A forklift warranty covers defects for a set number of months and operating hours, and the limits change from model to model. The Hangcha XA Series electric forklift, rated from 2 to 3.8 tonnes, carries 24 months / 2,000 hours. The XH Series 12-18 t carries 24 months / 4,000 hours, and the WS Series Pallet Stacker 1.2-1.5 t carries 12 months / 2,000 hours. Some lithium models add a separate battery warranty. In Australia, a warranty sits on top of the consumer guarantees in the Australian Consumer Law and can't take them away.
What does a forklift warranty cover?
A forklift warranty is a promise from the manufacturer or the seller to repair or replace a faulty machine, or compensate you, within a set period. The ACCC calls this a warranty against defects, and any written promise can count, including the terms in a sales contract.
The table gives the truck and battery warranty for seven Hangcha models DJJ Equipment sells, from counterbalance forklifts to pedestrian warehouse trucks, as listed on 22 October 2026.
| Model | Machine type | Truck warranty | Separate battery warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| XA Series 4-Wheel Electric Forklift 2-3.8 t | Electric counterbalance | 24 months / 2,000 hours | Not listed |
| XH Series 4-Wheel Electric Forklift, Heavy Duty 4-5 t | Electric counterbalance | 24 months / 2,000 hours | 6 years or 12,000 hours |
| XH Series 4-Wheel Electric Forklift 12-18 t | Electric counterbalance | 24 months / 4,000 hours | Not listed |
| XC Series Reach Truck 1.4-2.5 t | Reach truck | 24 months / 2,000 hours | Not listed |
| WS Series Pallet Stacker 1.2-1.5 t | Walkie stacker | 12 months / 2,000 hours | Not listed |
| A Series Walkie Pallet Truck 2.7-3.6 t | Pallet truck | 12 months / 2,000 hours | Not listed |
| A Series Reach Stacker 1.36 t | Walkie reach stacker | Not listed | Up to 5 years / 10,000 hours |
Hour limits vary as much as the months do. The XH Series 12-18 t gets twice the hours of the XA, while the WS stacker and A Series pallet truck get 12 months instead of 24. The XC Series 1.4-2.5 t reach truck matches the XA at 24 months / 2,000 hours. Where a term is not listed, ask for that term in writing, including what covers the walkie reach stacker beyond its battery.
How long does a forklift warranty last in hours and months?
A forklift warranty is written as two limits, months and hours on the hour meter, such as 24 months / 2,000 hours. On a truck that runs long shifts, the hours get used up well before the months. Ask the seller to confirm in writing how the two limits work together.
Here's a worked example, based on an assumed pattern of 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year. One shift adds up to 1,920 hours a year, so 2,000 hours lasts about 12.5 months. Two shifts make 3,840 hours a year, and the same 2,000 hours lasts about 6 months on a warranty written as 24 months.
The XH Series 12-18 t, with 4,000 hours, would last about 12.5 months on that two-shift pattern. Work out your own hours a year before you compare quotes. When you make a claim, the DJJ Service Team asks for the hour meter reading, so record it as soon as a fault appears.
Is a forklift battery covered by a separate warranty?
On some Hangcha lithium models, the battery carries its own warranty, separate from the truck's and longer. The XH Series heavy duty 4-5 t has 24 months / 2,000 hours on the truck, while its 348V battery carries 6 years or 12,000 hours.
The A Series walkie reach stacker carries up to 5 years / 10,000 hours on its battery, so ask which term applies to the exact unit in your quote. Battery cover is set model by model, and a figure on one truck tells you nothing about the next.
Battery claims raise their own questions: what remaining capacity counts as a failure, whether you must use the supplied charger, and whether battery management data is used to assess a claim. Chemistry matters as well, because lithium vs lead-acid forklift batteries differ in how long they last and what a replacement costs.
What a forklift warranty usually excludes
A forklift warranty pays for defects, not for normal wear, damage from misuse or work the truck wasn't designed for. Ask which wear parts, such as tyres, brake linings and filters, the warranty treats as service items rather than defects.
How the truck is used matters too. SafeWork NSW says a forklift must be used only for what it was designed to do, and some attachments need an additional data plate. In judging acceptable quality, the ACCC also considers whether a product has been used in a way it wasn't designed for.
