Kitchen Aid Superba refrigerator and dishwasher - having many problems

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on November 27, 2002:

From:

RE: Kitchen Aid Superba refrigerator and dishwasher - having many problems

My wife and I bought a Kitchen Aid side-by-side Superba refrigerator and a Superba dishwasher model numbers KSRS27IKSS01 and KUDS01FKSS in December 2001. Since the day I placed the order with the salesman at WhitCo, Inc. in Spencer, MA. we have had nothing but problems with these two products. First, Kitchen Aid forgot to put these two items on the delivery truck, so we didn't get these two appliances until after Christmas.

The salesman was gracious enough to deliver a dishwasher to our house so that we could have the Christmas party as planned. Then 05 months after having the Kithen Aid appliances, we came home to a flooded kitchen. The "module" for the ice maker malfunctioned and kept on calling for water. I called for service. The serviceman shows up without the part needed to fix the problem, so I wasted a vacation day. About 09 months of owning the refrigerator, I notice a crack in the liner on the base of the freezer side. Again I called for service.

The service man blamed the crack on someone standing on the base of the freezer. My wife told him that is BS as this refrigerator is designed with pull out baskets and there is no need to stand at the base as the top basket is below our eye level. The only thing he did to the crack is put silicone on it. Since then, the crack has increased from 02 inches to beyond 05 inches. I have repeated called Kitchen Aid Customer Service to ask them to either replace this defective refrigerator or refund our money. The best they said they could do was to give us 10% refund on the purchase price.

They have refused to refund or replace this defective refrigerator and basically lied that the crack does not affect the function of the refrigerator and won't harm the refrigerator. I have spoken to an Amana/Maytag service man and he basically said that it is a stress crack that will only continue to increase in size and that moister will get behind the liner and into the insulation which will pose health issues as mold and mildew will likely grow in the insulation.

For the dishwasher, it does not get the glassware and chinaware clean. Food and spots are left not only on the dishes, but also on the door. I called for service and the A & E repair man first told me to switch liquid detergent from solid detergent which I did without satifaction. Again I called for service and they told me to have the repair man check the filter at the base of dishwasher.

He did and no problem with the filter. He blamed the food left on dishes and on inside door to our garbage disposal which I told him was hogwash as the GE dishwasher that was with the house when we bought didn't leave spots and food on dishes or on the door. After 07 months of owning the dishwasher, again my wife and I came home to a flooded kitchen. This time the gasket on the inside stuck to the door so it no longer formed a seal when the dishwasher ran. While the A & E repairman was replacing the gasket I complained to him that the dishwasher was not cleaning the dishes. He said its because we don't rinse our dishes well before putting them in the dishwasher.

Again I told him we didn't have this problem with the GE dishwasher. I called Ktichen Aid Customer Service in November 2002 to complained of food left on dishes and on the inside door. She said I needed to measure the hot water temperature and that the water temperature must be at least 120F and I needed to put two cups of vinegar in a bowl of water and run the dishwasher on NORMA cycle. She promised to call me back the next day which she did not. I

called back within 10 days and spoke to Bill. I told him that the hot water temperature was over 135F. He informs me that the hot water temperature must be 140F! I informed him that not only did Iris said the hot water must be at least 120F, but the manual states that the "120F (49C) water at dishwasher." page 06 of manual part number 8524479. He hung up on me! Is there anyway your coperation can help my wife and I to the defective refrigerator and dishwasher? At least getting a replacement from Kitchen Aid on the refrigerator. I can be reached at 508* 366*1100 extension 2879. Thank you for your time.