General Electric

This complaint is twofold: 1) ge consumer electronics refuses to honor a printed warranty valid at the time of sale, and 2) the microwave in question poses a consumer safety hazard and should prompt a recall because what this complaint is about to describe has also been described by many other owners who have posted reviews on the web.

Three years ago I bought a 1.2 cu. Ge rotisserie grill microwave, model jes1289sk, manufactured in 2003 and purchased march 3, 2006. As we do with all appliances and electronics, we kept the receipt stapled to the owners manual and filed away for future reference.

Recently, the microwave began to arch. It emitted an unusual sound, sparks were literally flying and it did not shut off. We were in another room when this started. Only by the grace of god did we prevent the house from catching fire given that it did not shut off and would not shut off until unplugged. Judging from other reports i've read, there are many consumers who report the same but because the unit continues to run some of the affected consumers have continued to operate it despite the presence of an apparently dangerous electrical flaw.

We took our ge microwave to an authorized service center, whereupon the runaround began. The service center insisted we arrange our own repair with ge because there was no warranty on the suspected part. We quoted both the service center and ge customer service representatives the warranty statement in our manual in which it stated that the magnetron was covered for five years from the date of purchase. This was to no avail. The terms of the warranty had been "retroactively" revoked. No ge product carries more than a year warranty, we were told.

The service center claimed that ge notified all its customers that the warranty statement in the manual would no longer be honored. Now understand that we register all our electronics religiously in the event of a recall or a problem of this sort, and despite the fact that we have not changed addresses we were never notified in writing of any change in warranty coverage whatsoever. Furthermore, upon reading the warranty that was in effect when we bought the appliance — as printed in the user manual — there is no language to the effect that ge reserves the right to amend or cancel the warranty terms at any time with or without notice.

As the original owner, I am inclined to file a class action lawsuit and would like to hear from a lawyer experienced in consumer law to fight this on behalf of what I suspect are thousands of ge customers who have been unlawfully denied warranty coverage. Make no mistake: this is not a controversy over abuse or misuse of a product. This is a violation, to the best of my knowledge, of california, if not federal, law.

After spending an hour on the phone with ge on friday, may 1, 2009 it would appear that staff have been coached to do everything in their power to feign ignorance and thereby delay and obfuscate us into giving up in frustration. At one point, an employee insisted that none of ge's own product literature read like ours did.in so many words, we were being accused of lying about what our warranty statement said. Now I don't know what revision number this customer service agent was looking at — given that all technical manuals have some sort of revision code to signify when they were written or published — but I find it impossible to believe that a company that must receive calls like this everyday from consumers and service centers alike would not be clear on the rights of an original purchaser. We are able to supply proof of their own warranty statement, an original receipt, a serial number and a purchase date. There's no excuse for the impression that the customer service reps had either been trained to deny warranty coverage for spurious reasons and/or did not have adequate enough record keeping to confirm for themselves whether our claims of warranty coverage applied.

We suspect that we received the runaround from ge intentionally because most customers would not have the time or patience to pursue a matter, let alone go without an appliance they use on a daily basis while the matter is being straightened out. We wouldn't be surprised if the average person, at least in better economic times, would throw a 3-year-old appliance in a dumpster, environmentally insensitive to the consequences of that act let alone cognizant of the reality that an enforceable warranty may still apply. Ge undoubtedly has solicited studies on consumer behavior in this regard, so it would not come as a surprise if they are training their employees to push their consumers to go out and spend the money to replace a product rather than to pursue a warranty repair. However, this is a different economy and like so many american households, the main breadwinner has been out of work for many months. Our money doesn't grow on trees, and even if it did we would not put it toward another ge product! That is why we find it more than ironic that in this recession wherein customer service ought to be at its best in order to keep bottom lines and stock prices propped up, ge customer service agents cavalierly drive off repeat customers with service that is not only poor — transferring our call about for an entire hour without ever arriving at an an agreement to replace the part — but, worse, seemingly afoul of the law.

