Should you get a second opinion on a compressor quote?
Yes, when the compressor was condemned without readings you were shown, because this is the dearest band on the site: $1,420–$3,330. Viking Repair Kirkland charges its usual $89 for a second diagnosis and credits it to the repair if you go ahead. Keep the first quote beside you when you call (425) 629-0033.
- Compressor or sealed-system repair
- $1,420–$3,330
- Service call and diagnosis, credited if you go ahead
- $89
Before you call
3 checks for this job
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1Does the first quote mention the fans and the defrost system, or only the compressor?
No call yet If it records that the fans ran and the coil was clear of ice, the cheaper faults were looked at. Ask for those notes.
Call If the compressor is the only part named, a second look can rule the fan and defrost parts in or out.
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2Were you shown any numbers taken from the compressor itself?
No call yet Winding resistance (a check on the motor inside) and the power it draws while running are the usual evidence. Written down, they give you something to weigh.
Call A verdict with no readings attached is the one most worth checking before paying at the top of the price list.
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3Is the unit still holding some of its cold while you decide?
No call yet Keep the doors shut and move the most perishable food to a cooler while you arrange the second visit.
Call If both compartments are climbing quickly, book soon, while the fault is still there to be measured. Viking Repair Kirkland answers on (425) 629-0033.
What moves the price?
| Factor | What it does to the quote |
|---|---|
| Whether the verdict stands | If the compressor is confirmed, the job stays in this band; if the fault proves to be a fan, a defrost part or a board, it drops to that part's band. |
| Start parts on older built-ins | Viking's older bottom-freezer service manual tests the start relay and overload (the parts that start and guard it) on their own; a compressor cannot run without them. |
| Fresh measurements | The second visit measures the unit again instead of borrowing the first set of numbers. |
When does a second look make sense?
When the quote names the compressor but says nothing about how it was proved. When the figure arrived without anyone measuring the unit. Or when the sum is large enough to want the same answer twice.
Which readings should the verdict rest on?
The service manual Viking wrote for its bottom-freezer built-ins lists them. The resistance across the compressor’s terminals shows whether the motor windings inside are whole. A test from each terminal to the metal case looks for a short. The power drawn while it runs, and temperatures and pressures around the loop, separate a worn compressor from a refrigerant shortage or a partial blockage.
Will a second opinion come out cheaper?
Not necessarily. It may confirm the first verdict in every detail. What it adds is proof you have seen for yourself.
What did Kirkland owners say once it was fixed?
4.9 / 51,643 ratings
Frost built up on the back wall of the pantry unit every week. The defrost heater tested open at the connector. Replaced, then he stayed to watch a full cycle through before packing up.
Silas M.
Water kept pooling under the crisper drawers and freezing into a sheet. It was a plugged drain line, not the sealed system somebody else had hinted at. Cleared, and he showed me the tray.
Fiona D.
Ice maker filled but dropped small hollow cubes that stuck together in the bin. The fill valve was weak and the water line had a kink from the original install. Cubes are solid again.
Thea K.
Want a firm figure for your Viking?
$89 for the visit and the diagnosis, taken off the repair if you go ahead. Technicians out 8am–8pm, every day; the line is answered 24/7.