Generac Power Systems, Inc.

Review: I Purchased a Generac stand-by generator in November 2012. Had it installed by a Generac dealer and licensed electrician. In October 2013 we had brief power outage and the generator did not turn on. Being concerned about this, I called the installer which is [redacted]. He did not return my call. After numerous other calls to him he still did not respond. I then contacted another local Generac dealer. I made appointment for him to check out why it did not come on and also he did a service at the same time. In the process of checking out the unit, he noticed wiring that was not to code. I then decided to contact Generac to inform them about the unresponsive dealer and the faulty wiring. He had also charged me for a 200 amp transfer switch which came with the unit. I wrote a letter to Generac addressing this problem on 1/17/14, made numerous calls to no avail. A supplement letter was sent to Generac on 3/19/14

with a response from a manager stating she would look into this matter. Made numerous phone calls again with no response.Desired Settlement: It is very frustrating waiting for four months for a call from Generac to inform me what they intend to do about this matter. I feel in this case they are protecting the dealer rather than the consumer. I would like a copy of the correspondence from [redacted] to Generac

with regards to this complaint. I am concerned about Generac being more interested in how many units this dealer sells rather than helping a consumer with a problem. I also would like Generac to have the faulty wiring corrected by someone other than [redacted]. I have copies verifying the correspondence with Generac and can be made available to you if needed.

Business

Response:

Generac Power Systems would like to thank Mr. [redacted] for contacting us regarding the problems he has experienced with the purchase and installation of his Generac home standby generator. The Generac customer service department has been in contact with Mr. [redacted] on several occasions over the past several months and have explained that his complaint has been sent to the appropriate departments within Generac Power Systems.

The discussions between Generac Power Systems and the dealer in question will remain internal and we do not divulge any actions taken internally with the dealer. Generac has previously agreed to work with Mr. [redacted] and a different service provider to correct any problems with the generator that would be covered under the factory warranty.

Once again, we apologize for the problems that Mr. [redacted] has experienced and will work to ensure that the generator is functioning properly. Generac Power Systems appreciates Mr. [redacted] bringing his concerns regarding the company that installed his generator and we will continue or investigation internally regarding that matter.

Regards,

Generac Power Systems

Business

Response:

The Generac Power Systems customer service department has spoken directly with Mr. [redacted] regarding this complaint and unfortunatley the response does not met with his approval. The position of Generac Power Systems has been clearly provided to Mr. [redacted] and that remains unchanged. We regret that we are not able to satisfy his request and if he has any further questions regarding our position on this matter we would encourage him to contact our customer service department at 1-888-GENERAC.

Regards,

Generac Power Systems

Consumer

Response:

Review: Generator has not worked right since installation. Has had repairs done several times, still malfunctioning. Dealer/repair company says Generac won't fix problem.Desired Settlement: Fix generator unit to work correctly. Afraid of fire from generator unit.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon, After an authorized dealer went on site recently, it was brought to our attention that the issues Mr. [redacted] was experiencing was due to installation issues. Installation issues are not covered under the warranty, however, we encourage Mr. [redacted] to work with his installer to resolve these issues. Thank you,Generac Power Systems

Review: Purchased a Generac portable generator from an authorized dealer in November 2012. Did not have a power failure where it would have been needed until January 2014. The unit ran fine, but generated nothing. This was the first time an electrical load had been put on it. Generac's own authorized repair facility found that the alternator unit was defective and that certain parts had not been installed at the factory (I have this in writing). Undeniably, the unit was defective when it came off the assembly line. Generac replaced the defective parts, but refused to pick up the $195 labor charge for the repair facility. An email to Generac concerning this received no response. Nor did [redacted] Residential Products, respond to a letter directly to him. Generac has failed to stand behind its product or fully rectify its own errorDesired Settlement: Refund of $195 labor charge.

Business

Response:

Generac Power Systems would like to thank Mr. [redacted] for contacting us regarding the problems he has experienced with his purchase of a Generac Power Systems portable generator. We apologize for the problems he has experienced and our customer service has reached out to Mr. [redacted] and have agreed to provide a customer concession on this complaint.

We encourage Mr. [redacted] to contact our customer service department at 1-888-GENERAC should he have any other questions or need additional assistance.

Regards,

Generac Power Systems

Review: File a complaint against "Generac Power Systems,Inc. [redacted]. Phone 3 ###-###-#### [redacted] (Resolution specialist)I [redacted] purchase a Generator Honeywell 1009, on April 12-2012 at [redacted], the generator has been at [redacted] seen Nov.2013. In regards to the mecanic "[redacted] it has a bad inverter (###-###-####) simple told the mechanic [redacted] that they are not going to honor the warranty. Since "Generac Power Systems" bought Honeywell or they are associated with Honeywell Products.I would appreciate, a fast response as I am out of my generator and have been trying to get this taken care of for several months. I would like my money back Total for the Honeywell Generator was $528.41. I am leaving fo an extended vacation, abroad, and I would like again to get this taken care of ASAP, Thank you, for your prompt attention to this matter. I remain. [redacted]Desired Settlement: I would like to get re-imburse, so I can get another Generator, since the Gerator (Honeywell) is still under warranty.I have done everything, that I was suppose to do, took the Generator, where I have purchase it, the Mechanic [redacted] contacted with the Generac Power Systems, and fax them what he needed, but they will not valid the "Guaranty"I am going this route, because, I need your help, on this one. thank You

Business

Response:

Generac Power Systems would like to thank [redacted] for contacting us regarding the problems with the Honeywell label generator that was not manufactured by Generac Power Systems. The Generac Power Systems customer service department has been in contact with [redacted] and have explained the relationship that Generac Power Systems has to this piece of equipment and have offered her our resolution to this matter.

