Dead Kobalt string trimmer

[DMartin9N-2N]

Good evening: I just completed a phone call to Kobalt (Lowe's brand) about a string trimmer of theirs that seems to have a dead battery and the charger also acts dead. It is now out of warrenty time, but the store clerk a few months ago told me the store might be able to make adjustments if I called Kobalt's number and got a REF number, then the local Lowe's could do something. Tonight I made the phone call, I could not understand the guy who answered my call. I can usually understand people on the phone using my hearing aids, but this guy had a bad connection or something. (I had already looked at You-toob regarding battery/charger, not much help). Reminds me of an ancient saying: "for want of a shoe, a horse was lost".
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Dennis M. in W. Tenn.
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[Steve@Advance]

You can try calling back, get a different person. If that doesn't work
then you can tell Lowes you tried twice. Maybe they could make the call
and see what you are up against.

Offer to buy whatever you need, see if that will convince them you are
serious and not just trying to get something for nothing! Then do some
'process of elimination' troubleshooting.

It could be a bad battery, or a bad charger.

I assume you only have one battery.

Maybe if you take the trimmer, the charger, and the battery to the store,
and ask them to put a known good battery in the trimmer, (they should
have one on display) see if it will run, then put the known good battery
in the charger, see if it will charge, try your questionable battery in
their charger, (they should have one they use to keep the display
equipment going) see if it will take a charge.

Then you could purchase whatever you need to get going again, make a
decision to invest more, or cut your losses.

 

[Janicholson]

Great answer. Jim

 

[Goose]

I finally bought my wife a desk telephone with the screen with the 'caption' option for one reason.

She's Worthy Matron of a local Eastern Star chapter, and one of her male members frequently calls about chapter business. I don't know if it's his phone or what,
but you absolutely cannot understand the guy on the telephone.

It's amazing how many time we run to that phone with other callers.

 

[caterpillar guy]

I know it is no help but just another reason I dis like battery powered things. Along with small gas engines.

 

[Red Dave]

Don't feel too bad about not being able to understand customer service people on the phone. My hearing is still good and I have a lot of trouble understanding them too. Between how fast they speak and their heavy accents, I have to ask them to repeat often.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

I don't know of any Lowes, or any store that sells tools for that matter, that keeps charged batteries in tools on display.

Any batteries and chargers on display are dummy models, to prevent theft. Want to steal an empty battery case? Knock yourself out.

If you can't understand the person on the other end of the line, keep repeating, "I'm sorry, I can't understand you." Eventually they will pass you off to someone who speaks more clearly. Don't hang up. They want you to give up.

 

[DMartin9N-2N]

Reply to my own post: The Kobalt box for string trimmer, (including battery and charger) says tool is guaranteed for 5 years, then it also says battery and charger guaranteed for 3 years. So when the battery/charger parts quit, the tool is worthless to me. The 5-year guarantee is a joke. The tool will never wear out during the last 2 years of guarantee since there is no longer a battery. HOWEVER, today I will try to get another family member to call the Kobalt number and maybe she will understand the gibberish guy. (If the answer is to buy a new battery AND charger, I may decline that offer). I might buy a new battery alone if that will fix the problem.
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Dennis M. in W. Tenn.
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[1948CaseVAI]

With the warranty period over I am not sure what you want them to do?? I would just put it all in the trash and buy another.