Sears Kenmore Elite Appliances Consumer Reviews - Page 14

JOHNS CREEK, GEORGIA -- We have an extended warranty on this product. Thank God because it is a necessity. Not only has the water line leaked 5 times in the past five years, we have also had two service calls for cooling problems, two for ice maker problems (one related to the water line). And the most recently discovered water leak has caused property damage, leaking under my dishwasher, ruining hardwood flooring, and a bit of cabinetry as well.

I'm really tired of having to schedule service, interrupt my life to wait around for the repair man to diagnose the problem (that I already can diagnose myself), wait around for a part of arrive and re-schedule the actual repair get it fixed, have it break again and not be able to use the water and ice maker feature at all during all this time because of having to turn off the water line completely. This appliance is absolutely not living up to the Kenmore quality that I have been used to for the past 20 years.

To make me a happy customer, I'd like both the property damage repaired and the unit replaced. This model clearly has a water line defect. I mean, come ON! Five water leaks in five years? That's surely not the type of record Sears expects to have going for its Kenmore ELITE appliances.

TEXAS -- We have owned these same type of Sears ice makers since 1984. The 1st one lasted 21 yrs with a few minor repairs. We built a new house and installed a new one in 2005. It has been nothing but repairs since then and the repairs were $150 to $250 each time and it cost $1100.00 new. After consulting with the repairman, we bought this Kenmore built in ice maker (model 106.8958) and it was installed by Sears in December 2011. It would make a VERY loud noise when it cycled (filled with water), and it lasted for 3 minutes at a time.

A Sears repairman came out and would never stay long enough to hear it cycle, so we complained to the store where we bought it and they ordered a new one and installed it about a month later. It makes the exact same noise, but it only lasts for about 30 seconds. It is so loud we have to turn the TV up when are in the den which is not very close to the ice maker. The repairman suggested we buy the extended warranty since these are built so poorly, so we paid an extra $200 for the 5 yr extended warranty.

I guess if they build them with such poor quality they will sell more extended service warranties--huh? We had some friends over recently when it cycled and they looked at us with a shocked look and said "what is that?" WOW. It is very loud and irritating!

EMPORIA, KANSAS -- My wife and I went to the store on a Sunday to find a portable dishwasher; we chose to "Shop Emporia First." A salesman quoted a price for the dishwasher and claimed that if we came back on the very next day, it would be an additional 15% off that day's price. Upon returning the next day, the price of the washing machine had gone up and the Assistant Manager at Sears refused to honor what her sales associate told my wife and I on Sunday. She also chose not to offer any other ways to help us with our purchase; all she could basically say was that she couldn't help us.

This poor taste from Sears makes me feel as though they are not trustworthy with their prices nor do they honor their customers to meet some type of satisfaction. We and will continue to choose to shop other places than Sears. If this store valued the customers of Emporia, they would have tried much harder to at least compromise with us on this possible purchase.

NEWINGTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE -- I had the worst experience recently dealing with Sears regarding a gas range I had purchased only 4 years ago. My tenant decided to clean the "self cleaning" oven. Luckily she was home, as the smoke detectors went off. She shut the stove down to find the top of the oven door had melted into the oven! I spoke to FIVE different people in various departments at Sears only to be told that because I didn't have an extended warranty, there was nothing they could do.

This model does not have a lock handle on the door. I'm not sure why the lock mechanism didn't work. Thankfully she was home so this defect didn't cause a fire that would have burned the house down. I will never buy another thing from Sears!

ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA -- We purchased a nice gas range from Sears in November 2004. Everything worked great for 3 years and we were well pleased... Until the safety valve for the oven burner began to malfunction. It was "stuck closed". The glow plug would come on but the burner wouldn't ignite. When I thumped it with a spoon the valve would open and the burner would then ignite. Since it was out of warranty I had a repairman from the gas company come out. He verified it was the valve so I ordered one from Sears ($35). It arrived in a couple of days and I installed it. It didn't work at all. Never would allow the gas through.

