I have a question to those who already have this refrigerator installed. Is the wide drawer (the one above the first two produce bins) and the glides used for it removable? I think I would rather have a shelf space there than a drawer.

Today I placed first call to Liebherr customer support. They told me they have been using one for 6 months with no problem having it close automatically. They said that it's probably not level or properly installed and that someone will give me a call back tomorrow to set up a visit.

Either this person is clueless, or is purposefully hiding the known problem in the previously built HCS-2062s. Makes me wonder.

Today a Liebherr contracted service rep came to look at the refrigerator, and called his contact at Liebherr directly, and was promptly told that it's a known problem and there is no fix for it yet. Apparently it's possible to push the hinges outward to resolve it, but because the cabinetry is built around it, this is not possible in my case.

I suppose I will keep calling to see whether they have a fix, and then I'm not sure what else to do.

Sorry to hear that, Yoyoma. After all this, would you recommend the fridge?

Considering I bought it for the self-close feature, no way would I recommend this until it's fixed.

Thanks. I'm in the habit of kicking my fridge to be sure it's shut, but that thing is too high.

Hope they get a fix for you soon!

Our Liebherr service rep came out 2 weeks ago to install new sliding hinges, and they did not work. The attempt to fix actually made the problem worse. The service rep was very confused and called into Liebherr tech service several times trying to explain that the hinge fix would not correct the problem due to the surrounding cabinet. Several hours later, when it was all said and done, one of the self closing springs at the bottom was broken and is now being held in place by plastic zip ties. The rubber seal on one door was torn off and all the sensor wires became unengaged. The rubber seal was barely able to be put back into place. Now both seals are lumpy and uneven so we really have close the doors together. If we try to push one door closed by itself it peels away the seal that was torn away. And to top it off the wood panels were put back uneven.

(I'll skip the phone calls back to Liebherr and our service guy.)

Anyway, we are now waiting for new inner door replacements. Liebherr tells us the new doors will fix our problem......we will see.

We have made it clear with Liebherr customer service that we will settle for nothing short of a perfectly functional refrigerator.

so the saga continues............

I DO NOT RECOMMEND ANYONE BUY THIS REFRIGERATOR!

IÂve been following this thread with a good deal of interest. The French Door Liebherr HC2062 is still at the top of my list for my new kitchen but I havenÂt ordered it yet. I chose this model because it seemed to have the best energy rating of all the built-in brands available and because of the beautiful integrated look. I havenÂt seen either of these features in other brands. ItÂs possible IÂve missed something in my research of course.

I have a Maytag French door fridge today and one of the doors does not close by itself, nor is it advertised as able to do so. I have not had any significant problems with leaving the door ajar and when I do the alarm always lets me know. The doorÂs self-closing functionality isnÂt on the top of my list of important features. I am concerned, however, that an individual door cannot close without working in tandem with the other door as that seems to be a serious design flaw. Is there anyone out there with this model who is able to close the doors individually, whether they self-close or not?

I really appreciate all the honest feedback people are providing on their experiences with this fridge and while IÂm sorry people are experiencing frustration with such a high-end purchase, IÂm selfishly appreciative of the heads up before I commit to spending this kind of money.

I agree, Ehaberlin--it's not so much the not self-closing but that they seem so darn finicky. One out of the several displayed Liebherr FDs I played with worked well, and it was the freestanding stainless model, so factory adjusted I guess. You'd get used to the flaws in doors I saw, but they just felt sort of flimsy. It does look like the customer service is attentive, but it would be better to avoid it for something as ordinary as functioning doors...

All the Thermador/Bosch FDs I played with in showrooms worked flawlessly. I haven't seen any complaints about the Freedom/Integra line, although the FD models are newish. They cost a little more, but not a lot. They look just as good builtin, that is to say, really integrated.

I'm keeping a toe in this discussion (as opposed to a whole foot) because my HC 2062 is still not fully installed. That is, the unit is installed, but it's still awaiting door/drawer panels -- which are still awaiting hardware. But that's another story! At any rate, in my one of last posts, I stated that my doors self-close without problem. Some weeks later, I'm now going to offer a minor amendment to that statement:

Without cabinet panels attached, the doors on my HC 2062 self-close 90% of the time. The other 10%, the left door hangs up slightly. When that happens, I find that a little extra nudge will get it to close completely. I've also found, however, that if I use just a tad more gusto in closing the left door, it closes perfectly every time. The right door gives me no problem whatsoever.

As one who was really nervous about purchasing this refrigerator -- even to the point of delay in placing my whole cab order -- I have to say that I'm quite happy with the HC 2062 after all. And I say that even though I have to occasionally close the left door with a bit of a thrust or nudge it to make it close firmly. It will be interesting to see what happens when the door panels are finally attached. The weight of the panel may solve the left door close problem completely; OTOH, it may cause the very problem that some of you are having. I promise to report the findings no matter which way it goes.

