A NO BRAINER. I’m a retired contractor in my 60s and have owned all brands. When Rigid came to my town in Canada I was hooked. They use to let me just grab a new tool or battery off the shelf. Then I could bring the tool into the contractor desk and they would deal with it. Now I have to drive 2 hrs return to Nanaimo for service but I work it in with other stuff. MOST IMPORTANT is to register the tool which all my contractor buddies couldn’t be bothered with. All my batteries have been replaced several times,absolutely no complaints.Why would anyone buy anything else. And 20 volt tools are only 18 volt,you’re being lied to.cheers btw batteries get mailed,no return necessary.
Registration is not required for a warranty to be enforced/honored. Seriously, consult with a licensed attorney who specializes in consumer law/affairs. KEEP receipts. Warranties take precedence over “LSA’s”. Seriously, consult with a licensed attorney who specializes in consumer law/affairs. Authorized shops are like medical practices – they will charge you out the ying yang, but if they want to be “authorized” they get paid a much smaller fee and it is flat, not hourly. That’s why they only fix the most obvious problems.
Glad they treated you right! My experience was very different. I live 15 minutes away from TTI (the folks that used to make Ridgid products), and I work across the street from them. I bought the R4520 table saw, and loved it. I registered it, and sent a copy of my receipt like I was supposed to. When the blade quit raising and lowering like it was supposed to, I called them. They said since I never received a confirmation of registry from them, my product wasn’t covered. I found out who worked on them, and got in touch to see about fixing it. They were going to charge almost as much as I paid for the saw (paid $750, they wanted $675 with parts and labor). So, I bought the Skil jobsite saw you reviewed, and I love it. But, because I did what they required, but they didn’t respond that I was good to go, I didn’t have their LSA. That sucked! Thanks for all the great articles, Matt.
Used to like ridgid. But there LSA sucks. If they can fix it you get a cheaper junkie version of what you had. I don’t use my stuff very often just on occasion. Sawzall used maybe 2 hrs in 5 years and in those 2 hrs it got hot and quit. I fought the LSA. Finally got it to a service center they couldn’t fix it. So Ridgid sent a new one that was a lower grade than the one I originally purchased and Ridgid played games on getting it re-registered. Because you have to register the replacement over the phone. I called 3 times a week for 100 days and stil never got it registered. Several items I got were like that. I had the bigger wet/dry vacuum and got a replacement with that junk vacuum like what you have that was valued 1/4 of what mine was. New batteries that I got didn’t last as long as the old ones. So now 1/2 my tools are not registered because of the games they play. You will like that Milwaukee router it will last longer & run circles around than Ridgid. I know some Amish people that use it non stop as commercial. I got my router in a kit and only used it 1 time for about 10 min. And it stopped several times in that 10 min with a 4.0 battery. I have used the Amish Milwaukee and it’s never stopped with a 1.5 amp battery. I got Milwaukee 12 volt & they will run circles around Ridgid. I just wish that I did not own almost every tool that Ridgid has.
It almost looks like plating delamination on your contacts. If this is the case, it’ll pose no issues until it starts to actually corrode (plating often provides lower coefficients of friction, but more importantly are corrosion resistant). It shouldn’t be an issue, and if it does become an issue, I’m sure the LSA would cover it. Also, fun fact(s). Battery leaks is potassium hydroxide (KOH) and alkaline batteries most often leak when they’re completely dead, but still hooked up to the terminals. The cells inside of your battery pack is a Lithium ion 18650 and I don’t believe that there’s any potassium hydroxide. I think that the electrolyte is lithium hexafluorophosphate with a bunch of other crap mixed in and the “flouro” part of that means that it is PFAS related and potentially carcinogenic. AKA, be careful when you run into any issues with leaky batteries.