Regards,

Generac Power Systems

Review: We purchased a Generac generator MN 0058830 SN 6083679 and the mother board quit functioning. We then purchased Generac MN 0058831 SN 7093798 with a cold weather oil heather and battery warmer, invoice number [redacted] on 7/23/12 order number [redacted] Sales Rep [redacted] Shipment date 7/13/12. There is an extended warranty with this purchase. On 1/22/14, the temperature reached minus 22 degrees in [redacted] MN and the generator is NOT FUNCTIONING. We have been unable to find anyone within 200 miles to service this generator and the company has benn UNHELPFUL (at the VERY LEAST)in assisting us. We have spent over $8000 for two generators that are not working. Generac has not sent a repair person to the generator and the web site and company have not helped. I called Generac and the two possible repair companys are not authorized Generac repair persons and would charge over $200 simply to drive to our generator. I believe Generac is distributing a faulty product and has not stood behind its product. Most importantly, we do not have a generator functioning that would protect our cabin, the septic and water system when it has reached minus 22F.Desired Settlement: We need a generator that functions in extremely cold weather or a replacement that can be serviced and sent out by Generac since we paid for an extended warranty. I have been told they do NOT pay service people adequately to make [redacted] distance repairs. I would prefer another generator since two have not functioned.

Business

Response:

Generac Power Systems would like to thank Mr. [redacted] for contacting us regarding the problems he has experienced with his purchase of a Generac Power Systems home standby generator. The Generac Power Systems customer service department has been in communication with Mr. [redacted] and have discussed this complaint.

The generator in questions is currently operational and was serviced by a company that is not an authorized service provider of Generac Power Systems and as such they are not able to submit a claim to Generac for any warranty repairs made to the equipment. At this time it is unclear as to what work was done on the generator so we have knowledge of what the problem was or what was done to get the generator operational.

The Generac Power Systems customer service department did find an authorized service provider to come work on the generator, unfortunately Mr. [redacted] had previously found a different company to come look at the generator. The Generac Power System customer service representative did inform Mr. [redacted] that they are unable to provide payment for service work performed by a company that is not authorized to service the product under the factory warranty.

Regards,

Generac Power Systems

Consumer

Response:

Review: I purchased a Generac Generator from a certified dealer in November of 2012 and had them install the unit. The generator has never worked correctly from the moment it was installed. Repairs had to be made to the unit to get it to work upon installation and the unit failed to run its first weekly "exercise". During the first year and a half this generator had countless repairs - almost too many to list.... several main boards have been replaced, fuses, and stepper motor ect...

In my mind there is no doubt about it- I got a "lemon". This generator was defective from the moment it was installed and never worked correctly. I have tried to be patient; hoping Generac would rectify the situation, but this does not appear to be the case after almost two years.

During the first year and a half of owning this generator I had several Generac certified repair institutions come to assess the unit and ultimately have refused to work on it claiming the unit needs to be replaced and that Generac is not paying them enough to fix it (since it is under warranty). The generator has never worked correctly and we have a full warranty on the product, but what good is a warranty when nobody will work on it?

When I call our contacts at Generac, and I call them often, I get the run around that they will have the unit fixed. I never get results just empty promises. Generac has stated that they will make things right, but all I see is more and more red tape that leads to no real action. The Generac company has done things like given me a "case number", a specific contact person and put my case up before a review board that ultimately decided the unit should be fixed and not replaced.

The latest incident regarding this generator is that since May of this year it has sat idle beside our house with a red light . Once again it doesn't work. Currently the list of problems include, the starter is hung up, the crank seal needs to be replaced to stop oil from leaking out of it, and it needs the main board replaced for the third time. It has taken this long (four months) for the Generac review board to go over my case and work with the repairmen in my area to decide the unit should be fixed and not replaced as I had requested. During this long drawn out process I have had to spend my time filling out Incident Report Forms, sending and faxing information to Generac and making frequent calls to Generac when they do not return my phone calls.

I have tried to be patient and decided I would have the Generac Repairmen attempt to fix the unit one last time. I was told to contact a certain certified repair company, which I did- over a week ago. This repairman called today August 13, 2014,to inform me that he won't work on the unit because Generac will not pay them enough. This certified repairman once again stated that it is his belief the unit should be replaced and he would do that work for free since he was the dealer who installed the generator.

After four months (really almost two years) I am faced with more phone calls and basically begging Generac to fix this generator. This is not acceptable. The unit has never worked and needs to be replaced.

The unit sits beside our house as a $4000 ornament that has never preformed in a power outage for us. Every time we have lost power during the past two years the unit has been broken and has never once provided us backup power.

I paid a great deal of money for this luxury and I feel we were robbed by Generac. Essentially they stole $4000 from my family.Desired Settlement: I am requesting a new generator (not refurbished) along with a full warranty (parts and labor). I have been patient, but enough is enough. Nobody will work on this unit and on the rare occurrence someone does work on it they never can seem to fix it. The excessive amounts of paperwork, time taken off work to meet repairmen and phone calls to try to get this problem fixed on my part can never have a price put on it. I feel this generator has become my second job. Enough is enough- Generac needs to do the right thing- - the generator needs to be replaced. Thank you.

