Stress Cracks and Enamel Flaking on Frigidaire Range GLGF386DS Series

[Sammy X]

Range Frigidaire Series GLGF386DS Model 40064747757 Mfr Date Nov 2007

I would like to hear from other folks who have this range to see if I'm the only one having these problems.

Normally I would just buy the replacement parts but in this case the total cost of the 2 parts from GE is $294.90 plus tax and shipping. GE is not budging on the price, even after I explained that there were probably quite a few others with these same problems in use. I escalated this to a manager who said there were no other records of others having these problems.

While cleaning the stove top, I noticed something around the round raised areas at the center burner that looked like burned-on grease. See photo:

Looking closer, I saw that they were stress cracks in the stove top that penetrate completely through the top. I have seen these type of stress cracks in my job on other drawn steel items. It is always caused by a mfg problem such as poor quality steel or lack of lubrication during the stamping process and not related to normal use.

The other problem is enamel flaking off the underside of the center grating. Again, only gentle cleaning has be done. The top side, where all the pot and pans sit is fine. Photo:

Sammy

[Sammy X]

If those photos don't load, try these:

I would like to hear from other folks who have this range to see if I'm the only one having these problems.

Normally I would just buy the replacement parts but in this case the total cost of the 2 parts from GE is $294.90 plus tax and shipping. GE is not budging on the price, even after I explained that there were probably quite a few others with these same problems in use. I escalated this to a manager who said there were no other records of others having these problems.

While cleaning the stove top, I noticed something around the round raised areas at the center burner that looked like burned-on grease. See photo:

Looking closer, I saw that they were stress cracks in the stove top that penetrate completely through the top. I have seen these type of stress cracks in my job on other drawn steel items. It is always caused by a mfg problem such as poor quality steel or lack of lubrication during the stamping process and not related to normal use.

The other problem is enamel flaking off the underside of the center grating. Again, only gentle cleaning has be done. The top side, where all the pot and pans sit is fine. Photo:

Sammy

[Ed Pawlowski]

only one having these problems.

of the 2 parts from GE is $294.90 plus tax and shipping. GE is not budging on the price, even after I explained that there were probably quite a few others with these same problems in use. I escalated this to a manager who said there were no other records of others having these problems.

After six years anything can happen. Cracks are often from rapid heating and cooling, or pots being dropped on to the porcelain. I really don't see the manufacturer doing you any favors after all this time.

Before spending that much on parts, I'd buy a new range, but I'd buy from a better company. Frigidaire is not the high quality they were many years ago.

[nestork]

Sammy:

You should be aware that the links to the photos you posted turn out to be about 1 inch wide by 3/4 inch high, and are too small to see anything.

If it were me, I would find out who Frigidaire's factory authorized dealership in your area is, and ask them to come down to take a look at the stove.

Frigidaire is a reputable company, but you're probably talking to the

1-800 customer service reps who don't know squat and don't have the authority to send you new parts.

The guy from the Frigidaire factory authorized repair depot could probably be talked into installing new parts for you, but he's going to be suspicious that you're doing something funky with the stove that no one else does that's causing the problem, so you need to assure him you're not. And, of course, he's only going to replace those parts for you once... if the same thing happens to those parts, he's going to suspect you're doing something on that stove that no one else is.

I would contact the Frigidaire factory authorized service depot in your area and have the owner of that local appliance repair shop take a look at your stove himself. His word will carry a lot more clout with Frigidaire than either yours or the 1-800 customer service monkey.

I bought a 1982 Toyota Corolla as a used car in 1984. A few years after buying it, bubbles started forming in the front windshield. I took it to my local Toyota dealership, and they sent a guy out to look for himself, and that guy told me to give his signed card to the service manager at that local dealership and they replaced the windshield free of charge. It was a defective windshield, but they could see that there's no way that should happen, and there's no way I could be causing that to happen, so they just accepted that it was a defect and fixed it for me free, even though there was no warranty on the car at the time.

[trader4]

but he's going to

I'm sure the owner of the service company will hop right in the truck and come over for free to take a look at a 5 year old stove that isn't under warranty anymore. I was just looking at a post over the weekend from someone who had a KitchenAid wall microwave, where the glass in the middle of the door shattered. And by middle, I mean inside the door itself, so there is no way it could be broken by hitting it, etc. It's a well known failure, lots of people have had it happen, including in the middle of the night, when the oven wasn't even used. The person got the KA service guy over and he told her it was $250 if he fixed it and $170 just for the call if he didn't. Her choice.

 His word will carry a lot more clout with

Sometimes you get lucky. Plus the cost of replacing that windshield was what, 2% of the cost of a new car? In this case, the parts without labor are about half the cost of a new stove. And the defect is cosmetic, not affecting the operation of the stove. They can try, but better make sure they don't wind up paying for a service call to "fix" what they already know how to fix and for which there is no viable fix, unless the company eats it.