Sears Battery Warranty

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WALSHIE

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I purchased two Sears Platinum AGM group 31 batteries July 1, 2013. This spring they failed to hold a charge so I am going to return them

They say "full replacement 3 year warranty". Do you think I will really get a replacement or a pro-rated credit (which will be nearly nothing as I have 12 days left).

I might switch away from Sears Diehard if they don't honor warranty. Where can I get a good boat battery? Some people recommend Walmart...what say you?
 
OK, here's the rest of the story....as I was driving, I did not secure the tailgate and the load shifted, opened tailgate, rolled onto pavement in intersection, stopped traffic, cops were right there, put lights on and an embarassed fool picked up his now broken batteries.

From euphoria that I was hopefully getting replacement batteries to broken casings and voided warranty.

I will plead my case and hope I find a reasonable manager that understands stupid!

Lesson learned...stop being so damn impatient!!
 
Yeah, like my neighbor said this Saturday,,,, I love living next to you, there's always something going on! Life is NOT boring with you! lol

He was referring to using an extension ladder to send my kid through the only open window which was on the second floor.
We have an electronic keypad deadbolt...batteries died and we had not keys on us.

I will try to get the courage up sometime after work...will post results.
Hoping I get a sympathetic salesman!
 
Update: Went to SEARS and was honest with the salesman. Told him whole story, etc. He said bring them in and let me have a look. As I was loading from the car, he came out to tell me manager said if they were cracked we could not honor warranty. Said it was a safety issue, they couldn't test them and they must test to honor warranty. I pleaded a bit but understood his stand. I said I get it, your job is to NOT honor warranties. He asked if I wanted to bring them inside and buy new ones I said no thanks. He offered to take them for recycling. I said nope, I'm going to the next SEARS and be less than honest.

Dropped them off tonight, no mention of story. They will test each one for 4 hours and see if they hold a charge. Fingers crossed....maybe I get lucky.
 
I think if you look at the warranty, a situation such as yours is likely not covered .
In my experience, Sears is very good at replacing batteries which do not pass the charge, load and analyze test for most any normal use but trying to get batteries replaced after you let them fall out of the back of your truck and cracked the cases, even if you were not able to get them to hold a charge previously, doesn't seem very fair if your negligence makes it impossible to test properly, no offense. I don't think can expect them to honor the warranty, but maybe you will luck out with an extra-accommodating, unobservant manager or salesman who misses the fact they are cracked, or does not care.

If you do luck out, I wonder what they would replace them with, as I believe the Platinum Marine AGM PM1 and PM2 were discontinued some time ago.
The warranty is non-prorated. FWIW, I had one replaced with zero charge to me with less than a week left in the 3 yr warranty when it failed the test after long normal use. Note, any new replacement battery's warranty would expire in the same 12 days you had left.

Hope this is your lucky day! Let us know.
 
I hear you, I'm not one to lie cheat or steal. But the facts are this is the second pair of PM-1 batteries I returned and the batteries definitely failed prior to being dropped.

I'm very anal about batteries so I paid the most for the best and have been disappointed twice. Three years ago, I missed the warranty date by two weeks and had to pay full boat for this new pair. I didn't complain then but was disappointed I paid top dollar for what I thought was the best battery with the best warranty.

At that time, I assumed it was my smart charger not turning off so I replaced that three years ago.

The casings are cracked, one very slightly on the top, the other on the side. If they refuse warranty, I understand, they are in the business of doing so and my bad luck (again)! Even though their product failed (TWICE), I made a mistake. In order to meet the 3yr warranty date, I rushed! Lesson learned!

Anyway, I wasted too much time on this, I need my boat working. If I have to buy batteries, I will try Interstate this go around. There is a distributor near my house.

The replacement battery is a group 31 AGM, with two year warranty. Makes me wonder why they lowered warranty to two years? IS three years the product lifeline?

http://www.kmart.com/diehard-marine...p-02850033000P?prdNo=7&blockNo=7&blockType=G7
 
Walshie- Are you sure your linked battery is an AGM, not just a no-maintenece flooded cell type? I don't see that on the side label, plus it says just "1 yr free replacement" . Is that one pro-rated the 2nd year?
 
OK, SEARS did the right thing!
I did not offer story this time, just dropped them off (the casing cracks were hard to see).
They tested both batteries, both were DOA and I was due for a warranty claim but they don't make the PM-1 batteries.
They gave me a credit and I purchased two AGM group 31 replacements and received a credit.

Very impressed with the warranty...usually I'm too patient to go through the motions.

All's well that ends well!!!
 
Congratulations on that electrifying surprise happy outcome!
Hope you and your kids get back out boating today,... but don't forget the house key.:D
 
Just curious- Which new batteries did you end up with? Since Sears doesn't offer any marine AGM anymore under their own name now , did you get a different brand or one of the car models?
FWIW- the one linked before specs as just a semi-sealed "Maintenance-Free" type, not AGM. Oddly the specs say 2 yr free-replacement but the label says 1 yr free replacement , and the label also says Deep Cycle, not combo start & deep. The warranty spec is moot in this case as yours expires is a week I believe.

http://www.sears.com/diehard-marine...000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1#Imagezoom
 
Chris,
When you get the replacement batteries do they have a "new 3 year warranty"?
When I had my Silverton 34C, I considered AGM, price for them compared to the interstate flooded cell just was hard to swallow. I am also wondering what others think and if AGM is a all around better choice?
 
Actually a 2 year warranty that starts yesterday. If they replaced them, I'd be going off the original 2 year.

Not sure AGM is worth it Walter! I certainly haven't had good luck. I even replaced the charger with one that has an AGM setting three years ago but obviously that did not help.

I'm thinking AGM is BS. I went that route cause I am a big believer in batteries.
 
Chris,
On my 34C I was very lax at taking care of my batteries, with tha said, I easily got 4 years out of them. I think when I looked at AGM, they had a 5 year warranty, at more than twice the price of the flooded battery, the numbers did not add up. I never went that way for those reasons, that is why, now many years later, I am asking.
 
If the batteries were cracked, chances are they froze. If they froze, you can't blame it on being AGM or not.
 
quote:
Originally posted by WALSHIE

Actually a 2 year warranty that starts yesterday. If they replaced them, I'd be going off the original 2 year.

Click to expand...


Boy, Walshie , with part of that credit applied to a New Purchase you really came out of this smelling like a rose,.... or your favorite beverage .
It sounds like in effect for the original purchase price 3 yrs ago you now ended up with a total 5 yr warranty plus add'l credit balance after purchase of the new batteries. Who ever said boating isn't a good investment?!
 
Jonathan, the batteries cracked AFTER I took them out of the boat (They jettisoned out of my pickup in an intersection).

I'd agree with you Sandy but I paid $1040 minus $236 so that's about $800 for currently six years and what may be 8 years.
Add the aggravation of pulling batteries a few times, I don't think I'm ahead but certainly not complaining!!

Walter, in hindsight, you made the right choice.
 
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