By Christopher Elliott | Problem Solved

Q: My wife and I purchased a Frigidaire refrigerator from Costco recently. Six months after delivery, while still under the manufacturer’s warranty, it stopped working. 

The Electrolux warranty department has been unable to repair it because the required parts are unavailable.

Around week four, Electrolux claimed a part was available and would ship immediately, but it never arrived, and they haven’t provided a tracking number. 

It’s been seven weeks, and the refrigerator still isn’t fixed.  Can you help me get a replacement refrigerator? I’d also like to be reimbursed for food spoilage, the cost of a mini-fridge, and meals. — David Hauser, Kingston, Ontario

A: I’m so sorry you haven’t had a working refrigerator. Electrolux should have provided a timely repair or offered a replacement. And if it couldn’t, you should have asked Costco for help.

Costco offers a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee that allows you to return your appliance within 90 days. It also extends its manufacturer warranties, ensuring that your product is covered beyond one year. It looks like your product fell within a gray area of the warranty. You were past your 90 days but still within your warranty period.

You’ve taken the right steps by documenting all communication with Electrolux, Elite Appliances (the repair company), and Costco. This paper trail proves you’ve attempted to resolve the issue.

I noticed one missing item from your paper trail: documentation of your food loss. If you’re going to ask Electrolux or Costco to compensate you for food that thawed out and was unusable, you need to keep your grocery receipts. Asking for replacement is reasonable, but normally a business won’t pay unless you can show you suffered actual damage.

You could have escalated this issue further by contacting executives at Electrolux or Costco. I list their contact information on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.

I’m surprised that Electrolux couldn’t assist you. The company is normally responsive to customer requests, especially if you’re within your warranty. In my last case involving a broken appliance with Costco and Electrolux, it was Electrolux that stepped forward to help.

But since neither Electrolux or your repair company could help you, I decided to lean on Costco for a resolution. I contacted the company and asked it to review your problem. In response, I received a terse phone call from a Costco representative who said the company had received my email but had “no comment.”

Costco contacted you and offered a full refund in exchange for the return of the broken refrigerator. It also offered to compensate you for your food loss.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy (https://elliottadvocacy.org), a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at [email protected] or get help by contacting him at https://elliottadvocacy.org/help/