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Sears and other retailers large and small are fond of selling extended warranties and maintenance agreements on appliances, lawn and garden equipment, home electronics and other big-ticket items.
The common view is that these amount to little more than additional profit for the retailer. The complaints we receive from Sears customers tend to support this view but, to be fair, there may be many others who have had a good experience with their Sears maintenance agreement.
Pro and Con
Don't take our word for it. Read the comments of two Sears employes, one current and one former, arguing the pros and cons of maintenance agreements:
The Company's Advice
To all authors regarding Sears repair service,
I am sorry to hear about your unsatisfactory experiences with Sears repair service. My name is David and I work for Sears. I would like to assist you in resolving any service issues. Please contact me at searscares@searshc.com and we can find a solution that meets your needs.
Thank you,
David V.
Senior Case Manager
Consumer Comments
And the customers? Well, here's what they think ...
Benjamin of Oakland, CA March 31, 2009
I have had 6 repair issues since purchase in July of 2003 including two in the last week! The part is on order and will take 6-7 days to arrive.
Lack of a working washing machine requires us to either go to a laudromat or go without clean laundry.
Stephen of Lockhart, TX March 27, 2009
I bought a 32'lcd Element brand tv on 3/2/2009 for 399.99 plus tax, and in less than 30 days it was ruined. I understand accidental damage is not covered, but the salesperson was aware that I had small children and I feel he should have warned me abut buying an lcd television or at least purchasing a protective screen cover, which I was later told was available at other places. My 1 year old son threw a plastic sippy-cup, empty without a lid, weighing between 1-1.5 ounces and it hit the screen. The picture was affected immediately, and the crack got worse and worse. I was told when I went back to Sears that should not have resulted in the damage, but they were sorry and neither the local folks nor the customer service and warranty personnel were able to help me, saying they were sorry, but it is not covered by either Sears or Element electronics.
The result is I am out 432.99. I looked online and spoke to a televison repair man locally. Every place I look or word I have from the sources above or from Sears personnel is that I just need to toss the tv, that repairing the screen would cost more than a new tv. I have 8 children, number 9 on the way, we are a single income family, this represented all the extra money we had saved, including the children helping pay for the tv, for one nice large (to us) family purchase. We cannot replace the tv in terms of finances. I am disappointed to the degree that I do not ever plan on shopping at any Sears store and will not buy another lcd tv unless there is some type of protective plastic or other type of cover available. Thanks for your help.
Michael of Warsaw, VA March 25, 2009
Purchased a house full of new appliances in May 07. Did not hookup washer/dryer combo till June 07 after 1 year warranty. Spin cycle of unit knocks and shakes whole house. I contacted One Source and they sent a technician, who said that it was obvious it was new and never used, I should get them to replace it. I tried, but they wouldn't quoting the 1 year policy. The tech ordered a spin basket for replacement. A couple of weeks later another tech came out and replaced it and problem remained. He gave me the same advice. It should be replaced, its brand new, never used. He said it probably needed a transmission. I have called several times and finally they reimbursed me the money I had spent, upfront, to get them to come out the first and second times.
I called back after a couple months to get them to come back and replace the transmission. I was told that I only had thiry days to accept that workorder and now they had to send the technician out to diagnose the problem, then order the part, and then come back again. I was told to call back during normal business hours and talk to someone else. I did and they said the same thing. I asked to speak to a manager and he said they had no access to records past thirty days and the technician had not noted the part number of the transmission in the service request so they had to send someone back out to rediagnose the problem. I asked to speak with his manager and he told me I could not and when I asked if he could call me or email me, he hung up on me.
I've had the unit since May of 07 and haven't been able to wash a load a clothes yet. They have at this point tried to fix it with 500 in parts and it is a new unit that cost 950 to begin with. I have had to wash clothes at the laundry mat and or mom and dad's for a year.
Donna of New Westminster, BC March 18, 2009
I purchased 3 appliances 9/6/2007, the warranty expired 9/6/2008, my dishwasher started making louder the usual noises, called Sears they will come on Saturday 3/14/09. called on Friday at 2pm can't make it but will come 3/17/09, technician came listened for about 2 minutes & said I need a new motor, the 2 year warranty will cover the parts but I will have to pay 214.67 for the labor but he can't do it today. will be back next week 3/25/08,
what my complaint is 1: the service is terrible but the real complaint is a dishwasher only lasts 1 & 1/2 years. I don't feel I should have to pay for the labor as it was probably faulty in the first place. the dishwasher was probably a lemon. Thanking you
Timothy of Salem, CT March 17, 2009
Kenmore Electric Dryer, model 417.83142201, during owner ship, had usual wear and tear issues, broken belt etc.. Always have had a problem with lint buildup inside the dryer housing, required cleaning every couple of months not only because of the hazard issue, but also because the efficiency of the dryer decreased as lint built up.
Two issues: 1. Service contract from sears was horrendous. Would arrange a day off for them to show up, only to not have them show up. The annual 'maintainance call' was little more then 'kicking tires', visual inspections probably would have prevented the real safety complaint from occuring in the first place. Came to change a belt, and observed a lot of lint that needed to be cleaned up, and instead of doing it, had the homeowner do it, 'while he had the machine apart, lest the home owner void any warranties should he (the home owner) do it at a later time.'
2. The real safety issue that consumers should know about is that a bundle of wires caught fire under the top of the housing running along the inside of the upper right front part of the dryer while facing it. I am supposing that to a trained techician, over heating wires, or chaffed wires would be readily recognized, which I am suspecting is the cause of this fire. Wire isulation got breached some how causing a short and the subsequent fire.