I went with Rigid for the same reason. I had about $12,000 in tools. When I started having problems with the toold 9 and you will have problems with them) I was told that I did not have any warranty. My account with all registered tools was deleted by an employee. THey told me I had to produce receipts an dthen for limited 1 year coverage. I had the Cast Iron Table saw. The fence broke. Rigid no longer made the saw fence and they told me I was out of luck. I actually had to through the cast iron table saw out last month. The only aftermarket fence that would fit the saw cost more then the saw itself! I have milwakee and dewalt now and although they dont have the life time warranty. I have NEVER had a problem with any of those tools or batteries. I have had problems with EVERY RIgid tool I purchased except for the small router.
I had to pay $35.00 at home depot to warranty a saw it was a deposit. It took 5 months to get my saw back!! And when it finally arrived home depot had a so say problem with there system and never got my deposit back they offered me a gift card!! I had no choice it was either gift card or get screwed!!! I will never use the LSA Again!!! Matabo hpt have a lifetime warranty and so does flex 24v tools both amazing companies and there tools are far better than ridgid!!!
I haven’t used the lsa yet, but I have had issues registering for the lsa. One tool I had registered 2 days after I bought it with the receipt. They didn’t approve it until I emailed them asking why it was denied. Another, I registered the same day and for some reason it doesn’t show the receipt saved. That one I still don’t have approved.
My shop is exclusively Ridgid for the LSA. My oldest tools date back to 2011 and are still working, even the batteries. I did smoke a circular saw that was 4 years old last year, took about a month, sent it out with a self-addressed and paid Fedex and they sent me back an updated brushless saw complete with new blade, brand new, awesome! You do need to register the new replacement just like any new tool you purchase. So in theory, you really only need to buy it once and you will have it forever. I will say the service was a little on the slow side, but I had already purchased a new ridgid worm drive saw, so I didn’t really miss it and am thankful to have a brand new one! Another thing, everyone is big on Milwaukee and believe they are better, well, maybe or maybe not. These are both built by the same parent company and if you look at their new tools will find striking similarities. So with Ridgid, you really get a Milwaukee but with the LSA the red tool does not.
Here in Hawaii ridgid have no service depts. So we just take it back to Home depot and they swap it out for a new one. They take the new one out the box and hand it to you along with what ever else you need and they’ll put the broken one into the new box and send it back to the manufacturers. Done deal. Then you go back to LSA online and add the new serials and your covered. Love them. I have every tool they made. Had ridgid from back in 2006. Broke 2 tools since. They’re die hard. Also Every tool that I’ve bought with batteries have those batteries on LSA. Ive never had to send one back yet but I heard they send a battery to you from the factory.
I discovered you can taj the the tools to HD and have them shipped out if you don’t have a shop close BUT it was 6 weeks to get my sander fixed, so unless you are an occasional hobbiest like me, probably too long of a wait. Which brings us to your point “when people use it”. I had already fixed my sander twice myself before sending it in. And now knowing it will be nearly two months to get fixed next time, I’m probably not gojng to Hassel with it again. I will probably buy a better reviewed sander to replace it next time. Or, maybe keep this one as a back up, but definitly not going that long without a tool again.
Thank you for the information! I have a Rigid random orbital sander that recently quit working and our local Home Depot doesn’t repair the tools in store anymore and my closest repair shop they said is 75 miles away! Very disappointed in Rigid after buying several of their tools. Probably won’t be buying Rigid again!
You were treated right. Not so for me. I had a 5″ orbital sander that wouldn’t stay running. Contacted Ridgid, was told to take it to the service center in Spring Grove, IL. Took it in and dropped it off, got a phone call a day later and was told I had to pay $50 to have them look at it. I explained that it was under the LSA and they said it didn’t matter because Ridgid would not cover the cost to look at it and determine what was wrong. I paid $60 for the sander new. I picked it back up and got no satisfaction with the reps at Ridgid. So, I ended up buying a Dewalt sander to replace it.
My Depot will tell you “just go get one off the shelf and bring it back here for an exchange”. Now that’s standing behind their warranty. I’ve had issues with a vacuum so with the second time returning it I saved the box. The third time I returned it I had the box which makes it easier to return when the box says lifetime warranty in bold letters.
