KitchenAid on the news

[mrb627]

It appears that a class action lawsuit against Whirlpool is in the works. Several model KitchenAid, Whirlpool, and Kenmore Elite dishwashers have started house fires. Whirlpool is denying there is a problem.

It just never ends...

Malcolm

 

[qualin]

Up here, Asko, which is supposed to be a really high end premium brand here were selling dishwashers with the special "Burn down your house" cycle.

Asko refused to issue a recall for their dishwashers.. Canadians, being as stereotypically polite as we are, never filed a class action lawsuit.

Fortunately, most of the fires I've heard that were caused by these dishwashers, never got any more serious than destroying the machine and the countertop..

It amazes me that even with all of the modern technology we have at our disposal, they can't design a dishwasher that won't catch on fire. Guess that's what happens when you cost cut too far.

 

[mrb627]

Kenmore Elite

Funny that the Kenmore Elite dishwasher that I had smoked itself. I can still recall the smell. It never occurred to me at the time to file a suit against Sears and Whirlpool. Actually, I never really liked that machine anyway so I wasn't too broken up about dragging it to the curb.

Malcolm

 

[mrb627]

KitchenaidFire

Found this website...

Malcolm

http://www.kitchenaidfire.com/

 

[kenmoreguy64]

That is fascinating Malcolm. 400 complaints - wow.

I have a 2010 Kenmore powerclean machine new in box that I was going to install when I removed my GE TallTub. I then found the Potscrubber 1200 and have never unboxed the Kenmore.

Can anyone tell if the machines of concern are all talltub machines or are there standard tub dishwashers in there too?

This will be interesting to watch unfold.

Gordon

 

[hunter]

my last Whirlpool dishwasher...

...fried a circuit two or three times. After the last time I said 'no more' and junked it.

It was BARELY outside of a recall window and I figured that it actually had suspect parts/engineering. But who knows?

 

[kqkenmore]

This scares the hell out of me as I have a Kenmore elite dishwasher and I have had to have the motor and pump replaced 2 times they have rebulit the dishwasher 2 times under service contract and now I am having issues with getting the buttons to function (push them and they wont come on). Thank you  Malcolm for posting this. I am going to get Sears out quick to fix this but that does not seem to help. I think that I am going to register my dishwasher on that site because on of the repairs was because of a burnt wire that my contractor found when he pulled the dishwasher out to remodel the kitchen.

 

[lotsosudz]

Scary!

After seeing Malcolm's posting, makes you really think about what would have happened to them, if they had used the delay timer setting, and had had them come on overnight! Frightening!!!!! We need American quality to come back to our appliance manufacturing.
Hugs,
David

 

[tomturbomatic]

Thanks for the link

I am so glad this is being posted to the internet. I remember the problems Maytag plastic tall-tubs had with shorting boards. The stainless steel tank models did not have the problems because they had stainless steel inner doors that did not have a steam vent through the part of the door with the controls in it. I guess the gasket let mositure into the controls

This is partially unrelated and with my slow thought process did not hit me until just the other night, but how insane is it to make a dishwasher tank taller so the water has to spray higher and then put smaller pumps in them along with shallower sumps so that there is no possibility of getting enough water depth over the pump to let a properly sized pump develop enough pressure to really wash? If you watched the related videos, you saw how thoroughly all of those people were washing the food off the dishes before loading those machines. Did anyone watch the related video with that one lady saying hers sprayed like it needed Viagra?

 

[stevet]

Super Scary!

I am going out to the garage right now to unplug my spare Kenmore machine which always has a warm control panel and may install a disconnect switch on the Kitchenaid in the house. I am now seriously thinking of dumping the Kitchenaid regardless of how quiet it is and how well it actually cleans and installing my old KDS-18 or even the KDS22 I have in the garage in its place.

Better to have something that rarely failed as opposed to these disasters waiting to happen.The noise of the old standard tub machine is way better than smelling smoke and possibly losing our lives and our house.

 

[cfz2882]

interesting-looks like the control board(with several power relays on it and 120v
power running through it)gets damp,tracking occurs,and shorts out with spark and
fire ejection...in the reports i read,there was no fire beyond minor damage to the
plastic control panel though several reported their dishwashers running
uncontrolled after the incident,continuing to run with door open ETC...
If i had one of these out of warranty,i would sure take the control board out and
look it over for evidence of dampness or tracking occuring...

 

[qualin]

There is a simple solution to this problem.

They need to encase the control board in a metal or plastic water proof box.

Of course, this is the whole "Ford Pinto" problem, they won't retool to make these modifications until a lawsuit forces their hand.

It blows me away, the number of complaints. I wonder what the failure rate on these units are.

