Whirlpool American Fridge Freezer broken down – help!

[Another_victim]

Re: Whirlpool American Fridge Freezer broken down – help!

cockney steve wrote:A V I applaud your perseverance.

you should seriously consider getting a local radio/tv repairer to “rework” these boards.

it is a shocking waste to landfill a mechanically sound appliance , simply because £5 worth of components are substandard in the electronics.

At least, they appear to be standard types and values of components. Many washers use a custom-programmed chip and they can ransom you for the IP (Intellectual Property)

Please note your website is incomplete in your last post, and in your earlier post, it links to “blogger” and says “doesn’t exist”

YOU@VE BEEN TAKEN DOWN.
Thanks Cockney Steve,

The site is still there; I know a few friends have had problems getting through (I don’t know why) but they do eventually.

[Another_victim]

Re: Whirlpool American Fridge Freezer broken down – help!

kwatt wrote:I’ve sorta stayed away from this because I was liable to say something that a lot of people would love to hang me from a lamp post for saying and they rest would think was just common sense. But as I can’t seem to keep my gob shut.

Now, before I go on, anyone here will gladly tell you that Whirlpool and I haven’t exactly been the best of friends over the years and with some in Whirlpool they probably burn my effigy or throw darts at a photo of me on a regular basis. With that in mind…

I haven’t read it all as it’s a bit of a saga really.

I don’t think that Whirlpool are any better or, any worse, than much of any of the American style fridge freezers in the price range that they are in.

I do think that a lot of the parts are overpriced.

I don’t think that you can reasonably expect that they perform fault free for many years given the purchase price in relation to what I would consider to be a quality side by side fridge freezer. And, also given the price, I wouldn’t expect exemplary customer service either.

The insurance from DAG was refused with good reason although I can totally understand why you wouldn’t see that. Basically a lot of people will call in with faults that they already know will exceed the limits, often they are advised to do so. The protocols that you’ve experienced are an attempt to try to stop people from, shall we say, taking advantage of the system.

But really that’s pretty much irrelevant, all insurers employ a similar model for such policies so it’s just the norm.

I can’t help but think however that you are perhaps being a little unreasonable here though. I mean, if I crash my car then I’m not liable to find an insurer that will pay for, let’s say, £3000 worth of damage for a policy that I pay £400 are they? So I have to ask, why do you think that the insurer should pay out any old amount?

Next point, how is the insurer to know what the cost will be until the machine is looked at?

Next point, did you ask for a T&C before you took the policy over the phone? Most of these policies are taken over the phone from DAG’s call centre and put into force immediately in order to try to deliver the customer a fix as quickly as possible. Most times it works.

I’m not a fan of these sorts of schemes where the customer (you in this case) is “encouraged” to take one of these policies in the hope of a cheap (er) fix for the problem. In fact, it could even be said I don’t like them and that I think that they are perhaps not the best option.

It also annoys me that a lot of calls are automatically routed to these call centres but, that’s life these days. I’d suggest people try to phone the local repairers directly for advice and help, they know more about the machines than someone sat in a call centre with no technical knowledge.

But I hope you didn’t buy another cheap fridge freezer.

I really hope you didn’t buy one of these if you didn’t like the Whirlpool one…

Admiral
Maytag (cheap range)
Admiral (cheap range)
Smeg (anything recent)
Caple
Baumatic
Hotpoint
Ariston
Indesit
Ignis
Bauknecht

As they’re all gonna be a Whirlpool pretty much.

If you want to avoid the Koreans things get even tougher, under £1000 at the very least, you’ll be left with Beko as a choice.

If however you want something decent with ice and water and, you want an American fridge freezer then you’re looking at lower end GE machines or upwards of £2000 to get a real one.

The Whirlpool Italian ones and the Korean ones are half that, or lower.

Now, see what you’ve done? I’ll probably be struck down for sticking up for Whirlpool to an extent but, really I’m not.

If people want cheap cr4p or ludicrously low prices, manufacturers will manufacture cheap cr4p and take your money quite happily. You have to then live with that.

K.

Hi kwatt,

D&G refused the insurance with good reason because my claim exceeded their pre-determined limit. they were quite right in doing this. My beef is not with them.

Which is why my complaint, taken forward, concentrates on just one thing. The fact Whirlpool did not mention this £350 limit at the point of sale. It is a material fact, very material many would argue. Why don’t they mention it/ Well I and others will have our cynical viewpoint but only Whirlpool wil know the reason.

