Complain about a product or service

KitchenAid Washers & Dryers

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

Carrie of Newton, NC writes (6/14/01):
I purchased a KitchenAid dryer from Sunrise Appliance & Fireplace Shop (Hwy 70 SE, Hickory, NC), and it was delivered to my home on April 13, 2001. Since my purchase, this dryer has worked incorrectly. Mind you, this dryer has been in my home two months today. I was expecting that this dryer would work correctly for about 10 years!

The dryer makes a piercing whine intermittently throughout the cycle. I have been treated VERY POORLY by both Sunrise Appliance and by Whirlpool. Sunrise has its own internal maintenance staff that they use to service the products that they sell. I have now had one of their technicians in my home on May 17th, May 31st, and June 11th. They do not know what is wrong with the dryer. I have had the motor and the belt replaced on the dryer. My thoughts are, "What else is there to replace?"

I asked Sunrise Appliance & Fireplace Shop to replace my dryer. They said that they can not replace the dryer without permission from Whirlpool. They instructed me to call Whirlpool's Customer Service line. I followed instructions. On June 8th at 9:10 a.m. I spoke with Marianna Hill at 800-253-1301 ext.7797. She input my complaint in the computer, and told me that was all that she could do. I then called Sunrise and spoke to the woman in their maintenance department. I told her that I want a new dryer. She said that they can not replace the dryer without consent from Whirlpool. I called Whirlpool again. They told me that the technician needs to call the Whirlpool tech line FROM MY HOME, just to make sure that the technician has thought of every possible solution.

The first time that the technician was in my home, he called Whirlpool's tech line and there was a 15 minute wait. The technician did not want to wait. He also was using MY phone! We only have digital service and that would have been a minimum of 15 minutes taken from my "peak-time" minutes. So, the technician told me that he would call the tech line later from his home, order the parts, and replace them. Hence, no phone calls have been made by any technician in the THREE visits to my house to the Whirlpool tech line.

My question, "Why does any of this have to be my business?" I AM THE CUSTOMER! I just want a dryer that works correctly!

I then received a phone call from Pitts Appliances in Hickory, NC, wanting to schedule an appointment to come to my home and give Whirlpool a second opinion on the dryer. This would have been the FOURTH time that someone would have been in my home to diagnose this dryer. I refused! I have already missed THREE days of work to deal with this dryer situation. I then called Sunrise Appliance & Fireplace Shop and asked to speak to the owner. He wasn't there, so I spoke with the Sales Manager, Tom Zuppa. Tom listened to my complaint, apologized for the inconvenience, and told me that someone (either he or one of his "higher ups") would be getting back to me before 10:30 a.m. on June 13th. At 10 a.m., Eric (Service Manager, I believe) from the Maintenance Dept (not Tom and not one of his "higher ups") called me to inform me that "his hands are tied." Whirlpool will not issue a new dryer, and Sunrise will not replace it.

Judy of Florissant CO (5/17/02):
Re: washer model #KAWS777EQO purchased 3-7-1997. After 2 years use the plastic teeth on the bottom of the motor broke off. I had an extended warranty so Sears repaired it at no cost to me. Now after 5 years of use the same thing happened again. The Sears repairman replaced the transmission under limited warranty and also replaced the broken plastic teeth from the motor. This time the cost to me was $105.56. He said the reason for the problem was the machine was spinning before the water drained out of the tub, thus being too heavy a load for the transmission and motor to handle.

After he left, I noticed the machine was doing the same thing, spinning with a full load of water. At this rate I will need to pay for another service in 2 years. Today I called kitchenaid repair and was informed the problem was the timer, not the transmission. According to the Sears Tec, they are repairing this problem a lot. when I called Kitchenaid, their answer was I should have an extended warranty to cover the problem. I believe Kitchenaid knows they either installed the wrong timer or a defective timer in this model when it was new.

I purchased a kitchenaid Superba because I thought it would be of excellent quality, and last our family for many years. Now I can only look forward to more bills for repair or pay for an expensive warranty. This is not the accommodation I had expected from a company like Kitchenaid. I can look forward to more expenses in the future for a top of the line product.

Kathy of Northville MI (1/15/01):
I just wanted to write about my experience with "the way it's made" KitchenAid. I purchased a top of the line dishwasher, the KitchenAid Superba at Sears in July of 1998. I also purchased an extended maintenance agreement from Sears.

Not too long ago I noticed that the plastic housing around the digital control panel on my dishwasher had two cracks in it around the top edge. These cracks can not been seen unless the door is open. They appear to be stress cracks. A friend had mentioned that he had read that some of the digital models did have this happen.

I called KitchenAid and they said they had never heard of it. I then called Sears for maintenance. I even gave them the part # for the plastic piece so they could bring it with them. I took a day off work while Sears Maintenance Tech John came over. He did not have the part with him. John immediately said "I've seen hundreds of these cracks in the same spot ... I can guarantee you that if you get this fixed you will be calling back in two years because it will crack again." Then he proceeded to tell me it was a "cosmetic" problem and was not covered.

I mentioned that when I purchased the maintenance agreement I was told cosmetic parts were covered yet how could he call it cosmetic if he had seen 'hundreds of cracks like this'. He said it was considered cosmetic and no they were not covered. I got my Sears salesperson on the phone and he told the repair person it was covered. The repair person said "Listen young man, I've been in this business for 30 years and I know it it not covered. Do you want me to send the bill to your store? - that is the only way I'll order this part."

The salesperson agreed to have the charge sent to the store. The maintenance guy then told me I would probably have more problems after he replaces this piece and the whole fix might take 3 or 4 visits to fix these other problems caused by him taking the digital controls apart. My problem is: 1) If the maintenance person has seen this '100 times or more', why isn't KitchenAid standing behind their product and its manufacturing defect? 2) Even if it is repaired by this pessimistic maintenance person, what am I going to do in 2 years when it cracks again and my maintenance contract no longer covers this problem. 3) The Sears salesperson swears that even cosmetic parts are covered for the 1st 3 years of ownership and I have a brochure which states this is so. Why do I have to be put in the middle between the Sears store and their repair people?

Days off work and emotional distress trying to get this resolved. I paid for a warranty and feel I am getting duped by KitchenAid and Sears Maintenance. Don't know how to resolve this so that I am protected for future damage (based on the maintenance guy's predictions).

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.

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 © 2003-2009 ConsumerAffairs.com Inc.  All Rights Reserved.    The contents of this site may not be republished, reprinted, rewritten or recirculated without written permission.