I am DONE with Kenmore appliances

[Twitchin Kitten]

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This is getting better and better I tell you!

Another screenie of her reply to me insisting that I use private messages or email because they will not phone.

I left a message at Sears Corporate HQ - which I'm sure will go ignored.

I'm gearing up to make a lot of noise on the web about this. They like social media? Well then I'll just use their preferred method against them and hopefully you guys (and your fb friends) will help me get a ruckus started.

The latest PM minus the letter. Letter is below.

   

OK Jillian, here is your email correspondence and I’ll be copying and pasting this via PM on Facebook as well.
This is absolutely insane.

Grill model#: 148.23683310
serial#: RBT0032634

I have a grill I purchased on 8/17/2014 that started to rust sometime during the last week of September - first week of October.
I went to the local store where I bought the grill and the fool on the floor told me that my [covered] pool did this. He also told me to scrub the stainless with steel wool and then use CAR WAX to protect it. Seriously? That’s a sure way to destroy it in full! Of course I ignored him.

I went home and called Sears and started the process of insanity only to go nowhere.
The parts that are rusting are the STAINLESS STEEL HOOD, COUNTERS and HOOD HANDLE, along with EVERY screw used to assemble it which in turn is making the parts they are against that are not rusting start to rust.

I started with Sears Customer Service.
They told me to call Kenmore customer service.
They told me that there is a recall on the grill and I need to call Kenmore Recall Customer Service.

They make an appointment for someone to come to my house to install the recalled firebox because I am “not allowed for safety reasons to install this myself”. Ok fine. They send me not one, but TWO fireboxes.
They also managed to arrange 3, that’s right THREE appointments. One with the wrong phone number attached to it.

So the technician comes on 1/29/2015 and has a look.
He says the fireboxes they sent are not the right ones AND that my grill is NOT on the recall list and my firebox is fine.
FYI - his service order has two different dates he input in there.
He also told me to my face that the grill should not be rusting like it is but Sears will tell me that this is a cosmetic issue and nothing will be done about it. So far he’s right.

So he leaves.
the next day on 10/30/2015 I call the Kenmore Recall Customer service AGAIN and I speak with someone named Anna. I’m taking names now - and they tell me that I’m wrong because the technician will be here on Monday, 11/2. OH. MY. GOD. really?
She also told me I need to call Protection Agreements Benefits Administration.

I call them. I speak with a man named Ray and he said this is the wrong department. I’m then directed to call Customer Solutions because they deal with items in and out of warranty. FYI - I am now full circle as this is where I started this journey of insanity. Ray also told me that Sears knows this is an issue and that I should ALWAYS buy the extended warranty so I don’t have to worry in the future.

So far I can tell you there will be no future because of this runaround here and on social media.

I speak with a woman named Dolores who informs me that there is absolutely nothing that can be done and it’s NORMAL for stainless steel to rust.
I assure you it is NOT normal for stainless steel to rust.

Now, This is where I turned to social media because I got good results with Keurig when my 3 year old brewer died. They sent me a brand new one without all this nonsense and when they asked for my phone number, they called me instead of waiting a day and then said they can’t call without my address and then say they can’t call because it’s on social media.

FYI - I am keeping a record of all conversations that have been going on because this is just so ridiculous that no one would believe me that this is true.

Now you need to know that I have been on my own since 1978 and have been buying my own appliances since then. Nothing but Kenmore and I NEVER had to purchase the extended warranty because Kenmore never gave me such a problem. Also Kenmore has been top notch in customer service. Now I realize it’s out of warranty at this point, but considering that Sears and the phone support has not kept proper records, and they managed to delay me long enough that it makes me look like an ass looking for a freebie, I still think this is worth consideration.

I think someone who has been a loyal Kenmore buyer deserves a little “leeway” regarding the warranty considering that STAINLESS STEEL DOES NOT RUST. At least not in my universe. I researched this grill and did my homework. It’s junk as it is now. When the cover comes off there’s always a little more rust. You really think that’s normal? By the time the spring rolls around this grill will be too scuzzy to even cook on. OH and the stainless steel cooking grates are just awful too! I should be able to wipe them down with a little detergent after using the grill and I was for about 3-4 months, but then suddenly I can’t clean that thing without using caustic chemicals (which are really bad for stainless) and scouring like a maniac. My hands and fingernails are destroyed due to this.

So? What can we do here? Please don’t tell me I’m out of luck.