I didn’t ask for the T&C on the phone; I was told them by the operator – or rather, I was told the T&C they wanted to tell me – but not perhaps the most important one of them all.

Indeed when I examined the T&C on the policy document the £350 limit wasn’t even mentioned there! You have to ask why – it should be.

Everything stemmd from this; i won’t repeat my story except to say that had I been told what I should have been at the time I would have done then exactly what I ended up doing a month later – buy another appliance (not with them!). What it ‘cost’ me was a month back in 1932 as opposed to hard cash, but annoying nonetheless because it was all so unnecessary. When you add in the duplicitous behaviour of some of the Whirlpool staff this just adds to the heady mix of frustration.

It’s all in the past now in so much I’ve got a new appliance and I’ve thrown a few grenades here and there to the organisations I’ve mentioned, and am willing to follow them up as necessary to make the point that they shouldn’t be allowed to trade in such an underhand way. Let’s say it’s my way of putting a little back in the same way that many people on this board with technical expertise help out those like myself who have none.

The point I made to Whirlpool several weeks ago was that I could not believe they were going to carry on like this for £65, after their representative led me to believe this was how the complaint would be settled, and that I would make sure that the decision would cost them a lot more than that, even if it were only in admin time, never mind any future lost sales. I think I’m probably well in front on that measure and I think I’m entitled to a brief smile after all the grief I’ve experienced. It’s not as if I didn’t warn them.

[Martin]

Re: Whirlpool American Fridge Freezer broken down – help!

Another_victim epitomises the dilemma many are faced with when their expensive 3 plus year old product fails and requires repair or replacement. And by the same token having read the reams of posts since he first posted his blog here, typifies someone that tried to beat the system and failed.

His punt at stumping up £249 to get his fridge fixed blew back on him and rightly so IMHO. So aggrieved is he now that he’s even complained to his MP for goodness sake?

So my friend the choice is clear, nice try, but the choice you’re left with now pay £411 to fix it or go buy something else in the hope it won’t break down sometime soon?

The brutal truth dawns…..Life’s tough ain’t it? 😉

[Another_victim]

Re: Whirlpool American Fridge Freezer broken down – help!

Martin wrote:Another_victim epitomises the dilemma many are faced with when their expensive 3 plus year old product fails and requires repair or replacement. And by the same token having read the reams of posts since he first posted his blog here, typifies someone that tried to beat the system and failed.

His punt at stumping up £249 to get his fridge fixed blew back on him and rightly so IMHO. So aggrieved is he now that he’s even complained to his MP for goodness sake?

So my friend the choice is clear, nice try, but the choice you’re left with now pay £411 to fix it or go buy something else in the hope it won’t break down sometime soon?

The brutal truth dawns…..Life’s tough ain’t it? 😉

Don’t let the facts get in the way Martin! It would help if you had read what had been said before commenting, then perhaps you might have commented differently.

Despite what you say I’m not faced with any choice at all. This is because I gave up last week on Whirlpool honouring their commitment to complete the repairs for the original £249 cost of insurance, as I have already bought a new machine! It arrived last Saturday and is working fine thank you very much. So far at least!

The only complaint I am taking forward is that Whirlpool and their agents D&G failed to make me aware at the time I purchased the insurance that the limit was £350. Obviously I’m unhappy about a number of things Whirlpool both did and didn’t do but in terms of taking things forward there’s just this single issue. Don’t you think it is material and that they should mention this figure at the point of sale, since they allude to it? My MP seems to think I have an arguable point, since he’s made representations to the Minister for Consumer Affairs, so I’ve heard tonight.

So please don’t imply I’m a fly boy or such like who has tried to beat the system – I didn’t even know what the system was before getting involved in this, as I’ve never taken out an extended warranty before in my life. But remember, I took out a policy that Whirlpool were willing to sell me (and of which they kept crucial details back, that weren’t even in the terms and conditions when I received the policy document). By including a repair that was not necessary (the ice maker motor was working perectly well beforehand) they took me over their hidden limit. When I complained, they said they would do the repairs for the £249 cost of insurance but then reneged on this. I think I have every reason for a damned good moan in the circumstances.

And you miss the point completely about my complaint to my MP. I do not want, nor expect anything personally out of this, as anyone reading my recent posts would realise.

