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Avoid Metro Factory Service 888-595-7200 !!

Well, after using my GE Dishwasher (PDW9200N00RBB – that’s p-d-w-nine-two-zero-zero-n-zero-zero-r-b-b) for little over 2 years, few things started to breakdown:

1. Door gasket started to fray

2. Utensil basket started to break off

3. Electronic touch panel control no longer worked properly

4. Soap dispenser started to leak after the cycle was complete

My particular model has what’s called Msart Dispensing Technology.  A fancy words to describe a detergent tank so that I don’t have to add the dish detergent for every cycle.

This “leak” was mos troublesome because all my clean dishes started to smell like my dish detergent.  Thankfully (or I thought), I had purchased a 3 year extended warranty plan from Lowe’s for $349 so I promptly called it in and scheduled a service call.  During the call, I specifically stated the problems and the technician assured me that these problems will be resolved quickly.

Day 1 (First visit)

  • Technician did NOT come with any replacement parts.  Huh?
  • When inquired why he didn’t bring any parts, he said this was a diagnosis visit to identify the parts that would need to be replaced.
  • Okay, I said to myself.   I asked him when he would come back today and he said he won’t be back!  He apparently had to go back and place an order for these parts and I had to make a follow up call to schedule a subsequent repair visit.  What?! So I wasted my work day so that they can come “look and see”?
  • Not wanting to get into an argument, I bite my tongue
  • He identified the gasket, utensil basket, electronic control pad and a detergent holding tank to be replaced.  When I suggested that the dish detergent pump, not the tank, should be replaced, he gave me a very condescending look and said the pump was fine.  Odd, considering the pump is the last touch point before the detergent is expelled into the tub but I told msyself, heck he knows better than me, right?

Day 3 (Second visit)

  • Getting little bit desperate with dirty dishes piling up (with 2 young toddlers, manual hand washing just can’t keep up)
  • Different tech shows up with the parts
  • Right off the bat, I get a a bad vibe that this person hasn’t a clue about my GE dishwasher
  • He is fumbling through installation sheets that came with parts
  • He replaces the gasket and utensil basket (no brain surgery there)
  • He replaces the electronic control pad by first removing, or to be more accurate, ripping off the old one.  He apparently don’t care the fact that a small piece gets broken off and remains on the dishwasher.  he applies the new control pad (nothing more than some touch pad circuitry with sticky backing) over this piece.  Looks very unprofessionally done as now there is a bulge where the old piece is underneath the new one
  • My best complaint is when he has to get the flange off the soap dispenser, but he can’t figure out how to properly get it off so he starts to chip and break it apart with his hammer screw driver.  When I asked if that will damage the door, he say no.
  • He finishes up and turns on the unit and tells me that it will run 6 minute test cycle.  He leaves.
  • After the cycle is complete, I checked the soap dispensing tub.  First, the new flange and the screw caps comes off the door panel (should not happen).  And there is bunch of hot water inside the tank.  I also suspect that water got behind the seal and my dishwasher is now possibly a fire hazard.
  • I called Lowe’s Extended Warranty department to demand that they send another company to troubleshoot and fix this problem.  They insist that Metro Factory Service come out and fix the problem.  Now it’s afte r5PM (when Metro closes) so Lowes tech says he left a message and that someone will come out first thing tomorrow.

Day 4 – 3rd visit

  • Metro opens at 9am.  I had to stay home again for this service call.  It’s now 10 am.  No call.  No technicians.  I call Lowe’s again.  Lowes tech speaks to Metro and inform me that someone will be out between 12-5pm.
  • I state that if the dishwasher is not repaired by 5pm, Lowes either will have to dispatch an emergency call with another company to fix my dishwasher that day, or they will have to have someone from local Lowe’s deliver another unit (that day).
  • Apparently, as a bitching customer, Metro thinks I should be the last call of the day.  A third tech shows up at 4:45pm (coincidental?)
  • He struggles with the detergent tank for over 2 hours and finally gives up, saying he can’t fix it.  what the fudge!
  • I conference Lowes (this time with a supervisor) and this tech; they agreed to classify this dishwasher as unrepairable and refund me the purchase price so that I can get a new one.  This is now 7PM at night!!!

Day 5 – Finding a replacement dishwasher

  • Because we purchased GE Profile refrigerator, dishwasher, and oven in black, we need to get another black unit and they are not stock items.
  • I first called Lowes and they inform me I can get one in about 2 weeks.  2 weeks?!
  • I called Home Depot and they can get one to me in 4 days.
  • Guess who got my business?

Executive Summary

  • Don’t ever use Metro Factory Service for ANY REASON!  They ruined a working dishwasher needing small replacement parts!!
  • Don’t buy Lowes Extended Warranty
  • Buy GE Extended Warranty Service.  Sure they are bit pricey, but at least they know what they are doing.