Joan Walker

cc: to myself

[Twitchin Kitten]

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Ha ha ha ha check out the comments on this page for the Corporate site! And for added amusement note the illiteracy of the authors of the posts. Makes my head spin.

[Twitchin Kitten]

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Ha ha ha they asked me not to post on their page on FB until we resolve this.

[LKTraz]

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Well go figure. If they treat you (as they have already) like the folks who have already posted on that complaint page then they already know which direction you will go with it.

Sidebar: Have you noticed that in the last 2 weeks K-mart seems to be making a comeback?

Might this be due to the impending death of Sears? Ther ARE the same company after all. I see them pushing K-mart back up the ladder to both attempt to retain some piece of the market and use it as smoke and mirrors to hide the Sears death knell.

After a plethora of Kenmore appliances shitting the bed for me (I bought washer, dryer, fridge, freezer, lawn tractor, chainsaw, hedge trimmer, weed whacker, dishwasher, gas grill, pressure washer and a ton of other items totalling $14,861.14 in one purchase) I ended up not making any more appliance purchases from them. The washer, dryer, fridge and chainsaw all shit the bed after 2 1/2 years (longest warranty was 2 years). Pressure washer lasted a year longer. Gas grill made it 5 years (no real complaint there).

That's the majority of the purchased appliances.....gone in 3 years. Now I must say, I still have the tractor even though it's really rough and I bought another one (used) to do the job till I get around to doing the repairs needed on the first one. Hell it's 18 years old so I guess it doesn't really owe me anything.

The weed whacker is kinda rough but still works, dishwasher I can't complain about since in it's 18 years of use only needed a pressure regulator valve, new top nozzle assembly and a drain hose all of which I installed myself.

Sears tractors are made by either Husqvarna or MTD depending on the particular model so that explains the good lifespan. The dishwasher was made by KitchenAid so nuff said there!

BUT....with the rather quick deaths of the above mentioned major appliances I had enough.

Now I comparison shop major brands at Home Depot, Lowe's and Tractor Supply and a few other local stores when I need big ticket appliances. Lowe's treated us wonderfully with the new stove and covering the faulty valve. Between them and Samsung's customer service department we got it sorted out and I incurred $0.00 expense to get it resolved.

After a string of crap quality washers and dryers (all from SUPPOSEDLY good manufacturers) we ended up with the high end Samsung washer/dryer pair and couldn't be happier with them. Current fridge is a good old Frigidaire and is A-friggin-1.

The original Kenmore washer/dryer were made by Maytag....really.....REALLY? Pretty much crap designed by Sears and contract made by Maytag.

Anyway....that's why I stopped buying Kenmore stuff.

[Twitchin Kitten]

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Kmart owns Sears. Kmart is making a surge because Christmas is coming.

I'll give them a chance but they better hurry.

[LKTraz]

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That was part of my point about the K-mart push.

The company is shifting eggs from one basket to another.

[Twitchin Kitten]

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Well They're giving me a gift certificate in the amount of $400 plus $30 for all the phone bullshit. I think that's pretty fair. I'm hoping it's not Sears only and then I'm friggin happy as a clam. If it's a Visa card, I'll just put it toward the credit card bill

[AnthonyG]

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Eddy Lampert is the majority share holder of sears holding company which holds both companies kmart and sears and hes been using their assets for years to invest in other non retail related business investments. He is ultimately tanking the whole conglomerate.

As far as your grill I mentioned in the other thread when the dude at your party crapped all over the grill when he used it that the quality of stainless was not good in kenmore grills from what I could find. Their warranty policy reflected it, it sucks because you paid the price for a premium grill and they delivered with a grill with sub-par materials.

[Twitchin Kitten]

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That's fine now that they reimbursed me, Anthony. If they didn't I'd be going insane all over the net and become one of those social media assholes shaming them to no end.
I won't buy another Kenmore grill though. Maybe not another Kenmore appliance if they keep going like they are.

[LKTraz]

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As I mentioned, Kenmore appliances are contract manufactured. Some of these are specific models made only for the Kenmore line and SOME manufacturers are making them a bit sub-standard.

Using my Kenmore dishwasher as an example to the contrary, it's made by KitchenAid and the only difference is the shell. Otherwise it's the same as the brand name model.

Since I gave up on Kenmore it's been a matter of doing a little more research and comparison work on (yes a bit more expensive) brand name models but I have gotten a good result. AND sometimes the "expensive high end" model is NOT the best bet. Don't rely on Consumer Reports either as many times their criteria and testing won't reflect YOUR needs and usage profile.

I'm just glad that you won in the end here.