Bottom line, though? I'm one who has never owned a refrigerator that claimed to have a door capable of closing itself! So, while I admit that all this talk of problems with the self-close feature did give me pause in making the purchase (heck at it's price, it ought to make love to me!), it's also hardly the reason why I bought the Liebherr in the first place. I bought it not only because Liebherr is known for making darn good refrigerators. I also chose it because I wanted a built-in, 36" FD fridge with a bottom mount freezer and, given those parameters, this one was notably less expensive than the competition. So far, all of that is stil true.

Thanks marthavila, I'm waiting with baited breath to hear how the panel attachment goes.

Hopefully, you'll be successful!

In retrospect, I should have bought a single door model that you can tap shut. It seemed to me that those models were being phased out in favor of french door models so I went with the Liebherr based on their 'soft-close' technology. To me this is very important so I am very dissapointed in Liebherr. Now if they fix this within a few months I will have no problem with that, but based on their past promises, I have serious doubts as to whether it will be coming.

I really don't mind closing my door myself, but I really don't want something with fussy hinges and seals. The single door models do seem more sensible but the french doors are so much nicer for a skinny kitchen.

I know you won't show us your fridge, Martha, but you'd better get those panels on and let us know how it works! ;-)

Tomorrow morning, my new 2062 doors will be installed and we will see if that corrects the problem. I'll let you know how it goes.

You are making me laugh, Fori! Of course I will show you the fridge. . . . someday! :)

I have a newly installed hcs2062,with stainless steel panels. My experience is a lot like marthavila's. To ehaberlin: the individual doors do close (and open) in any order, independently of one another. However, mine also hang up sometimes just before closing completely, particularly the left one. It requires a light tap to close it completely, which isn't a big deal to me but I'll be even happier when Liebherr comes out with a fix. In my opinion, there is nothing flimsy about the look or feel of the doors or refrigerator, and we're very happy with the purchase. Fit and finish are very good. But the self closing aspect was never a big deal to me in the first place.
The refrigerator seems to keep my food colder and fresher than my old fridge. The lighting is great and now that I've gotten used to it, it seems like I have far more space in it than in my old fridge. I would buy it again.

Good news to report on the 2062 doors that were just replaced on my Liebherr fridge. They are now working! The new design on the doors has the center gasket much tighter than the old design so that the doors can both close independent of one another.

Hooray! I'm soo glad to hear that it worked out for you, Plucky!

That's great news pluckymama! Thanks for reporting back. I'm sorry you had to go through all that hassle but I'm glad to hear that finally your fridge is working as promised.

fori said:
"One out of the several displayed Liebherr FDs I played with worked well, and it was the freestanding stainless model, so factory adjusted I guess."

Say what? Is a well-adjusted freestanding model supposed to allow you to open one door independently, or close it by swinging shut (I know it's not self-closing, but should it be able to swing close)? Most of this thread is about the integrated model, but I have the freestanding and it is impossible to open just one door, and it takes a strong swing to avoid having to push it closed.

Unfortunately my dealer only had the integrated on display, which they did acknowledge had the door defect, but they and I had no basis on what to expect on the freestanding doors.

pluckymama, since you have the integrated model surrounded by cabinetry like I do, and you say your new doors resolved the problem, why is Liebherr telling me it's a known issue that has not been fixed yet? I'm confused.

Bump, and question for owners, especially paneled integrated models: do the hinges stick the open door out enough so that if you had it next to a counter, would it smack into the counter if the counter protruded an inch instead of being flush like SJHaymes' counter does?

Do I even make sense? I'd like my fridge cab flush with my other cabs which would leave the counter sticking out to dent the door, maybe. I think the Thermador will do it (and it's easier to check that due to retailer location), but I can't tell from the Liebherr specs.

Martha...I'm waiting for the pictures...

Thanks!

Ok. Fori. Only for you! :) Check back late tonight/tomorrow a.m . for a report and photos. (Just be sure to keep this MV photo-leaking moment to yourself!) LOL!

Meanwhile, if I understand your question correctly, my fridge is flush with the cabs but the countertop juts out. Even so, when I open the fridge door that is adjacent to the countertop and cabs (the other side is adjacent to a wall), it either stops at (or is stopped by) the fridge's side panel. In other words, there is no way -- when fully open-- that the countertop can smack and dent the fridge door.

Yes! Thank you Martha. (Quilt photo too? Am I pushing my luck?)

Ok, I'm back and, as promised, I've got a report and. . . pictures!

First the report: Bottom line is, now that the panels have been attached, my left door is hanging up more than it used to. What's more, I'm now having occasional problems with the right door self-closing as well. This was not the case before the panels and hardware were applied and items were placed on the fridge door shelves.

