Craftsman
Reviews and Complaints

I bought a lawn mower in 6/2007. It was in the shop 3 times under warranty for the same thing. The front drive did not work. The last time the repair man reassured me that the problem was fixed. I went to use it in Feb 2011 and it did not work again. I am gone all summer so the lawn mower is hardly used. They want $111.00 to fix the same problem. The lawn mower was a lemon to start with. I want a new one.

There seems to be a poor and inconsistent product quality of tools under "Craftsman" brand name.

The store management is callously indifferent to requiring customers to make repeated trips to store to correct problems and the resulting inconveniences.

The apparent economy of purchasing items at Sears is illusory after one considers the cost of remedying problems.

The "real cost" of buying at Sears is probably higher than than buying from other merchandisers.

My complaint is that your new saws don't hold up as well as your older saws do. Last year around this time we bought one of your new Craftsman chain saws, a 16 inch 36 cc. We have cut some where about 4 racks of wood with this saw.

It has never worked as well as my old craftsman.

I'm not happy with this new saw. After the saw runs for a half of hour or so, its real hard to start back up. My old Craftsman saw never did lay down on me.

So why is your new saw Beening Lazy? If you are going to put your name on these saws, make sure that they can do the job.

I have a 5 year old tractor which has a plow to remove the snow. The engine transaxle belt broke. I went to sears in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. to get a replacement belt for it. Since Sears closed their Service and Parts store in Fishkill, N.Y. You would think their stores would carry more parts which are important for their tractors to stay running., in my case. I had to order the belt, which will take about 7 days to get. We have had a lot of snow this year and it is snowing every 3 to 4 days. The thing that really makes me mad is that the store had tons of belt and blades for mowing decks in the store. The grass is buried under 30 inches of snow and you have grass cutting parts. What a joke. Nobody needs these parts now. The parts in the store should be the parts you need to keep a tractor running. Such as a Main Drive Belt. Whoever is responsible for stocking Sears parts has his h? Up his a?. I hope something is done to fix this problem I and I'm sure others have had.
Steven B. Hopewell Junction, N.Y.

My father bought Craftsman hand tools because he said they were a good value. I continue the tradition despite having to deal with employees and even managers to make them honor their hand tool lifetime warranty. I bought a Craftsman Snow Pusher four years ago. The second season the blade started to bend. Sears was out of stock till the next winter. I kept my receipt and the following year they finally honored a replacement. This second Craftsman Snow Pusher also started to bend after one season and the bottom handle rivet popped out. I went to the nearest store and the first manager said they were out of stock till next winter. They had generic pushers and I wasn't going to drive around the whole state trying to find if another Sears had one. I asked to speak to her manager and after a ten minute wait he said my Craftsman pusher with fiberglass handle is not a stick tool and is not covered by the Craftsman warranty. Really? Then how I asked did I get it replaced before? He said it's not covered. I said show me. He went to the Sears internet warranty site and as he is scrolling down the page I see wood and fiberglass hand tools. He goes quickly by the page and I said go back. Humor me. Go back. He scrolls back and sure enough there is a complete description of Craftsman hand stick tools and Snow shovels and pushers is there in the description of covered warranty. So now after having to basically fight for my warranty rights I am correct and he is wrong. He gave me no apology. Because they didn't have a Craftsman tool to replace mine I accepted a generic model almost same in size. Bottom line is the new Sears management mind set seems to be deny the customer any warranty rights and make them go away. Keep it up and we will.

Consumer’s Report has our Craftsman Snow Thrower model (536.881651) as a high-end example. I suppose every snow thrower model has a lemon. Our Craftsman Snow Thrower seems to be that proverbial lemon.

We have been able to have many hours of use, for the perpetual problems that we’ve faced over the three years that we’ve had our Craftsman Snow Thrower.

At one point we asked to have our Snow Thrower replaced, but instead, the repairman just told us to buy another maintenance agreement. If we would have had it replaced at this point, it would have still been under warranty! We bought a one-year maintenance agreement after the first one expired. Then, we bought another one-year agreement. Well, our current maintenance agreement has now expired and we have a new problem.

Instead of getting a new maintenance agreement, we would rather just have a Craftsman Snow Thrower that will actually work!

i went to sears november the 28th 2010 to look at their craftsman hand tools as a christmas gift idea. almost all their craftsman tools which were "proudly made in america" are now made in china and are now "proudly distributed in america". the made in china is in very small print on the package and conveniently covered with a wrapping on the tool where the china is stamped into the metal. i have been faithfully buying craftsman tools for 40 years and this is how they return the loyalty. if you have any made in U.S.A. craftsman mechanic tools with a lifetime warranty that break, when you take them back to sears for a replacement they give back a piece of chinese junk in return. i, for one wont step foot into sears again.

