Sears Microwave

I purchased a Kenmore above range microwave oven which was installed in March 2011. The unit lost all power January 7, 2012 while still under manufacturer warranty. Sears service was contacted and they sent a technician out who said it needed 2 parts. 2 weeks later they installed the parts. This did not solve the problem and they came out again and said I needed another part. I waited another week and they installed that part. It did not solve the problem and they said I needed another part. That part came and was installed today, and again it did not solve the problem. After 5 visits and 4 different part replacements, it is not fixed.

They refuse to give me a replacement microwave, claiming they have to replace 4 parts before it is eligible for replacement and that they do not consider one of the parts (electronic filter) they replaced really to be a part. What the heck is it? They soldered it into the circuit board. Now, they want to replace one of the same parts and start over. I have wasted 5 days off work waiting for them; and by the way, 2 of the five times they were late and well outside the 4-hour window they gave me--once almost 2 hours late. They have over $1000 invested in labor and parts to fix a $300 microwave. Does anyone there have a clue how to run a business? Seems to me they have no clue about taking care of customers and earning loyal customers.

I will never buy another Maytag anything. Please note that it was made in Malaysia. I should have known better that it's not made in the USA. That's the problem, no quality but big price!

I bought a microwave (along with install and takeaway) from Sears' Burnsville, MN store 11/25/11. They installed it on 12/10/11. Literally, since the date of installation, the microwave has not worked properly. The turntable doesn't turn and the food does not cook. I tried all the tips in the manual. I called customer service, and nothing worked. I scheduled a total of 4 service calls in less than 2 months to have someone come to my house to fix it. The 1st time they came and went without doing anything (said there was nothing wrong); the 2nd time, they determined it was the motor and ordered the part. The 3rd time, they didn't show up. They called 5 minutes before end of the 4-hour window and said they would be late. I couldn't stay; I had other things to do after being stuck home all afternoon. The 4th time, January 26, 2012, they installed the motor and it still doesn't work.

I called them again demanding a new microwave (same model) or my money back but I keep getting different answers. One time, they said I still didn't 'qualify' for a replacement. Another said I have to go directly to the store and talk to the manager. Still another said they would put me through to their 'lemon line' but then we were mysteriously disconnected. Finally on today's call, I was told a manager would call me back and they never did. I have had it and I want my money back!

I purchased this microwave Kenmore model 318279502 in December of 2008. It began sparking when popping popcorn in 2010. I changed brands and it did not continue. In December of 2011, it began sparking while cooking anything - boiling water in plastic cup. This is the most expensive microwave I have to date purchased and has lasted the least amount of time. This is at least the third complaint on this site of this particular model number.

Stay away from Kenmore built-in microwave because of its failing keypads. I was a long time Sears customer that, as of today, will find and choose another brand to be loyal to. I am on my second built-in microwave in two years because the ones I bought both had failing keypads and Sears won't own up to repairing this. I buy an appliance to last me at least five years but this microwave over barely last a year.

My warranty expired in June of this year and Sears refused to repair my second microwave; instead, they suggested that I buy a service contract. The first time it happened, I understood that the warranty was over and it was very costly to have it repaired so I chose to buy a new one. But after one year, the second microwave also failed with the same issue--the keypad.

These microwaves are being poorly manufactured and Kenmore should repair them at no cost. I received absolutely no empathy or help from Sears consumer escalation folks. Both of these microwaves were literally new when they stopped working. I find it insulting that they don't send someone to fix this item and that they are not even concerned in finding out what's wrong with it. Consequently, other customers will similarly be inconvenienced in the future.

Please stay away from Kenmore built-in microwaves as the keypads fail after a while.

My husband and I bought a Microwave from Sears and added extra insurance. We have had this item repaired three times and we took it back a forth and asked for a refund. Each time, they said it was repaired, it did not work. I finally had to purchase a cheap model, so we could have hot food in between the weeks where we had no microwave. I just want the money refunded. The oven has a convection system that would come on by itself and is a fire hazard. I emailed Leslie **, Store manager and received no reply.

