Debbie Davis’ eight-year-old grandson loves ice-cream. She gives him some when she takes care of him after he gets off from school. But one hot summer day in July her grandson spotted something strange about his ice cream.
“My grandson went to get some ice cream and informed me there was only soup in there,” Davis told NBC 7 Responds.
Davis walked over to the freezer to check the temperature. She says it was at 15 degrees. She checked the temperature on the refrigerator. It was at 51 degrees, well above the recommended setting of 35 degrees.
She immediately called Sears, where she purchased the refrigerator two years earlier.
A representative looked up her warranty and told her a technician would be sent out to fix the problem but the soonest one could be there was two weeks away.
That started off what she said was more than one month of living out of a cooler and a small refrigerator that her son loaned her.
A technician arrived two weeks after Davis placed her call. The technician replaced the compressor but she says the unit still wouldn’t work. Two weeks later another technician arrived and replaced a computer board.
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Still nothing.
“Sears came out a total of six times,” Davis said. “I was desperate. I wondered how long it would go on. I had family coming in to stay with me. I have my grandson here and I didn’t know how I was going to feed him.”
That’s when Davis called Sears back to ask them to replace her refrigerator.
They said that her warranty did not cover replacements, only repairs. They said she could have $500 towards a replacement.
“I can’t afford a new refrigerator. This refrigerator was only two-years-old and was supposed to outlive me,” said Davis. “It’s not like I have a tree in the backyard that grows money on it.”
A friend suggested Davis call NBC 7 Responds for help.
She did. And NBC 7 Responds called Sears.
That day Davis got a call from Sears with some unexpected news.
“I was amazed,” she said. “You made one call and sent some emails and within the same day they called to tell me they were sending a replacement.”
Davis received the new refrigerator three days later.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Sears told NBC 7 Responds, “The satisfaction of our members is our top priority. Our member services team reviewed and resolved Ms. Davis’ situation by replacing her refrigerator. As a courtesy, we have refunded all the payments made on her warranty and non-covered expenses. We hope she remains a loyal Sears customer and Shop Your Way member.”
Davis says she is appreciative that Sears stepped up and for NBC 7 Responds’ help.
“NBC 7 Responds saved my life, as a senior on social security, you people saved my life.”
Added Davis, “And, my grandson is thrilled he has ice cream again.”
For more information on warranties and what you should know before buying one, click here.
