Letter to Jeff M. Fettig, Whirlpool Headquarters

December 22, 2011

Mr. Jeff M. Fettig
Whirlpool Headquarters
2000 N. M-63

Benton Harbor, MI 49022-2692

Dear Mr. Fettig,

I purchased a Whirlpool dishwasher from Discount Appliance in Geneva, New York on July 15, 2010.  It was installed in August, and it functioned well for about a year.  In late November, 2011, the dishwasher ceased to function.  I made a service call on November 29, 2011 to Discount Appliance.  I learned that the dishwasher required a new “touch panel.”  A new touch panel costs $164.80.  Including labor, this is a repair that would cost about $262.03, according to the estimate I received.  For this sum of money, it might make more sense to buy another dishwasher, but who can afford to purchase a new dishwasher every year?  And more importantly, one should not have to purchase a new dishwasher ever year.

My warrantee expired after a year, unfortunately, and the dishwasher failed shortly thereafter.  Needless to say, this did not leave me with a very good impression regarding the reliability of Whirlpool products, particularly your dishwashers.  Discount Appliance told me that in the old days, they could call Whirlpool and this kind of thing could be taken care of.  Customers could count on their appliances, and those who make them and sell them would stand behind them.  They told me that presently, Whirlpool would not accept their phone call on behalf of their customers, so customers must call Whirlpool directly themselves.  They urged me to call your customer support line.

Therefore, I called your customer support line.  The response I got was that Whirlpool would not stand behind the substantive reliability of their products—the person on the other end of the line informed me that once the year has lapsed, Whirlpool would not take responsibility for having manufactured a faulty appliance.  The person on the other end did try to sell me an extended warrantee, but why would I want to give more money to a company and purchase a second thing from it when that company has failed to demonstrate reliability on the first thing I purchased from them and has refused to take responsibility for this failure?

What would make me happy?  If you could send a touch panel free of charge to Discount Appliance, 509 Exchange St., Geneva, NY 14456.  My model is DU1055XTVQO.  My serial number is FY3357685.  The part number is 3385735.  Although I still will have been inconvenienced, lost the time I have had to spend with Discount Appliance, your customer support line, and writing this letter, and I would have to pay for the cost of labor, at least I would have a sense that Whirlpool is making a good faith effort to manufacture reliable products.  Then, I might consider buying Whirlpool again in the future.  The price for the part quoted to me was $164.80.  That seems like it might be a good long-term investment to make on your part, especially since I have friends, colleagues, and hundreds of students.  What do you think?

Sincerely,


Paul A. Passavant

Comments

[Rballen422]

http://www.freemanjournal.net/page/content.detail/id/142991/Whirlpool-can-change-Maytag-retirees--benefits.html?isap=1&nav=5013

A small world- both Whirlpool and before that Maytag moved operations to Mexico, decimating the town of Newton Iowa. The wind turbine blade factory that took its place, a non union sweatshop where my wife worked for a time, just laid off half its workforce, workers who actually work for temp agencies, just before Christmas, that is, about two weeks ago. this is why we occupy...

[Jodi]

It would make sense to occupy the wind turbine blade factory.

I read something recently about the effects of moving so much industry off-shore. In addition to impoverishment, there is also a loss of capacities. People stop knowing how to do the work and subsidiary and connected manufacturing can't/doesn't emerge. It was in a story about Kodak, which was a major employer in Rochester (near where I live). The loss of these jobs has really hurt the area.

[StevenG]

I have a Whirlpool microwave/oven combination Model GMC305PRB00. I'm retired on fixed income, my wife and I bought our dream retirement home new 5 years ago. All appliances are Whirlpool Gold. The range has been repaired , a new switch $156.00, the dishwasher has never been right and the installers just explain it away as a design flaw! Now the microwave light went out, you'd think no problem go to home Depot get one and put it in. oh no......it requires a repair company and the ESTIMATE is $105 plus tax. for a $10 bulb. When I called Whirlpool and asked for help they were NO HELP, biggest bunch of worthless anti consumer people I have ever spoken with. They all UNDERSTAND my frustration but can't help. There seems to be no source for us as consumers to receive assistance. This is a typical American company based in Michigan who are so out of touch with their consumer base it is alarming. I have written countless people inside Whirlpool all are no help. I'm going to buy a LG from Korea at least it will work, for longer than 5 years.

[StevenG]

By the Way if anyone at Whirlpool gives a damn call Trout Appliance in Gun Barrel City Texas, they know who I am and how to contact me, they installed all my appliances new and have repaired 2 of them now!