Sears Lawn & Garden

You have to hand it to Sears. The fading legend has a remarkable ability to alienate some of its oldest and best customers. There are also some interesting questions about the warranty on Sears' garden equipment.

Richard of Frankfort, KY October 27, 2009

I purchased a new walkbehind lawn mower on 4/02/09 at the time they offered me a 3 year inhome warranty for 300.00 dollars that was to be sent back to me in the form of a 300.00 rebate just buy mailing in my sales slip. I have been trying now for over 6 months to get this setteled whith no luck.

I have got the same story for 6 months that they are working on it i was also given a fake store maneger and a fake name i guess just to get me off the phone at the time. I placed a call to Sears on 10/26/09 just to get hold of a very rude person in the service department. i would like ti know what or how i can get this problem resolved. They did mail a check 3 months ago for 60.00 dollars that i have not cashed. Thanks for any help you can give.

Gerald of LaSalle, IL October 21, 2009

I had got an inter-changable head Craftsman weedeater from my family for my birthday in September. After reading the directions, putting it together and filling it with gas, I started using it. It have a very loud pinging noise that seemed like something was wrong. I took it back and started it in the store, the employees agreed that something was wrong. I upgraded the weed trimmer to a higher priced model (that the clerk recommended to me and went back home to put it together. The 2nd one did the exact same thing.

I went back in to Sears to complain and they took the trimmer back. I have always liked Craftsman and thought that maybe this store got a bad batch of weed trimmers, so I traded it for a nice mulching blower/vac. I was using the blower the 1st time and had maybe had it on for 10 minutes or so when I noticed that my jacket had just caught on fire from the blower. It ruined my hunting jacket, melted my cell phone and scared me to death.

I took the blower back into the store and they wouldn't do anything for me. They took my blower/vac without any refund. They just gave me a slip of paper with a claim number. They took pictures of my melted phone and jacket, but wouldn't replace anything. I got a letter in the mail from Sedgwick CMS (the company who handles these claims for Sears) stating that they had received notice of this claim.

This has been weeks now and I have no blower, coat or phone yet. I have called Sears, Sears corporate and Sedgwick CMS 40-50 times. I have left at least 4-5 voicemails for everyone from the Peru Store manager to the Sedgwick rep and have gotten no return phone call for over a week. I can't beleive how they treat a loyal customer of theirs. It shouldn't take them long to be out of business.

I cannot afford to buy another phone, blower or coat, but thats not Sears problem, obviously. All I wanted is what was coming to me, not a big settlement or anything. I'm very disappointed with Sears and wouldn't shop at one of their stores if they gave me the items.

kristie of Pottstown, PA October 6, 2009

when going to use a weedwacker that we had less than a year, it wouldnt start. My husband went to local sears store where it was purchased and was told it would be sent out and taken care of.

When it was at repair center they called to give me 2 different estimates and wouldnt fix it under the warranty that was purchased with it. I was told it was our fault that there was no oil in gas and engine seized, however local sears said they empited tanks prior to shipping to repair center and did not understand why it wasnt repaired.

After talking to manager at sears pick up area was told they would resend it and have manager involved. Manager was not involved as far as i can see and they dont stand behind their products and honor their guarantees!

Richard of Williamston, MI September 26, 2009

Just an update on my POS 2+ year old Model #276900. I'm on my 3rd mower deck (this one out of warranty) as the 2nd one failed (mower deck metal tears) in exactly the same place as the fist one which is approx. 6" away from the left rear mount. Also the cross member where the anti sway bar attaches snapped in half making it unusable. I devised out of 1/4" coated steel cable a crossed mounted stabilizer that spreads the weight out evenly across the new deck.

The front left spindle weld failed (only one small tacking point to begin with). The fuel line developed a leak and had to be replaced. I've had to use screws and anchor to keep the hood cowling on as when i went to change the oil and opened it, it fell off. They need lemon laws for [poor products] like this. 650.00 for a new mower deck. 10.00 to have spindle welded. 15.00 for materials to replace anti sway bar. Replacing the fuel line.

Raymond of Garnet Valley, PA September 24, 2009

My 5 year old sears lawn tractor with 173 hours just died. The service man indicated that my model had a defective camshaft that simply wore away...420. Never, never buy sear Tractor or any tractor with a Briggs and Stratton motor... Youll be buying it twice.

