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Kitchenaid Dishwasher Fires and class action

12 years ago

Anyone have any more information about this or the models involved? There was something on the news in Atlanta a week or two ago about it - apparently an area house had a fire in their dishwasher. This is not an isolated incident . . .

Apparently, the government is investigating, and there is a facebook page devoted to this issue. I just purchased two KA dishwashers - the KUDE30 and the KUDE70 - so am quite concerned!!!

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Comments (11)

tynewydd
12 years ago
Website is kitchenaidfire.com

Note - the lawsuit is about not only KitchenAid but also Whirlpool, Sears Kenmore, and Maytag dishwashers (all manufactured by Whirlpool). The issue is the control board catches fire - speculation is water gets to it somehow.

Here is a link that might be useful: KitchenAidFire
athensmomof3
Original Author
12 years ago
Very scary, since I always set my dishwasher after dinner and usually put it on delay so it runs after I get in bed. Of course, I have a whirlpool now . . .
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YES. i used mine for the FIRST time yesterday (6/27/2022) and it shutdown 2 hours into the clean, blew the fuse, bottom door was locked, and the panel was blacked out. this happened also last november when i was baking bread. not only did it blow the fuse, but the circuit breaker in the garage as well. from what i hear from my friends that have kitchenaid ovens -- do not ever use the self-clean because it blow the fuse EVERY TIME! i complained to kitchenaid/whirlpool about this issue yesterday, vehemently, and have not heard a peep from them. one thing for certain, it keeps the kitchenaid repairmen in business because every holiday (thanksgiving/christmas) when ladies are planning to do a lot of cooking, they try and clean their ovens. last november, mine crashed a week before thanksgiving (was baking sourdough bread). the repair service response: "too bad, so sad. will not be able to get parts or service your oven until two weeks AFTER thanksgiving. heads up people...DO NOT USE THE SELF-CLEAN button when you are a few weeks shy of a major holiday. you will be cooking in crockpots, outdoor grills, and on the stove. to my knowledge kitchenaid has not addressed this issue in their ovens. but it's just not kitchenaid, from what i heard from the repair guys, it's viking, bosch, etc. too. doesn't matter how much you pay for your ovens - THEY DO NOT RECOMMEND YOU EVER USE YOUR SELF-CLEAN program! BTW....in november, my warranty had not yet expired, but was going to expire waiting to get service and parts. they are still the best, they just need to fix this problem - it's been ongoing for almost a decade now according to this blog. If there is a class action lawsuit in the works, I would like to join. maybe a little legal pressure will force them to ultimately fix this very dangerous problem.
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This is from a Feb. 2, 2012 news report -the last line really caught my eye because I ALWAYS run my dishwasher before bed or leaving for work!! What does everyone else do? SEATTLE -- Consumer Reports is sounding a warning about appliances in your kitchen that can suddenly catch fire. One fire in a home started in the kitchen, caused by a toaster. "It was just horrendous, just horrendous," said Beverly Uberti. "What wasn't destroyed by fire was destroyed by smoke and water damage." Another fire started in a family's dishwasher while they were out of the house. A third erupted in a microwave, even though it wasn't being used. Consumer Reporters poured through 69,000 reports of house fires blamed on appliances, and found that a significant number of those fires were not caused by human error. "We found at least 23 percent are clearly attributable to problems with the appliances - mechanical, electrical, or design flaws," said Dan Diclerico with Consumer Reports. "In some instances, the appliances turned on by themselves." Faulty appliances causing the most fires were ranges, dryers, air conditioners, refrigerators, and dishwashers. "In the last five years, more than 7 million dishwashers have been recalled due to defects that could cause a fire," Diclerico said. "And nearly eight million other appliances have been recalled for fire risks." Checking for recalls at recalls.gov is a good way to be alerted to problems. There are reasons that there more recalls due to fire hazards. "Appliances have gotten a lot more complex, so more can go wrong," Diclerico said. "And many recalled products are being manufactured abroad, the majority in China." Consumer Reports says until appliance design and quality are improved, homeowners are left with plenty to be concerned about. The magazine says homeowners should register new appliances with the manufacturer so they'll get recall notices. Another tip: Don't run your dryer or dishwasher overnight or when you're away.
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murmylo
12 years ago
Hello Everyone,

I just created a petition: KitchenAid/Whirlpool: RECALL their dishwashers (they are catching fire!), because I care deeply about this very important issue.

I'm trying to collect 1000 signatures, and I could really use your help.

To read more about what I'm trying to do and to sign my petition, click here:

http://www.change.org/petitions/ceo-of-whirlpool-corporation-we-demand-a-recall-on-your-fire-hazard-dishwashers-now

It'll just take a minute!

Once you're done, please ask your friends to sign the petition as well. Grassroots movements succeed because people like you are willing to spread the word!
User
12 years ago
I wonder if they will publicly deny there is any problem at all , just like they did with their ovens that didn't have a problem but stopped working by the thoisands after a self clean cycle was run?

I would not spend my money with a company that operate this way. Additionally , they dont have any product that another 4-5 other companies do, and their prices are not really lower either.

So, what are you getting for your money?
User
12 years ago
Athensmom - could you comment for future readers that might be in the position you were a while back?

Meaning , in hindsight, are you satisfied choosing the KA over say the Miele and Bosch that were recommended in it's place.

Was the money you saved upfront worth it?

How is the performance ?
mojavean
12 years ago
Whirlpool isn't the only manufacturer to endure a recall. It can happen to even the even the most prestigious and exclusive brands.
marcolo
12 years ago
The problem isn't a recall. The problem is that KA/Whirlpool is refusing a recall.
mojavean
12 years ago
CPSC can order a recall, one which KA cannot "refuse." Perhaps the petition above should be CC'd to the CPSC, along with some pictures of fire-damaged units.
brickeyee
12 years ago
The threat of lawsuits is far more effective than petitions.
athensmomof3
Original Author
12 years ago
antss - they are not installed yet. House won't be completed til April, but we bought appliances prior to the new year before the price increase.

Part of the reason I bought KA is that I needed two dishwashers and I wasn't sure I would like the Miele without the drying element. I was told that the Miele and all european dishwashers are non-standard sizes so if I bought a Miele and hated it I would have to replace it with another European brand. We have panels on our dishwashers and have fully integrated the KA's so this would be a PITA.

At any rate, the KA is surely better than my current bottom of the barrel Whirlpool, which requires a through cleaning of all items before placing them in the dishwasher (even with Finish Quantum - helped some but not much).
bonesoda
12 years ago
WOW. I am glad i switched from the KA apps to misc other brands thanks to this forum.

KA used to carry such a reliability to thier name, but total opposite now.

First the ovens & denial and now this.

Initially there was the KA dishwashers letting out moisture and destroying cabs but they had issues a fix for it and now this.

Just WOW.

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