We paid a total of 407.98 for the item and insurance. I did not add the 8 20 mile trips to and from the store hauling around a huge microwave. We just want our money back for a lemon product

Kenmore Elite Microwave, purchased 11/09/2009 and delivered 2 weeks later. I was told that warranty begins on date of purchase, not on delivery date. The door of microwave fell off 6 days after warranty expired! Even though it had been less than a year since delivery, warranty was considered expired and Sears refuse to fix door. The microwave is completely useless. Sears has very poor customer service. I bought all my home appliances on 11/09/2009. They do not value their customers and I will never purchase anything from Sears again.

My father is not computer savvy, so I am writing this for him. He bought a microwave from this store in March. The microwave quit cooking. It has been in the store for 9 days. When he called and asked if it was repaired, he was told it might be five days or longer. He asked about them just giving him a new microwave and this was out of the question.

So how long do you have to wait to have a nearly new microwave repaired or replaced? Sears customer service and relations have really fallen in the last few years to an all new low. They give my father the impression we will get to you when we get to you. I ask what if this had been a freezer and it had been down two weeks? A lot of money lost in ruined food.

My microwave oven had a broken part. I ordered a new part from Sears; the part did not work. They suggested another part, thinking the first part was defective,but I received the same issue. They then suggested service. I called Sears service thinking that if I am not installing it correctly, that I would pay for Sears to get it right. Sears could not get the new part to work either and they still expect me to pay for the service call. The complete history of the event is below.

On 8/13, I received second part and got the same error code. I called Parts direct and said that it seems to be an incompatibility issue and I asked if there was a reset button or something I could do? They said they did not know, and to call Service. I called Service. Service could not answer the compatibility question and would only send a Service technician to resolve the issue. I said, "Okay,iIf I am installing it wrong, I will pay for the service."

On 8/20, Service comes to my home, sees the issue I describe, verifies the part and reinstalls the part I had delivered and gets the same error code. Scott, the technician calls his help services and they recommend another part be delivered. On 8/27, Service comes back with new part was delivered and the same result, error code. Scott feels the part is incompatible and possibly replacing the entire master control board and the control switches might fix it but those parts are $500 more dollars, plus the $242.97already spent and the service of $129 adds up to more than $600.

I called Sears customer service (Gina) to say the service call was unsuccessful and I did not expect to pay the additional $129. They said they would have to wait for the Service call entry and to call back in a day or two. On 8/30, I called Sears customer service (Clorisa) I told her the story. They cannot refund. I asked for it to be escalated, the part is faulty. If I had known that the part required three other very expensive parts, I would never had ordered originally. I expected a full refund of parts and service because the part did not work and Sears did not have a functional part to replace it with. She said she would put it back in for review.

9/9, I called Sears customer service (Danielle) and she said they were trying to contact the technician for comment. I said this has to stop, we keep going around and around. She said that was all there was; I asked to speak to a manager. The Manager, Kim (250060) said there would be no refund. There is no yielding, no satisfaction guarantee, no Sears ownership of this issue. I must bear all the Sears' fault and that service came out and even with no fix, I must pay. I told her that I was completely dissatisfied and that this was an unacceptable outcome. I had expected at first a complete $129 refund for the service call and the parts refund will not be an issue.

Builder put in Whirlpool appliances. The built-in microwave stopped heating right after the warranty ran out. Sears Repair said that it would be cheaper to purchase a new one. I purchased a new one and took out the extended warranty. Right before the warranty ran out it stopped heating. Being that it was under warranty they shipped a magnetron and Diode to my home. They replaced the two parts. Not long after they repaired it when I would hit the start button I would hear a loud electrical type of pop noise. Sears came back out and it would not make the noise when Sears was here.

I was told that Sears could not do anything unless it would make the noise when they were here. I am afraid it is going to start a fire. I called Sears again and told them to send a supervisor or someone that would know what would make this noise. I told them not to send the same guy out.

