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Our 3 1/2 year old Kenmore dishwasher is apparently manufactured by Whirlpool, serial number FR3305103, Model 665.[protected], Type No. 577-0.
Last night, acrid-smelling smoke started coming from the front door, and now the dishwasher does not work.
This first link is for an official recall of dishwashers similar to this one, but with a plastic body (ours has a metal body and a stainless steel front):
Original; see modified release: Whirlpool Corporation Recall of Dishwashers
This link is for Whirlpool's official recall:
https://www.whirlpool.com/repair/index.jsp?id=R14165
Apparently, even though our dishwasher's serial and part numbers fall within the range given on both pages, it is not covered in the recall, perhaps because it has a metal body.
The defect with our dishwasher seems exactly like the one described in the recall. We are going to attempt to have Whirlpool repair or replace ours for free, since this is not a natural malfunction due to the age of the appliance or for any other reason.
We will report back after we see what Whirlpool says tomorrow (Monday)...
Just had a Whirlpool affiliated technician come over (this Kenmore is really just a Whirlpool with the Sears brand name). The service call was $118, non-refundable. Our dishwasher originally cost us $1, 048.10, including all taxes, and delivery. I know, that's expensive, but we thought we were getting the best, something that would last for a while, maybe ca. 10 years. We bought this on 9/11/04, it lasted four years, four months. Little did we know...
The technician's tally for replacing the parts comes out to ca. $400. After calling Sears, they said that they could either offer Service Parts up to $100 OR Service labor up to $150, One or the other, but not both. Obviously, this is not cost efficient.
I am attaching a picture of the burned out inside of the electronics panel on the front door of the dishwasher. Notice the charred insides.
What have we learned from this?
1. As the technician recommended, ALWAYS purchase the largest warranty, and then when it's about to expire, purchase an extension. Once your warranty expires, you have absolutely no recourse whatsoever, even if your place burns down.
2. Sears service is abysmal.
3. Whirlpool products are cheaply-made, and according to the Whirlpool affiliated technician, they are getting worse. (She admitted that she's so dismayed by the quality of modern dishwashers that she doesn't even own one, she washes by hand.)
4. It's a crapshoot purchasing what you think will be a top-of-the-line, excellent appliance. As they say, they just don't make them like they used to.
Finally, if there are others out there who purchased the same dishwasher and had the same problem, PLEASE post here. If enough people have this problem, there will inevitable be a recall of this batch of serial numbers in this model.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
My Kenmore dishwasher started smelling like burnt plastic last night. The whole kitchen was smoky and when I opened the dishwasher there was no smell coming from inside, though there is water at the bottom that has not drained. I checked the coil and found it clean. Today there was no power to the unit at all so I checked the fuse box and found the breaker off. I turned it back on and restarted the dishwasher only to have it start smelling like burnt plastic immediately upon starting.
I will not be using it again after reading through these comments. It seems that Kenmore/Whirlpool is looking for a lawsuit. Either recall the units or fix the problem before someone gets killed!
Hi Robert Paterson, Kenmore appliances are manufactured through a licensing agreement with Sears. While we may manufacture appliances on their behalf, their legally binding contract states that they will handle all customer concerns and questions. We are unable to offer direct assistance, but they can be contacted by email at kenmore@kcdbrands.com, or by calling [protected].
My house almost burnt down last night because of a dishwasher it exploded and the dishes blew out and it almost at my house on fire. I don't know what to do.
The front door where the buttons are on my kenmore dishwasher model 665.13073K211 caught fire last night. Thankfully I was standing nearby and was able to extinguish the fire. We removed it from the house but my house still stinks of smoke. I called Sears but they didn’t seem to care. I asked that it be documented and that someone call me back but was told I wouldn’t receive a return call however, they would note the complaint. I then called Kenmore to report it, also not much response other than an apology. I asked if they’d like to come get the dishwasher to dissect it to see where the issue originated but they said they would have to charge me for a service call.