Like too many companies that have grown too big to fail, ge does not appear to have a customer-first mindset. As product purchasers, we are essentially left to choose from "evil" or the "lesser-of-several evils". That's what happens when a few big corporations corner the entire market. None of their products have to compete anymore, and even more ironically many consumer products are essentially built for a short shelf life and a disposable end even as we enter a time when "going green" ought to mean building something to last. Consider, if you will, how many items, from microwaves to toasters, last less than five years even as a 1950s a wedding gift might continue operating for 25? Building products cheaply is a recipe not only for consumer frustration, but the necessity to go out spending over, and over again to replace products stacking up at landfills because they were built so cheaply as if to be a form of "planned obsolescence" on the part of the three or four manufactures that presently supply in excess of 90 percent of the electronics and appliance brands on the us market.

It seems obvious to us that this ge combination microwave oven was manufactured and purchased before changes to ge product warranties went into effect. Our product manual states that we have a "5-year magnetron warranty" and we're going to demand it if for no other reason that large companies should not be permitted to badger customers into believing that warranties are not enforceable. Nobody wants to call a company and feel that they are being tossed around from one telephone extension to another like a hot potato, or that the customer service reps who have taken their call were hired less than 24 hours ago and can't answer questions about their own products.

My plan is to report this microwave to the consumer safety product commission and ge to the better business bureau. My reason for posting on this site, however, is to ask anyone who has experienced this problem to come forward and share their own story. If you own a ge product that is still under warranty according to your instruction manual but the company denies it, please do not make the mistake of posting nothing more than a comment. If you have the original receipt and warranty statement to prove it, please write up and post a separate complaint on this website so that the true numbers of people who have been cheated out of their warranty coverage by ge will become apparent. Finally, I would also like to hear from someone in the consumer advocacy or legal profession who can confirm whether or not ge consumer products division appears, as we suspect, to have acted in bad faith.

GE Appliances used to have a good reputation - not any more. The GE refrigerator we bought had problems within one year. The service would come at no charge to 'fix' it and within a few months it would be broken again. This happened over several years. They put in new doors to try and fix the problem. That didn't work. They put in a 'kit' for the ice maker. That worked about one year. Now we have a refrigerator that has been nothing but trouble and no ice. They said they would give $400 towards a new GE. Considering that we have only had from the beginning a refrigerator worth about $400, it's not a good deal. And why on earth would we but another headache called GE Appliances? No thanks.

Since they sent them over seas to be built, they have gotten worse and worse. Even the salesmen at stores admit this. DO NOT buy a GE appliance unless you enjoy dealing with repairmen on a constant basis. They know that there is a problem with their appliances but apparently would rather pay lower wages than have them built right!

This is regarding a GE refrigerator purchased from Lowe's. The model is # GSH25SGPC SS. The water dispenser in the freezer door keeps freezing up and will not dispense water, I keep a hair dryer in the cabinet next to the fridge and thaw it out every two days. What a shame to have to do this on a new refridgerator that cost around $1, 000.00. I have called GE and they keep saying they are not aware of the problem and have not had any complaints. This is an out and out lie since there are many web sites where consumers have registered complaints including this one. Check "GE GE refrigerator water supply". I have contacted GE about 5 times and Lowes twice about this problem since it was new. Lowes says it is GE's problem and GE says there is no problem. I have complained to Consumer Affairs and the Better Business Bureau. I even went up to someone in Lowe's that was looking at a GE fridge and warned them not to buy. What recourse do we the consumer have when criminals like this will not stand behind their product once they get our money? I wonder if this is something some ambitious young attorney would like to get into and pursue? Surely we can all band together and force GE to do something. Check some of the web sites, I suspect there are probably hundreds of us with the same problem and even more that don't know where to turn. I have been trying so long, to no avail, that my fridge is now out of warranty which GE loves and uses to their advantage. GE did say they will be glad to come out and replace my faulty door at a cost of over $500.00 to fix their manufacturing defect! How thoughtful! Lowe's would not do anything to help either. I guess this was a $1, 000.00 learning experience. I will NEVER pirchase another GE appliance and will do everything I can to discourage others from buying GE! Total trash with absolutely no customer service.

