GE Counter-Depth French Door Fridge is broken after 2 months!!!

9 years ago

We purchased a GE Counter-Depth refrigerator in 2014. It arrived with a large dent in the front door, and with the freezer door handle broken on the left side. We received a replacement refrigerator a couple of weeks later - a brand new model at the time: PYE22PSHSS.

We had it professionally installed and life was good. My portable thermometer read temperatures that were within 1 degree of the setting at several different points in the refrigerator cavity. All good.

Around week #8, the items on the top shelf started to freeze. Re-arranged things a bit, and the next day all items were back to un-thawed. However the thermometer showed a 3 degree difference between top and bottom shelves. "Weird", I thought, "but maybe it will go away".

Around week #9, the frozen top shelf returned. The following day, the middle shelf froze, and then the bottom shelf, produce and cheese drawers on the third day. Re-arranged the items a little and increased the setting by 1 degree, and it went back to un-frozen.

It went back to having a 3 degree gradient, with the top shelf roughly in line with the setting and the bottom a bit warmer.

This "normal operation" lasted two more weeks. And then one morning we woke up to find a 57F degree fridge. Re-arranged, emptied it out, reset the breaker: nothing worked. Stayed 57F all day.

We called GE and they said they could send somebody in 7 weeks. My wife yelled very considerably at the person on the phone and her supervisor and his supervisor. They told her to call the local Sears, as they may be able to have somebody come sooner. She called Sears and said they couldn't help her, as they don't know how to bill GE Warranty Services to get paid since we didn't buy this there.

She called back to GE and they said she had to wait 7 weeks, and they asked her to buy a few bags of ice while awaiting repair. She said "it's 57 degrees, the ice will melt and leak onto the wood floors - I'll have to change the ice regularly. Would you do that at your house for seven weeks?". "Oh, maybe you're right" the (fourth) GE person told her. Unfortunately, a better response wasn't on his cheat sheet so we went back to "we can get somebody out there in 7 weeks".

Again with the supervisor, the manager and a little more colorful language. They were able to schedule a repair for two weeks from now.

Everybody was very apologetic and sympathetic, but nobody could speed the repair process. At least we are down to a two week wait now.

Frankly we didn't call for a shoulder to cry on or a sympathetic friend - we simply want a working refrigerator. Hence we are very frustrated and displeased with the pace and complexity in the process.

So we are using our 35 year old (also GE by the way) refrigerator in the garage for now.

Very annoying that such a new product would stop functioning so quickly, and also dissatisfying that the warranty service is not prompt. We will see what happens next.

Overall, I sure-as-heck wish we didn't buy a GE refrigerator.

Now we know better, but too late, GE already got our money.

Hopefully you learn not to give GE yours.

This post was edited by daburd on Mon, Jan 26, 15 at 13:33

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Comments (5)

dodge59
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Wow, 7 weeks!!!!!

Fortunately, I don't anticipate buying anymore appliances in my lifetime, but if I did, my first call would be to the company saying I needed a repair on the appliance I was thinking about buying. I would tell them I bought it a few months ago, and I need it fixed ASAP.

Most likely I would be queried about the serial number, where I bought it etc, but I would tell them, I will get that all in a minute, just answer a simple question, "When can you get somebody here to fix it"

The other way is to Goggle the fridge model number + reviews, and you might "get lucky" and find some worth while info regarding reliability and service, but I think the first way I described is a "safer bet"!

Of course , posts like yours, alerts us all to be vigilant, sooo
Thanks for your post!!!!

I wonder if the Electrolux buyout of GE is causing some "Loose ends"?

Gary
hvtech42
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Sorry to hear about your issues. I have had the standard depth version of that refrigerator for 3 years now and no problems yet. Thanks for warning us about GE service. Mine is out of warranty now (except for the sealed system) so if it ever breaks down I will be sure not to call GE and instead do it myself or hire a local repairman.
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daburd
Original Author
9 years ago
UPDATE: The GE repairman arrived and advised that the motor was broken. Again - only a couple months old. He ordered a new motor and returned a week later to install it. There is a 2 to 3 degree gradient between the top and bottom shelf, but the refrigerator is now basically functional.

Note: this is a "brand new" GE model which they started manufacturing in the Summer of 2014.

The repairman mentioned that he's already had to repair a few "no cool" refrigerators of the same model as ours - a model which has only been available for about 6 months so far.

Overall: poor reliability (based on my experience and the repairman's anecdotes) and very slow and frustrating customer service. Avoid GE refrigerators!
hvtech42
9 years ago
Yes, this particular model number came out in 2014 but what really matters is the underlying design. Often they'll make minor aesthetic/interior improvements from year to year and change the model number. My fridge is the same basic design as this one.

I've talked to repairmen who've had to repair multiple of the same Whirlpool, Frigidaire, GE, Samsung, LG, etc. fridges for no cooling. This repairman's anecdotes, especially given that he works for GE and only sees their appliances, don't really say anything about its reliability compared to the competition.

This experience certainly was terrible and I'm not trying to excuse that... just trying to convey to future readers that avoiding one particular brand won't really make you less likely to run into a situation like this. None of them are made like they used to, and there are instances of crappy service with all of them. The only way to statistically improve your chances of getting a good fridge is to buy a very basic, no-frills top mount with mechanical controls, and the only way to improve your chances of excellent customer service are to buy a SubZero.
nanj
9 years ago
I subscribe to a newsletter from Yale Appliance and in the article I've linked they report that 25% of all new appliances need service in the first year, regardless of the brand. Yale sells from the moderate priced to the very expensive and have their own service division so know of what they speak. Based on this, I am to the point of choosing appliances based on criteria other than reliability. And realizing the need to have access to service in the rural area where we will build.

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