My only hope is that Whirlpool can be stopped from indulging in this sharp practice, which may well be illegal in consumer law (hopefully the Minister will clarify this) and if this is so, it will be of help to the next mug punter who comes along – not me.

[kwatt]

Re: Whirlpool American Fridge Freezer broken down – help!

Well AV I wish you luck as, to be honest, it’d do us all a favour if these sorts of policies were not allowed to be sold in that way.

I’ve no idea what the experience is like from DAG or any of the others that offer this service but I have heard a few horror stories about people being frightened into taking out these polices.

I accept that in some cases you’d win and that the insurer is hoping for renewals or to sell you another policy but, from what I’m told, a lot of people would have been better off just to call the local repairer. Trouble is, you call up what you think is the manufacturer’s service helpline and get someone trying to sell you an insurance policy.

It hurts local businesses and it doesn’t do the owners a favour really.

People make money out it though. :rolls:

K.

[Another_victim]

Re: Whirlpool American Fridge Freezer broken down – help!

kwatt wrote:Well AV I wish you luck as, to be honest, it’d do us all a favour if these sorts of policies were not allowed to be sold in that way.

I’ve no idea what the experience is like from DAG or any of the others that offer this service but I have heard a few horror stories about people being frightened into taking out these polices.

I accept that in some cases you’d win and that the insurer is hoping for renewals or to sell you another policy but, from what I’m told, a lot of people would have been better off just to call the local repairer. Trouble is, you call up what you think is the manufacturer’s service helpline and get someone trying to sell you an insurance policy.

It hurts local businesses and it doesn’t do the owners a favour really.

People make money out it though. :rolls:

K.

Thanks kwatt. But as I’ve said, it isn’t wishing good luck for me, as my time has been and gone – it’s hopefully good luck for others, as I’ve made plain in an e-mail I’ve just fired off to Whirlpool, in the following terms:

Dear Ms Gill,

I am rather surprised that you have not yet come back to me following the message I left with one of your staff last Friday, given you invited me to ring you in your letter of 18 February 2009. I therefore look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

To keep you in the picture, I received a response from my MP today. He tells me he has made representations to the Minister for Consumer Affairs and has suggested I complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service. This I will do and hopefully they will be in touch with you in due course.

And I have, as I promised I would, posted this news on the numerous websites I post on, so as to keep my story in the news whilst it is still topical. I trust you have no difficulties with this, since I am careful to simply repeat the facts and to say nothing that is untrue – as you will see from my blog, which is entirely representative of what I have posted. I intend to keep repeating my message and asking that either you are forced to act within existing law, if as I suspect, your organisation miss-sells insurance policies by not disclosing all material facts at the point of sale – or, failing that, campaign for a change in the law to stop what I regard as a very unfair, to say the least, working practice.

Suffice to say the contents of this message will also be posted far and wide. (end)

And of course, you’re quite right about using local repairers although one is a bit like a rabbit in the headlights when forced into a situation like this. Nobody local was prepared to touch frost-free fridges of this type, so I was told when I rang up a number of them – the reason they gave was that the manufacturers are so keen on prices there’s little in the job for them. I have no idea whether that is true as I’m sadly ignorant of Business Economics in the freezer repair industry, but that’s what was said.

Anyway I echo your sentiments about the selling of these insurance policies; if they are to be sold though they should be properly regulated.

[raceboy]

Re: Whirlpool American Fridge Freezer broken down – help!

kwatt wrote:I can’t help but think however that you are perhaps being a little unreasonable here though. I mean, if I crash my car then I’m not liable to find an insurer that will pay for, let’s say, £3000 worth of damage for a policy that I pay £400 are they? So I have to ask, why do you think that the insurer should pay out any old amount?

Not sure if I’ve read that right but I think it’s not quite right. 😉
My insurance for a car worth £10k is £200 if I crash it I will be paid back £10k minus my £100 excess, so the insurance company pay out £9,900 after I’ved only paid them £200
Insurance works on the basis that most people don’t actually make a claim. 😉
There is a big difference between insurance and a warrenty though, I’m quite surprised the Whirlpool warrenty doesn’t have a clause in it saying the warrenty is null and void if food is placed in the unit. 😆

[kwatt]

I was talking in the sense that you called them after you’d crashed, which is sort of what happens here as you call after you’ve had the failure. 😉

K.

[n100tty]

Re: Whirlpool American Fridge Freezer broken down – help!

