Spare Part Instructions
Fitting instructions for appliance spare parts are almost non-existent and for good reason in some cases, not so great in other regards.
First Assumptions
The first assumption that any manufacturer makes when it sells a spare part is that the person buying the spares knows that the part that they are replacing is indeed faulty.
To get to that assumption several others have to be also made:
- The person had the diagnostic skill to determine the reason for the fault
- The person was able to gain access to the faulty spare part
- The person was able to adequately prove and test that the part was faulty
- The person is requesting the correct replacement part or parts for their model
If you look at each one in isolation you could debate the rights and wrong of each till the cows come home but you will eventually end up at the same place, being forced to assume that the person asking for the part knows that they need it.
When it comes to spare parts therefore fitting instructions should never be required as the person buying the part therefore logically knows how to replace it.
The attitude of manufacturers is that, if you didn’t know then you shouldn’t be messing about and guessing, you should get in a professional repairer to do the job for you.
In light of all that, why would anyone need fitting instructions?
So, why go to the cost and trouble of producing them?
It is a very hard logic to argue against.
Fitting Spare Parts Without Knowledge
By definition then, if you want to fit spare parts and you require fitting instructions the manufacturer would then be forced to assume that you don’t know what you are doing and that you are not qualified to replace the spare parts with a reasonable degree of certainty that the part you are replacing is faulty or, that you are competent to do so.
That’s the bit that can cause debate.
You see, as service engineers, we might on occasion see a manual for an appliance, maybe. On a good day, from a nice manufacturer.
Most times, we have to work it out for ourselves.
When it is people outside the industry the usual assumption is made that the person will not be competent, many people lack the most basic of equipment for repairing appliances. And, even people you would think would be able to repair their own appliance very often misdiagnose the problem.
It’s just familiarity with the machines that’s often the problem and not the person being incapable as such. Even so, any manufacturer or spares supplier relies on the person buying the parts to diagnose the problem correctly and few are all that forgiving to people who don’t diagnose correctly.
The other issue of course is the sheer volume of model numbers and different variations on the same theme.
There are hundreds of different washing machine models for example that will use thousands of different spare parts in every model year.
With the average price below £400 there simply isn’t the money or resources available to write up and photograph or illustrate how to fit each part in each model. Even more so when you think that the average cost of a part is about £20 with (at best) a £2 profit margin in it. The money just isn’t there to make producing fitting instructions even remotely viable.
That’s just washing machines. There’s dishwashers, fridges, freezers, ovens, cooker and all the rest to consider as well.
Very quickly you get into tens of thousands of spare parts and, after a few years, millions.
Fitting Instructions Available
Most often fitting instructions will be included (even if they’re not very good) with spare parts that are designed to be replaced by owners, such as grease filters, water and air filters and so on.
There are rare and, we do mean rare, occasions where we do see fitting instructions included with actual spare parts.
This is normally where there has been some sort of modification made or a change in some way to the spare part itself and some extra information is needed as they new replacement spare part doesn’t fit exactly the way it came out.
Beyond that, other than generic guides, you will likely never see fitting instructions for an appliance spare part.
Getting Parts Fitting Help
Of course there are some very nice appliance repairers that will help you out with fitting a spare part but, they won’t do the job for you unless you pay them. You can’t really blame them, it’s how they put food on the table after all.
Many of them will share that knowledge in our forums with people for free and assist you where they can but, they will assume that you have some basic electrical and mechanical skills so will not give you a blow by blow, contact by contact or screw by screw set of instructions.
As harsh as this may sound there is good reason for that mentality.
There are people out there that should not be allowed to play about inside an electrical appliance as they don’t know what they are doing and are a danger to themselves and others.
We’re sorry if that’s not the politically correct way to phrase it but, it is true nonetheless.
Thankfully many people in that position know this and call an engineer.
Some just want to try to save a few quid and go for it anyway.
So, you will see instructions on what to do, what to try and how to suss the problem that you have out but it will all assume some capability on your part to carry out those procedures.
Given the number of models and spare parts that are out there, even just in the UK, it’s easier to do it on a case by case basis as required than trying to produce videos, write articles or whatever else.
You will also find that, if you need help, that most of the engineers are far more helpful when youbuy spares from us as opposed to other places. Just saying.