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GE Washing Machines

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Lots of things can, and do, go wrong with GE washing machines, including:

• Transmission failure
• Incompetent service
• Damage to clothes

Or, as Ann of Philadelpia puts it:
As an employee for an appliance parts wholesaler, I can tell you that the GE washer (also sold as Hotpoint and RCA) is the worst design in the history of major appliances.

Others we've heard from recently would probably agree ...

Melissa of Prescott AZ (11/30/08)
I am so glad I am not the only disappointed buyer of a GE Adora washer. I have had to replace the rubber gasket next to the door 3 times in the 2 years I have had the machine. Today, it tore again and so I will have to wait another 2 weeks to do laundry in my own home- I have 5 kids and a husband. Now I have to pay for it to be fixed and go to the laundrymat while I wait for maintenance.

This is the first expensive washing machine I have ever bought. The other cheaper machines never had a problem. I don't know what to think. I was also told by the appliance store that the moldy smell will go away if you leave your washer open. It just makes my house smell moldy. I also had a tech out when my washer wasn't draining correctly and my clothes were coming out soaking wet.

He showed me what to do, a complicated way of fixing a machine. I'm sure I'll have to have him out again for that. I am disappointed but don't know what to do. I wish I had returned the machine when the rubber gasket was not sealed correctly, but Home Depot insisted on sending someone out to help me.

Erin of Smithville, MO November 20, 2008

Erin of Smithville MO (11/20/08)
I purchased a GE washer in October of 2007. In April 2008 it stopped spinning and they sent someone out to fix it- but first I had to wait a week and a half for someone to come out. It stopped spinning again in October of 2008 and they came out again on a Monday. By Wednesday it had stopped spinning AGAIN. Finally I demanded to speak to a supervisor and was able to get someone out on Thursday to fix it again. Now it is November 2008 and, surprise surprise! It stopped spinning again!!

I called GE and talked to a customer service rep. I let her know that I would like a new washer as they can't seem to get this one fixed. She said they would send someone out to verify it was broken and go from there. Instead, they had the repairman fix it and now they are telling me I am stuck with it. No one is willing to help me and the rep literally told me I was out of luck. Previously I owned a Whirlpool washer for 5 years and never had one problem. Unfortunately when I sold my house, the buyers wanted the washer and dryer. I am considering junking this washer and buying another whirlpool!! Stay away from GE. Their products are garbage, as are their customer service reps.

Economically, I have had to go to a laundromat because I have kids and cannot go more than a week without a washer.

Jill of Dayton, WA November 19, 2008

Jill of Dayton WA (11/19/08)
We purchased our front loaders two years ago from Home Depot. We are on our second washer already as the first one has had to have been replaced due to the drain being plugged but our service repair people did not recognize what the actual problem was. So they replaced the whole machine later to realize the faulty design of the machines inability to drain properly. After four long weeks with no machine and four children in our home our machine was replaced.

We now have to regularly un-plug the drain by unscrewing the front panel and draining the machine then cleaning any debris out. The second machine has the same issues as the first but more! It also sounds very loud (like a freight train coming) it often damages clothing like swim suits, socks and underwear. We bought these frond loaders as a set. And both of them have been terrible! We have had the second washer a little over a year and the dryer two years. The dryer is also starting to have problems. Cloths rip and it turns on and off. The dryer also makes a very loud screeching noise as it runs. These machines need to be recalled and GE needs to take responsibility for this poor product!

Jennifer of Mokena, IL November 14, 2008

Jennifer of Mokena IL (11/14/08)
I purchased a GE front loader washer and dryer on 8/4/06. Since purchaing these units I have had repair men out numerous times, at least 10 times for issues with the washer. There is a strong oder of MOLD resinating from the washing machine. My clothes smell horrible and it's an embarrasement when people come over and inquire What is that smell???

