Action 9: Woman's icemaker didn't work after paying for replacement

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One woman had her icemaker replaced by a local company, but it never made any ice.

She tried numerous times to get the installer to fix it, but failed.

The woman turned to Action 9's Don Griffin for help and he told her the one request she should have made while it was being replaced.

Sherry Wood paid $150 to get her icemaker replaced, but she said it still didn't work.

"(It) was supposed to have ice within eight to 10 hours, next morning, no ice," Wood said.

Wood said the installer was A Plus Appliance, a husband and wife team by the name of Ronine and Crystal Hope Spear.

She said the couple promised to come back but didn't.

"I kind of felt something was fishy," Wood said.

So she went online and found lots of other people complaining about the couple's work.

"It says, 'Ronnie and Crystal Spear did not fix refrigerator, never returned calls, Lexington, N.C.,'" Wood said.

Wood believes Ronnie Spear reinstalled her old, broken icemaker.

"He could have taken it out, walked out, put in that wrap and came right back in and installed the broken part, very possible.  We wouldn't have known the wiser. He didn't show us anything," Wood said.

Griffin tired calling Ronnie's number, but it didn't work.  He also checked with the Better Business Bureau, but they had no filed on A Plus Appliance.

BBB president Tom Bartholomy said the only way to protect yourself with appliance or car repairs is to ask for the old part back.

"That's a great way of being able to determine that they are not making a switch on you," Bartholomy said.

Wood said from now on, she will do that.

She had a warning for others.

"I don't care if you are buying a product or inviting someone into your home to fix something, do your research so you don't get scammed," Wood said.

SPECIAL ACTION 9 NOTE:

After more than 30 years of service at Channel 9 and thousands of consumers helped, Don Griffin will retire Sept. 27.

Leave him a message in the comments section below.

WSOC