Check travel and call-out costs as well. The ACCC says a warranty against defects must state who pays any expenses of a claim and how you can claim them back. DJJ offers on-site service within 50 km of each branch, so if your site is further out, ask how a warranty repair will be handled.
How servicing keeps a forklift warranty valid
A forklift warranty can require servicing on the manufacturer's schedule, and that servicing is already the owner's duty under WHS law. SafeWork NSW says the owner becomes a person with management or control of plant, and the truck must be operated and maintained in line with the manufacturer's instructions. It must also comply with the AS 2359 series of standards.
The ACCC gives the example of a warranty that requires a service once a year. Skip it, and you can no longer claim under the warranty, although the consumer guarantees still apply. For a new forklift, the supplier must take all reasonable steps to pass on the manufacturer's maintenance, inspection and testing requirements, such as a maintenance manual.
Keep every service record, and ask before you buy who may service the truck without affecting the warranty. Intervals run on hours as well as months, so how often a forklift should be serviced depends on your shifts as much as the calendar.
How Australian Consumer Law works alongside a forklift warranty
Australian Consumer Law gives buyers consumer guarantees that apply automatically, and a forklift warranty adds to them rather than replacing them. A warranty can't change or take away those rights, and they can last longer than the warranty does. Once a warranty against defects expires, the guarantee of acceptable quality usually still applies.
The guarantees include spare parts: the manufacturer or importer must provide parts and repair facilities for a reasonable time after purchase, unless you were told otherwise when you bought. A business also must not mislead you into thinking your rights stop at the remedies or time limit in its warranty against defects.
A business can be a consumer too. The ACCC says a product bought for business use may be covered when it costs less than $100,000 including GST, or meets one of its other conditions. Exceptions apply, such as goods bought for resupply or for use or transformation in production or manufacturing. Whether your forklift purchase is covered depends on your situation, so check with the ACCC or a legal adviser.
What an extended forklift warranty adds
An extended forklift warranty is an optional add-on that lengthens the manufacturer's cover, and it's normally sold separately for an extra cost. The ACCC says it doesn't always give you rights beyond the consumer guarantees, and the business behind it can be different from the manufacturer or the seller. A seller must not pressure you into buying one or charge you for rights you already have.
Before you pay, ask who stands behind the extended cover, whether it includes parts and labour, whether there's a limit on each claim, and whether it passes to the next owner if you sell the truck.
What warranty comes with a used forklift?
Warranty on a used forklift depends on the seller, and there may be none, so get any cover in writing before you pay. Most consumer guarantees don't apply to a one-off private sale by someone who isn't running a business, or to a traditional auction.
SafeWork NSW tells buyers of a second-hand forklift to check the service history, the hours and past usage, whether a qualified person has inspected it and whether it meets current standards. The previous owner must identify any faults and give you that information in writing. DJJ sells used equipment as well, so ask about used machines when you call.
How to make a forklift warranty claim
To make a forklift warranty claim, note the model and serial number from the data plate, the hour meter reading and when the fault started, then photograph the data plate and the affected area. If the fault affects braking, steering, lifting or the mast, stop using the truck and tag it out until it has been checked.
Start with the business that gave the warranty. Under the consumer guarantees, the ACCC says the seller can't refuse to help by sending you to the manufacturer, except where spare parts or repair facilities aren't available a reasonable time after purchase.
For a machine bought from us, send those details with your warranty claim on 1300 646 747 and the Service Team will confirm the next step. If a claim is refused, ask for the reason in writing, with the clause it relies on, and keep your service records to hand.
Forklift warranty checklist for your quote
Ask every seller these forklift warranty questions for the exact model in the quote, because the same 2,000 hours can come with 12 or 24 months.
- How many months and hours does the truck warranty run, and how do the two limits interact?
- Is there a separate battery warranty, and on what conditions?
- Which wear parts and types of damage are excluded?
- What service schedule keeps the warranty valid, and who may do the servicing?
- Who pays travel and call-out costs for a warranty repair at your site?
- Who handles a claim, and where are the nearest workshop and parts stock?
- Does remaining cover transfer when you sell the truck?
Send DJJ the model you're looking at, your expected hours a year and how many shifts you run, and ask for that model's warranty terms in writing with the quote. Call 1800 355 388 for sales, or 1300 646 747 for a warranty claim on a machine you already own.