Thank goodness the damage was contained to the houseing and the wire bundle described above. The fire probably self extinguished itself when the ignition source ceased, (electricity). There will be economic damage to repair the dryer, if possible/cost effective. Just want to get word out to consumers that this is probably a design flaw with this unit, and to be aware of it.
Lisa of Oxnard, CA March 17, 2009
I had bought a Vacuum from Sears and it broke.After I took it back in for repairs they said they no longer make that vacuum and I can upgrade to a newer model. I asked about warranty and I was told it would transfer to my new model.(I purchased an extended waranty) My new vacuum stopped working and when I brought it in for repair they said my waranty was expired. So I paid 93.00 to fix it. A few months later I recieved an option to extend my waranty for my Vacuum.
So I called sears and they just forgot to transfer my warranty over. Ok no harm done right? So I decided to ask for a refund. I have my reciept and all my paper work. I have called EVERYONE!!No one can help me its almost impossable to get a refund. I have been working on this for a coulpe of weeks, I just keep getting transfered and the run around. All I want is my money back.
Im physically and emotionally drained!
James of Dublin, OH March 16, 2009
Model 6362300 Heating element burned through Tub liner. This caused flooding damage to living area and basement. Other 636 models have had recalls due to over-heating/fires, Sears refuses to honor recall or repair/replace (warranty expired 40 days before damage). If leak had followed power circuit further it could have ended up in basement electrical box.
Damaged to st floor carpeting, basement carpeting.
Puneet of Westfield, NJ March 14, 2009
I bought a Weider home gym from the Sears store (Watchung, NJ) on 12/15/08 with a 2-year service contract. I chose to not use Sears for installation as the charge was 249 for 500 equipment. I hired an outside vendor to install the gym for 100, but there was a manufacturing defect in the equipment so I could not use it (as confirmed by the Sears Service representative). After several trips to the Sears store, the general manager confirmed that Sears will exchange this home gym. As I had paid for the service agreement, they will uninstall the old gym and install the new gym. Sears service came a few weeks later and delivered the new gym in a box. They told me that they deliver and dont install.
Since then, I have had several conversations with Sears store and customer service and I am being told that since they did not install the gym in the first place, it is my responsibility to uninstall the faulty gym and install the new gym. If I hire someone to do that, it would cost me 200 to do this. Three weeks back, one of their central customer services told me that they would like to resolve this matter and they will send someone to uninstall and install the old and new gym. But the person canceled the appointment a day before. When I called to reschedule, I am again being told how they cannot uninstall the old gym and install a new one.
The solution from Sears is that I pay them 249 for the installation and they will take care of it. This gym has already cost me 750 after including delivery, tax, service agreement and installation. I would like Sears to either send someone to uninstall and take the old gym and install the new gym or take both the gyms and refund me at least the amount I paid them (647.33).
Sears is arm twisting retail customers like myself to pay a very high installation fees on the home gym. If the gym has manufacturing defect, then the customer who hasn't paid them the high installation fees will end up paying 3 times to install and uninstall.
Mary Ann Pizzonia of Centerport, NY February 23, 2009
I purchased a 26 Venturer LCD TV Nov. 2007. Early December 2008 someone from the Sears Warranty Dept called me and asked if I wanted to purchase an Extended Warranty. At that particular time I said I would think about it. I actually forgot about it with Christmas and all coming up. About Jan. 10, 2009 I called and purchased the Extended Warranty. The certificate arrived about 2 or 3 weeks later and I realized that for some unforeseen reason, they indicated on the certificate that the set was purchased in 2004. When I called to tell them they had the wrong year down they told me not to worry about it that they would correct it.
Unfortunately, about 1 week after receiving the certificate, the set stopped working. I called to put in a service call, the man came to my home about 5 days later. He took the set off the wall with the help from my son, opened the set and said it needed a part but it had to be ordered and would be sent to my home. Several days sent by and I heard nothing. I called and was told that the part was no longer available but that I would get a replacement set. Again several days went by and still I heard nothing. I called again. This time they told me that since this was a pre-existing problem they were not going to do anything but refund me back the cost of the warranty. I told them that I was not going to accept that and kept calling almost everyday and was told that it was still being looked into.
Since the set was purchased in 2007 and especially since I hardly use the set. It is in my bedroom - I hardly watch TV in there because I have a 56 TV in my living room with a cable box. I may put it on in the morning to watch the weather channel and maybe sometimes at 11PM to watch the news. Someone called from Sears today to again let me know that they were not going to do anything but refund my warranty purchase which was 104. Is there anything that can be done since the set is only 1 year old and since I paid 588 for it. Buy the way, they can't even figure out exactly where I bought the set. I would appreciate someone looking into this for me. Thank you very much
There wasn't any physical damage other than the people at Sears messing with my head and telling me that I bought the set in 2004 when, in fact, I bought it in 2007 from Sears in Commack, NY
Christopher of Germantown, TN February 21, 2009
Purchased a GE refrigerator from sears on Feb. 9th 2008. On Oct. 10 2008 the ice maker was replaced under warranty. The job was not done properly. This has resulted in the freezer drawer rubbing on screw heads which protrude from the ice maker. Unfortunately we put up with this for about twelve days too long as the warranty expired on Feb. 9th 2009.
The rubbing of the freezer drawer with every opening and closing drops metal shavings into the ice cube tray. It is clear that the current condition is a result of the ice maker being improperly installed yet Sears says that because we waited too long they will not fix the problem unless we pay. Metal shavings in ice cubes and a freezer drawer that doesn't close properly.
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If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.
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