My wife and I have generally found Harvey Norman good to deal with, and our previous experiences with Product Care have been straightforward. But when our Hisense fridge developed a leak about five months after purchase, I discovered that buying Product Care does not necessarily mean it is the service handling an early fault.
When does Product Care start?
The brochure I checked said the right to a remedy under Product Care starts after the manufacturer’s voluntary warranty period expires. Harvey Norman’s Australian Product Care page states the same starting point. Check the plan documents supplied with your own purchase: the applicable terms, dates and benefits matter.
In our case, I contacted Hisense during the manufacturer’s warranty period. That is the route I used; it does not mean a retailer has no responsibility for a faulty product.
What does a voluntary manufacturer warranty mean?
It is an additional promise the manufacturer chooses to offer, with its own terms and duration. The word voluntary describes that extra promise. It does not make your automatic consumer rights optional.
Three different things to keep straight
The manufacturer’s warranty is the manufacturer’s promise. Product Care is a separate paid plan governed by its terms. Australian Consumer Law guarantees apply automatically to eligible purchases and do not require you to buy extra cover. Warranty expiry does not automatically end those rights. The ACCC explains the distinction.
Who should you contact?
Keep your receipt, plan documents, model number and a record of the fault. For a manufacturer warranty claim, use the manufacturer’s support process. For a Product Care claim, check your plan dates and follow its claim instructions. You can also approach the retailer about your consumer guarantee rights.
The appropriate remedy depends on the problem and circumstances. The ACCC explains that a major product problem can give you a choice of refund or replacement; for a minor problem, the business generally has an opportunity to repair it within a reasonable time. See its repair, replacement and refund guidance.
What I would check before buying Product Care again
I would ask when the cover starts, what extra benefits it provides beyond existing rights, which faults are eligible, what exclusions apply, and what remedy the particular plan offers. I would keep the answers with the purchase documents rather than assume every plan works the same way.
Our fridge repair is a separate story
The leak, support calls and repeated silicone repairs are documented in our Hisense HRCD586TBWB fridge repair experience. Keeping that account separate makes it easier to distinguish a manufacturer repair issue from how Product Care works.
Updated 8 November 2026. This explains our experience and the sources linked above; your purchase documents determine your particular Product Care cover.