New Sears Kenmore Front Load Washer Power Button Broken

Washer Repair
1

My lightly used Kenmore front loader power button failed.
The button is a plastic convex area on the control cover. When you push it, it probably presses a switch on the controls behind the cosmetic front cover and returns to a convex shape. I pushed it a few times to start the washer but got no lights on the display. After two or three pushes the plastic surface of the switch stayed indented (concave). I looked at the Sears parts blowup and see the various parts involved. Simply OUTRAGEOUS PRICES! $5 for a screw, $25 for the knob that selects the wash cycle!
The control part I think is involved is $155 unless it’s just a sticky switch.
This machine has been handled with care and only used about once a week since purchase.

Any advice on the order of diagnosis would be appreciated.

Cedric W

2

I can sympathize with you, but cannot give any good advice. These parts were not made to be repaired, only replaced.

I would contact Sears and see if they can do something for you, provide the part if you do the labor for example, or get you the part at a discount. Not too likely with the “new” Sears, but worth a try.

3

[quote=CEDRIC_W;512252]My lightly used Kenmore front loader power button failed.
The button is a plastic convex area on the control cover. When you push it, it probably presses a switch on the controls behind the cosmetic front cover and returns to a convex shape. I pushed it a few times to start the washer but got no lights on the display. After two or three pushes the plastic surface of the switch stayed indented (concave). I looked at the Sears parts blowup and see the various parts involved. Simply OUTRAGEOUS PRICES! $5 for a screw, $25 for the knob that selects the wash cycle!
The control part I think is involved is $155 unless it’s just a sticky switch.
This machine has been handled with care and only used about once a week since purchase.

Any advice on the order of diagnosis would be appreciated.

Cedric W[/quote]

Dear Cedric W:

[FONT=Arial][COLOR=#000000]My name is Susan and I am part of the Sears Social Media Escalations team. I am very concerned about what I have read here. I came across your post and I wanted to reach out and offer our assistance in getting this unfortunate situation resolved. We’re very sorry to hear about the problems you are encountering with the switch for your front load washing machine and we apologize for the frustration this has caused you and your family. Sears Social Media Escalations Team is a single point of contact for escalated concerns which means we step into a situation and handle it start to finish with one Case Manager. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][COLOR=#000000]At your convenience, please contact our office at smsupport@searshc.com so you don’t have to continue to be impacted by this. Please send us an email. In the email, please provide a contact phone number and the phone number the washer was purchased under (if different than the contact phone number) and we will call you directly. Also, in your email please provide the screen name (Cedric W[/COLOR][/FONT][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#000000]) to reference your issue and we do look forward to talking to you soon.[/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][COLOR=#000000]Thank you,[/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][COLOR=#000000]Susan R.[/COLOR][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial][COLOR=#000000]Social Media Moderator[/COLOR][/FONT]
[COLOR=#000000][FONT=Arial]Sears [/FONT][FONT=Arial]Social Media Support[/FONT][/COLOR]

4

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=olive][COLOR=olive][FONT=Times New Roman][LEFT][COLOR=#000000]Dear Cedric W:

[FONT=Arial][COLOR=#000000]My name is Susan and I am part of the Sears Social Media Escalations team. I am very concerned about what I have read here. I came across your post and I wanted to reach out and offer our assistance in getting this unfortunate situation resolved. We’re very sorry to hear about the problems you are encountering with the switch for your front load washing machine and we apologize for the frustration this has caused you and your family. Sears Social Media Escalations Team is a single point of contact for escalated concerns which means we step into a situation and handle it start to finish with one Case Manager. [/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][COLOR=#000000]At your convenience, please contact our office at smsupport@searshc.com so you don’t have to continue to be impacted by this. Please send us an email. In the email, please provide a contact phone number and the phone number the washer was purchased under (if different than the contact phone number) and we will call you directly. Also, in your email please provide the screen name (Cedric W[/COLOR][/FONT][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#000000]) to reference your issue and we do look forward to talking to you soon.[/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][COLOR=#000000]Thank you,[/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][COLOR=#000000]Susan R.[/COLOR][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial][COLOR=#000000]Social Media Moderator[/COLOR][/FONT]
[COLOR=#000000][FONT=Arial]Sears [/FONT][FONT=Arial]Social Media Support[/FONT][/COLOR]