I purchased a Craftsman 18" chain saw in the fall 2 years ago. I paid app. $120.00. I didn't use it that fall but the sale was soooo good I couldn't pass it up. I did use it the following spring for a couple of hours and was pleased with it's ease of operation. In the fall I need to use again and on the third pull, the starter rope jammed up and would not release. I brought it to Sears for repair. It took two weeks to repair and cost $85.00. Now, remember, I used it for approximately two hours on rather small stuff (the largest being about 2.5-3"). Now, having finished my job with other tools, and because the saw sat again over the winter, it was now out of warrantee but still had been used only a couple hours. This past spring, I used the saw again for about two hours, cleaned it up and stored it. A few days ago I again took it out to clear some sumac and other brush in the back yard. Once again, on the third pull, the starter rope jammed. I took the cover off myself and found that a screw was too tight a got it to release quite easily. However, the recoil spring popped out and I could not get it back together. Now I face another $85.00 repair bill. Is there something wrong with this picture? Sears gave me no satisfaction whatsoever (after all it is out of warrantee). $160.00 to repair a saw that cost $120.00, was used for about four hours and still looks brand new is just too much. The old adage that "they don't make things like they used to" is just no comfort. I have always been a craftsman user (as were my dad and brothers) but because of the product quality (planned obsolescence) I am seriously considering never doing business with Sears again.

I have tried to get information on parts to fix my craftsman 1000W Tripod work light without any success. At fitst they ask how long I had the unit and I said about a year. They said if I had the reciet that I could bring it in for replacement However it was a gift and I have no such record. Well the answer was can't help. But then when I try to get help for parts all I got was several phone numbers to call, none of them were any help. IO am a memner of the craftsman club and a good Sears customer, all I want is a little help with my problem. Please contact me so we can get this resol;ved.

I brought my table saw at the Winnipeg Sales and Service for service nine weeks ago. I'm trying to find out the approximate wait time and estimated repair costs but seem to be hitting a brick wall at every attempt to try and get that. Since there is NO PHONE number available for customers to the Winnipeg Sears Service department I initially called the 1-800# and spoke to an individual from out of country and possibly out of continent. I've since gone in person to the Sales and Service office on three different occasions to try and get that information. They always tell me "someone from Sears in Regina, Canada will call you within two hours". I'm still waiting for the phone call. During my last visit to the service center I requested to speak to the manager; they told me that was not possible! I then requested the manager's business card and was told she didn't have one! I asked for the manager's name but that was also refused . I left the office with no answers to my two questions and a refusal to have someone from management guide the consumer as to what steps to take next. I just feel like I'm being stepped on with nobody to turn to for help.

I am still shaking from the incident I just had with this lawnmower. Smoke started billowing out of it...and then it caught fire! I had to run for my life because I thought it was about to explode. I raced fast to the front steps & found a heavy mat & threw it over the mower. I called Sears, naturally (since it's under warranty) and they wanted me to put the burning lawnmower in the back of my car & bring it to them...I'm not making this up! I purchased this mower at the end of the season last year, so I've only used it this season ...and not all that much since we had very little rain here this summer.

It's a rotary, self propelled 650 Series Briggs & Stratton Engine, model #917, 376231.

Is anyone aware of these other incidents like this?

I have had my mower for one whole year and have only been able to use it ten times due to it being a total lemon! On delivery day (August 09) the battery was dead and so the drivers had to jump start it with my truck, when I went to use it a week later it wouldn't start so I called the store where I purchased it to be told I would have to get a service call (note the blades hadn't even touched the grass yet), I went into the store and persueded the manager to get someone from the store to come out, OK so new battery installed. In May I had to get a service call as the battery was dead again! only to find out that the starter and regulater were faulty, waited a week for the parts to arrive and have them fitted. Here we are in August and the lawnmower doesn't work again! this time the engine keeps flooding, when I called the service dept I was asked if I had checked the spark plug, had fresh gas and the oil was good, all had been checked and a call was booked for two weeks later only to get a call on the service day ten minutes before they were due to say they couldn't make it and I needed to reschedule, I have just come from the store were I purchased the mower and was told that an engineer needs to come out four times before I can get a replacement lawnmower! good job I purchased the extended warranty even though it has a two year repair or replace. I will never again purchase anything from Sears the customer service is terrible and so are the products they sell.

Less than three months ago I purchased a Craftsman 18 volt Cordless Weedeater from Kmart. Since the battery pack would not hold a charge for more than 10 minutes, I followed the Craftsman warranty instructions and took the battery pack, charger, and my receipt to the full line Sears store in Novi, Michigan. The associate there told me that I would have to return it to Kmart. He checked with two other associates and they agreed. I stated that, besides being parts of the same company, the warranty specifically told me to return the item to Sears. The associate repeated that there was nothing he could do. He then handed me back my receipt and turned away. I have been a Kmart associate for more than 30 years and am thus a Sears Holding Company employee as well. The reaction I received from the Sears store was disturbing. I would appreciate an explanation.
Thank You Ed Dintsch [protected]

I purchased a 18.5 hp riding mower from sears the summer of 2005 it lasted 1 month past the warranty, blew up, and I maintained this mower and treated it like a baby, then I called sears to see how much a replacement motor was and they told me it was 100.00 less than I paid for the entire tractor. What a scam they have going, since I paid 1200.00 for the thing there was no way I was going to pay 1100.00 for a moter, stay away from craftsman tractors, they are junk, mine is sitting in my front yard by a bust road with a big lemon sign on it for all the world to see! Sears offered no help to me so I will do everything I can to prevent people from shopping there!