 

[qualin]

There is a simple solution to this problem.

They need to encase the control board in a metal or plastic water proof box.

Of course, this is the whole "Ford Pinto" problem, they won't retool to make these modifications until a lawsuit forces their hand.

It blows me away, the number of complaints. I wonder what the failure rate on these units are.

 

[seeitrun2006]

Maytag dishwashers with fire hazards 2007

In Feb. 2007 when Maytag had the recall on dishwashers with a fire hazard I yanked it out immediately. The DW was only 9 years old. And glad that I did! The wires directly below the rinse aid dispenser were staring to turn black from the leak from the dispenser. It was well on its way to catching fire.

We replaced it with a Whirlpool Tall Tub DW model number DU1005XTSB1 in Feb. 2007. We got a $50.00 rebate from Whirlpool (super whoop!). Now I'm overly concerned about this Whirlpool. I told my wife not to let that thing run after we go to bed or not at home.

Why is Whirlpool does not acknowledge a problem exist?

 

[mrb627]

Boards

The problem looks like it originates on the main board behind the touch pad. Probably an outsourced component built by children in a third world country.

Malcolm

 

[combo52]

WP BUILT TT DW CIRCUIT BOARD FIRES

We have seen many of these boards that shorted and burned, I feel that it is a board overheating and burning. I have seen no evidence of water causing the problem as this part [ as you would expect ]is very well protected from water leaks from the machine or spilled water from the counter top above.

 

Unfortunately major appliances have been having minor shorts and electrical fires since electricity came into homes 100 years ago. The problem today is that too much plastic is used around the electrical parts and when things go wrong it can result in a BIG problem and can more easily cause a house fire. Properly protecting the electrical parts of appliances would go a long way to minimizing any danger when things go wrong. I have never liked plastic control panels on appliances, A high school friend had their house burned down by an early 1960s Westinghouse TL portable DW when water got on some electrical parts and the plastic control panel went up in a blaze and set the kitchen and house on fire.

 

This is another big reason why I don't want a DW, washer, dryer etc that runs for three hours at a time, I also don't want one that is so quiet that you are unaware that it is even on. Major appliances do pose some danger of fire, flooding, explosion, injury and death from electrocution.

 

[franksdad]

Thanks for the heads-up

I purchased my Whirlpool Gold dishwasher from Sears in 2007.  Knock on wood, no problem so far.  The saleslady did talk me into purchasing a 3 year warranty and stated the circuit board "may go out - you know these electronic things."  I though nothing about that at the time as I have always been pleased with Whirlpool quality.  I'll keep an eye on it now.   

 

[tomturbomatic]

John, you left out loss of limb and loss of consortium.

 

[DirectDriveDave]

Whirlpool Dishwasher

My bro's place has one that came with the house, I think it's from maybe 2000 or so.

Been doing just fine as far as I can see.

 

[tolivac]

I don't like the plastic control panels either,not just fire hazard--but TACKINESS and making your product look----CHEAP.For boards-power handling components on them are poorly chosen by the manufactuer(lowest cost) and poorly or not even heat sinked to remove heat from the part-if this isn't done the part on the board will fail.Plastics can be formulated to stop burning when the heat is removed-this should be used for appliance parts.

 

[circlew]

I bought a KitchenAid model KUDR01 several years ago to install in my new kitchen. The kitchen isn't finished yet (for various reasons), so it's still sitting in the carton. Hearing this makes me hesitant to install it; guess I'll wait and see what Whirlpool is going to do about them.

My sister has a Kenmore made by Whirlpool, and often she will start it at bed time or when leaving. Will have to remember to tell her about this issue.

There was a house about 3 or 4 miles from me that burned 5 or so years ago. The owner said she had started the dishwasher before leaving for work. The investigation found that the dishwasher (think they said a GE) had malfunctioned, starting the fire. The large house was in a secluded area, and the home was nearly totally destroyed. The ruins were still there when I went past a year or so ago.

 

[alr2903]

I just don't understand

When was it decided that  a circuit board was needed for dw, w/d?  I understand the reasoning on a microwave every second counts. It just seems so strange that so many models (most) now have this setup.  Most of us here have used mechanical timer machines for decades.The only way to get a mechanical thermostat dial on an oven is to go BOL,  oddly these electronics are placed directly over the vents for the oven. IMHO, heat and moisture are not your friend, if you are electronic.  alr  

 

[DirectDriveDave]

I'm guessing maybe it was designed right since it was made back in 1989, but the electronics for our GE oven are right over the vent, they still work.

 

[mrb627]

Circuit Boards

A Circuit Board is only as reliable as the parts soldered to it.

I suppose if Whirlpool had more control of the board manufacture, they wouldn't have these problems.

