Q: I bought a GE refrigerator four years ago for over $3,000. The freezer portion has failed five times because of a coolant leak that technicians can’t locate.
Each repair costs over $1,200, which was covered by my warranty, and I’m without a freezer for weeks at a time. I’ve lost my frozen food three times now. The technician told me the suction line is so damaged from previous repairs that it might snap if they try to fix it again. He wants to declare it unrepairable but says he doesn’t have the authority.
GE keeps scheduling more repairs instead of replacing the unit. I feel like they’re stalling until my five-year warranty expires next year. What can I do?
— Paris Perlick, Ladera Ranch, Calif.
A: You’re absolutely right to be frustrated. Five failed repairs on a $3,000 refrigerator is beyond reasonable, and it may even be a record for this column. GE sure seems to be playing the warranty waiting game.
After the third repair failure, GE should have offered you a replacement refrigerator. Most state lemon laws don’t apply to appliances, but common sense does. When a company can’t fix a product after multiple attempts, especially when their own technician says it’s likely unrepairable, replacement is the logical next step.
GE’s five-year sealed system warranty should cover this type of coolant leak problem. But the company has been dragging its feet, hoping you’ll either give up or run out the clock on your warranty coverage. That’s unacceptable customer service.
You could have prevented some of this nightmare by escalating sooner to GE’s executive team. I publish the contact information for GE’s customer service executives on my consumer advocacy website. A polite but firm email to one of these executives after the second repair failure might have saved you months of frustration.
You also had other options. Since you live in California, the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, which offers strong protections for defective products, could have helped you. The law requires manufacturers to provide remedies when they can’t repair a product after a reasonable number of attempts. You could have also filed a complaint with the California Attorney General’s office.
Federal law also protects consumers from companies that don’t honor their written promises. When a manufacturer repeatedly fails to repair a product under warranty, consumers have the right to demand a replacement or refund.
Your case caught my attention because it’s a textbook example of warranty abuse. When I contacted GE on your behalf, the company quickly agreed to replace your refrigerator — something it should have done months ago.
Sometimes all it takes is a little media attention, and a determined consumer advocate, to pressure companies to do the right thing. I hope your new refrigerator serves you well for years to come.
Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him at the nonprofit’s site.
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