I just want to express how unhappy I have been with the last 3 Kenmore appliances I purchased. My microwave loose screws on side panel, my dishwasher cups and glasses on top rack come out dirtier when cycle is complete as before they went in and my washer (no load level for water).

I purchased a microwave/hood combination approximately early to mid 2005. On Sept. 15, 2010, I was boiling mussels and using fan on micro/hood. I came in the house to prepare dinner while working in kitchen. I heard the microwave turn on. I startled, turned, and opened the door. The microwave turned off. I went back to preparing food. The microwave turned on by itself again. This happened 3 times in total, within 5 to 7 minute time. I unplugged the microwave. I will not use the unit. I contacted Sears. They wanted to charge me for a service call. It was out of warranty. I stated I wanted it noted. This was a fire hazard. Now I must go out and purchase a range hood and microwave, definitely not a combination again.

My Kenmore microwave oven (Model Number: 318279502A / Manufacture date: 5/2006) unit sparks from the right side cover and caught fire from the same area. It resulted in the burning and melting of the cover. This same issue was documented by Gary of Rogers, AR last April 18, 2010 on this site. The unit can no longer be repaired.

I purchased a microwave online via Sears website on April 27 and followed the online wizard to create a delivery and installation date of May 1. The price was $550.

On April 28, we received a call to state that our microwave was ready for pickup. We told them it was supposed to be delivered with installation. They said they would get back to us. Later that day, a man called to say that there was no issue with the delivery and installation date and that he did not know why the person called about the pickup.

On May 1, the microwave or a phone call never arrived. I contacted Sears to find out what the issue was. They could not give a real answer but promised that they would work on getting a new installation date and call us back later that day. They never called, so I called again the next day. Finally, we were told that they cannot find someone to drive this far for installation (Of course, because they were not smart enough to work with Aurora, Indiana or a close OH service, instead trying out of Indianapolis!).

I contacted again 3 days later. Finally, someone tells me the order was never canceled and I have to wait 3 - 5 more days.

This is extremely poor quality customer service. All we wanted was an answer and they treat us like dirt after spending over $4000 yearly with them. We know that our local Sears can take care of the order for $450 for the same item and installation.

After 4 weeks and at least 5 hours in phone calls, we have received no satisfaction from Sears website and we do not recommend that anyone use this service because the local Sears can do it without issue and for $50 cheaper. They offered us nothing for our inconvenience.

I purchased a Kenmore model 80082 microwave approximately 30 months of age. I use the oven 5 months a year. I am now informed that the magnetron needs to be replaced and is not covered by warranty. I have had microwave ovens for the past thirty years. None has ever failed. I feel that like several other manufacturers that the magnetron should be warrantied for 5 years. I will not buy Sears products ever again. Is there an implied warranty that the unit should not die after such a short time?

On January 8, 2008, we purchased a Sears/Kenmore microwave model number **** at the local Sears store. It was not an expensive item, about $85.59 total. On January 29, 2010, the heating element anyway stopped working but the turntable and all keypad/lights/bells still work. It won't heat the food. It's just a huge clock at this point. Okay, I went through the manual and there is not troubleshooting listing for not heating the food.

After trying several of the 800-numbers, I got a woman who, after getting my name and address, saw it was purchased 1/08 and she also told me since it was out of warranty, they can't even tell me if it is a keypad reprogramming error or if the heating element is busted! Yeah, it's not a million dollars but you tell me, it is two years at $40 a year, all the life I can expect out of a microwave? The last Toshiba we had lasted fifteen years and we only replaced it because the lights in the control pad were no longer functioning and the keys stuck on it! I wish I had that Toshiba back now!

Of course, I immediately asked for a supervisor since the woman was adamant that she might lose her job if she assisted me but I had to wait for an hour for him to call back. That gentleman explained that since it was out of warranty, I should take it to Sears' Service Center or call for a technician to come to the house. I said for an $85.00 item, a $50.00 house call that might result in a repair and parts bill of $50.00 on top of the service call charge was pretty dumb and told him that Sears was demonstrating that they were only in it for the extended warranty fees and had apparently forgotten what customer service was.

