Betsy Anderson from Redwood City has had two fridges die on her in just five years, which has resulted in her faith in these appliances deteriorating. The first fridge, a Kenmore Elite which housed an LG compressor, stopped working after 15 months, leaving her with a fridge that was no longer cold. With warranty service in mind, Anderson sought help, but over the course of two months, replacement parts failed, technicians cancelled service calls and Thanksgiving was fast approaching, so Anderson purchased a brand-new LG fridge. Unfortunately, this new fridge only lasted for four years before it too gave up, exhibiting the same symptoms as the previous one.
Anderson’s experience of two fridge failures is not unique. A search of NBC and Telemundo’s Responds complaint database highlights dozens of unhappy LG and Kenmore owners who have struggled with their fridges over the past few years. Terese in Philadelphia had a fridge that failed after only seven months of use. Bernadette in San Diego had technicians visiting her home seven times to fix her fridge. Similar to Kaare’s experience in LA, who had his fridge fixed six times, only to have the fix last a week before he was back to square one.
With frustration mounting, some fridge owners have taken their woes to the courts. LG Electronics USA is currently facing legal action from customers over compressor and fridge problems. Some consumers have found issues with LG’s compressors that have caused them to fail, while others have found their LG fridges’ temperatures fluctuating excessively, causing food to spoil. LG’s Kenmore brand, which was then owned by Sears, has also faced a class-action lawsuit in which owners contended that certain Kenmore fridges had faulty compressors and experienced premature failures.
Notably, a San Francisco attorney has requested that the US Consumer Product Safety Commission launch a formal investigation into LG fridges’ potentially faulty compressor cooling systems, citing five complaints about significant fires from LG compressors. Alongside potential safety issues, the legal concerns raise questions about the reliability of these fridges and the effectiveness of their warranties for consumers like Anderson, who found that warranty service failed to offer an adequate solution.
For Anderson, the experience of two dead fridges has left her disillusioned with the appliance. While she had purchased another LG, she recognises that her decision to buy this brand again was not a good one. This sentiment is reflected in her statement, “So, I guess that’s the definition of insanity, right?” As consumers seek reliable appliances that will keep perishables safe, the investigations into issues with LG and Kenmore fridges may lead to changes in the industry and consumer confidence in these brands.
