- Report: #1156037
Complaint Review: General Electric Appliance - Nationwide
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Author Not Confirmed
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General Electric Appliance
Nationwide, USA
Phone:
502-452-4205
Web:
www.geappliances.com
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General Electric Appliance GE, GE Appliance Does not honor warrenty Louisville Nationwide
I have a GE Microwave purchased in 2005 with a 10 year warranty. After taking it to a local appliance center (Franks) they diagnosed that the magnetron went out. I called GE and they verified that the parts were covered. I requested that GE send the parts and was told that they were too dangerous to send to a customer. Also, that the US mail would not deliver such hazardous materials. I was informed that I must have a GE approved service company handle the job. GE recommended Affordable Appliance, Inc. as one of their service companies. I called Affordable and asked if they would get the parts for me. They refused and said they would have to install them. I notified them that GE already had approved the parts so all they had to do was get them in and install them. The lady at Affordable said the cost to do that was $75 to which I agreed. One week later they showed up without the parts, took the microwave apart and informed me that the magnetron was bad. They wanted $75 for this trip and $320 to get and install the parts. When I complained that I already had the authorization for the parts and that they were to come out with them, also that the lady that took the call knew all of this in advanced the serviceman got upset. He said it was his wife and that this would never happen. I told him he wasted his time and he proceeded to give me a bill for what I already knew was wrong. Threatened me that if I didn't pay they would go to collections and ruin my credit. I contacted GE and all they could say was sorry.
Later this certified GE service company charged me $45 for the trip. I went online and ordered the parts (Genuine renewal parts- which I still have the packages) from Repairclinic.com. It seems this online vendor had no problem that these were dangerous parts and also they shipped them through the US postal service. I installed the parts in under 5 minutes and the microwave works perfectly now. My problem is that GE's warranty is a sham when you have to go through something like this!
I asked GE to refund me the $45 charged for a bogus service call - that had to be made by a company of GE's choice, and $144.75 for the parts that were supposedly under warranty.
Gary Mantooth 502-452-4205 – June 9th, 9:57: Gary wanted to verify the amounts that I had requested. Gary said I found a way to circumvent their repair process and although he was not part of the conversations he knew for a fact that no one would offer this service. I informed him that “I was” part of the conversation and asked why both parties would agree to this and go this far before GE would inform the customer of what their policy was. All Gary could say was that we agree to disagree. I asked Gary why neither GE nor their authorized service repair company, until after the fact, notified me of their mandatory inspection call. Also why they would not even notify the customer after being informed of the problem and agreeing to come out and replace the parts. All Gary could say was that this was policy. I then asked why the parts they produce were too dangerous and the US postal service would not ship them, but the exact same parts “GE produced” were shipped by the US postal service by another company. All he could say again was that this was policy and people have died when they ship these parts. Policy is a flimsy excuse to get out of taking care of a customer, also using it after the fact.
GE's warrenty is a scam.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Ken
Colorado,Wow, Doug, what a comparison of hazards...
#2Consumer Comment
Tue, July 15, 2014
Just about everyone know you shouldn't dry your hair in the tub..you might not, but others do.
Do you know the HV points in your microwave oven? Most people, likely including you DON'T. Here's a Hint, it includes terminals on the magnetron.
Keep on with your narrow, bullet headed views and hope for the best. What a DOLT!
Doug Arnold
Visalia,California,
I love this argument
#3Author of original report
Thu, June 19, 2014
I love this logic. Let us apply this to other parts of our life: I can't sell you a hair dryer because you may drop it in the bathtub and kill yourself. Therefore we must have someone come by and style your hair!!
There are too many "ifs" in your statement... If a frog had a buzzards wings it would be a sparrow.
As you said, "THe part itself is in no way dangerous"
Also, there was no scam as the shop and GE were already aware of what the problem was and agreed to come out and replace these basic parts but did a bait-n-switch.
With your logic no one would be even allowed to change a car tire.
Also, the assumption that technicians are the only people who know how to work with electricity is absurd. Especially when you stated yourself that they are not that good with this procedure.
But it makes one heck of an excuse to not follow through with a warrenty and charge more money.
Ken
Colorado,You need to know that GE did NOT want to accept legal responsibility for sending you the part don't you?
#4Consumer Comment
Thu, June 19, 2014
THe part itself is in no way dangerous, but voltages inside the microwave oven are around 2,000 volts at high current. This can seriously injure or kill you if you make an error. Service people have been killed servicing microwaves. This voltage can be present even when the oven is unplugged, then you may be hurt. If it's on with the cover off and you come in contact with a number of points inside, you could very likely be the "former" microwave technician. GE did NOT refuse to honor its warranty, but requires a service center to do the work properly and safely. The shop assumes liablity for its techs. You rejected that requirement. YOU "scammed" yourself by being unreasonable. Incidentally, I'm happy you weren't hurt.
Over my years in electronics servicing I serviced hundreds of ovens from 350 watts to 2,000 watt behemoths and was VERY careful.