Business

Response:

Generac Power Systems would like to thank Mr. [redacted] for contacting us regarding the problems he has experienced with the purchase of a Generac home standby generator. We take these complaints seriously and have previously sent this to our customer service department for resolution.

The Generac Power Systems customer service department has agreed to replace the generator for Mr. [redacted] and are currently working to make those arrangements with an authorized Generac service provider. We hope that this resolution meets the approval of Mr. [redacted] and will work as quickly as possible to make the swap out happen.

Once again, we apologize for any problems that Mr. [redacted] has experienced with the purchase of his Generac home standby generator.

Regards,

Generac Power Systems

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. The only concern I have is that I have not received the replacement generator yet. I realize this may take a while but I am hesitant to say I am completely satisfied until the new generator is completely installed.

Regards,

Review: My Generac 7 kW Corepower Generator was installed in Aug 2012 . The unit would start every week and run for 12 minutes. However in September 2014 , we had out first power outage and the unit failed to deliver electricity. I contacted a local Generac installer and they recommended to replace the voltage regulator. This was completed at a cost of $240 but the unit still failed to generate electricity. I contacted the big box retailer I purchased it from and they would not help me. I contacted Generac in Aug 2015 and they recommended we contact another installer. The first installer had written to Generac and recommended that Generac provide assistance to fix this unit. The second installer came twice and ran numerous tests. His diagnosis was that the unit needed to be taken completely apart, a procedure that would take 7-8 hours and cost $700-$800! We wrote back to Generac with this information and they insisted we get another diagnosis from another of their Generac installers. We believe that we have a diagnosis and Generac will not authorize the work. I wrote Generac again on Nov 7',2015 and have not heard back from them.

How many installers do we need to call ? How much do I need to spend on a unit that has failed to ever generate electricity? How does a company that promises to back you up, were standing by, count on it as their motto fail to do so?these generators now have a 3 year warranty. This company has failed to provide a quality generator and now won't stand behind it.Desired Settlement: I would like this generator replaced as this unit is no longer made and I do not have any confidence that this unit will ever produce electricity.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon, The warranty on this customers product expired on 07/19/2014. Generac does not have documentation of this customer having this issue while in the warranty timeframe. Due to the length of time the product has been outside of warranty, Generac will not be able to offer an out of warranty concession towards the cost of repair. We suggest the customer to continue to work with an authorized servicing dealer should they choose to have the repairs made on their product. Thank you,Generac Power Systems

Consumer

Response:

Generac said that they have no documentation of my having an issue during the warranty period. Of course they don't because we did not lose power during thethe warranty period. The power outage occurred 43 days beyond the 2 year warranty period and in all probability the unit would have failed if the power outage hadoccurred earlier. Generac said they would not be able to offer a concession even though I have invested over $4500 which includes $1800 for the generator and I have yet to receive any benefits. This unit has been inspected by two Generac installers as well as a licensed electrician and they were all unable to find the reason why the unit would not provide electricity. In previous communications with Generac customer service, they implied that a concession would be possible if they had a "diagnosis". I recontacted the second Generac installer and he has quoted $1500 to "repair" the unit assuming he figures out what is wrong! At this point it makes no sense to spend $1500 on a unit that will have no warranty and has never worked to begin with. I have read many similar complaints on the Revdex.com website as well as other websites and I do not understand Generac's position now that they cannot offer a concession when they implied earlier they could and units now have a 3 year or even 5 year warranty! Despite my reservations as to the quality of these units overall, in my case a replacement generator makes the most sense and would be the cost effective approach considering I do not require a transfer switch or WHIPS if I purchase another Generac generator but I believe Generac should provide significant assistance in this regard.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon, Our records do not show a dealer being on site 43 days after the warranty had expired. Unfortunately, without further notes indicating you had this issue in warranty Generac is not able to offer an out of warranty concession. If you feel we are missing information in regards to your case, please contact us directly. Your case number at Generac is [redacted]. Regards,Generac Power Systems

Review: I have a Generac generator and I have tried to get this generator repaired. I have went to two dealership and also hired Generac employee [redacted] to repair my generator. [redacted] moved out of state to WI where the Generac Power Systems moved him to work at their plant to train other employees. He asked I use Robert at Issco generators which he's [redacted]'s apprentice. I did hire him and he was not able to repair it either. I have done everything and have paid out money trying to fix this generator. I contacted Generac Power Systems on 06/15/2014. They opened a case number for me at that time. The case number is [redacted] and they told me today their is nothing they can do for me. All I'm asking from this company is to find me a name of someone in the business that can repair my generator and get it working. I feel they need to help me try to get my generator fixed. I have spent a lot of money on this generator to be repaired and it only has 250hrs on it. [redacted] finally told me today they cannot offer anything to me that the unit is out of warranty. I explained to her all I want from her company is to find someone to fix it without me having to spend more money on this generator. I have made all the calls to this business and one call was returned to me and her name was [redacted]. The customer service is terrible as well. They refuse to help me and I had to make the call today to find this out. They have not returned phone calls and made me make all contact with them. [redacted] told me today she will provide me names of businesses in my area that may be able to help me. They will not offer to help pay for repair of the generator even though it only has 250hrs on it. I have paid out of my pocket for repair and no one in AZ can seem to fix this generator.Desired Settlement: I would like Generac Power Systems to pay for the service call to a RV shop to see if that company could repair it. I think they should pay for the labor to repair my generator and I pay for parts. I think they should split the cost with me.

