Used to be that warranties ran longer than a year. My Frigidaire range bought in 2001 had a three year basic warranty, without having to buy an extended service plan. I believe during the Bush administration, a law was passed allowing manufacturers to offer only a one year warranty. While one year is all I might expect from a middle of the road brand, it amazes me that high end brands like Viking, DCS, Wolf, etc. don't voluntarily extend it beyond one year. Maybe not cover the labor, but why on earth should a part on a $5-8,000 range NOT be covered more than one year?
My original GE range (came with the new house) began to have problems with the automatic ignition on the right hand burners at age 4-5 years (warranty was over). The replacement part was over $200 (on a range that one could buy new for $450), so I used matches to light the right burners and mostly used the left side burners, where the ignition still worked (all were 8 or 9K BTU burners, not differently sized burners as you find on better ranges and cooktops today). It was unusual to have more than two burners in use at once, anyway. When the range began to fail in other regards (oven temp wouldn't hold, etc.) I replaced it, but I could not see throwing out a four year old range because a burner did not light.
When I bought the new Frigidaire gas convection range, within a few years two of the grids had chipped. I was still within the three year pre-Bush warranty, and found that replacement grids were $100 EACH. I asked for and received three replacement grids without question (so they could not have cost Frigidaire $100 a piece). I replaced the two chipped grids, and since then none of the other grids have chipped. The unused new grid sits in a box in case I ever have a problem with a third grid.