[/COLOR][/LEFT]
[/FONT][/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT]

5

Well good

Cedric, please let us know how this turns out

Thanks

6

[quote=sidfink43;515517]Well good

Cedric, please let us know how this turns out

Thanks[/quote]
I responded to Susan R.'s message and will wait for them to contact me by email.

Glad to have such a response as I am not able to afford the VERY EXPENSIVE parts involved living on a very small Social Security amount of $640 and being 66 and disabled. I hope Sears can fix this inexpensively.

Good forum so far.

Cedric

7

[quote=CEDRIC_W;515570]I responded to Susan R.'s message and will wait for them to contact me by email.

Glad to have such a response as I am not able to afford the VERY EXPENSIVE parts involved living on a very small Social Security amount of $640 and being 66 and disabled. I hope Sears can fix this inexpensively.

Good forum so far.

Cedric[/quote]
[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]Susan R.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]I have been on the internet to see if I can locate a phone number for your "Sears Social Media Escalations team’ department.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]In doing so, I found a website called CUSTOMER SERVICE SCOREBOARD [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]Sears customer service complaints, reviews, ratings and comments[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]Looks like you folks there at Sears are just sending out these ‘pacification’ messages to customers, like me, but never get the problem fixed.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]NEVER, in all my life, have I ever seen so many complaints about lies from the personnel involved and the repairmen who try to steal more money from customers who have already paid for service and/or have a warranty that is valid.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]I see YOUR NAME on the majority of the complaints as the person who is responding to these customers with the same type of consoling message and to contact you by email.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]I have done so YESTERDAY.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]I can only hope that you are not just another barrier that Sears is using to keep their DISSATISFIED and VERY ANGRY customers who have been ABUSED by totally unnecessary delays and missed appointments causing them lost work income waiting for your repairmen to show up only to be told they are going to be late by an INCORRECT amount of time, and/or having to reschedule appointments with RUDE personnel who have NO COMPREHENSION of how to deal with people in a POLITE and EFFECTIVE MANNER.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]I now expect to be run through the same tour of lies and putoffs as all the others who are DISGUSTED WITH SEARS, THEIR PRODUCTS AND ESPECIALLY THEIR INCOMPETENT PERSONNEL who can’t seem to get anything correct without charging another fee, and even then can’t solve any problems.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]If you can avoid this for me I would appreciate it.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]Cedric_W from my post on the APPLIANCE PARTS PROS REPAIR FORUM about my Kenmore Front Load Washer with the broken power buttom posted August 19, 2011[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]You can email me at [COLOR=#000080]CEDRICWARD.2010@YAHOO.COM[/COLOR] as I don’t leave my cellphone on unless I am calling out, and I DO NOT have voicemail.[/SIZE][/FONT]

8

Hi Cedric

Sorry you had that problem with Sears, they used to be the paragon of service, now they just act like they do not care.

I imagine Susan R is the front name for a number of people.

Given the current attitude of Sears I don’t think they will be around much longer. No one will miss them.

9

[quote=sidfink43;517287]Hi Cedric

Sorry you had that problem with Sears, they used to be the paragon of service, now they just act like they do not care.

I imagine Susan R is the front name for a number of people.

Given the current attitude of Sears I don’t think they will be around much longer. No one will miss them.[/quote]
SID…

Just received an email with an 800 number from a SENIOR case worker at Sears SOCIAL MEDIA SUPPORT. It’s too late to call them today. Will try tomorrow and let you know what happens.
Cedric_W

10

Responded to yesterday’s email from Edwin C. a Sears Social Media Senior Case Worker. phone # 1 800 573 8431 Central Time Zone.

