Freezer woes

[Tim J. Johson]

Sears delivered a new freezer a few days ago (and nearly got their mammoth delivery truck stuck in my "rural" driveway).

I opened it up and the interior light does not work. Didn't really matter to me, but my wife was not happy. Tried a new bulb, no go.

I called to have it repaired and the guy at the "nationwide" repair line told me they would just replace the whole freezer....I say "whoa," thinking it seems excessive, plus I did not want that monster truck back on my road....

He said some mumbo jumbo that I did not understand, about a T-connection that often times gets out of alignment and that was NOT a repair that they preferred to make at customer's homes....he finally said I could try cleaning out the bulb socket with a 3-M green scrub pad, compressed air and a lintless cotton towel, and then coat the bulb connection with a light film of Vaseline, which I did. Still no go.

Called the local Sears store, as instructed to have them "replace the freezer," and they said "NO!. Told me I had to call the repair line and get it repaired...hey, wait a minute, Hadn't I already done that....well, had to do it again.

Got another person at the nationwide center who said they usually just replace the freezer, but after telling her the store refused, she finally agreed to send a repair person out.

Well, after all that long story (LOL), do any of you know what is likely wrong and IS THERE any real reason it could not be repaired at my home with no lasting problems....tim

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Could be something as simple at the button switch is stuck or broken. If stuck, a spray of silicone may fix it. Seems silly to replace an entire unit for something like that. Ed.

[Jerry G.]

I know it sounds silly to change a complete freezer, but sometimes the manufactures have good reason to pay the expense of giving you a complete new one. Maybe there is an on going fault in the electrical harness, or connectors, or control switch, or something else that the manufacture is aware of. They normally would never want to go to the expense of changing a complete fridge. I would have let them do it, since I was not paying for it. And, maybe in the long run, it would be better off.

[Dan O.]

Most refrigeration appliances these days use foamed in insulation. If the "T-connection" they spoke about is in the wiring harness and it too has been foamed in place (very possible), getting to it may be difficult to without making a mess of the freezer (if not impossible).

Often times after making such a repair on a "new" appliance the customer insists on having it replaced anyway whether corrected or not (because its "not new anymore"). In a case like that, might as well cut out the middle man to start with? Just one possibility.

You could just ask for a partial refund (up to what it would cost in labour for Sears to replace it) if your wife can live without the light.

BTW. If you know anyone looking for a new freezer (and doesn't care about the light), it will likely show up at a local Sears clearance center at a reduced price.

Dan O.

- Appliance411.com

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[jeff]

Hi,

Could be as simple as a wire off somewhere ( esp happens during transport ) to a bad switch. Replacing the freezer for a light out problem does -sound- excessive to say the least!!

Good luck with the service dept.

jeff.

Appliance Repair Aid

[Eric]

A lot of Sears stuff has simple little problems that are easily fixed, they sell you the "extended warranty" come out and fix it and voila you think "I'm glad i bought that extended warranty" or the opposite happens, you dont buy the extended warranty and they charge you big time to fix a simple problem "they knew" they were going to have. I've seen Sears dish washers that leak due to loose hose fitting inside, push on wire connectors left "almost off" on other appliances etc etc. Needless to say, i dont buy appliances at Sears anymore. Eric

[TURTLE]

This is turtle.

If you run a business of selling freezers and you need a repair of a electrical nature and you had no one that could repair it or even tell you what is wrong with it. You replace it and send it back to the manufactor to figure out.

TURTLE

[Stormin Mormon]

Did you check to see if the tab in the center of the socket is getting power? I've worked on a couple fridges that the tab was pushed down a bit too much, and wasn't making contact with the center of the light bulb.

Wonder why they won't send a repair guy out? Seems like that would make more sense.