A year and a week ago I bought a Husky power washer, model 1800S. It carried a 90-day parts warranty and a three-year manufacturer warranty on the pump and motor, and Home Depot added a one-year money-back or exchange offer. I chose it because I trusted the Husky name and the reputation of Home Depot.
In that whole year I ran the washer only about five times. On the fifth use, the trigger on the spray gun snapped during ordinary operation. That happened roughly a month ago, and I could not reach anyone at Home Depot until yesterday, September 04. The service desk could not assist, since the one-year period had passed, so I asked for a manager. A manager named Mitch came over, repeated that nothing could be done past one year, and told the service desk clerk to give me a phone number for Husky. When I went through the same routine with Husky, they said the 90-day parts warranty had ended. Both Home Depot and Husky, by online chat and in live conversations, kept offering one excuse after another.
My complaint is not that the unit is beyond the warranty. I bought a brand that is one of Home Depot's main brands and maybe an exclusive one, with the implied guarantee that it was a superior product. It is not good quality. The trigger on the gun failed after four limited uses. As I told Husky, either mine is a lemon or every Husky 1800S has a defective trigger and should be recalled. Either way, a new gun should have been shipped to me at no charge. I will not buy another Husky power washer.
To Home Depot I say this: you show appreciation for brand loyalty by bending the rules so that regular customers feel valued. If you always hide behind policy, loyal customers will take their business and their loyalty elsewhere.
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