I called Sears parts back and they sent me another one that was "tested before shipped". (Why wouldn't it be?) Anyway, I received it and was relieved when it worked great. Fast forward to 6 months ago... It started doing it again. I'm even with a different gas company now so it's not the gas. I have debris traps before all my appliance gas shuts off so it's not that.

I called Sears parts direct (the part is now $125) and got sent over to repairs who then sent me back to parts where I was on hold for a while and then gave up. I just think a $1,400 gas range should last more than 3 years before stuff starts going wrong with it and if the same part goes bad AGAIN they should make it right. Maybe Sears really doesn't have their act together yet, or are all major appliances crap these days?

CONCORD, OHIO -- I have a Sears Elite Dual fuel range and have had many problems, purchased in 2001 within six weeks needed the grates replaced as heat turned them dual reddish brown, had the glass top replaced after it cracked. Both of these were under warranty. Then in 2005 the control panel went out with an error code and Sears wanted $450 to fix it, got a local guy to do it for $325, but it went out again in 2010 and this time I had a Sears extended warranty--stupid move on my part aside from buying this junk in the first place.

The warranty only cover $250 so I had to come up with another almost $350 this time. The repairs have totaled more than the stove cost originally. I entered a complaint to Sears but never heard from them. Sears would have to give me anything else as I would never buy from them again nor recommend them to anyone.

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN -- We have a 2-year-old Kenmore bottom freezer fridge. We were told it was made by LG. It has broken down 3 times in the past 2 months. It just stops cooling and the fan doesn't work. The control panel was replaced a week ago (11/25) and today, it shut off again. A repairman is not coming until Tuesday (12/6) and he may not be able to fix it without the correct parts. We were without a fridge from the Friday before Thanksgiving to the Friday after. This is really terrible for a large company like Sears to have such a bad product.

My 2006 Kenmore elite stove has been nothing but trouble since I purchased it. Had burners replaced twice in the first couple of years. Took out extended warranty--good thing--it required another burner and some controls and wiring problem. Oven temp. cannot be controlled and the top was pitched within the first month and the oven exhaust area turned yellow in the first month.

Sears would not replace them, there has been large flashes of light just poof out of the stove for?? My husband nearly fell off his seat. When it did that, I turn off the electricity when I leave home for a few hours. Then today the stove started beeping--yes beeping--no warning code or anything. Then the 2 right burners stopped working, along with the left back burner so I now have 1 burner left to work with!! Stay away from these stoves. I paid $2,000.00 for this piece of junk in 2006 and have regretted it ever since.

MIAMI, FLORIDA -- After purchasing an expensive Sears Elite HE5T Washer and Dryer, we thought by buying from a reputable source and paying a lot of money we would have a good product. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Washer (1 1/2 years old) has broken down twice - giving errors that you HAVE to pay for their technicians to come out and analyze. One was a jiggle of the wires and bingo it worked, how interesting. Another appears to have part of the mother board replaced. Interesting, now $350 into this and what is next. There are only 2 of us, we do wash once a week, 2-3 loads max.

WHY doesn't the consumer protection agency investigate these practices of Sears? The internet has listed thousands of similar complaints. Many of the same error code which has been going on for years! Why hasn't Sears corrected this? Because they are making much money off their warranties and repair work!! DO NOT BUY SEARS PRODUCTS!!

COLORADO -- Three years ago, I purchased a Kenmore Elite gas double oven, paying over $1300 for it. This past month, the "idiot" board quit on it, not entirely, mind you... but enough so, that it is frustrating, especially on a fairly new appliance. The timers can't be set, and the oven lights won't work. The ovens can't be regulated as they should be. The top oven won't heat up over 350 degrees. The bottom oven will go to 425 degrees, but it keeps surging when I shut it off. It is definitely a safety hazard. Why isn't there a safety recall on this???

Long story short, to replace the "idiot" board will cost $450. Why is Sears making a piece of crap and charging so much for it? I had a double oven for years before this (from Sears) and loved it... Why are we having to deal with junk?