Complain about a product or service

KitchenAid Refrigerators

KitchenAid • Cooktops • Cookware • Coffee Makers • Dishwashers • Hot Water Dispensers • Kitchen Utensils • Microwave & Range Hoods • Mixers • Range Hoods • Refrigerators • Stoves & Ovens • Wall Ovens • Washers & Dryers --- • Whirlpool

M. of Arkansas City, KS March 6, 2009

M. of Arkansas City KS (03/06/09)
I bought the side by side stainless steel Kitchenaid refrigerator model KSRL25FRST04 in Jan. 07. It supprisingly looked just like the Kenmore model my daughter has, at a much lower price. In Feb 08 the ice dispenser door broke, a piece smaller than 1 inch on the inside which held the return spring which closed the dispenser door. After finding out it could not be replaced as it is designed to not be able to access to fix, I called Whirlpool.

After much discussion of Whirlpool putting Kitchenaid logo on their cheeper models, designing products to not be able to fix them, and placing parts that are too week to function in a refrigerator with a supposed quality label on it, they agreed to replace the door. It was a repair that was to cost nearly 1/2 the price of the new refrigerator. My daughter had the same problem and her repairman told her it is a common problem. Even though Whirlpool was good enough to replace the door 30 days after it was out of warrenty, I will certainly think twice before purchasing another product made by Whirlpool. In 41 years of purchasing Maytag and Kitchenaid, I'm disappointed I can't rely on a carefree product.

Gina of Concord, CA March 5, 2009

Gina of Concord CA (03/05/09)
I have a complaint on file regarding my Kitchenaid refrigerator with liner cracks. I have been working with the Whirlpool Executive offices and today they are ordering a replacement refrigerator comprable to the one I have for a pro-rated amount..550.00.

Stephen of Bend, OR February 23, 2009

Stephen of Bend OR (02/23/09)
I have a KitchenAid KSCS25INSS00 side by side refridgerator purchased in October 0f 2005. It has a five year warranty on the cavity liner that calls for replacement or repair if it cracks. The cavity liner CANNOT be replaced because of the way the unit is made. The repair that Whirlpool made is the placement of a thin plastic patch over the cavity wall that is cracking using a two-part epoxy resin glue. The gle was not forced into the crack and the plastic is too thin to reinforce anything. It is used to hide the problem, not correct it. The factory techician showed up on Friday, spent an hour installing the patch. Within 72 hours the patch is lifting from the wall and the 'repair' is failing. The patch, IF it would stay in place will be a breeding ground for bacteria and mold which will be able to multiply after entering around the edges and getting into the voids behind the patch.

The response was that they will send out a tech to redo the patch. If the patch fails three times, the 'no-lemon' law will kick into gear and we can pursue replacement of a bad unit.

The bottom line is that the patch is not an actual repair, but intended to hide the problem and keep the consumer from seeing any further failures until the warranty expires and Whirlpool can walk away.

I would not recommend the purchase of any Whirlpool, KitchenAid or Maytag appliance. The warranty is not worth the paper it is written on and they are not interested in actually repairing the problem.

I have a 'premium' product that I paid a high price for because of its reputation and warranty. I was told by the factory rep on the phone that 'it still keeps food cold' so the unit is not a total failure. If all I wanted was a 25 cu ft refrigerator to keep food cold, I could have achieved that for less than half the price.

Daniel of Atlantic City, NJ February 14, 2009

Daniel of Atlantic City NJ (02/14/09)
I have always purchased Kitchen Aid appliances and recomend them to the people I sell homes to. I bought a side by side model KSRX25FN about 3 years ago. The refrigerator works well but it eats ice makers. I have replaced it once, I had repaired one once and now it is again giving me trouble. This will be the third service all for the ice maker. I really think Kitchenaid should issue a service bulletin for the defective ice makers that all seem to have been made around the same time. It is not worth damaging a good reputation because of a defective lot of parts.

J C of Scottsdale, AZ February 13, 2009

We remodeled our kitchen a few years ago and bought a set of Architect Series appliances from KitchenAid. These are top-of-the-line stainless steel. In 40+ years of homeownership, we have never experienced such poor product quality. I am tempted to rant and rave at length, but I will try to summarize.

First, the oven controls didn't work. We spent months detailing our problems and having repair after repair. Finally, we worked with the engineering staff to rework the control panels. The whole process took about one year.

The glass cooktop became damaged during cleaning. We have had glass cooktops before, so it's not as if we didn't know how to care for them.

The plastic handle of the microwave cracked and pieces fell off. Two different repair people were unable to install the replacement handle we purchased. We had to have the entire door replaced.

The dishwasher door cable broke. I was amazed that it was made of nylon cord.

The compressor on the refrigerator had to be replaced. This is one of two major repairs in a two-year period. Most recently, the icemaker water line froze.

Matthew of Fort Mill, SC February 8, 2009

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.

Follow us on Twitter.

Terms of Use Your use of this site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use

Advertisements on this site are placed and controlled by outside advertising networks. ConsumerAffairs.com does not evaluate or endorse the products and services advertised. See the FAQ for more information.

Company Response Welcome If complaints about your company appear on our site, we welcome your response. Please see the Response Form for more information.

For more information, see the FAQ and privacy policy. The information on this Web site is general in nature and is not intended as a substitute for competent legal advice.  ConsumerAffairs.com Inc. makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information herein provided and assumes no liability for any damages or loss arising from the use thereof. 

Copyright © 2010 ConsumerAffairs.com Inc.  All Rights Reserved.    The contents of this site may not be republished, reprinted, rewritten or recirculated without written permission.