Terrible Experience with Sharp

8 years ago

Just wanted to share the terrible experience I had with Sharp in case others were thinking of purchasing a Sharp Microwave Drawer.

For my new home that was under construction I purchased a Sharp Microwave Drawer. After it was installed I noticed a very very small ding on the front door in the stainless steel. It's the size where you have to get the light just right to see it. I really don't know what trade did this (cabinets, electrician, etc.).

I called Sharp to see if I could purchase replacement parts to fix this myself as I didn't expect it to be fixed under warranty since it really wasn't their fault as far as I know. Their response is that they couldn't help me without the serial number and date of manufacturer. I let them know that I'd get it the next day and call them back.

When I called them back I explained again that I'd like to purchase this part because their is a very small and purely cosmetic issues on the door. Once they had the serial number they told me that they could not sell me the part and that my warranty was now void for the unit because it had "physical damage".

While this is technically "physically damage" it's so small and minor it couldn't possibly affect other parts of the microwave. I'm just OCD about things having to look perfect.

I feel mislead because they didn't tell me this until immediately after I gave them the serial number. Additionally, I was completely willing to pay for the part. I've learned my lesson and will never do business with Sharp again.

Featured Answer

friedajune

8 years ago

The "restricted purchase" thing isn't really enforced. Call the website's phone number and speak to someone live. Purchase the part over the phone.

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Comments (8)

M
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
There is a pretty good chance that they would lose in court, if you ever decided to sue them for any warranty repair costs. Of course, the specifics of the case matter a lot. So, nobody could say for sure.

And unfortunately, a lawyer is likely going to cost more than the few hundred dollars that a repair would cost. You could try suing them in small claims, as that doesn't require a lawyer. But it has its own set of complications (including but not limited to how to serve them properly).
dadoes
8 years ago
Check if the part(s) you need are available elsewhere than directly from Sharp. SearsPartsDirect.com for example carries parts for many brands.
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Paul
Original Author
8 years ago
@dadoes - I did but it's a "restricted purchase" which I assume means they only sell to their authorized repair centers.

@M - Seems like throwing good money after bad money. At this point I don't really want to put more money into dealing with a company that engages in such tactics. I wish someone else made a microwave drawer.
Sammy
8 years ago
What’s the model number of the microwave and of the part/parts in question?
Paul
Original Author
8 years ago
@Sammy - The model is SMD2470AS and I believe the part I need is FCOV-B533MRK0A according to this diagram on searspartsdirect.com
Sammy
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I’d like to know the definitions of “damaged” and “defaced,” because it seems that’s where they’re getting you.

From the second paragraph of the warranty:

“This warranty does not apply to any appearance items of the Product nor to the additional excluded item(s) set forth below nor to any Product the exterior of which has been damaged or defaced...”
M
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975 would quite possibly disallow any language that is this vague and all-encompassing.

According to Sharp, you lose your warranty coverage, if your kid puts googly eyes on your appliance. The law very much begs to differ.

Call your representative's office of constituent services and see if they can be convinced to call Sharp and give them a gentle reminder of what the law says.

They don't directly have any way to force a private company to change their behavior, but they're surprisingly good at cutting through red tape. If that doesn't work, your next call should be to your state's attorney general. Several states have recently been paying more attention to companies that violate the letter or at least the spirit of this law