Clayton man struggles to get dishwasher repaired

But normally, calling a repairman gets most issues fixed. 

The repairman was the hold-up for one of our viewers, and that's why Jerry Gabriel called 5 On Your Side for help.

His $1,400 Viking Professional dishwasher was recalled because of a possible fire hazard. He wasn't too concerned until "all of a sudden this pop, boom," described Gabriel of the noise he heard one night.

"We came out here and checked all the fuses, and sure enough, this one had flipped out."

While draining, the dishwasher tripped the circuit breaker, twice. Gabriel immediately stopped using it.

"I didn't want to be shocked, and I didn't want to be electrocuted, and I didn't want my house burned down," he said.

Viking sent the replacement parts in April, but it took another month to get a repairman to his house.

The reason: "They don't come to Clayton," Gabriel said. "It's simply cut and dry," they told him. "We're not coming to Clayton."

The recommended repair companies in Raleigh told Gabriel they didn't want to drive 17 miles out to his home. Laughing, he told us, "We live so far out, they won't even come."

When he couldn't get it worked out with the company, Gabriel contacted 5 On Your Side. We contacted Viking.

"This lady called me the very next day from Viking," said Gabriel.

They got in touch with a repairman, paid the mileage, and got him to Gabriel's home.

"Amazing that they would respond to you quicker than they would me, since I'm the one that paid for it," said Gabriel.

The repairman showed up and fixed it.

"When you can put them in a dishwasher and forget it and never hear it, that's luxury," said Gabriel. "But when you have to hand wash a dish and dry them and put 'em up, that is no fun!"