Case # 3753107

Edwin explained my options.

Option One: Pay a fee of $129-$135 to have a repairman come out and diagnose the problem, order the part and come back and repair the problem without knowing the PRICE OF THE PART (which does NOT have to be the same price as Sears quotes on their SearsDirect Parts website.), so you are at the mercy of BOTH Sears AND the Repairman and have YOUR MONEY paid UP FRONT and then have Sears and the Repairman able to screw you further by not keeping appointments or properly fixing the problem or OVERCHARGING YOU for the part, all complaints found on the [FONT=Arial]CUSTOMER SERVICE SCOREBOARD [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2][COLOR=#000080]Sears customer service complaints, reviews, ratings and comments[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

Read more: http://forum.appliancepartspros.com/washer-repair/285812-new-sears-kenmore-front-load-washer-power-button-broken.html#post517806#ixzz1W9GeIN9m
http://forum.appliancepartspros.com

CUSTOMER SCORE CARD WEBSITE LISTED on my previous post above.

Option Two: Sears waives the $129-$135 fee, the repairman comes out, diagnoses the problem, orders the part, I PAY THE REPAIRMAN the price he wants (which does NOT have to be the same price as Sears quotes on their SearsDirect Parts website.), and Sears ‘refunds’ up to $150 of the cost of the part the repairman charges. All which, once again, leave you open to the SAME PROBLEMS as listed in Option One.

Looks to me like Sears uses far too many ‘crooked’ repairmen who simply come out to get paid ‘another fee’ or make a profit on over priced parts and who either don’t keep appointments, causing customers lost wages when they stay home to wait for the repairman to arrive ‘between the hours of…’ which they never do keep, or who send a voice mail to the customer saying they will be late by 30 minutes only to arrive over two hours late or make the customer reschedule another appointment at least a week or two in the future only to repeat the sequence of problems.

The repairmen Sears uses apparently have NO CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION to use SearsPartsDirect PRICES or have any ‘real’ affiliation with Sears other than being a ‘local’ repairman that Sears can contact to come to your home and take advantage of you. Far too many repair people are CROOKS nowadays due to the economy and LOST INTEGRITY of business people in today’s crumbling America. CAVEAT EMPTOR (BUYER BEWARE!)

Sears appears to be running a scam on their customers.

I would suggest that you NOT PURCHASE any products from Sears unless you are prepared to have them NOT HONOR their warranties (a commonly listed complaint) or have them charge USURIOUS PRICES for their parts which seem to fail far too early on their Kenmore products.

Read CUSTOMER REVIEWS online of the products before you buy them either online or in the store. You will be amazed at how many complaints they receive over their shoddily made products of all types (lawn care products, snow machines/plows, etc) all of which I have purchased.

DO NOT BELIEVE ANYTHING Sears employees tell you about what they will do for you either during your purchase or especially AFTERWARDS, if anything goes wrong with the product.

ABOVE ALL…DO NOT PAY SEARS IN ADVANCE FOR ANY SERVICES TO BE RENDERED. Far too many complaints about customers having paid thousands of dollars for their products then having to wait TWO WEEKS OR LONGER for their refunds when they demand to have the product taken back after getting NO SATISFACTION from the repairman or delivery personnel on taking away old units, etc.

11

[COLOR=olive][FONT=Times New Roman]To Cedric, [/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive][FONT=Times New Roman]My name is James and I am part of the Social Media Support Escalations team at Sears. I came across your latest post and see that you are not satisfied with the resolution that you and your case manager Edwin agreed upon. I will let your case manager know that you are still unhappy. We do look forward to talking to you soon.[/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive][FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive][FONT=Times New Roman]Thank you,[/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive][FONT=Times New Roman]James H. [/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive][FONT=Times New Roman]Social Media Moderator[/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=olive][FONT=Times New Roman]Sears Social Media Support[/FONT][/COLOR]