I have had the repair men to my home neumerous times and was continously told the same thing... Clean your washer. Well, I clean my washer MORE than my clothes yet, the washer and my clothes continue to smell like MOLD! The last time few times they came out, I called them not only for the smell but for a different problem.

I had contacted them about my washer not spining all the water from the clothes, they sent a repair man out again. They replaced the tub because it was warped and the electrical components for the settings , Wayne, the GE repair man stated, in regards to the smell, This is the problem right here, I stood over the replair mans shoulder and what I saw was a HUGE amount of black mold in the covering back of the drum, he stated I had legitmate gripe, however, he would not document it and refused to clean the black mold and Mike, (his partner) left the MOLD in the plastic basket that holds the tub and proceded to reassemble the unit and left.

I feel that GE has fraudently sold me and other consumers a so called energy efficient that is not anywhere near energy efficent when I have to run the unit with nothing in it on a regular basis according to the representatives at GE Corporation to clean the tub and 'other' components.

At my expense, they, GE Corporation, wants me to purchase bleach and chemicals, use my electricity and water to run through the unit to mask the smell, (THEIR WORDS), how is this efficient and saving energy?

However, the kicker? It doesn't do a blasted thing to correct the issue, only drain my pocket book! I am tired of GE ignoring this issue and continues to tell me there is nothing they can do, they don't cover smell and mold, how convienent considering that many others have the same issues, this issue in my opinion is a manufacture defect and therefore should be the responsibilty of the manufacturer.

I've been sold a bill of goods due to their engineering flaw design, and I am told I have to swallow it. I don't feel that I, or others should have to! I hope you can assist me and others who are experiencing this problem.

Recently, I started to do a little investgating to see if I'm the only one with this issue, I can assure you, I have found MANY people with this same issue. GE is the last place I'd shop again for appliances, their customer service and repair departments lack the ability to resolve issues to a customers satisfaction. They're in the wrong and we, the consumers, are left hung out to dry!

I feel that breathing that black mold is a health issue!

Victoria of Westminster, CO November 12, 2008

Victoria of Westminster CO (11/12/08)
I purchased a GE Adora front-loading high efficiency washing machine 2 years ago. I noticed that the machine was progressively declining..clothes were not spinning well and coming out wet, etc...eventually - it would shut off between cycles, if restarted - it would not spin - then it would not drain the water out. We read the entire owner's manual - made sure the hose was not crimped, household drain was not clogged, etc....We DID NOT call a service tech - which would have been the next step at our expense.

Check this out - my husband unscrewed the panel on the front bottem of the washer - right there is a cap for the drain, easily uncrewable by hand - when removed it is connected to a screen - WHICH WAS PACKED WITH LINT, ETC - completely blocking the water from draining. #1 - this should be routine maintenance, periodically cleaning this filter. I am lucky that I did not burn out the motor trying to re-run my washloads. #2 - there is no access to the filter. This should be in a place easily accessible for cleaning. NOWHERE in the manual or online does it tell you to check this!!! That is because I believe the company would benefit from service calls - or ultimately replacing motors when this breaks.

I am sure that the project management team working on the development of these washers knows that this exists - you can't miss it when you uncover the front - this is now routine maintenance. Although I believe I have probably put years on my washer running it with the filter clogged - I am more concerned about the fact the GE should be required to make this knowledge available to the public.

Additionally, I was told that the mold smell my washer developed over the first year was because with front-loading washer you need to keep the door open when not in use. Hello - I spent a lot of money on this - I need to keep the door open. How about the reason may be that the water that did not drain because my filter was clogging was sitting in the bottem of the washer developing mold. Incredible. GE is aware of this - should the public be also?

My only physical damage would be the years added on to the motor of my washer because I was running it with a clogged filter. Economically - for people who would not go past what the owner's manual tells you to trouble-shoot - it is going to cost everyone a service call or ultimately a new washer if they burn out their motor. This is not right.

Heather of Johns Island, SC November 12, 2008

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