Complaint Review: Sears Holdings Corporation - Hoffman Estates Illinois

We purchased a Kenmore Elite Oasis He washer/dryer set from Sears back on 08/10/2007.  Soon after we purchased it, we started to experience problems with both units, particularly the washer.

The sales check #013001260031.  Item 26 27072 Kenmore Washer for $946.99 , item 26 67052 Kenmore Dryer for $699.99, plus Dryer Kit 26 49926 for $34.99, Delivery fee $70.00 subtotal: $1754.97 plus taxes $122.85.  Total: $1877.82.   

Soon after we purchased, we began to have problems with the wash cycles not completing and having to redo the wash cycles resulting in very long (hours) wash cycles, at times leaving the clothes soaking wet at the end of a cycle.  We called a Sears service technician to look at the problem and he did not find anything wrong with the unit.  Subsequently, we even replaced the controller board in the console and that did not fix the problem either.  We ended up going back to sears to purchase yet another washer to replace this defective washer.  The model and serial numbers for the Kenmore Elite Oasis He washer/dryer are as follows:  

Kenmore Elite Oasis He Washer :  Model # 110.27072603

                                                      Serial # CU0770584

Kenmore Elite Oasis He Dryer :    Model # 110.67052600

                                                    Serial: #MU2503357

We still have the dryer but, we do not have the washer anymore as it was picked up when sears delivered the new GE Washer several years ago. 

In addition, it looks like there has been several class action law suits regarding the Kenmore Elite Oasis He washer over the past several years.  Class action law suit filed in Madison County circuit court,  case number:  10-L-203 and the Tietsworth Class Action federal case CV-09-288-JF/HRL.  There may be other class action law suits out there that we may not be aware of also.  As of today, we are not part of any one of these class action law suits filed against Sears.  We are simply asking Sears to either refund or replace this defective washer with another washer.  Since we no longer have this washer in our possession, we assume that the refund is a better option at this point.  

We also called the Sears recall department and it looks like there is a recall on a similar model but not on the model we owned.  So, there was nothing they could do for us. 

As far as the dryer is concerned, we have had several problems with it also.  We have had to replace the "Catch" (Part no: W10111905) for the dryer door several times already.  The "Catch" is defective and it breaks all the time.  There is also a problem with the drying cycles.  When we set it to "Normal" cycle, it works for a few minutes and then stops.  However, if we do "Timed" drying cycle then it works fine.   It seems to me that there is a "bug" with the "Normal" cycle timing in the controller board that controls the machine.  The dryer issues are not as irritating as the washer issues we have had.  We still have this dryer in our possession and we just don't use the "normal" cycle.  We also have had to replace the door seal for the dryer part no: W10239307.  

We wrote a letter and escalated this case all the way up to the current CEO of Sears (Edward Lampert) and somehow our letter was routed down to one of their executive case managers who responded by stating that they could not help us with a washer we no longer owned.  This is completely absurd!  They already settled a case relating to this washer in the state of California and for them to think that we were not financially damaged is absurd.  We now have unmatched set of washer/dryer and more importantly it was replaced prematurely.   The problems with the dryer was not addressed at all.  If they think I will give my business to them in the future, they are sadly mistaken.  We realize that they don't manufacture the appliances that they sell but ultimately they are responsible for what they sell.  They are far far from achieving six sigma as far as the appliances are concerned.  They have a lot to learn about how to treat a customer!