Look at Miele for goodness sake, they control everything and rarely have any sort of problem. Never heard of anything widespread, at least.

Malcolm

 

[seeitrun2006]

My Whirlpool DU1005XTSB1

I just remembered when someone said something about over heated plastic. We when run our DW at the end of the drying cycle (Normal cycle, heated dry) there always is an odor in the kitchen as if something plastic has fallen thru onto the heating element. My wife just commented on it Wednesday night. I am forever opening the DW during the drying cycle to make sure nothing has fallen thru.

It really has me wondering now where the smell is coming from. The smell is not coming from the steam vent in the door. It is just an odor in the kitchen near the DW. After the DW cools off the smell goes away. Should I call to have it serviced?

GRRRRRRRRR! I hate having appliances that I have to watch like a hawk!

 

[mark_wpduet]

Well

I have a WP tall tub that's just a few steps UP for BOL. It's half console push button & almost 7 yrs old. Never had any problems with it BUT I do notice that when I touch the control panel (even if it hasn't been operated for a few days), it's warm to the touch & it has always been that way since the day I got it. I've always thought that was ODD. Now I'm wondering if it's going to catch fire sometime. Some of those dishwashers in the video were up to ten years old they said when they caught fire.

 

[electronicontrl]

Additional info

This Consumer Reports link refers to the kitchenaidfire.com site info, and more.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/03/appliance-fires-is-your-home-safe.html?EXTKEY=NW0S01202

 

[combo52]

CR article about flambible appliances

This was one of the worst articles that I have seen in a long time in CRs. It was poorly written and researched and not proof read. I wish they would spend 7 pages of space to talk about actual appliances tests. I sat here and read this whole article and found it about useless. They even quoted the woman who had a  [ condenser ]  catch fire on her WP refrigerator, condensers are nothing but steel tubing, they cannot catch fire let alone burn. I thought that this was not up CRs standards, as they didn't suggest any real solutions. One of the most dangerous home appliances in the home today are these STUPID over the range microwave ovens. All one has to do is leave a gas or electric element on high without a pan on it or have what you are cooking catch fire and you are almost guaranteed a fire or at the very least a lot of property damage. I have for over 20 years consoled customers not to install these DANGEROUS MWs over a heat source, yet CRs continues to test and recommend this appliance.

 

[mysteryclock]

Our Kitchenaid

Well....had a little problem with the ca. 2004 KA TT dishwasher again. Several actually. After having basically the whole thing (fill valve, pump, control board, dispenser) replaced last summer and then more repairs (some duplicate) again in the fall, I came out yesterday morning to unload it and discovered the tub full of water. Re-starting the drain cycle didn't get much out, so clearly something was wrong.

Add to this the fact that for the past few weeks I ~thought~ I'd noticed a burning smell coming from it and the control panel feeling warmer than usual, and I finally realized it was time for yet another service call under its extended warranty.

Well the fellow came out today and managed to get it to drain somehow, but decided to check on the burning smell issue first since that was an easy reach compared to disassembling to get to the pump. As soon as he popped the control panel open he yelled "Hey, you need to see this!" Below is what we saw.

The power connector / board interface had gotten so hot that one of pins on the board had either burnt loose or de-soldered itself and was stuck in the melted connector. It really is a miracle the whole thing didn't go up and result in *FIERY DEATH* for everyone here. It even scorched all the way up the power leads into the connector too!

So while the technician is in there shaking his head trying to figure out what he's going to have to replace this time (control board, wiring harness, thermal fuse, etc, etc.) I'm on the phone with the warranty company telling them "I want this thing out of my house before it kills someone."

Fortunately I finally got through to someone who took one look at my service history and helpfully opined that they probably should have replaced it last year after 4 trips out in July-August (*now* they tell me?) So they issued me a credit @ Sears and I ordered a brand new Bosch unit with an internal softener, which should really help with our rock-hard water in Middle TN.

So the moral of the story here is - if your control panel feels hot / hotter than usual or you even think you smell hot wires, unplug and investigate immediately.

I foresee a class-action lawsuit...that will probably result in all of us getting a box of Finish Powerball tabs and the lawyers getting $100m.

 

[qualin]

Oh wow.. That happened either due to a poorly manufactured connector, or perhaps there was an over current condition which caused that.

It takes a LOT to set a circuit board on fire. (I know, I've tried it.)

The connector and wiring is a greater concern..

The white connector below it is a Molex connector, those are rock solid.

This is an engineering decision, someone decided to cut costs. Ultimately the consumer has to pay for it.

I'm really surprised to hear your KA was such a lemon. Good thing you had a warranty on it and that it didn't cost you all that much to get it replaced.