Anyway… Is there anyone out there that can help me?

1. Had chattering – Replaced capacitors in rear board – Works
2. 2 weeks later, temperature dropped. Replaced C3 and other caps on front board. Defrosted, switched on – Fine
3. 1 day later (today) – Starts beeping. It has all frosted up at the back again, and temperature is not being maintained.

PLEASE HELP. I’ve spent about £40 on parts so far, replaced most capacitors, and unless someone can come up with an idea, I am going to load in a trailer, go to Whirlpool HQ and dump it outside their offices! Knowing them, they will refurb it and have it sold within a week… with my new components inside it.

Model: S25D RSS33
No: 8586 168 15010

Thanks,
Alistair

[cockney steve]

Re: Whirlpool American Fridge Freezer broken down – help!

I’d guess that it’s either the NTC temperature-sensor U/S or the heater that defrosts the Evaporator.

WARNING I’m not an engineer,so this is only a guess.

If you think about how much you spend on regular servicing on a car, washing-machine etc. your £40 is not a lot compared to the purchase-price.

It’s just not realistic to expect a relatively cheap piece of equipment to do years without spending a bean on it.

[raceboy]

Re: Whirlpool American Fridge Freezer broken down – help!

I’ve been living with the clicking…and the water/ice not working but at the weekend the pile of badly made poop that is the Whirlpool flashed up a new warning. 🙁
Every once in a while it is flashing ‘CF’ on the control panel, the handbook just says call the Department licenced to print money more commonly refered to as the the Service department. 😉
So…is it going to blow up soon, stop being cold, or is it just something else that I can live with until I replace it with some Korean equally as crappy cold box in the near future? :rolls:

[n100tty]

Re: Whirlpool American Fridge Freezer broken down – help!

I am having a dilemma… My freezer is continuing to ice up (after de-icing), and I think I have about another 2 weeks before it is completely blocked up with ice again, and the temperature starts rising (in freezer and fridge).

On discussions with a variety of people, I have varying advice from:
1. Thermostat in the rear of the freezer compartment
2. Faulty fan at the rear of the freezer compartment
3. Heater element that melts the ice build-up
4. Or whatever controls the heater element

If there is anyone out there that has managed to rectify this problem, PLEASE let me know. I have already gone through the clicking problem and water dispenser (replaced capacitors on front and rear boards – relatively pain free thanks to this site 😀 ).

I would like to thank everyone that has helped with my journey so far, but will someone PLEASE PLEASE put an end to my Whirlpool misery 😕 .

Thanks in advance,
Alistair

[raceboy]

Re: Whirlpool American Fridge Freezer broken down – help!

n100tty wrote:…. but will someone PLEASE PLEASE put an end to my Whirlpool misery 😕 .

There is no end to the misery, you can only delay it for a short while…… :rolls:

[riddock]

Re: Whirlpool American Fridge Freezer broken down – help!

Hi Everyone,

We have had the same problems with our whirlpool fridge freezer model no S20D RBB32-A/G too, I read all the post and replaced the four capacitors on the back pcb which came from maplins and the relay orange one (r.s part no is 351-617) as it was burn inside from all of the chatting, on power up the fridge still chatted, but on opening either the freezer door or fridge door it would stop as before the repair, after messing around with the control panel on the freezer door we found that if you open the fridge door to stop the chattering and turn off the ice maker (((while the fridge door is open))) it stops the chattering, the ice Dispenser still works but not the ice maker so if you go and buy some ice or if you have a chest freezer to make some it will still dispense the ice, their seems to be a problem with the ice maker or the pcb circuit controlling the ice maker, something making it overload the circuit or putting it into a reset loop. The fridge and freezer is working fine now that we disabled the ice maker, give it a try it worked for us here, hope this is of some help to others that read this!.

Thanks Riddock

[Another_victim]

Re: Whirlpool American Fridge Freezer broken down – help!

News update on my previous complaint about Whirlpool’s policy on selling extended warranties:

My MP got on to the Department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR) to look into the matter and they have no replied favourably, indicating that the points I raised were covered by the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and The Supply of Extended Warranties on Domestic Electrical Goods Order 2005.

They advised me to take matters up again with Trading Standards and this I have done.

So I will keep the pressure up to try and make Whirlpool change this unfair practice, and will keep this site informed as and when I hear anything further.

[Author]

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