Kenmore Washer model 110.4680290 Rusting

[Dugie]

The second problem with our Kenmore Clothes Washer, top loading model 110.4680290, 8 years old, is:

RUST. It has been eating the baked-on enamel around the underside of the washer's cover opening for about 4 years, and I've neglected to bring it to Sears attention, or to deal with it. There is also rust on the metal where the plastic sleeves cover the metal holding the hinged top to the body, and a lot totally around the hole under the plastic where bleach is to be poured. Plus various small areas are rusted around the interior of the cabinet's body, some of them pintsized.

The washer is well out of warranty. It's located in our kitchen, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, so the location isn't damp, and it's in new condition otherwise, since we baby it. Really, since we bought a lot of Kenmore appliances all at once in a moment of "we want new stuff, and we want to be adults!" :-) Got rid of our old stuff, and shine and polish the new stuff.

I'm asking Sears to consider it a manufacturing defect. The store's appliance manager has agreed to pay the $49.95 charge for the tech's visit on Wednesday.

My reasoning is that baked-on enamel applied by manufacturer shouldn't rust under normal conditions and use. Sears should repair this.

What do others think?

- Dugie, tired of planned obsolescence

[Dugie]

Sorry, I made a spell-check error: Should be:

Plus various small areas are rusted around the interior of the cabinet's body, some of them *PIN-SIZE* (not pintsized)

- Dugie, tired of planned obsolescence

[Art]

I'd say the heck with it. The transmission went on my 5 year old Kenmore top loader. Sears offered to pay labor if I bought the transmission. I had bought the thing on sale at a good price but got a lemon. I decided the heck with it and bought a new washer. A front loader Maytag and that was 7 years ago. Glad I did.

[Walter R.]

We had the same problem with various rust spots on our Kenmore. Patched it up for a while but then found that the upper edge of the tub had rusted, too. Repair parts are prohibitively expensive. Bite the bullet and buy a new washer.

[jeff]

Hi,

8 years old, is:

Built by Whirlpool/Inglis for Sears.

cover opening for about 4 years,

also rust on the metal where the

totally around the hole under the

the interior of the cabinet's body,

Scotia, Canada, so the location

bought a lot of Kenmore

adults!" :-) Got rid of our old stuff,

manager has agreed to pay the $49.95

What does your use and care manual suggest the warranty is on the cabinet or rust?

normal conditions and use. Sears

jeff Appliance Repair Aid

[Mad Mac]

Sadly, what you describe is not an unusual occurence. Frankly, I'm surprised that Sears even agreed to send a tech out at their expense to look at this (and I say that as an ex-Sears tech).

There is, as far as I recall, no specific anti-rust warranty on the cabinet - indeed, Sears' own service products (Maintenance Agreements, or whatever they're called now) specifically exclude "cosmetic" repairs after the unit was over 3 years old. That being said, I've replaced rusting lids and tops under MA on the grounds that rust in those places impedes the functionality of the appliance, and was never challenged on it. Best advice I can give you is to try to broker some kind of deal to get the lid and top replaced with you paying the labour charge.

Good Luck!

[Dugie]

110.4680290, 8 years old, is:

So I've been told. By Whirlpool.

cover opening for about 4 years,

Ha! No coverage, of course. If Sears won't do a repair under "warranty", I may take it to Small Claims court. Just to make a point about planned obsolesence and poor workmanship. Depends on if I want to spend the $80CDN filing fee, take a chance on having to pay Sears' lawyer(s), and how determined I will be.

Thanks to all for the responses. They've been excellent. Now, after I install the new pump, I hope I can just get that water pump to recycle the soapy water during the wash cycle. :-)

- Dugie

[Dugie]

Hey, it's great that you, "...replaced rusting lids and tops under MA..." , Mad Mac. You sound like a really decent guy and repairman. And a bit of a rebel.

Your advice is my goal: broker a deal, but for complete repair. If I don't get it, I'm unsure what I'll do. I may repair it myself, no big deal, just time consuming and annoying. I'd actually began the sanding for the repair, then stopped and decided to pursue this with Sears.

Why do we consumers accept such below-par manufacturing practices, especially with so many new and long-lasting materials available but unused? And what can we do about it? Where's Ralph Nader NOW? :-)

- Dugie

[Art]

If you really want to find something to bitch about, check about every contract you are now stuck with...... cell phones, new houses, bank agreements..... they all have binding arbitration agreements and they get to pick the arbitrator. All because the majority of the people vote for like they did last election.