our 4 year old "performa" top mount recently failed (model# ptb19aagr, 18.5 cu. feet). after an initial wrong diagnosis of a locked compressor, it was found that the problem was in fact a failed relay/overload switch. classic failure, the little relay did, in fact, rattle like a broken lightbulb. i have the failed unit in hand, a little piece of plastic made in mexico AND brazil (thank you NAFTA)

anyway, my question: when scheduling a maytag repair call, we were assured two times by maytag customer service that the limited warranty covers labor and compressor. when the repairman showed up the first words out of his mouth were " i see by the call sheet that they said labor was covered, but did they tell you about the service charge?" how much is that, i asked. "well, it's $140" i was bullsh*t but he pointed to language in the warranty that allowed for "mileage and transportation charges, if required, shall be the responsibility of the owner". for some reason he pointed out that he wasn't being paid by the hour.

i was over the barrel, as it was day four without cold storage.

so having got the dirty business out of the way, the maytag man determed that the problem was not the compressor, as had been originally thought, but the overload relay. he replaced the relay, the invoice was drawn up and somewhat to my surprise the $140 "mielage and transportation charge" was invoiced as "labor". guess what, he also charged for the part ($24). he was very very apologetic, very talkative, until he noticed the hour was almost up, and almost bolted out the door.

afterwards i called maytag. initially the phone rep said there must have been some mistake about the labor charge. then when i asked about the cost of the part, the phone rep said "well it's probably not part of the sealed system. i told her that it definitely was, i watched him take it off the compressor after opneing up the back. she countered with "well, it's not part of the compressor". i asked for clarification from a supervisor, and she replied that the supervisor would say the same thing, that they all had the same information. i'm very familiar with call centers, so just insisted nicely that i'd hold for a supervisor. not surprisingly, the supervisor said the same thing. i expected as much, but was just really collecting names at that point. luckily i have the anme of the rep who informed us that there wouldnt be a labor charge for the service call.

my question: isnt the relay overload part of the "sealed refigeration system", and any opinion on tactics to get reimbursement for the payment made to the repair man, check made out to "maytag"?

also: seems to me that the relay/overload problem should have been caught by the first repairman (non-maytag, from the place that sold us the frig). i think he barely opened up the back, did a little vacuuming, and called it a day. i didn't seem him break out an amp meter, if he did, i was out of the room. when he told me it was a locked compressor, i asked if his outfit could do the repair and he threw up his hands and said "i don't touch compressors". honestly, i don't know why he was wearing a uniform. oh yeah, he mentioned that his shop was having a sale on new maytags.

The relay is not classed as part of the sealed system by any manufacturer that I know of. A "sealed system" repair is generally defined as any repair which involves evacuation and recharge of the refrigeration system e.g. compressor/evaporator/condenser replacement, leak detection and repair. Anyway, all new appliances are on a straight one year warranty now, no longer warranties on certain parts any more.

The amount you were charged is perhaps a little on the high side, but not untypical for callout, diagnosis and repair of this type of problem. There are some regional variations, but you don't mention which part of the country you're in. And yes, the first guy should have been able to diagnose this as the problem.

mad mac, thanks. the performa does have the one year full, five year limited warranty.

i'm located in new england (via spidal, ireland, heh) even here $140 seems very very high, especially after being told by maytag's national service center that there would be no labor charges. or "transportation" or "mileage" charges or whatever they feel fit to label it. asking around here, maytag's $140 service call comes in about twice as expensive as most. expensive in both real and relative terms. a $140 service charge represents 1/3rd of the price of the NEW unit!