I’m surprised Ridgid let the shop repair it – It’s good for the shop but bad for Ridgid. It’s less expensive to replace the whole thing, because Ridgid has to pay the shop for their time. I dropped off a 12 year old jobsite table saw (with mobile stand) in December and 3 weeks later I had a brand new saw to replace it. The only drawback is that the original saw came fully assembled and the new ones come with the stand in pieces and the fence rails were also loose – that’s some investment to get it all assembled and squared up. It also takes me an hour to get to the service center and another hour to get back, so 4 hours of driving (old location used to be 25 minutes away).
Everyone I have ever heard that has an issue with the LSA didn’t do what they were supposed to do, and then whine about it. Tell me, what are their competitors offering that compares? Christ if a battery comes with the tool they guarantee the battery, YES THE BATTERY, for life. No one else does that to my knowledge. If you aren’t willing to register your product, scan or send in the receipt, and go to your nearest service centre to guarantee your tool for life then don’t whine. If a service centre is not close to you, you are likely not close to a box store anyways to buy a replacement so either way you are out your gas money. It’s not Rigid’s responsibility to pay your gas or shipping. The reason that Ridgid can offer the LSA is because 9 out of 10 ‘Tools’ don’t register their tools properly and they don’t have to honour it, they are rolling the dice, like a loss leader on sale at your grocery store to get you in the door, or in this case drinking the orange cool aid. I have never had an issue with their LSA, in most cases they just replace the tool as the shop labour is more expensive than the tool is worth.
Thanks for the information. Like many other guys I started buy Ridgid tools because of the Lifetime service. I have a few questions. Why not buy a second Ridgid router, 5 years of heavy use is pretty dam good use, why not buy a new one while the original is being fixed? The other questions are for Ridgid, a lot of the below comments are very negative about repair service. Actions speak louder then words. Most of the complaints are that the tool owners have to wait extended periods of time to get a tool fix. If Ridgid is taking over the repairs. Why are these tool owners still having extended wait times when trying to get a tool repaired?
I purchased a ridgid table saw about 2 years ago. It is the worst purchase I’ve made. It is impossible to get the blade to a true 90 degrees. Not only that the fence adjusted to manufacturers specs has almost 15 degrees of play. I will never again buy a ridgid product again, just not worth the cost vs frustration of using an inferier product.
Using rubbing alcohol on a cotton-tipped swab will help clean the contacts. But make sure it is dry before putting the battery back in. On the lovely aroma of burned electrics – since they put a new motor in, you should be able to remove it. Then thoroughly wash the case with hot water and detergent, rinse it, and let it dry completely. The re-install the motor. You may not get ALL of the smell, but you should be able to greatly reduce it.
Bought a table saw . It failed. They did give me another one after waiting 6 months, and am still using it. Now my Framing saw failed. They are not worth the trouble to try and get another one with the warranty. Bottom line for me is to not buy any more Ridgid tools. They break, they suck, the service sucks . Oh yeah my 6 inch orbital sander failed also. For some reason my registered tools on my accct on the ridgid website showed no tools . I must of had 6 -8 tools on there. But no more.
Hard to tell on article but is it possible it’s just heat discoloration on the battery terminals – it did get hot enough to release the magic smoke after all… I am on my second corded version of that router because I forgot Rigid has the lifetime service agreement, so thanks for reminding me that I need to go dig mine out and try to register it… I see why you like it so much. It’s comfortable to use and works very well, but the corded version seems to have a similar problem to your cordless one. The speed control starts acting up a bit (RPM surging / hunting for a few seconds) which progresses to taking a few seconds after you hit the switch to start up and ends with it not starting at all. And as you’ve now learned, the magic smoke is not the fun kind of magic…
It would be nice if you could send products away instead of dropping em off. closest place to me is just over 2 hrs away. I had switch break on the multitool, didn’t bring it in for like 3 months, but had replacement couple weeks later. was sent a reconditioned one, then that switch was going to end up breaking but i took it apart and fixed it myself and been working awesome ever since
Well I have to drive 6 hours to get it worked on because home Depot stopped doing that,I have had my first kit,the x4 and they all still run with heavy use of doing solar but I will be moving on to Milwaukee,once these tools die and I’m saying I have drill many holes through steel and side my impact as a hammer
I am a Milwaukee guy but I have been thinking of switching over to rigid because of the lifetime. My only gripe is it’s somewhat misleading. On most products on display at Home Depot and on the boxes it says lifetime warranty not service agreement. Even the Home Depot employee I was talking to about the tools the other day was stating if something goes wrong I just bring it back to the store and get a new tool. Either way it’s tempting but it’s hard to be without a tool for a week or 2.