Business

Response:

Generac Power Systems would like to thank Mr. [redacted] for contacting us regarding the problems he has been having with his Generac Power Systems generator.

The Generac Power Systems Customer Service department has spoken with Mr. [redacted] regarding his concerns and have provided him with an additional list of service providers and have also informed him that we will be unable to provide any assistance with the repairs to the out of warranty generator.

Regards,

Generac Power Systems

Business

Response:

Generac Power Systems woudl like to thank Mr. [redacted] for contacting us regarding the problems that he has experienced with having his Generac RV generator serviced. The Generac Power Systems customer service department had been in communication with Mr. [redacted] and was attempting to find an authorized service provider.

In reviewing this last response from Mr. [redacted] it appears that the Generac Power Systems customer service department did not clearly communicate that the generator was well out of the warranty period and that repairs to the equipment would not be covered and hence Mr. [redacted] can have anyone work on the generator. If Mr. [redacted] was inquiring if the repairs might be covered by Generac then our customer service department would then request that an authorized service provider look at the generator.

Generac Power Systems would again like to thank Mr. [redacted] for contacting us and we apologize for any delay in responding to his initial request and regret not being able to assist him with his repair.

Regards,

Generac Power Systems

Consumer

Response:

It's not acceptable for Generac Power Systems to take two months to tell me it was not under warranty. I was up front on my first phone call my unit was a 1999. I couldn't find a authorized dealership that could find the problem. My call was turned over to the resolution department. That department asked me to give them receipts from the companies that had performed work on my generator. I complied and Generac Power Systems didn't give me a name of a dealership until I asked for them to provide me with one. They are not taking responsibility for their actions. I finally found a dealership that was able to repair my unit for $102 dollars. I resolved my own problem without any assistance from Generac Power Systems. My linkage was gummed up in the throttle body which caused my generator a uneven speed.

Review: I ordered a 13KW Centurion Generac generator from Lowes on 7/9/13 (order number [redacted]) to be installed by myself. I was told by my township electrical inspector that a load shedding module (PMM unit) was required to meet code so I ordered it on 8/5/13 (order number [redacted]) which did not arrive for well over a month due to back order issues. During this time I called dozens of times to find out where the part was because I was told it had shipped on several phone calls but the tracking information did not work because the part had not actually shipped. I was provided with incorrect information many times. Upon receiving the part and installing it, I began the final installation of the generator and converting it to propane with the valve provided to switch fuel source. The valve would not budge by turning it with my hand and made creaking noises I recognized as impending damage. I have a Master's degree in engineering and I am very familiar with mechanical devices because I repair and build scientific machines for the [redacted] every day; it was obvious that I would cause damage by forcing it any further. I called Generac to get a better description of the process and was told "It is always tricky to turn the valve. Grab the stem of the valve with pliers and turn it while tapping the valve with a hammer." I did this which caused the plastic valve to shatter immediately and the metal stem now turns freely 360 degrees; it is only supposed to turn 90 and stop. I called back and explained the situation and was told that this is not uncommon and warranty repair would be provided.

I chose to go through a Generac dealer I was familiar with called [redacted] for servicing who also indicated the fuel change valve often breaks. This service was initiated some time in early September I believe. Since then I have been told several times the part was on back order through [redacted] and by calling Generac to confirm the details. I finally submitted an official incident report through Generac on Nov 14 and have only been told that the parts are still on back order and that they cannot assist me further because the issue was only brought to their attention on Nov 14 (even though I have made dozens of phone calls since the issue with the PMM unit). I have been extremely frustrated by my customer experience and would gladly return the whole generator and buy another brand if I hadn't had the plumbing and electrical installation completed which cost as much as the generator. As it stands, I have had a non-functional generator in my yard since July and I have lost power during that time. I am writing this complaint in the middle of an ice storm and still have no real guarantee of when my generator will be running.Desired Settlement: I would like an apology and an explaination.

Business

Response:

Generac Power Systems would like to thank [redacted] for contacting us regarding the problems he has experienced with his purchase of a Generac Power Systems generator. The Generac Power Systems customer service department has been in contact with [redacted] regarding the parts shipment and will follow up again after the repair.

If [redacted] has any other questions or concerns we would recommend that our customer service department be contacted directly by calling 1-888-GENERAC.

Once again we apologize for the delay in getting the repalcement parts shipped out to the dealer.

Regards,

Generac Power Systems

Review: bought a generatory it broke

it never seemed to run right, very hard to pull over

plus not running smoothly

brought it to their service provider

got it back it worked for 45min then broke again

also while dealing with this there were non returned calls

then after about 3 weeks finally I was told they would send me a

new machine and it would be here within a week

now 2 weeks later still havent gotten it

I called and left message 2 days still hadnt heard from them

spoke to someone and they said they put a note that is was urgent and told me

it would be sent the next day

So it hadnt even been sent out yetDesired Settlement: I would like my money back so that I can get a generator that works as I am trying to build a house

and after all this I dont even want a replacement because I would have a guarentee but I dont want to

have to deal with this company again

Business

Response:

Generac Power Systems has been in touch with Mr. [redacted] regarding his complaint and have provided further instructions. We apologzie for any delays in resolving his concerns.