On July 14, 2010 I brought by Sears Craftsman lawnmower to the Sears store in Lake Charles, LA for repairs. The mower was still under warranty and the self-propelled wheels had quit working for the second time.

Upon arriving at the store I was told it would be August 3 before the mower could be ready due to it having to be sent to FL. Needless to say it was not ready by the date I was told.

Last Monday, August 2, I received a call from the repair shop and telling me that my bill would be over $150 and the guy who called listed all kinds of things he was going to do to the mower that I did not want done. For example, I can change the air filter and the blade. I told him to only repair what was covered by the warranty and nothing else. He said "ok" and hung up on me. That alone was enough to cause me to NEVER shop at Sears again.

Today, August 9, 2010 I got a phone call telling me that my mower was ready. When I arrived at the Sears in Lake Charles, LA I was told that I owed over $139 for repairs made. I asked what repairs and the guy began listing all the things that I told the repair shop NOT to fix. I told them I had not authorized those repairs and that I was not paying for them. The MANAGER told the associate to go TAKE OFF THE BELT, THE GAS CAP, AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT WAS PUT ON THE MOWER. I said, "You're going to send me home with a broken down mower because of Sears's mistake?" He said, "Yes." I told him I wanted a manager and he said he was the manager. I told him I wanted someone higher than him and he smugly told me to come back Wed. In economic times like these, I have one thing to tell you, Sears: OTHER STORES SELL LAWNMOWERS! I want my mower. I want it ASAP. I want it fixed like I asked it to be fixed or I want the old parts PUT BACK ON! I try to shop with Sears because of the reputation of Craftsman products but this is ridiculous. The guy told the employee to take off parts of the lawnmower and told me I couldn't have my mower with those parts unless I paid for them even if I didn't authorize it! I am shocked! I am appalled! I am upset! and I will tell everyone I come into contact with about this and, as you know, they will tell their friends, and the reputation of this Sears and Sears nationally will suffer. Is this how Sears does business? Is this how Sears pleases and maintains customers? I expect this to be resolved as soon as possible. By that I mean I want my repaired mower returned to me, not held hostage, and I expect the unjust, unauthorized fees to be waived. And I want that smug, arrogant, "manager" to be the one to call me and load my mower. Are we clear on this?

I bought a Craftsman 54 inch lawn tractor in april of 2009, and within 2 months it broke down. a technician came out to service it, and discovered it was manufactured improperly with a bent frame. He advised Sears, and myself that it be replaced. I fought with Sears for two months on having the tractor replaced, and finally they did so. about a month after repklacing the tractor, it broke down again. The same technician came out and serviced the tractor, and it ran properly again. The winter passed and I used the tractor approximately three times. I stored the tractor in my garage as I always do, and went to use it again. When I did, it would not start. I contacted the service department, and they told me I would have to wait about 2 1/2 weeks for a service. I explained to them that this is unacceptable, and that my lawn cannot be left unmowed for 3-4 weeks. Finally after fighting with them on the phone for about an hour(also being hung up on once), they agreed to come out between 1pm and 5pm of the next day(5/26/10). Coincidently, they did not show up, and at 5:05 pm, I received a call from Sears stating the technichian could not make it. I then called Sears today(5/27/10), and spoke with a woman in customer solutions, who told me that it was a forced appointment and the tech could not make it because he did not finish his route. I explained to her that I felt that they pretty much lied to me and just told me he was coming, so I would leave them alone. I then explained to her that my Grandmother worked for Sears for 30 years, my father has been buying Crftsman products for 40 years, and that I have now been buying Craftsman products for a year now since I have been a homeowner, and that I will never buy a Craftsman product again. She was silent for about ten seconds as if she did not know what to say. Suddenly she told me she was sorry I felt that way, and that there was nothing that could be done. I asked her if there was anyone who I could speak to, that could help me with my problem, and she told me that she was the highest person to speak to. I asked her if she had a boss, and she said she had a manager, but he did not take calls, or return calls. Nice huh? Finally she agreed to force another appointment in for tomorrow(5/28/10) from 8am - 12 pm, and she could not promise the tech would definitely get there. I think I know whats going to happen...Do you have any advice for me?

IN 2007 I BOUGHT A YS4500 LAUN TRACTOR. IT IS A THREE BLADED MOWER, IT LEAVES A UNMOWED AREA OF ABOUT TWO INCHES BETWEEN THE CENTER BLADE AND THE RIGHT BLADE. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL SERVICE CALLS MADE ON THIS MOWER, AND TI IS ALWAYS THE SAMEFIX. I AM TOLD TO CHANGE THE BLADES AND KEEP THE RPM UP.I HAVE CHANGED THE BLADES, WHICH I BOUGHT FROM SEARS, MANY TIMES, THIS DOES NOT HELP AT ALL.
THIS PROBLEM IS FROM DAY ONE.
MY NAME IS CLAUD LOCK AND THE MOWER WAS IN MY WIFE'S NAME, RECA LOCK.
CAN BE CONTACED AT [protected]@MSN.COM.

THANKS CLAUD