Complaint Review: Electrolux North America - Charlotte North Carolina

Electrolux French Door Bottom Freezer/RefrigeratorModel EW28B57iSPurchase Date- 12/12/2009August 11, 2010 - called Electrolux because the unit stopped making ice completely. They called appliance repair company who set up appointment. August 13, 2010.

 

     Appliance company serviced the unit and told us it would take 24 hours for the unit to start making ice.August 16, 2010 Icemaker still not making ice. August 25, 2010 Called Electrolux and spoke with Tanya apologized sent another call for service. We expressed concerns about keeping the refrigerator and coverage under the warranty. We were assured that since this problem originated while under warranty it was still covered and the company would work with us with regard to this issue.

     April , 2011- Called Electrolux to report that the icemaker was not making ice again. Spoke with Jenna (Jemma)- who then had me do a series of tests to do on the refrigerator over the phone in order to diagnose the problem. She said to tell the technician to check the ice mold test 51- thermastor 1 open. When I asked her why no one at Electrolux ever did this before, she informed me that they had so many problems with this model that they do this before the technician comes out. She then ordered the part and gave me the number for another appliance repair.

     On April 29, 2011 A technician came to service the unit. He told me that it should be ok. It wasnt. May 02, 2011 Called the appliance repair company and told them it still wasnt working and they said they would come out again.  On May 03, 2011 the same technician came and serviced the unit again. Again I was told it should make ice. Again, it wasnt.May 04, 2011 Called Electrolux again and spoke with Melinda. I told her that I was tired of all these problems, taking time off from work, and that the technicians from 2 different repair companies said they had a lot of calls about this unit. Even Jenna at Electrolux said the same thing.

     I said that I wanted my money back. She said that since it was out of warranty that wasnt an option. I told her that Tanya assured me on August 25, 2010 that it would be covered under the original warranty because the original problem began before the warranty expired. I then asked to speak with her supervisor, Thomas McGuire. Mr. McGuire said that I could only get 70% of my original purchase price for the refrigerator. I said that wasnt acceptable since there was an existing problem with the design - it was NOT a random incident. Why should I pay for a problem caused by a design flaw at Electrolux? 

     I then told Mr. McGuire that if I couldnt have my money back, I would accept a comparable stainless steel side-by-side as a replacement as long as it was around the same price and had the same basic features. I figured that if a design flaw exists in the French door refrigerator, a replacement of that model would only give me the same problems six months down the line. Mr. McGuire told me to go to the Electrolux website and look up model #EI26SS30JS. I went to view the model on that website and noticed that it said stainless steel, it didnt have a price or the cubic ft. Mr. McGuire told me it was a new model so it didnt have the price listed online yet, but he reassured me that it was very comparable and only about a $200.00 difference. I realized Id be losing a little money, but it was worth not having to take time off from work.

      I told him that I would accept that offer because I had my heart set on all Electrolux appliances and I loved my stove. I also said that I would be purchasing my dishwasher as soon as my cabinets came in. He assured me that I would be happy with this product. On May24, 2011, my husband took off from work that day to wait for the delivery of our new refrigerator. He called me at work and said that he wasnt sure if it was the right model. We compared numbers and they matched. He then said that he didnt think Id be happy because it wasnt all stainless steel the sides were some type of textured material nothing like the high-end model they removed from our house. He also thought it was smaller.

     The men who delivered it said that we would have to take that up with the company, they were just there to deliver the refrigerator and pick up the other one. I couldnt really make any phone calls because I was at work. When I got home that day, I was not happy. I did some research online and called Electrolux. I spoke with Ricky Bennett who, by the way, was rude, dismissive, and wouldnt let me talk. He kept saying, Thats what you agreed to. I was trying to explain that it wasnt what I agreed to.

     I asked to speak with his supervisor. I then spoke with Rebecca Williams who basically tried to tell me that I agreed to this trade. I told her that it wasnt true. She then read the notes that Thomas McGuire left stating customer happy - accepted trade for stainless steel couple hundred dollars difference - I then saidyes, but thats NOT what I got.  First of all, when I did the research on other sites, I discovered that the price difference is $1400 not $200. Why would I agree to a price discrepancy like that if I wouldnt take 70% of the value of the original model?

     Second, the Electrolux site states the refrigerator is stainless steel it is not. It is a stainless steel front ONLY. The design of my kitchen has the sides of the refrigerator visible, which is why I chose ALL stainless steel and also explains the huge price difference between the two models. Ms. Williams told me that Mr. McGuire was not in that day, but they would call me between 4 and 5 on May 25th so we could discuss it. No call.May 26, 2011 Called Ms. Williams at

706-651-7111 Ext. 7547 left message. May 27, 2011 - Called Ms. Williams at 706-651-7111 Ext. 7547 left message.

     I again called Electrolux and got the name of the CEO, Kevin Scott, president & CEO of Electrolux Major Appliances - I sent him a registered letter detailing my complaint over two weeks ago.  I have heard nothing from the company.