Regards,

Generac Power Systems

Review: On or about October 28.2015 , I called Generac phone####-###-#### that I was interested in installing a generator

in my house . Iwas informed that aexpert Generc dealer will contact me soon. The same day I was contacted by Mr.

[redacted] of [redacted] Electric . He advice me on the KW and price of the generator that best serve my purpouse.

We agreed and we made contract . on 10/30/2015 . I give him a check on the amount of $5500.00 .As a deposit to order the generator. . then the problem began . I dint hear nothing from him He din"t answer my calls .he call me on Dec 8,2015 he wasstill waiting for the city permit .and that he was goin to deliver the generator next day .which he did not he finally deliver the generator Dec18,2015. but did not hook it up .say he be back next day ;he did not .He finally com and hook up the generator at the beggininng of March but the generator did not work He

said that he had to order a part to fix it . he came backonApril 9 2016 without the part . he work on the generator for an hour or so still counld fixed . I call Generac warranty service and in short words they say that it was not their problem.On monday April 11,2015 I call Generac Coustumer Service phone# ###-###-#### and explain the situation . and told them that they was responsible for this fiasco and that they need to replace the generator or return my $5500.00.Desired Settlement: To install a new working Generator as soon as possible.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon, We have been in direct contact with the customer regarding his generator. We have made several phone calls to the authorized dealer the customer has been working with, however, have not recieved a return call. Generac is asking another service dealer to go on site and perform diagnostics. This has been relayed to the customer and he has agreed to this.Thank you,Generac Power Systems

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Regards,

Review: In July, 2010, we purchased a Generac generator from [redacted]'s in Grand Forks, ND. In early 2011, we noticed an "overspeed alarm" when the unit did its weekly exercise. We contacted [redacted] in Grand Forks, the authorized service center. They refused to come out and work on the unit because we did not buy it from them. We contacted Generac, who eventually got a company from [redacted] (125 miles away) to come out and repair the unit under warranty. This worked for a few months. Since then , approximately every 3 months or so the overspeed alarm occurs. Once reset, the unit works properly. In December, 2013, the unit would not start at all, failing to even crank over. Assuming the battery was dead, I replaced it with a larger battery than Generac recommends. I also have a battery blanket and crankcase heater on the unit, and use the synthetic oil they specify. I again called [redacted], who again refused to provide service, even after I offered to disconnect the unit and haul it in to Grand Forks (45 miles away.) I then wrote a letter to [redacted] of Generac voicing my concerns over the lack of service on their products. I was contacted by a representative from Generac, who was going to try to get someone to come out and repair the generator. Subsequent phone calls from me got only voicemail, saying she was on personal leave, and that another rep was taking her calls. Several calls to this person got only voicemails, and I never got a return call. This Tuesday, while out, I got a phone message from a third representative, saying she was taking over my case, I called her that afternoon, and again on Wednesday, getting voicemails and leaving messages. I have been trying to get someone to work on my generator for two months now. I found a company in [redacted] who will come out, but they charge $100 per hour plus $1.00 per mile. That's a 250 mile round trip, and I don't think I should have to pay a $650 minimum service call, since the "authorized service center" in Grand Forks refuses to come out and look at the unit. My generator will not start at all. We are 45 miles out in the country. We use electricity for heat, the water well, and septic. It is currently 12 degrees below zero, and a loss of power for even a few hours would be catastrophic.Desired Settlement: I think the generator should be repaired or replaced immediately at a minimal or no cost to me, as the unit is unreliable, an has been since it was in the warranty period, and was not repaired properly the first time. I cannot afford to lose power, for even a short time, and I need a reliable backup generator. Isn't that what "standby" or "backup" generators are supposed to be?

Business

Response:

Generac Power Systems would like to thank Mr. [redacted] for contacting us regarding the problems he has experienced with his purchase of a Generac Power Systems home standby generator. The Generac Power Systems customer service department has been in contact with Mr. [redacted] under Generac case number [redacted] and have put an authorized service dealer in place to assist with getting the generator functional.

As of today it appears that the generator has been inspected and is operating properly, if Mr. [redacted] has any questions or concerns he can reach our customer service department at [redacted].

Regards,

Generac Power Systems

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Review: Bought unit two years ago. 20 kw Guardian Series Standby Residential NG Generator. With less then 15 days combined use, unit has had two control boards defective, then engine blew the generatir head blew. Customer Service Rep assures will be civered but can't find parts. Usrless. Waiting over 30 days for parts. Does not return phone calls. Very unreliabke pri duct and customer servuce rep. Unit gets service inspection as required every 6 months by factory authorized techs.Gererac has been very disappointing both from a product and service point if view. They need a kick in the oants to clean up their act.Desired Settlement: Send parts as promised. Pay service tech to finush repairs or rebuild and honir warranty work as promised fast.

Business

Response:

Generac Power Systems would like to thank Mr. [redacted] for contacting us regarding the problems he has experienced with his purchase of a Generac Power Systems residential generator. In order to properly address the concerns expressed by Mr. [redacted] we will need some additional information such as the generator serial number off the data tag and the name and contact information of the dealer who is servicing the equipment. The generator data tag is about the size of a playing card and is located on the generator near the control panel and is 7 digits long all numeric.

Once again we apologize for the problems that Mr. [redacted] is experiencing and once we receive the information requested we will know who the service dealer is and what genertor they are working on so we can properly address the concerns expressed by Mr. [redacted].