Frank Owens

Friday 6th of January 2012

The Metro Factory Service technician has been to my home 4 times to repair a dishwasher, to this date it is still not working and no one from the company will return my call. I just purchased another dishwasher from Lowes with a 4 year extended warranty and I am going to cancel this warranty if it is with Metro Factory Service. This firm is incompetent and is very difficult to deal with. Be forewarn! Stay away

kevin

Sunday 29th of January 2012

@Frank-

Thanks for your comment. It proves that my experience with The Metro Factory was not an isolated case. As far as no one returning your calls, contact Lowes and get the phone number of the extended warranty department to file complaints. Although they were disinterested at first, when I threatened litigation via local small claims court, their ears perked up.

Frank Owens

Friday 6th of January 2012

I have a similar problem with Metro Factory Services. Please, I beg anyone who is considering using this firm. avoid them at all cost. They are very bad news!

Becky Hubbard

Tuesday 21st of September 2010

I am experiencing similar problems with my Frigidaire dishwasher and Lowe's Extended Warranty. I purchased a Lowe's 4 yr extended warranty, which is guaranteed by NEW, for my Frigidaire dishwasher in 2006. I reported a major problem with my dishwasher to NEW doing business as Lowe's Extended Warranty on 09/08/2010. The dishwasher overheated, melting the arm in the bottom, detaching the top arm, and melting very heavy plastic tumblers. It truly is a miracle our house did not catch on fire.

I was told by your representative that a technician would come to my house that Friday-- 2 days later. Because the repair service could not give us an exact time, my husband took the entire day off from work to wait for them. They never showed up. When he called to check at 4:00 PM, he was told no one was coming. They asked him what he thought the problem was, and he told them. They said they would order parts and call us back. We never heard from them again. He called the service center back on 09/17/2010 and was told that they would check the status of our repair and call us back. They never called.

I am a very busy working mother. Both of my children play recreational sports, and we are constantly on the go. Doing without a dishwasher is highly inconvenient to say the least. I have had to purchase paper plates, etc and have been doing more eating out because we simply do not have the time to wash dishes by hand. Likewise, washing dishes by hand increases our use of hot water and subsequently our electric bill. I have been patient for the past 10 days waiting for service. However, after 10 days with no one coming to my home, I expect my service request to be expedited, or for a new dishwasher to be delivered.

I spent 30 min on the phone today with Lowe's Extended Warranty with zero satisfaction. Although your representative, Crystal, did admit that 10 days was the acceptable turn around time on a repair, she could not give me any guarantee that my dishwasher would be fixed in a timely manner (10 days have already gone by). The first available date she gave for someone to even come to my home is 5 days from now-- that doesn't take into consideration the time we will have to wait after that for parts to be ordered, etc. She did not offer any reimbursement for loss of wages or other expenses I have had to incur as a result of not having a working dishwasher. Nor did anyone offer a replacement until mine could be fixed. When I asked to have something emailed to me, I was told that NO ONE in your company has outbound email and that I would have to send a snail mail message to Montana if I had a complaint. I was not directed to your website or to anyone who seemed to want to help. In fact, I got the impression that your employees did not care how I felt or what actions I took in order to get the service I have paid for.

When I remodeled my kitchen in 2004, I purchased all of my major appliances as well as other items from Lowe's. In 2006, I purchased a dishwasher to replace the one I just bought in 2004. In fact, I purchased a more expensive dishwasher hoping for a better product. Since that time I have purchased a new washing machine from Lowe's. In addition, whenever I need paint or home improvement items I go to Lowe's even though a Home Depot is also located nearby. Now, we are in the process of finishing an apartment above our garage, and I was planning on purchasing our flooring from Lowe's. My husband and I have been loyal Lowe's customers, and are sorely disappointed at the poor treatment we have received when we needed you the most.

DAY 14

Still NO ONE has been to my house to even "diagnose" my problems. . . READ ON. . .Late last night I found a voicemail from Crystal on my home phone. She did not, however, call my cell phone-- I had given her that number and asked that she call me on it if there was no answer at home.

In her message, she indicated she had ordered parts for my dishwasher. These parts were ordered based on what my husband, who is not a repair man, told a lady at C & E-- no one has ever been to my house to look at my dishwasher. Also, Crystal told me on Sat that she would have the parts overnighted. Does that mean someone will be at my house today or tomorrow to repair my dishwasher?

What time should I expect to be contacted by Service Advantage? Instead of being continually put off and promised tomorrow, I would like to be in contact with someone who has the authority to get this situation resolved. It should not be this difficult or time consuming to follow up on a legitimate claim on a warranty I purchased from a reputable company.

Also, I would like it to be noted that if I had purchased a power tool or lawn mower (typically used by males), I would have a Fix-It-Fast Guarantee and would have had a replacement tool to use. However, since my warranty is on a dishwasher, (typically seen as a "woman's tool"?) there has been no guarantee of a timely, much less "fast" fix.

I will keep you updated. I agree with your executive summary, but now I am doubting if we should even purchase anything from Lowe's.