Bought a top of the line GE profile dryer - 10 months of use and it blew up - after 2 months of weekly phone calls emails I got warranty repair - new motor and electronics - lasted 2 days - then they replaced the unit - I insisted I did not want the same model - but there was no other option from them - so I took it - this unit has now lasted 13 months - and it blew up - I was in basement and my husband & daughter upstairs and they thought someone shot a gun - after I started screaming they found me downstairs with a smoking dryer - JUNK - do NOT buy GE

I had an extended warranty on my GE Profile Over the Range Microwave Oven. When My Microwave was not working properly I called GE for service. They sent 2 technician from Dial Appliance to check the Microwave, and they discovered that Magnetron Tube on the Microwave was defective and they ordered new one. Upon receiving the part they came back and installed it but the Microwave was still not working correctly, at that point they discovered that now the transformer was kind of broken because they saw little smoke coming out during the test. The technicians left with the information that they were going to order new transformer from GE . Week later I called from GE extended service dept. informing me that they received the repair status form the Dial Appliance and decided it is not cost effective to invest any further in repair cost towards the old microwave, instead they offered me the new replacement at 50% of the cost since it was 10 years old.
I decided to take the replacement option at 50% of the cost and the new microwave was delivered with in couple of weeks. The new Microwave was delivered by Turay & Sons Trucking Corp from Bronx, NY. During the installation process they took wrong measurement through the template that was provided with the new microwave. due to that the microwave screws could not go in straight from the cabinet, therefore leaves about more than 1/4 inch of gap from the cabinet. The Microwave is loose due to only two screws installed instead of three and is not very secured and I am afraid due to his heavy weight (68 lbs) it may fall on my gas range any time. I tried repeatedly to contact the GE and the delivery people but it was of no use. GE informed me that I should contact delivery people since they are the ones they installed it, but the delivery people refuses to come back to fix the issue, because they know there is nothing they can do since they have already damaged the kitchen cabinet with too many holes and there is no place to drill any more holes to do the correct installation.
I would advise every one to carefully think before purchasing any GE appliance or the extended warranty from them since they give it to third party to do their work. I guess I will have to take this matter to litigation to resolve this issue.

My GE wall oven was defective from the day i purchased it, under 2 years ago. It releases carbon monoxide fumes due to a faulty broiler, which Public Service and their own repair man verified.
GE is insensitive to my problem, and refuses to pay for the labor cost.
I am completely frustrated, and cannot get help from store of purchase (Oberg & Lindquist in Westwood, NJ) or GE customer service.

An example of Mediocre Service :

January 21st 2009

Stove : We order ordered a GE cook top from Sears...it arrived dirty finger print all over the stove...we re-ordere the stove a total of 3 times and had simillar problems everytime...we canceled the order.

Customer Service : It is very difficult to find a phone number that will get you someone nice and helpful at the other end of the phone...when you call a number ...you get a message to call another number..when you call the other number you get a message to call this other number and it goes on and on.

Phones : The phone model number GE 28300EE2 is advertized as expandable with up to 6 handset but you can't purchase or find the acessorie handset anywhere...no one has them in stock.. USA or Canada.

Be careful General Electric does not have long to live.

After purchasing a brand new GE Cafe Side-by-Side refrigerator last week, it took only 13 hours to began smoking. I pulled the plug. The inside temperature was 95 degrees. After it cooled down, I opened the door and saw a yellow burnt spot in the back with a large crack in the wall. Had we not been home to pull the plug, there would have been a major fire in our home. I will never feel safe with a GE applaince again.

Yes, our money was refunded by the store but GE has not responded to my complaint.

I swear to god I want the people in the consumer relations and service department to just fall over and die. I have had nothing but horrible experiences with my refrigerator that is a couple months old. Today was the 3rd scheduled service call where they just decided not to show up without any reason. This is unacceptable service. The 2nd time I called to complain about it they said they will extend my warranty a year, well now it's happened a 3rd time and what another year extended but no service available? GE better try and figure out a better way to deal with customers and not just flake out when I've lost 3 good days at work, which I should just charge them for!

