Complaint Review: LG Electronics Alabama Inc

On March 17, 2012 I purchased new top-of-the-line LG washer and dryer for my sister.  These products were chosen because of the supposed quality of LG’s products and the ergonomics of these particular units (my sister is disabled and these units better suit her disability than some of the others on the market).  The purchase price for the washer was $1,099 plus an additional $99 for a four year extended warranty (that would cover mechanical issues – not cosmetic). 

In May (I believe it was the beginning of May) of this year I learned that the Bleach dispensing area of the washer was rusting.  This was a cosmetic issue and did not fall under the extended warranty that was purchased.  Since this was an obvious flaw in the galvanizing process I contacted LG and they agreed to “extend” their warranty and to repair the washer for the rusting issue. 

On Friday June 06, 2014 LG sent a service technician (Raymond M.) out to look at the washer and he told my sister and brother-in-law that he needed to order the parts to replace the washer top.  The parts were shipped by Federal Express and we received them on Wednesday, June 11^th. 

Mr. M. returned Friday, June 13th to make the repairs to the washer.  When he re-assembled everything he could not get the washer lid to lock.  He called someone on the phone to request additional assistance.  When he hung up the phone he told my brother-in-law that he had to order more parts. Mr. M. indicated they would be shipped over night by FEDEX and provided his phone number so to call him when the parts came in.

The parts arrived Saturday, June 14^th and my brother-in-law called the LG service technician to let him know.  He came out to install the newly arrived replacement parts later on Saturday.  When he completed the installation of these parts the lid still would not lock.  In addition, the water would not stop running until the unit was unplugged.  Mr. M. then made another phone call requesting additional assistance.  While on the phone, he tried several other things to no avail.  He then hung up the phone and told my sister and brother-in-law that the washer was “unrepairable”.  He stated that someone from LG would contact them in three to four days.

Mr. M. closed out his service ticket and it generated an automatic email from LG.  The automated email acknowledges that the original problem was cosmetic but nowhere does it indicate that they left the washer in working order.  By LG’s subsequent actions, they acknowledge that they damaged my sister’s washer on one hand but try to disclaim any responsibility for doing so on the other hand.

On Monday, June 16^th my brother-in-law received a call from someone at LG and was told that LG would give us $800 for the washer but that was all they would do for us.  They would not repair or replace it.  My brother-in-law told them he wanted to speak with a supervisor and the LG representative said that one would call him in 24-48 hours.  On Tuesday, June 17^th he received a phone call from another LG employee, named Michael.  Michael stated the same thing as the other LG representative.  My Brother-In-Law told him that was unacceptable.  The washer was working before their representative took it apart (the problem the repairman was there to address was the rusting around the bleach dispenser).

Michael (from LG) directed my brother-in-law to contact Home Depot because the extended warranty was through them.  The problem with this is that this is not Home Depot’s responsibility.  LG sent their employee into my sister’s home and, while in the normal course of his duties, he damaged the mechanical workings of her washer.  This is no different than if he had dropped his tool kit on a crystal vase and broke it.  LG is responsible to make my sister and brother-in-law whole.

It is injudicious to allow a company to come in to a senior citizen’s home to repair a cosmetic defect and damage beyond repair (according to their own technician) a washer that was purchased for $1,100  and then to disclaim responsibility for the damage that they caused.  Just because this is company is a foreign-based multinational conglomerate it should not have the right to treat our consumers this way.

When speaking with LG’s customer service representative and the supervisor, Michael, we asked for what we believe is reasonable.  We requested that LG either repair the washing machine (placing it in the same working order it was in prior to their service technician disassembling it) or replacing the washer with the same model (this same model is still being sold).  We did not request the latest and greatest.  We did not request any add-ons.

My sister is disabled and has trouble moving around.  She would normally only wash small loads of laundry at a time.  Now, she must gather all of her clothes together and either drive fifteen-twenty miles to a laundrymat, pay money that she should not have to pay and use machines that are just as apt to destroy her clothes as to clean them.  Her only other alternative is to drive thirty-five miles to my house and use my washer and dryer and try to do her laundry all in one day.  Over an extended period of time this very well may be deleterious to her health.