And, yes, I am disappointed about this development! But I'm by no means stressed out about it as yet. When my GC returns from his vacation, I will see if he is able to tweak the installation towards a fix; otherwise, I will call Liebherr. But all is not lost! As I've said all along - the doors open independently of each other and most times, they self-close without a problem. The fact that, on occasion, I have to give them an extra push to get a firm close does not drive me batty. In every other respect, I still think it's a great refrigerator and I'm happy with my purchase!

Now here are a few photos. (BTW, Fori, note that in the photo where the fridge doors are fully open, they do not meet up with the countertop):

Thank you!

I wasn't looking, but your kitchen is turning out beautifully.

You're very accommodating. Now, if I wrote up a shopping list, would you be so kind as to fill your fridge for me? :)

Marthavila your kitchen is looking gorgeous. The fridge looks great too. Here's a fridge question for Liebherr owners. Where do you store butter and eggs?

Thanks for the kind words, Fori and Ehaberlin! (Maybe, just maybe, I will actually be finished with this kitchen by late April/early May -- Oh the thought!) As for your question, Ehaberlin, about storing butter and eggs, I dunno. That's because I still haven't really gotten into using this fridge as yet. That's also why, Fori, even if you were to make out the best shopping list ever, I still don't think I'll get arount to fully stocking this baby for at least another month or so. Sigh.

In the meantime, it seems I misspoke about the right door not closing all the time now that panel has been installed. Turns out I had placed a coffee bag on the uppermost right door shelf. Apparently, the top of the bag was occasionally flopping over onto the upper horizontal gasket and causing the door to hang up on closing. Since I removed the bag from that location, the right door has gone back to a perfect close every time.

At least you didn't call in a repair person! (That would be like when my sister took her car in because the clutch was acting goofy and the mechanic adjusted the floor mat.)

marthavila, can you tell me where you ordered your appliance pulls for your refrigerator. I ordered some very plain European ones and the width is way too small. Others I have considered are backordered for weeks.

My doors do not close properly but I am waiting to see if using cabinet hardware will make a difference. Now I have to open the freezer to open the refrigerator compartment.

Those pulls are from the Hamilton Decorative Collection. I ordered them a local store in NYC, but I know you can find them online at homeannex.com, for example. I hear your concern about backordering. Although it may depend on where you place your order, be advised that these pulls were backordered for nearly 4 weeks! :(

I'm sorry to hear about your particular door closure problem. What a pain (need I say where) that must be! I can't say whether or not the kind of pulls you have will make a difference, but at the very least you need appliance grade pulls for these units. And, as far as these Hamilton appliance pulls are concerned, they are definitely very solid, quite hefty and "plainly" attractive. :)

Dear Leibherr purchasers,
Besides the door problems, how does the Leibherr work? I want to buy the skinny one (bottom freezer 24" wide) and my appliance company is really trying to discourage me and to go with Blomberg instead due to Leibherr service issues. I must say, your fridges are the prettiest I have seen, but that may be due to the cabinets. The Leibherr I want looks like a rocket. It's hard to be level-headed and buy the best working one when they look this glamorous. Thanks.

It is my understanding that Liebherr now have a fix for the door issue on the 36" French Door refrigerator.

Liebherr recently tested new door gaskets in the field, this seems to have fixed the problem. Provided consumers with self closing doors have registered the problem with Liebherr the doors gaskets will be fixed in due course.

I just called Liebherr for the 36" door closing problem and there is still no fix available. They said they will contact me once it's released. They did say that if the hinges can be moved out then that would probably fix the problem but that doesn't help in my case because it's flush to the cabinets.

Petrushka,

This is from a post I made in a different thread:

People seem to be really happy with the 30" free-standing. If it is free-standing , be careful with the stainless, it dents very easily(very thin). I have a 48" free-standing (which is actually 2-24" put together), I'm having temp issues (too warm-replaced both electrical boards once,still warm), but my units only have one variable compressor each, the 30" are dual. I'm still irked that I was not told this. (Info doesn't state it, it wasn't until I needed to call for service that I found this out). The dual compressors were the top reason I chose Liebherr. Now that I'm done ranting, I'd buy another Liebherr, probably a built-in with dual compressors. Very happy with interior quality.

I might add, it looks very cool. The 24" does have 2 evaporators, so smells don't transfer between fridge and freezer. The door seals are very weak, which is too bad because they have the cool handles which are meant to break the seal. A dollar bill EASILY passes through it. Service guy said that's the way they are. Also, it would be nice if they upgraded the units to LED lights. Lighting is a bit dark in fridge section and non-existent in freezer.

Wow do I get a kick out of these comments. If these issues were listed for SubZero there would be arrows and flames and comments on poor quality and design.