I bought a jenn air modle #jdb108oaws dishwasher from home depo almost two years ago. I bought the exsended warenty. Not even months had gone by
And the dishwasher had problems. The electronic panel wen't bad. So I could not use the dishwasher at all. The company that they called took there time.
They got out and had to order the panel. Well they had to make the panel
Because the dishwasher had been discontinued. So they told me they do not have it in stock. So it took them 6 month to make. Then the second time
It happened again. Now here we are again. The dishwasher was not cleaning
And the panel would only work on the rince cycle. So the company. They sent
Out ordered the spinners and replaced the shelf brackets that came off. That took a month or more.
They said they would order the panel. One month went buy, two, three, I called the company collins of hagerstown, md and she kept saying. It had not come in. It would take a lond time to come in. So I called general electric.
They called collins and collins applince said they had closed that ticket out in october. I said what. Why did they do that. She said they told her it had been repaired. I said new to me. I told her well why did I call there and they tell me it was on order and it would take awhile. She asked when did I call, I said two weeks ago. She said she did not know. I ask to speak to consumer relations. She said she was. She said she would call and get them back out. I said what it would take another 6 months or more again. Yes. Pretty much oh well. Nothing they will do, I told her how about the lemon law. She said it would have to happen 3 times in same year. I said it would of if I would not of had to wait inbetween for then to order the part, so here I wait for then to call the same repair compy that screwed up to come out. It has been over a wek I call because I got a letter that said call. So I cal and they said that it was in a reviw board to see if it is cost affected to replace it. She said she would call me in two days. She left a message on my husbands phone saying that. They were going to send the part in the mail to me and when I get it to call the appliance collins to have them put it in. So I guess it was not cost effective for them. Not that I have been put out and have got to use my dishwasher 3 months since I have bought it. So here I wait for god knows how long to get the part in. I did with out my dishwasher for thanks given and now christmas. Iknow this company does not give a darn, I have told them I have a fractured back and I just broke my knee cap in half. Do you think they care. Nope. All they care is that's it's cost effective. Thanks g& e consumer relations. Nice relations job there, charlene

Purchased GE Profile washer year ago for our new home. Thought I was purchasing a step up in quality appliance. Wrong. One year, one month after purchase the mother board control panel went. Took a week to get someone out to look at it, another week to get him back to put in part. When tech left he pronouced washer fixed. Five minutes after he left I tried to do a load of wash, not fixed. Washer only runs on rinse through all cycles. Tried to get tech back gone. Called GE to see if he could come back next day or two of course no way. Another week. Again to look at it and another week to fix. Each time I have to leave work to be there. They can never help you out with scheduling, you can never get anyone to ask questions about the problem, the tech nenver has a part on the truck, I loose pay each time I have to come home. I am still waiting for my washer to be fixed! This is a horrible inconvenience. I should charge them fotr my time, salary lost and the inconience of having to find time to go to a laundromat. I have a brand new home with all GE appliances the builder put in, don't get me started on other appliance problems since we have been there. Microwave, fridge. I will never by GE again, I will never reccommend GE to anyone. There appliance stink but their consumer relatiuons and service are even worse! No wonder they sold off their appliance division!

Late October 2007, I purchased a brand new set of GE washer & dryer ( electric ). These were purchased in SC----then approx. 6 wks later we were moving to WY. From day 1 there had always been an issue with the water fil cycle of the washer. It could't be looked at in time before our move, however it was looked at after our move. I have spent countless hours & days calling number after number in hopes of getting SOMEONE to take the "bull by the horns" and get this washer fixed...I continue to get nothing but the biggest run-around from every GE call center & service departments.
I should mention that I purchased an extended 4 year warranty for these products...The customer service with GE SUCKS! Once again, on Monday Dec. 1 I was told by a "representative" on the phone "you will receive a telephone call within NO LESS than 24 hours to address this ongoing issue. Well, here it is Friday Dece.ber 5, 2008 and STILL NO PHONE CALL FROM ANYONE!
What is a person supposed to do wo get assistance, short of contacting our governor's office?