Regards,

Generac Power Systems

Consumer

Response:

On Sat, Jul 27, 2013 at 11:08 AM, [redacted] wrote:

Dear [redacted],

Review: I bought a $2100 Generac Portable in July 2012 which I have used a handful of times. One day in April this year, I turned the generator on for periodic maintenance and immediate heard loud noises inside the engine. I turned it off immediately and took it to Generac authorized service center. The service center told me that Generac denied the claim and suggest that I called Generac directly. I have called many times and the call center reps refused to put me in touch of the warranty department to get an explanation of the warranty claim denial. I have also wrote email and letter via USPS but did not get any response.

Generac does not honor their warranty claims and does not even care to respond to their customers. Please see the letter below that I have sent to Generac via both email and USPS.

Dear Sir/Madam,

My name is [redacted]. I bought the Generac generator XG 10000E (serial # [redacted]) from Home Depot in July 2012. One day in April I went to turn the generator on for a routine maintenance run and heard clunking sound from the cooling fan the motor and immediately turned it off and some small pieces of the fan debris fell out. I called Generac for location of service dealers near my home and three of the four recommended places said they do not deal with Generac because "they often turned down warranty claims". I finally took it to a service center one hour away from my house and paid $75 service fee only to hear from the service center that "Generac denied the claim".

Since I bought the generator it only had about 15 hrs of use and I routinely do a test run every month. This last time I turned it on, the cooling fan fell apart. I am absolutely sure that there is nothing external that could cause the fan breakage since the protective grill has very fine slits and I run in just inside my garage with the door wide open. I spoke with the service manager and he said that Generac denied the claim because they think "a rock may cause fan breakage?" even though there were no foreign object found by the mechanic in his report. The service manager recommended me to contact Generac to ask why the claim was denied.

I called Generac customer service twice and were both times told that they could not help me and would not put me in touch with the department that handle the warranty claims. I am very frustrated about this situation about to lose faith in the Generac Warranty. I believe that the cooling fan breakage deserve further investigation for consumer's safety because there were small debris being shot out that can cause injury to the eyes. I have bought a much bigger house and were thinking of upgrading to bigger standy home generator, but definitely have second thought after dealing with this warranty issues from your company.

Please help me resolve this warranty issues. I will be writing a formal letter to the head quarters and the Revdex.com if I do not receive a response.

Enclosed in the attachment is a copy of the Mechanic's report from the service center for your inspection.

Sincerely, [redacted]Desired Settlement: I would like Generac to honor their product's warranty and repair the broken part for my generator.

Business

Response:

Generac Power Systems would like to thank Mr. [redacted] for contacting us regarding the problems he has experienced with his purchase of a Generac Power Systems portable generator. The Generac Power Systems customer service department has been in contact with Mr. [redacted] and have reached and agreement and will be covering the parts needed and the labor to install the parts as a customer concession.

We thank Mr. [redacted] for contacting us and if he has any further questions please contact our customer service department at 1-888-GENERAC and provide case number [redacted].

Regards,

Generac Power Systems

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Review: I have been in contact with Generac agent for almost 90 days now they have promised a new item many times many emails back and forth with [redacted]) x[redacted] at Fax# ###-###-#### he keeps telling they are going to send a new unit but they never do I just want my money back at this point!Desired Settlement: overnight check $329.47 and something for all the time and trouble and gas back and forth to stores to take care of there problem that they refuse to deal with....

Business

Response:

Generac Power Systems has been in contact with Mr. [redacted] and a check was sent in the mail on 7/25/13.

Regards,

Generac Power Systems

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Thank you very much!

Review: I had a problem with my automatic home generator and had to have warranty work done,a starter replaced. I called the recomended service company Generac recommended. They came out and replaced the starter. The problem is they replaced it with a used part. The used part failed after the waranty period expired. When I called Generac they informed me I should of received a new starter. They said they would not replace the starter although it should of been replaced with a new part.. Generac told me I had to use this service company and they should back up their work since I had to use this company. They informed me they monitor there service companies but there was no follow up by them at all. What do they do to make sure the customer is treated fairly? Nothing. No e-mail follow up, no phone call, no letter, no nothing. All this company is worried about is the bottom line. I have been cheated and the public should be aware of this companies bad practices.Desired Settlement: They should have to replace the part. It is there responsibility to monitor there companies that repair their products.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon, While looking into this situation further, we were able to determine that this customer did have a starter replaced by an independently owned and operated servicing dealer on 10/15/2010. The customers warranty for labor had expired 01/18/2012, and parts had expired 01/18/2013. Due to the warranty being expired, along with the repair taking place over four years ago, we are unable to assist financially with the current starter replacement. If the customer is concerned about the work performed previously by this independently owned and operated dealer, we would ask that he contact that company directly. Thank you,[redacted]Generac Power Systems

Consumer

Response:

