Complaint Review: Kenmore Elite - Nationwide

3 years ago we purchased an expensive Kenmore Elite washer/dryer set. We thought we were getting a great deal from our local Sears store during one of their Memorial Day promotions. We opted to not to have delivery and installation and chose to do so ourselves. First load of clothes, the washer would not drain the water, I had to take all of the wet clothes out and then washer would drain. Tried multiple times, but would not drain with clothes in the washer. We then went to our local store and asked for a replacment model. They could not provide one since this particular model was now on backorder and would take 3 weeks to come in. After a bit of negoations, the manager was willing to give us a more expensive set (on sale for $1800) for the same price we paid for the others ($1200). Great deal, right, we were happy and had a gorgeous new set of washer/dryer even better than the ones we orginally picked out. Model number 79629478000 (Kenmore Elite 29478). 

Fast forward 3 years. The washing machine is broken, the washplate at the bottom of the drum has detached. The first repair technician comes out and charges $89 to tell me that he can not attach the washplate, the bolt that holds it on to the clutch assembly has sheared in half, and the entire clutch assembly will have to be replaced. We decide, after shopping around for other sets, to have this one repaired. 

Contated Sears/Kenmore customer service to order the clutch assembly. The part number that we were given was on backorder and would not be delivered for 3 weeks. After a quick online investigation, we discovered the part that we needed had been discontinued by the manufacturer and had been replaced with a new part (one that was vastly cheaper than the rare discontinued part on backorder). We contacted customer service and agreed to order the part and they scheduled a service technician to return to install it a week later. 

Day of repair, the technician returns and acts surprised that he is there to intall the part because it is supposed to be a 2 hour job with 2 technicians and he was only scheduled by Sears to be here for 30 minutes. He agrees to look at it and thinks maybe he can get it done within an hour. After 15 minutes of trying to remove a nut from the bottom of the drum with a high impact wrench, he tells me he cannot put the new part on because he can't get the old part off. He said he is not authorized to cut through the nut because he risks damaging the drum, but that if we could cut it off in the meantime, he would come back and install the part. 

2 days later, my husband was able to cut through the nut. We contacted customer service and asked them to send the repair technician back out, and also informed them that since this part had to be cut off, we would like them to make sure that have a replacement for the nut as it is essential for the new part to be put on. We were informed by customer service that they have no way of knowing what parts they have with them since their technicians are contractors, and that there is no way to inform them of what part they need before they arrive. Our new appointment is scheduled a week later. 

Day of repair, technician does not show during the 5 hour window. Contact customer service and they informed us that the technician called in sick and someone should have called us. (No one did) Re-scheduled for another week later (earliest available). 

Day of repair, technician does not show up during the 5 hour window. Contacted technician directily, he says he is not coming out that day because he will need to order the nut that we cut off. My husband tells him that we tried to inform them of that 2 weeks ago when we made the appointment and that during this time they could have ordered and had the part delivered by then. The technician then tells him that he will not come out at all now because of my husbands "attitude". Contacted Sears/Kenmore customer service and they tried to contact the technician's manager but no one will answer.

We have also been in touch with Kenmore customer service about the fact that a bolt sheared in half, if it is possible that this is a manufacturer defect. After multiple phone calls and transfers to different departments, a customer service manager (Casey) agrees that, yes, judging from what I am telling him, something must be wrong and that I should contact LG the company who manufactered the particular appliance for Kenmore. After multiple calls to LG, who transfered me back to Kenmore, who transfered me back to LG, no one will take responsibility for the washer to even determine if there is something wrong with it. LG claims that it was manufactered under the Kenmore name and Kenmore are responsible for it, and Kenmore claims that it is just a brand name and that he manufacturer (LG) is responsible for this issue. I even, 3 hours later, and ended up back where I started with the same customer service manager (Casey) who now changed his story, and said it must have been something I had done to it. 

So after 5 weeks, we have a 3 year old broken washing machine that no one will fix, no one will claim and no one to help.