To Whom It May Concern:
All. I wish to relate my GE experience to you. My decision to purchase a dryer was a toss up but I felt the GE name would give me the edge. So I bought a GE profile series dryer.
It was delivered, installed by the local appliance store and when turned on made so much noise that I call the appliance store back and they swapped it out. When the replacement was turned on it made some squeaking but not much. A call to GE said squeaking was normal.
Now barely 2 years after owning this dryer we started having major noise and then the dryer would rumble and walk. My son finally figured a work around and this was low heat. Only trouble was this took a long time. So I called the GE answer line and they said it was out of warranty. I asked to speak to someone who I could discuss my displeasure. This person politely said the best that could happen was GE would pay for the service trip.
So I thought about fixing myself and called back to get the owners manual. I tried online but the site did not recognize my model. So I called in to figure this out and the representative could not get this online so she faxed and sent US mail the owner’s manual. Not a good day for a Fortune 100 company when their site cannot even be navigated by employees.
She also sensed I was not pleased and gave me the number to a Kim Freeman. I called Kim and left a message that was returned by a Mary Beth Culver. Now everyone was very polite and professional and Mary Beth said that GE would cover the service trip charge and parts and for me to cover labor. I agreed and the service man showed up 2 days later. He also was very polite and professional and in 25 minutes had my dryer working better than when it was originally purchased.
He then said the labor charge was $110. I commented that this was $300/hour for labor. Now he was very good but he was not a cardiac surgeon. I paid the bill and called Mary Beth. She said that all job labor charges are based on what is replaced/repaired and this insures a consistent charge if a serviceperson takes longer than others. I explained to Mary Beth that I was still not satisfied but she insisted GE had been quite fair. I explained that customers relate poor experience more frequently than good ones and I would be relating my GE experience, both solicited and unsolicited.
As a Realtor I have many opportunities to discuss this. Now I am faxing this to you as I prepare to leave town for a week. When I return I plan to post my GE experience to every blog and site I can think of. It is unfortunate that companies cannot stand behind there product but if a deficiency is found than consumers should be aware of this. After all, we are the customers. Thanks you for your time.

I bought a GE washing machine this year and it washes the clothes all right, but I have some "drip-dry" clothes that never see the inside of my dryer, and they invariably come out with at least a bit of lint on them - and I am not over- or under-sudsing, or using too much or too little water. There is simply nothing in the washer to trap the lint in the wash-water. I have been unable to find a lint filter that will fit any recent model of GE washing machine. "Home remedies" such as tossing panty hose into the wash do not get it. Could you please tell me where I might find an in-basket lint filter, or tell me how we might construct one?
I have long been a "fan" of GE appliances - my mother had a GE wringer washer when I was a child, and that machine had no break-down in it. I would really appreciate any help you can give me on this lint problem. Thank you for your attention.

This washing machine is less than one year old. Here is a litany of warranty services it has recieved thus far:

One month old, loose tub. Service Technician tightened.

Three months old, tub loose again. Service Technician replaced big nut.

Six months old. front cover won't stay on. sheet metal bent from regular use.

Right front adjustable foot won't adjust. Threew a block of wood under it

to level it. Service Technician said he'd order me a new foot. He didn't. Service Technician accused me of modifing machine, I did not. He had never seen a machine like this one. It showed.

Was given a year's extension on warranty.

Eleven months old, will not spin. Waited a wek for service, Service Technician installed wrong motor will have correct delivered to my home, next week.

Back to the laundromat!

On August 18, 2008 I bought a GE washer (WJRE5500G2WW) It broke on Sept. 23. They came out on October 1, had to order parts. I couldn't use the machine. On October 8 they came back and repaired it. Today it is having the same problems and when I called back all they said was, well, we'll send someone out next week. Don't use the machine. How can a family not use their washer? I want a new machine, but they said they don't do this, but they will be happy to continue to fix it for us. What happens when my warranty is up? DO NOT buy a GE washer. They do not stand behind their products.

I have several GE applicances which came with the park model I purchased brand new three years ago. Since then the side-by-side refrigerator needed service for the computer and now the piece behind the water dispenser is all cracked. Recently, the Space Maker microwave has started reading error codes. I cannot find an email address or a phone number to express my disappointment in these products. Again, t he products are only three years old. I always thought GE was a dependable name, obviously I was mistaken. Please provide me with a phone number, email address or mailing address where I can express my concerns. Gail LaFlamme

In December 2007, I remodeled my kitchen using all GE Monogram appliances. Within weeks, it was clear that the refrigerator/freezer (Model ZFSB25DTG) was not keeping temperature, would not make ice, was incredibly loud, and the freezer compartment had expanded to the point that the shelves no longer fit.

I made several calls to their service department. One technician would show up, be very rude, and order parts for the next guy; who would then show up late (sometimes not at all--until I made myriad appointments) and then say the first guy ordered them wrong.

This has gone on now for 4-1/2 months, 23 phone calls, 7 service calls, and I haven't had one thing fixed.