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Looks like we have to buy a new microwave. I guess Lennar Homes motto "Everything's Included" includes fires. I would just like to warn the owners if you have an over-the-stove GE Spacemaker XL1800 Microwave not to leave the kitchen while you are using it. Ours was only 3 and one-half years old.
We baked a potato using the Potato Sensor Button and while my husband went out to grill a steak, I smelled something burning. When I looked in the kitchen the microwave was in flames. The interior ceiling of the microwave is totally melted away and interior wires are exposed.
We had a visit from a Warranty Technician who claims the fire was caused by a spark from the metal rack which is in the microwave. We used the Potato Sensor Button but evidently this was not the cause. He told us this was a rare occurrence yet we have been told of 3 similar fires since we posted this on our community Web Site. Maybe they should look up similar complaints on various web sites. ;
We have extended warranties on all our appliances. We got a call from the Warranty People who told us that a fire caused by the metal rack is not covered. My husband argued all ends of the spectrum with the warranty people such as "why does it have a Potato Sensor cooking feature, why is the rack in the microwave in the first place, why no warnings about this danger", etc. etc.
We will never again purchase a GE product and will warn our friends and family. This product should be recalled! I tried to contact GE but could not find an e-mail address regarding consumer complaints. I also sent a copy of this to Lennar Homes.
Our GE Spacemaker XL1800 just stopped working.
All I was using was the 'timer'. I couldn't believe it when it just went dark. It's only 3 years old. No thank you. No more GE.
I have a ge spacemaker xl 1800 microwave and all of a sudden the turntable doesn't work. I have tried using the button for the turntable and I have cleaned the turntable and made sure the glass plate was on right. What is wrong?
Last week, my wife was cooking a potato in our 5 year old GE XL1800. The rack was removed and she was using the pre-programmed "Potato" function. She left the room to flip a steak and returned to see the potato on fire and a smoke filled room. The unit then went dark, never to light up again (thankfully). This happened about 8 months after the magnetron had been replaced under warranty due to complete failure.
The GE Customer Service folks seem to be oblivious to this as an issue. They initially offered to send a technician out and assess the unit for repair...costing me $$$. We filed a complaint with GE, who have offered a $100+ settlement, since we were not interested in a "deal" on a replacement GE unit. We have ordered a Kenmore (Whirlpool) replacement.
I have filed a complaint with the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Bob Guynn
Prospect, CT
robertguynn@sbcglobal.net
Correction on the GE "settlement"...per clarification of my wife: The so called settlement actually consisted of a $150 coupon good only toward the purchase of any GE product. So I hope we can use it on buying repair parts for our GE convection range/oven and wall oven units.
I agree that the the GE microwave is the worst buy ever. I warmed some food using the microwave and it sparked. After I pushed cancel I noticed that there were burnt marks in the interior of the microwave where the rack is positioned. I called and scheduled a repair person to come out. He called customer service who wanted to speak to me. The person on the phone said that she is the supervisor and that they will replace it for a cost of $120. She said that it was my fault for just warming one item on the rack. The service technician said that the rack had a ding in it and that is why it sparked. Who knows if the microwave came with a defective rack or if it just recently occurred. He told me to throw away the rack and that it would be dangerous to use it anymore. Of course, I followed his advice.
Oh! I forgot to mention that the microwave is only a few weeks old. I bought it at Lowe's. I will inform them about the problem too. Hopefully they will not carry it anymore. I will not buy anymore GE products. I told the customer service supervisor that they just lost a customer for life. Apparently, she didn't care.
Shelley
I just had a fire that melted some kind of plastic part inside a GE spacemaker JVM 1650 SH. It emitted some dense white smoke that felt like it was very toxic. Fortunately I caught it just in time and turned it off. This microwave was only 5 years old and an umitigated disaster. I'm looking for a better brand now, but it will be difficult to find one that fits properly. I wonder if there was a class action lawsuit on this unit.
Well this all sounds so familiar. My wife was cooking a potato in our 4 year old GE S[pacemaker XL1800 Microwave using the pre-programmed "potato" button. She left the room for about 5 minutes and when she returned the microwave was dead and the room was filled with smoke. The inside top of the microwave was burnt and melted. Fortunately, the cabinets did not catch on fire. I called GE and of course they didn't want to do anything about it, as it was out of warranty. I spoke with their insurance department and they offered me $100 cash, which I accepted. I couldn't find any information about a recall for this unit. Looks like this is a serious problem with this microwave and GE is just ignoring it. We refuse to purchase another GE product. We've since purchased a Maytag microwave and we love it. Buyer beware!
The microwave will last a lot longer and work better if you stop using the auto functions. They are not fool proof. And there were ocassions when it would cause the microwave to heat up too much. Like running an empty microwave. Extremely bad idea. And a good reason why you cannot trust auto functions. You are better off just using the timer and guessing. If you cook often enough, that won't be difficult. Never use the metal racks. Regardless of what a company states.
This specific model seems to have dozens if not 100s of reports online. check youtube..check them turning on by themselves and this potato button seems to be said as a cause a lot
Of course I am only here now because while I was upstairs and my duaghter downstiars the microwave caught on fire while not in use. I had had a potato left sitting in there i cooked about 10 minutes earlier and left sit in there but not cooking.
I was startled to here all the smoke and co detectors go off in a fashion that was not like your normal hey something smoking beep. Only to 1 second later start down the steps to see what happened to see my youngest running out the front door screaming theres a fire.
The fireman thought I was crazy when I said it wasnt on and that for a potatos to burn to ash like that it would have had to be cooking for an hour or more..which i knew it wasnt.
Thankfully the cabinets and other things ony suffered smoke damage. We are all ok but my 8 year old is completely tramatized by it and does not feel safe in our home. Im paranoid to even put another microwave in there how can i ever feel safe when something wasnt turned on.
PHotos. Outside of door was smoked and inside as well but this was after my husband wiped down what he coudl to try to keep my daughter from crying
GE XL 1800 microwave : sparks flying while heating food, using auto button. Trying to reach customer service to file complaint.
Bought a GE microwave for $399.00 cooked a potato and it burnt this metal plastic thing inside . GE will not do anything about it. There are too many complaints about GE and now it is time to get a Lawyer