Bob of Rathdrum, ID September 20, 2009

I purchased a Craftsman 24 HP Lawn Tractor with a Briggs Engine - Model #446677, and almost exactly following the 2 year warranty period, the engine quit. It appears the nuts on the connecting rods on the pistons came loose and ruined the interior of the engine. After spending a lot of money on a Sears product, we are very disappointed. I've talked to other people who have experienced the same type of failure. This is really a bad situation when the tractor only has 108 hours of operation.

Randall of Columbia, SC September 16, 2009

I purchased an electric trimmer in the Lawn and Garden area. Salesperson tried to sell me an extended warranty, telling me that the warranty only covered 90 days. On the box it says the warranty covers 2 years. Either the salesperson was poorly trained, or was lying to me in order to make an extra sale.

William of Philadelphia, PA September 13, 2009

In May 2009 I went into the Sears in Northeast Philadelphia off the Roosevelt Blvd at Cottmon Avenue. I went to the Lawn & Garden Center to look at and price of riding mowers. I was interested in a riding mower to cut my daughter's lawn. The salesperson showed me some riding mowers and told me various prices. I returned to the store a few days later (a Saturday) with my daughter to look at the mowers and dealt with the same salesperson as earlier in the week. There was a sale plus an additional percentage off if I opened a charge card. The deal sounded very good. I decided on a mower and then asked the salesperson to give me the bottom line flat out actual cost I would have to pay to get the mower. This is when the salesperson started hemming and hawing about discounts etc. He said he could only give me the price after entering all my details into the computer. Over and over and over again he kept entering my details and cancelling them out ... he obviously did not know his job, the merchandise or how to use the register because I waited and waited for him to come up with the price. After he quoted me a price higher than the sales price I reminded him that I was to get an extra 15% off if I opened a charge card. He then proceeded to take all my information again, put it all into the computer then went to his supervisor to find out if I could get the extra percentage off for applying for a Sears card. He came back and said that I couldn't get the percentage off because the amount he quoted me was the lowest price and he couldn't go any lower. The price he quoted was 1500.00 (higher than the sale price). I was disgusted and told him to cancel everything I was no longer interested and left the store with my daughter.

Brenda of Waynesville, NC September 12, 2009

Bought lawn tractor 9/2006. Kept it maintained and oil changed. 9/11/2009, almost exactly 3 years after purchase, block cracked. Motor still runs,but throws oil out of crack. Technician came out looked at crack, did not look at anything else and stated, since no warranty, would have to replace motor for 1500. That is more than was paid for lawn tractor.

Technician stated that I could take elsewhere and get block for motor much cheaper but sears did not fix it, only replace it. Customre service rep at 1-800-, Emily, stated nothing sears could do. Offered 10% off of new mower. Dead end, no consideration. Rude representative. Seems wrong for mower to get crack in block after only three years and company like Sears will not even consider that is is flaw in their motor.

Was willing to pay for repair but not pay price for a totally new lawn tractor after only three years. Had to buy new lawn tractor after only three years. Big economic problem since single parent household. Saved for Sears tractor and it was a huge purchase for us. Thought Sears was a company we could count on.

Janet of Livonia, MI August 20, 2009

I had Sears Repair and Service come out to service my lawn tractor. This was a simple tuneup and check. While cutting my lawn, the 1st time after the repair, the engine started smoking and locked up. My neighber, who is a master machanic, said that the repairman never put oil in after draining it during the tuneup.

I called Sears Repair, both local and the main office in Chicago, several times to complain. They said that could not happen because the engine would have never started. My neighbor said that the engine ran on the remaining oil in the crankcase, then froze. Sears finally sent a repairman out, who again said that could not have been the problem. Whether it was or not, the tractor was only 2 years old. Sears refused to do anything about it or help me purchase another one.

I am 62 years old and a female. I can not cut the acre of land I have by hand or afford another lawn tractor. Fortunately a friend of mine bought me a tractor for Christmas. Unfortunately, it was another Sears tractor. Now a year later, I am having problems with the lawn tractor cutting off after I use it for awhile. I have to leave it sit for about an hour before it would turn back on, then it cuts for 10 minutes and cuts off. My neighbor thinks it is the carburator since we changed the fuel filter and oil, but it keeps acting up. The old Sears who always stood behind their products, doesn't exist anymore since Kmart became involved.

Report Your Experience
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.

Share		Follow us on Twitter.