Review: At 12:38 AM 8/07/13 I sustained a loss of electrical power from my utilities company [redacted]. Waupaca County, WI , where I live was hit with a wind, rain, electrical storm lasting less than thirty minutes. My 20KW Generac Generator's Transfer Switch failed to assume the load even though the Generac Generator ran well and no damage to my 200 amp circuit breaker panel occured. I attempted a manual start of my generac Transfer Switch. The transfer switch turned on the lights temporarily, began to smoke and my lights throughout my home blew out. I was without power. I subsequently called my electricians at [redacted] who came out later that morning. They bypassed the Transfer switch giving me some electric power. This remained my source of power for the next 48+ hours. Master electrician/certified electronics technician [redacted], advised me to get ahold of [redacted] Online Ordering and request another Transfer Switch, so as he could resolve the problem. After contacting [redacted] they located my order and determined that I had a five year service contract with Generac. They put me into contact with [redacted], of [redacted], ###-###-####, @ [redacted], Generac contracted service provider. [redacted] advised me that he would accept the costs of services rendered to me by [redacted] regarding my outage and forward them to Generac to be paid. He also stated that Master electric could provide back up electric services to me if his people became tied up elsewhere. [redacted] repairman came out that same day, 08/07/13 to assess my generator system etc. He took photos. He had to drive to appleton to pick up another 12Volt battery for my generator which remained disconnected from its transfer switch and provided power to my home while mu utilities remained out.[redacted], left and returned on 8/31/13 with a couple of parts for my Transfer switch. He replaced the transformer and though he requested that Generac replace the entire Transfer Switch which has at least had cosmetic scorching on other unreplaced parts he stated that if at startup, if the unit fails to run, Generac will be asked again to replace the entire switch.. [redacted] failed to bring/arrange for an electrician to be with him in order to wire back my existing Switch with my power panel(I thought that he was an electrician). Furthermore [redacted] advised me that Generac would not pay my electrician bills even though his boss, [redacted] stated that Generac, would, because the problem was caused by a storm serge. He hadn't heard my Electrician say the problem was either caused by a slapping of two power lines slamming together or, a small defective winding in the burnt out transformer. In any case I was promised that electrical services would be paid for, and that now even after over three weeks of waiting for my auxiliary power system to be operational for a system in which I've invested over $ 8.5K into, it's not operational. Furthermore, how many more weeks will I have to wait. I( should receive a new undamaged Transfer switch, NOT ONE WHICH HAS ALREADY FAILED ME.Desired Settlement: 1) Pay electricians fees of pre and post repair as promised by [redacted] , [redacted], electrician, of [redacted] 2) Replacement with New upgraded Transfer Switch which I already had installed previously, 3) expedite this repair, 4)an apology for taking so long (the repairman, [redacted], had advised me that he had been in San Diego, California, on another Job, while I waited for his services. The company has other repairman. Generac who's ultimately responsible, should have told them to get it done!

Business

Response:

The Generac Power Systems Customer Service department has been in contact with Mr. [redacted] regarding his complaint. The generator is currently operational and Mr. [redacted] has been informed on what is and is not covered under the Generac Power Systems factory warranty. If Mr. [redacted] has any further questions he can contact our customer service department at 1-888-GENERAC.

Regards,

Generac Power Systems

Consumer

Response:

Review: My wife and I bought a generac generator assuming they were supposed to be one of the best on the market but after only4 and a half months of use it quit generating power so took it back for warranty repairs but are being told its no longer under warranty due to the number of hours being used the service department guy (Doug) told me I should be glad I got 1000 hours of use out of it before needing repairs I told him if I had known it would need repairs at 1000 hours I would not have purchased it I did inform him I have a 5000 watt campbell hausefeld that had double the hours and still kicking and have not had a problem with it yet .I should have done my research before buying it as I can now see they have a lot of complaints about these generators. The motor is still good and runs its the alternator that has the problem the service tech told me the brushes were worn the shaft was bent and it needed a new rotor for all of this to be defective it would seem to me to be a manufacture defect as I see it as very poorly constructed and it has not been abused physically I would like them to man up and warranty the products they sell they always seem to want to get out of warranty repairs but are quick to take your money my campbell hausefeld has definitely put this generator to shame there are a lot of complaints against generac generators they are poorly constructed generators and should be investigated for selling a very bad and poorly constructed product I would be satisfied if they would just fix my generator and to think we were thinking about buying a generac home stand by generator but after this experience I dont think so just fix my generator I'll be satified.Desired Settlement: To have my generator fixed under warranty

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon, Thank you for your patience while Generac reviewed your concerns. We have attached the warranty statement that is provided with the XT8000E. It is outlined in this statement that the warranty is applicable up to 1000 hours of use. If the generator does in fact have over this amount of hours, then Generac would respectfully decline warranty coverage as outlined in the attached statement.Thank you,Generac Power Systems

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon, The brush assembly is a wear item, and with over 1000 hours of use Generac would not classify this issue as a manufacturing defect. At this time, our position remains the same that Generac will not be able to offer an outside of warranty concession.Thank you,Generac Power Systems

Consumer

Response:

Review: We purchased a new Generac whole house generator model #[redacted]. The installation date was June 10, 2015. The yellow warning light came on the generator June 12, 2015. At that time a call was placed to the electrical company that installed the generator. The company came out and replaced the battery on June 15, 2015. Since that time the (new) generator has required two more batteries and is in need of another. This will be the fourth battery installation required for a (new) generator. The generator has also had the computer board replaced and at this time Generac is saying the harness & controller need to be replaced. All of these parts/battery replacements have been done per the instructions of the Generac company. This generator has required six service calls and will require a seventh to replace the harness, controller and fourth battery. After spending several thousand dollars for this Generac generator it has not given the service promised and at this time appears to be a poorly produced product with an inferior quality control process.Desired Settlement: Since it is impractical to remove the Generac generator and request a refund, my only recourse seems to be a request for a replacement Generac generator.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon, We do apologize the customer is experiencing issues with their generator. An authorized dealer has been on site and corresponding with our technical department regarding the current issue. It has been determined that the control board and harness need to be replaced. Per the warranty statement, Generac will repair or replace any part that is deemed defective by an authorized servicing dealer. At this time, Generac has decided to replace these parts as we do not feel the entire generator itself is in need of a complete replacement. Based upon the diagnostics performed we are confident this shall resolve the issue the customer has been experiencing. Thank you,Generac Power Systems