My router is old. Didn’t think how old until i saw this vid. Wow 12 years. Corded. 1st one broke the moment i turned it on. Took it back to hd and they gave me a new one. Took down my info. 2 weeks later i get a call from hd telling me the router was ready for pick up. I told them they had given me a new one as a replacement and i didn’t need it. Guy says well it’s here and if you don’t come for it we’ll send it back to them. Screw it i went and got it. So i have 2. Both still running and it’s great because i always have 2 bits ready to run. Drill driver is starting to go though.
Recently took in 2 half inch impacts and 2 batteries both 4ah and had to have them replace the units and batteries all new batteries were about 4 years old maybe 5 or 6 and they worked but wouldn’t charge on the good charger but have a cheap charger and it charged on it. Both impacts smoked out and fried like his router and they were both under 1 year old I’m a mechanic and work in a scrap yard and I bust loose rusted and coroated bolts all day. They either couldn’t get parts or couldn’t repair them and I got all new equipment so as for how I see it. It’s great I love it and make sure to register new equipment when it recieved. Ridgid warranty worth its weight in gold
mine had the same switch issues. I sent it in. They do have a mail in service. Took almost a month and then got it back. Used it a few times over the past few months and it is doing it again. Sending in a second time for the same problem. I am hoping they replace it instead or “trying” to repair it again.
A lot of electric motors will have an epoxy coating on the rotor field windings and when they burn up that and wire shielding and the cheap plastic and fiberglass is what you smell. So yeah it’s not good at all to breathe. I was super glad to see you instinctively pull the battery off the tool when that happened. The last thing you want is a lithium battery fire. Glad they got you squared away and you’re right there is a big difference between a LSA and a “limited” lifetime warranty.
I have all Milwaukee tools and have warrantied one item within the 2 yr period in owned it That being said,I feel unless it’s a super expensive stationary tool, after 5 years if the tool saw medium to heavy use I’d just chunk it and get a newer model. I feel the tools run it’s course and given me a return on investment plus some. Just my opinion regardless of which platform u own.
I had a Ridgid drill do about the same smoking thing except I got fire too. I took it to Home Depot where I was told I had to leave a $40 payment/deposit. If they determind it was not my fault I would get the money back and the tool would be repaired for free. If it was determind it was my fault I and I chose to have it repaired the $40 would got toward the repair. If I chose to not have it repaired they would keep the $40 to cover the diagnosis. I tossed the drill got tool only driver/drill deal which seemed like a much safer bet. Note: I believe saw dust got into the tool and built up over time. At the end of the day I pass the shop vac over each tool with a motor that I used right before I sweep up. Not sure it helps.
love my ridgid … had my batteries go weak on one of my earlier drills, took drill,charger, and both batteries up to service center and they checked it all out ! said batteries were bad and said they would have 2 new ones in a week !! wow .. using my shop vac one day and turned it off, wouldnt start again ? called the service line and awesome lady asked me a few questions, asked me if i thought it was the switch and if i could change it myself ?? told her i could so she sent one, 4-5 days later new switch came but didnt help ? called and she answered my call told me to talk 4 pictures of vac and send them back on internet, low and behold new complete vac showed up at my door 2 weeks later !!! love my ridgid … gotta get the chainsaw now, been waiting a long time for it