Trying to get RMA for my Nighthawk router dead in less than 1 year

 My router is not working, with only the bottom 6 lights on when it is plugged in. This post would be more technical to get the router to work, but I called and ran thru some tests with the team and they said it seems like a firmware issue, and would need to be returned. I want to know if other people have had a similar experience as I have. I have a router for almost a year when it stopped working. 

I didn't remember when I purchased the router and from whom, so I ended the call saying I would get back to them. I checked my receipt which was from Amazon, on June 30th 2021. I thought, great so I am within the timeframe of the warranty, and who really thinks they should have to pay to replace their router every year. Really that would be silly.

I call back, and provide them the invoice stating the purchase date putting me within the warranty timeframe and I hear from them that in the previous call one of their team members put in a random date for the router purchase so I am outside of the warranty. But they would escalate this to get the proper date, and get me an RMA for the faulty router. They assured me within a hour or two I should hear back.

However, I did not hear back for several hours. I contacted their team again to follow up later in the evening, to which the reply was, I would get a callback the same day. The next day (today) and I repeat the process and get the same answer. I am approaching my 1 year anniversary and I am unsure if I should wait for the RMA or what.

Are the nighthawk router expected to die after just one year? 

Why is it so expensive if so.

Has anyone experienced difficulties completing an RMA? Is there some way to escalate this?