in this case
- A customer’s microwave fails after four repair visits and 10 replaced parts, eventually becoming a fire hazard.
- Best Buy refuses to replace the unit, claiming the repair costs have already exceeded the warranty’s “monetary limit.”
- See how an email to the company’s Chief Resolution Officer finally secured an exchange for the dangerous appliance.
Amber Lise is trapped in an eight-week ordeal with Best Buy over a malfunctioning microwave oven. Best Buy repeatedly denies her exchange request. Is there a way to change its answer?
Question
I bought a microwave from Best Buy, and it doesn’t work. Technicians have replaced 10 parts over four visits, but they can’t fix it.
Now the unit has started smoking, and a technician has admitted that they may never be able to repair it. Best Buy refuses to replace the microwave, saying it doesn’t meet their “monetary limit.” What can I do? — Amber Lise, Glen Ellyn, Ill.
Your voice matters
Amber Lise was stuck with a smoking microwave that Best Buy refused to replace because the repair costs had hit a “monetary limit.” It took an executive escalation to fix a dangerous appliance. We want to hear your thoughts.
- Should a warranty’s “monetary limit” allow a company to refuse replacement for a product that is unfixable and dangerous?
- Have you ever had to fight a retailer over a lemon product? How many repairs did it take before they replaced it?
- Do you trust extended warranties from big-box stores, or do you rely on the manufacturer’s warranty?
Answer
Best Buy should have replaced your microwave quickly after it failed to repair it. It looks like you paid extra for Best Buy’s protection warranty, which covers you up to the regular retail price at the time of purchase. And that was the problem — with all the technician visits, it seems Best Buy had already exceeded the price of the microwave.
Federal law protects you from products that don’t work as advertised. Under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, if a company can’t repair a defective product after a reasonable number of attempts, it must offer either a replacement or refund. You’re also covered by Illinois’ Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, which prohibits companies from misleading customers about warranties.
When a microwave smokes after four failed repairs, the conversation should be over. Best Buy hiding behind a “monetary limit” while the appliance becomes a safety hazard is the kind of logic that makes customers swear off extended warranties for good.
Read more insightful reader feedback. See all comments.
But mostly, you’re covered by common sense. You can’t sell someone a microwave that doesn’t work and then give up on repairing it because it’s too expensive. That’s just wrong.
Best Buy’s claim about a “monetary limit” for exchanges is understandable from the company’s perspective, but not from yours. You had a microwave that was smoking. That’s a terrible habit.
Best Buy should have replaced the unit immediately after the third repair attempt, especially given the safety risk. Instead, it wasted your time and it might have endangered your household.
To prevent this, always document every interaction (emails, repair logs) and know your warranty rights. You had a brief exchange with the company by email, but were doing most of the communication by phone. Remember, there’s no record of a phone conversation, which makes it more difficult to resolve a consumer problem.
If a company stalls, escalate to executives immediately. I publish contact details for Best Buy’s leadership team on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.
I’m happy to say this case didn’t require my intervention. I shared the executive contacts with you, and after you reached out to Best Buy’s Chief Resolution Officer, the company finally approved the exchange. While I’m glad Best Buy resolved your case, it shouldn’t require executive intervention to honor a warranty.
How to fight a lemon appliance warranty claim
What to do when a retailer refuses to replace a broken product
Before the repair: keep detailed records
During the repair process: know your rights
If the company refuses: escalate
Executive Contacts
Is Best Buy refusing to honor your warranty or replace a lemon? If customer service won’t help, take it to the top.
What you’re saying
Readers were incredulous that Best Buy would haggle over “monetary limits” on a microwave that was literally smoking. The consensus: safety trumps policy, and extended warranties might be more trouble than they are worth.
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Safety should override policy
Top commenter Sandra argues that once a microwave smokes, “the conversation should be over.” Prabir Mehta agrees, noting Best Buy is “lucky” no one was injured. Jennifer adds that leaving a customer to “babysit a lemon” is nonsense.
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The “monetary limit” logic is flawed
The Brown Crusader points out that warranty obligations don’t disappear just because repairs are expensive. JenniferFinger calls the limit “meaningless” to the customer who paid for protection, while Joe notes the irony that the extended warranty’s spending limit actually “worked against her.”
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Are extended warranties worth it?
batperson shares a “nightmarish experience” with a third-party warranty that wouldn’t refund a fee for an undelivered product, vowing “NEVER AGAIN.” Tim suggests skipping store plans entirely and relying on credit card extended warranty benefits instead.
