Complaint Review: Electrolux Home Products N. America

I name Electrolux as the guilty party as Electrolux, who are the sole owners of Frigidaire, respond to any query sent to Frigidaire.

Frigidaire built front-loading washing machines are sold under various brand names, some owned by Frigidaire and others by owned solely by others, and even in one case I am aware of, a competitor!

My complaint, in this instance, is that in spite of numerous pieces of evidence Frigidaire persist in fitting aluminium spiders in the front-loading washing machines that they build. These spiders are, in my opinion, unsuitable for two reasons: -

1.                  They are corroded by a wide variety of laundry aids, including HE detergent, and, more significantly, in my view, bleach.

2.                  The hub of the spider is cast with recesses which, in my opinion, even after spinning still retain small quantities of rinse water which will contain very small quantities of residual laundry aids and dirt. As the water containing these contaminants evaporates, when the machine is idle, the concentration of the laundry aids increases to a level where corrosion occurs and mold(s) form leading to offensive odours. This evaporation, in my view will be accelerated when the door is left open, this I am aware is contrary to a lot of advice to leave the door open to help prevent offensive odours.

To see what corrosion can do to these spiders Google Why Kenmore Front Load Washers Fail and Fixitnow.com/wp/2009/10/28, look at the pictures and read the comments.

I  have to state that I do not believe the corrosion is the result of galvanic action as is stated in both of these sites. Should it have been galvanic action I would have expected the majority of the corrosion to be at the junction of the two metals, that is at the end of the spider arms where they are connected to the drum (stainless steel) and where the mild steel shaft is cast into the spider. All the failures shown on the above two sites, and on all other pictures I have seen, are at the inner end of the spider arms adjacent to the hub, where the recesses are located.

My complaint therefore is. Electrolux through their solely owned company Frigidaire are continuing to rip off the public by marketing equipment with well known and well documented deficiencies.