Whirpool Washing Machine / service - Calypso Automatic Washer - poor experience w/ new purchase

# 11 for February 24, 2002

Complaints.com received the following e-message on February 23, 2002:

From: Charles Hammer [Email User]

Whirpool Washing Machine / service - Calypso Automatic Washer - poor experience w/ new purchase

I would like this complaint posted so others can be aware of what we just went through with this

Washing Machine nad the Whirpool Company. Americantv replaced the Washing Machine finally

Friday 2/22/02.

January 15, 2002

Customer Service:

This is concerning a recent purchase we made of your product the Calypso Automatic Washer.

Model GVW9959KQ1

Serial #CL3702315

We bought this machine new from American in Rockford, Illinois. In the 5 weeks we have had this machine it has acted sporadically with displays of OB, SL, and CA. Also as we used the machine the display would add time to do the load. Last load of jeans it had a time of 80 minutes. So explain to me what’s going on with this? This has been on numerous times.

Also have opened the lid and the machine will NOT restart. The last time was January 10th. I came home from work on 2nd shift to oldest son informing me that we had a CA display on the machine. The Wash Plate rubber is partially twisted under the wash plate. My oldest son is 23 years old and had his whites, socks, underwear, etc. in the machine. The load of whites he had in there would be considered a SMALL LOAD.

Nothing to do with TOO many clothes in this particular load. Or any other that we have put into this washer since we bought it December 3rd,2001. He had to tug to get his socks out from under wash plate. The washer had not been running very long as the bleach is STILL in the bleach dispenser as I write this.

I get up Friday morning and call your 800 number to inform you of my problem with this NEW machine.

I am informed that ALL representatives ARE BUSY, to please hold, which I did, only to be informed

20 minutes later that to call back later and to be disconnected on your side of the phone line, which

I considered to be QUITE RUDE. If you are having that many problems with your product, you had

ought to hire more help for answering your phone lines.

Our old washer, one of your products, we had for almost 14 years. We bought a washer, dryer, stove,

and refrigerator ALL Whirlpool at the same time March 1988. The washer (old) one survived years of

atleast 2 loads a day through it till Dec.1,2001. Then we were told either the drive or transmission

had gone out of it. So instead of putting money into an older machine, I convinced my husband to

purchase your Calypso.

I had liked what I had seen on it and thought that would be the way to go for we had no major problems with your products until now. Now to some a price tag of $1100. That $1100. is my bring home pay for a month. So this was a major purchase for us. May be no big deal to you, but now I wonder if I was wrong in having my husband purchase it? We are just regular folk with 3 sons home now. When we had our old machine there was 8 people living here. So there is less wash to be done now and WE NEED a machine we can rely on to work every day.

I called 3 certified repair personnel in our area to inform me that the soonest anyone can come and

look at MY PROBLEM is this coming Thursday January 17th. Another said Friday the 18th, and since I

didn’t purchase it from them I was not a priority to them, and the 3rd said didn’t know when could

get some one in my area, since I live in Warren, Illinois and they are in Madison, Wisconsin.

So I am without a washer for a minimum of 7 days. In the meantime I get to take clothes to laundry mat

to wash them. A huge inconvenience all around. I do not know if this problem will be corrected on

the 17th. Can you explain to me why the rubber O-Ring did what it did and is this a reoccurring problem with

this model machine?

Also with the display messaging and restart problems after opening the lid. I do not want to have nothing but problems with this washer. We need and expect this machine to be able to do its job day after day. Did not need this headache. Especially since this is a new one. What is your policy on this machine if it turns out to be a LEMON? If it is going to be a headache, I don’t want it, and expect some kind of reinbusrsement for the time this machine is down for repairs. Is this the way other customers are treated by waiting for service? If so, I know that I will be looking at some other name brand to buy. It isn’t worth the trouble this new machine has cost.

My husband is so discouraged that it will take a lot to talk him into even considering another of your products. Now I get to wait for the repair man to show up Thursday and hopefully then I will have a machine that WILL work. Won’t have to go to laundry mat and do wash. Have already done 4 loads and will have atleast that before repair man shows up. And I consider my time important also. So please tell me what you are going to do to straighten this mess out? If we have another problem with this washer I will do a formal complaint to the BBB against Whirlpool.

Also will post this complaint on the internet. THIS IS AN UPDATE AS OF JAN 22,2202 We called Schultz Appliance today and found out it will be 7 - 10 days for the part to arrive at his repair store. This is not acceptable to me!!!!!!!!!! I cannot use the washer until it is repaired! We have now spent in excess of $20.00 on doing the wash downtown and over 5 hours of our time. We will have to do wash again tomorrow, more time and more money again. I want Whirlpool to come to my house with a new

Washing Machine and take the broken one with them,

and I really don't care what you do with it. Sincerely yours,

Charles L. Hammer

Alayne J. Hammer P. O. Box 124

Warren, Illinois

61087-0124 (815) 745-3172

February 20, 2002

Update on this machine: February 7th put in a load of whites, the machine kept coming up with the CA

on digital display, stopping machine. After spending 2