I purchased a new Sub BI48 6 months ago and I think it is great everything works and the doors all close and things stay much fresher than before.

I'm seriously considering the Liebherr 2062 fully integrated fridge. This is the 36" french door one. And I'm wondering if the price is fixed or negotiable. Any help on this? What's the best price you've found and where.

Also, I'm wondering if the freezer will fit a good-sized frozen turkey.

Thanks!

What is the difference between the built in and the integrated models of Liebherr Refrigerators? Will I see SS showing around a built in vs. an integrated model? I am looking at the 30 inch and the 36 inch french door model and am trying to decide which one to get. We are empty nesters and have an upright freezer in the garage. I want the refrigerator to look like the surrounding cabinetry and not be able to tell that it is the refrigerator. I am leaning towards the 30" just because of price. Also, my oven is on the same wall and I am wondering what is the minimum counter space I need to keep between the fridge and the stove. (AGA four oven) Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Sorry - no pics yet, but we've had our Liebherr 36" French door for ~1 month now and LOVE it. It's spacious, the temp is perfect always, and veggies and fruit last WAY longer than in any other standard fridge I've owned. No more frozen lettuce !!. The ice maker is awesome as well. I really don't understand the door issue - the only time we've had a problem is if the deli drawer is not closed all the way - otherwise the doors close easily (ours does not have the self-close feature). Had a few issues questions re. how to set things up and Liebherr was extremely helpful over the phone. Am SO glad we didn't spend more on the Miele or Subzero. IMHO this is a great fridge for the price. Will post pics soon.

PS - We keep eggs in their carton on a "shallow" shelf and butter in a butter dish on that same shelf. We keep the extra butter in the huge deli drawer. Seems to be working well so far. You can get a lot in this fridge despite the fact it's counter depth. The crispers are huge as well.

Just talked to Liebherr today. They are very supportive and helpful. My new doors are not self closing nor do they close unless you push them hard. Thank goodness for the alarm or I would have spoiled food. They are coming out with brand new doors that this time they are confident will solve the problem. They should be arriving soon. If you are having trouble with your doors, call them and get on the list for replacement.

I have to laugh when I read how "confident" they are about the new doors. They have been confident so many times previously that I absolutely do not believe this until I see it installed period. Did you ask the person you were talking to whether he has used the new doors in person? If not, then how confident can he really be?

yoyoma, I'm with you. It has been a frustrating experience. But they are trying to remedy it and they have not just told us to live with it, as some manufacturers do. The person I spoke to has not tried the new doors as they have not arrived yet. He said Liebherr is working hard to fix the doors and feels that this new version will be answer. As you said, until they are installed we will not know if they work or not. I'm trying to remain hopeful. I really don't want to have to be this vigilant over fridge doors for the next 20 years to keep my food cold.

The thing is, their website clearly documents that the doors should close automatically, so if they were to say just live with it, why not just take them to small claims court and sue them? It seems so cut and dry that I'm very tempted to do this by the Fall if no fix is made available.

Unlike most people who bought this refrigerator, I actually did buy it almost solely because of the automatic closing doors. Stupid me. :) Of course I'm going to ask them for a refund first, but this is just ridiculous.

It's great that they're trying for a fix, but even when I spoke to them back in October they swore they had a fix for the problem. And every month after that they swore that a fix was right around the corner.

I'll be the first one to congratulate them if this so-called fix works, but I'm also going to be one of the first to take them to court to get this resolved one way or the other if it does not.

Just a note to say that I have a friend who has an LG French Door Fridge and she has to push on the doors to make sure they are closed everytime she opens it. I think the doors not shutting tightly on their own is a characteristic of most French Door Fridges no matter what company or model. Hers has an alarm that sounds if they are not closed completely as well.

You're right quiltgirl, that's true for most because it has a plastic flap in the middle that makes it hard to close. The Liebherr model uses a magnetic seal instead which supposedly allows it to close automatically, but it does not work in many cases.

I just wanted to add that I am also waiting for the new doors. I have SS panels and was told last month that the new doors were on the way. I don't have much faith that these will fix the problem (if I ever see them). I continue to follow this discussion because I also bought this fridge because of the self closing feature. I agree that legal action may be in the future. I ordered this fridge a year ago!

so, do all of these not work w/self close or is it that some of them are lemons? i'm considering the french door model. should i cross it off my list? if so, are there any others that are a close second if i'm looking for french doors?

thank you!

All I can say is that the self close feature does not work on my doors. When I spoke with Liebherr, they were well aware of the problem.

If you don't have the refrigerator flush with cabinetry you can move the hinges outward and it apparently will work.

Just got off with Liebherr support about a different problem (top part of door handle fell off), and they informed me that they expect to get new doors for the HCS model at end of September. And the wait goes on...