I asked him why they could not offer me the same technical support on the phone I would get under warranty and then I was told that they did not want the liability if something happened. I said that if a person with the warranty called and was helped by their technician and electrocuted himself, they would sue just as fast as my wife would if I was killed so it really boiled down to Sears taking your extended warranty fees and gambling you would go with their technician rather than killing yourself versus a person who was out of warranty suing them if they were injured while getting assistance from their technicians.

In other words, if they jacked you up enough to sell you the warranty, then they would gamble to help you but if you did not buy the warranty, then tough break! I explained that the GE oven and fridge I bought from Sears had a real customer service department and when the igniter on the oven went out, they spent a half hour with me on the phone troubleshooting it, sold me a part that arrived overnight, and my local repairmen had it installed that afternoon. He explained that Sears was not GE and I explained that if Sears could sell GE appliances and GE could be competitive and still offer some shred of customer service on an oven that was out of warranty, then there was something seriously wrong with the Sears/Kenmore business model!

So I guess I am off to Costco to buy another microwave probably also made in China like this Kenmore one was but the price will be lower and the illusion of some customer service department to stand behind the product that Sears/Kenmore is not an issue. At Costco, the item is cheap, customer service is not expected and you are not subject to the Sears/Kenmore baloney of them standing behind the product.

Will I do everything in my power to tell everyone I know how low Sears has sunk these days? You bet. I will be buying anything from them in the next twenty years or so? Not very likely! All they had to do was let me talk to the service technician to see if there is a reset or programming solution to the problem. If that person had listened, maybe suggesting something like just unplugging it for 10 seconds or even having a programming-the-keypad solution to get the microprocessor that is confused or broken back to starting the heating elements, I would have been happy.

If he/she had then exhausted the quick fixes, I would have dumped it and probably bought another one at Sears. That technician is there for you if you have a warranty so they are in place. If I had gotten at least a bit of effort from them, I would keep my loyalty and they'd be getting my business. All I know is that I will avoid Sears like the plague if that is how they want to run the customer service department.

So if you read all this to find out about Sears and how they treat the customer then walk or run away from that retailer as fast as you can. The microwave was made in China so I might as well get one from China that Costco sells and get it cheaper. It might even last more than two years and twenty-one days! How could Toshiba make one that lasted so long and Sears/Kenmore make one that died so soon? Well, I guess they think you are stupid enough to come back for seconds after they have sold you junk they won't help you with. Frankly, I'm not so they can kiss my extended family goodbye and we will shop elsewhere!

Bought a Kenmore otr microwave item #81623 through the local Sears store. It took two and half weeks to arrive. When it did arrive I set up my contractor to install it. The contractor came, opened the box and there was no manual, no installation information and no grease screnes. He would not install the microwave without the instructions, due to liablity issues he had. I called Sears direct, they had no record of me even purchasing this microwave, kept me on/off hold for at least 20 minutes, before telling me they could not help I had to call my local store. I was following instructions that were included in the box, that says, "please call this number if parts, etc. are missing." What a waste of time. I did get it installed, however, now that I have been using the stove, the steam from cooking things sets into the microwave door and sits there until the next day or longer.

Thank you,

I purchased a new over the stove model microwave in March 2008. It has never worked right and we're on our 4th repair in 1 month, waiting for parts. Currently the microwave is sitting on my kitchen floor.

I contacted Sears to request a replacement. When the person who answered the phone couldn't help me, I asked to speak with a supervisor, so she hung up on me. I called back, and after requesting about a dozen times to speak with a supervisor, the girl finally stopped arguing with me and transferred the call.

So here they are both pointing the finger at each other, and I get to look at my brand new microwave oven sitting on my kitchen floor.

So far, Sears has invested more money in time and parts than I even paid for this microwave.

I realize this is a very small item, but is there a lemon law that applies to this? I want this microwave replaced for a new one. This shouldn't be my problem to have to live with a brand new machine that won't work.