Jay's advise is excellent in my humble opinion. I've gotten a lot stuff fixed/replaced out-of-warranty just by being a loud pain-in-the-ass. You could also try bypassing the switch, and using a switched extension cord. Someone with a decent understanding of electricity and a soldering iron could bypass the switch (safety first). I've seen outdoor extension coards with a built-in switch at the female end. This could be a possible (cheaper) solution to your problem.