Q: Last year I purchased a Kenmore Elite refrigerator with a Master Protection Agreement from Sears. The warranty expires in April.
The refrigerator stopped cooling in September. I contacted Sears, and over the next several months, the company ordered new parts, canceled delivery and finally installed the parts — only to have the refrigerator stop working again.
I went to our local Sears store and was able to get service scheduled for this month. A technician came out, took apart the fridge and then received a call from his manager to put the fridge back together, saying it was “a two-person job.”
The technician couldn’t understand why because he said he could complete the job. I have spoken to a local Sears representative and understand that the store manager has sent an email to Sears about finishing the repair.
I have been without a fridge for almost three months. All Sears has done is sympathize — and send a check to cover the purchase of a small temporary fridge and to replace our lost food. I am at my wits’ end and just can’t go on any longer without a working fridge, receiving nothing but “we understand your frustration.”
Can you help?
Terri Champion, Conway, S.C.
A: Sears should repair your refrigerator under your warranty. But I’m not sure if it will. Sears is in dire condition. It has filed for bankruptcy protection and is closing stores. I would not be surprised if the store from which you purchased your Kenmore appliance closed soon.
That’s the trouble with buying a product from a struggling company. You never know when things will take a turn for the worse, which could leave you with a worthless warranty — or product.
My recommendation: Appeal this failed repair case in writing to one of the Sears customer service executives I list on my consumer-advocacy site. Although at this point, I’m not even sure if they can help you. Sears may be too far gone.
I think you have a few options. There’s an off chance that LG, which manufactured your Kenmore appliance, might step in to fix the refrigerator. The LG customer service contacts are listed on my site. I’m not sure if LG will help you, though, since your warranty is with Sears.
You could also find an independent contractor to complete the repairs and hope for the best. You would have to pay for those repairs yourself. And this refrigerator has broken down several times, so I’m not sure if it’s worth the money.
Finally, you could throw in the towel. Get rid of your Kenmore refrigerator and buy one that works. I realize that you paid more than $3,000 for your appliance, but you got a lemon. Sears sold enough of these lemons that it’s now in trouble and may not survive. I don’t like any of these options. The take-home for consumers?
Think carefully before making a significant purchase from a struggling company.
Christopher Elliott’s latest book is “How To Be The World’s Smartest Traveler” (National Geographic). You can get real-time answers to any consumer question on his forum, elliott.org/forum, or by emailing him at chris@elliott.org.