Consumer

Response:

Review: I bought an 8Kw standby generating system from Generac in December 2012. I need to use a C-PAP device and require electricity to my residence. The generator ran fine until August 2013, when it stopped running. I reported the malfunction to my installer/factory rep on August 29th. In mid-September the installer/rep for Generac replaced a solenoid and stepper motor at the instruction of the Generac home office (WI) service dept. Ordering, delivery and installation of the parts took the better part of a month. The generator still didn't run. Generac-WI decided that there had to be insufficient natural gas getting to the unit (in spite of its running for eight months). The installer tech had measured the gas pressure with a faulty meter and erroneously reported low gas pressure. After replacing and correcting the mistake G-WI refused to believe him. The gas company and the original tech re-measured the gas flow using the gas company “state certified” meters and found it to be sufficient. G-WI removed the original service team and sent a new technician, insisting there had to be a gas problem. The new tech very quickly determined that there was sufficient gas but blamed the automated controller. The new tech replaced the controller and claims the generator ran for a few minutes but after he shut it off it would not run again. He went on to claim that there are as many as eight different things that report back to the controller and could cause the malfunction. The Generac Warranty says that repairs have to be completed within 30 days. It has now been 47 days since I reported this malfunction to Generac. When do they have to abide by their warranty? So far I have spoken to Generac’s headquarters multiple times. The primary customer care representative is [redacted]. His supervisor is named [redacted]. Neither individual is willing to provide quality customer service. After several calls and e-mails Mr. [redacted] finally called back but steadfastly refused to address Generac’s stated policy of resolving customer complaints within thirty days. He stated he is bound by the fact that in spite of it being day 67, conflicting error reports ties his hands in doing anything on my behalf. He states that his tech department was now reporting an excess natural gas pressure and it had to be lowered to factory tolerances before he could advance my complaint. The gas company supervisor came by at my behest and together with the Generac on-site tech, set the tolerances for column inches of water (pressure) for the exact factory specification. The generator will still not run and the on-site tech left at 3:30 local time as he stated he had tried everything (many things multiple times) and is out of ideas and as G-WI is closed for the day he will call them tomorrow. He stated he was tempted to quit because he was paid only for an hour or two and had already spent well over ten hours trying to resolve the problem. Mr. [redacted] finally answered the question about the thirty day warranty surety Generac makes, “…:You (the equipment owner) are responsible for contacting a Generac Authorized Warranty Dealer as soon as a problem occurs. The warranty repair should be completed in a reasonable amount of time, not to exceed thirty days.” He stated in an e-mail response, “In answer to your question about 30 days – that applies to the dealer filing the warranty claim. The dealer has 30 days to file the claim before penalty. That does not apply to the consumer. Thanks, [redacted]” That has to be the most insulting answer I have ever received. Adding insult to injury, in today’s e-mail I received a message from Generac stating my opportunity to buy an extended warranty ends in a month.Desired Settlement: Immediate replacement of faulty unit and extension of the warranty for a period at least as long as the period it has been out of service.

Business

Response:

Generac Power Systems would like to thank Mr. [redacted] for contacting us regarding the problems he has experienced with the purchase of his Generac home standby generator. The Generac Power Systems customer service department has been in contact with Mr. [redacted] and we are proceeding with having the generator repaired and but back into operation. The part needed for the repair of the generator will be shipping from Generac Power Systems directly to our authorized service provider.

Once again, we apologize for the problems that Mr. [redacted] has experienced and should he have any additional questions he can reach us directly by calling 1-888-GENERAC.

Regards,

Generac Power Systems

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

My response to Generac

Dear

Generac claims that a needed part is on the way to my authorized dealer. According to e-mail contact from Generac"s Customer Care Rep Generac is sending a new engine to the local rep for installation into my standby generator (supposedly to be accomplished by 1-0/28/13). So far they have diagnosed the problem and replaced an alleged faulty computer controller, the regulator and the air box. They have also spent two days mucking around with the natural gas. I have very little or no confidence that this proposed fix is viable. In any event, the generator is not fixed and I have lost three months value of the limited warranty. Until the generator is running and Generac has suitably addressed the warranty issue and the fact that given this unit has been worked on for more time than the generator has actually run (in weekly test mode), I cannot accept this statement by Generac as a true attempt to resolve this issue.

Regards,

[redacted] & [redacted]

Business

Response:

Generac Power Sytems would like to thank Mr. [redacted] for contacting us regarding the problems he has experienced with his purchase of a Generac Power Systems home standby generator.

The Generac Power Systems has been in communication with Mr. [redacted] and has confirmed that the generator is operational and have also provided him with a mobile link as a customer concession that can be used to remotely monitor the generator functionality.

Should Mr. [redacted] have any further concerns or questions we would ask that he contact our customer service department at 1-888-GENERAC.

Once again, we apologize for any problems that Mr. [redacted] has experienced with his purchase of a Generac Power Systems homes standby generator.

Regards,

Generac Power Systems