Assume you had planned out your weekend with your family. You bought groceries mid-week and kept them in your refrigerator with the hopes of making some delicacies.
Unfortunately, your newly purchased refrigerator had other plans. It suddenly stopped cooling. Imagine the pain and rage you’ll feel tossing away your spoiled groceries. Many LG customers have been in this shoe lately.
LG Lawsuit
A stint of LG refrigerator dysfunction has set off unrest among customers in the U.S. Consequently, it has birthed a new lawsuit against the company. Consumers nationwide keep complaining about the extremely short lifespan of their refrigerators.
The legal face-off against LG Electronics is one spurred by furious and unsatisfied customers. But perhaps their anger is justifiable. Many believe the company defrauds them by selling refrigerators with compressors that aren’t durable.
Inside The Lawsuit
The linear compressor is an essential component of all refrigerators including those from LG and Kenmore. It allows higher efficiency and oil-free operation compared to the then conventional reciprocating compressor.
The federal lawsuit alleges that the compressor always breaks down prematurely— long before it reaches the projected lifespan. This ends up costing owners in terms of repairs, ruined food, and hefty utility bills.
Betsy Anderson’s Experience
Anderson could be said to have ill luck with refrigerators. The Redwood City homeowner is suing the company after her 15-month-old fridge conked out suddenly. She has two dead fridges in her house in a space of five years.
“One morning I went to get milk out and it was sour. It basically stopped working. It wasn’t cold,” she said. Her first experience was with a $2,800 Kenmore Elite Fridge, which had an LG compressor that died in late 2019.
How Anderson Approached The Situation
Initially, Anderson filed for a warranty service. However, after two months, she got frustrated due to the lack of forthcoming help from technicians. Since Thanksgiving was approaching, she decided to replace the fridge with a new LG variant.
As you’d expect, her brand-new LG only lasted four years. According to her statement, “It only lived four years. “That just died, this year. Same thing. And I didn’t even bother calling them.”
Comments From Others With A Similar Experience
Betsy Anderson isn’t alone in her frustration. There are several customers across the country upset about the number of times they’ve had to repair or change their refrigerators. The common ground here is that most concerned consumers purchased either the LG or Kenmore brands.
Terese is a Philadelphia resident whose fridge stopped functioning after seven months. Others also relayed how frequently they’ve had to call on technicians to fix their own. Bernadette in San Diego said, “Technicians have been to my home seven times.”
LG Warranty Sales Point
According to LG, their fridges have a 10-year warrant. The company, in fact, boasts of a 20-year durability in adverts. Meanwhile, LG literature relays that the linear compressor uses less energy and makes less noise than other kinds.
The question now is whether or not that’s the actual warranty of the product. Many are doubtful the company is transparent with this aspect of their sale and are charging them to court.
Attorneys To The Rescue
Lawyers nationwide confessed to being “inundated with calls” by angry customers. A number of the buzzes come from those who recently got their LG refrigerators. More than a hundred upset consumers have joined the case.
A previous class-action settlement covered LG fridge models procured between 2014 and 2027. When LG settled the class action suit, the agreement read LG, “specifically denies any alleged defect in the LG refrigerators.” Likewise, Kenmore says it no longer sells refrigerators with an LG compressor.
Azar Mouzari’s Argument
Los Angeles’ attorney, Azar Mouzari attested to this situation as “a nationwide issue.” She represents plaintiffs who are suing LG. Mouzari says her law firm is focused on making the linear compressor the focal point of their argument.
Mouzari asserts in the lawsuit that the lifespan of the linear compressor is nowhere near 10 years. She says she believes LG knows this, especially since they often become faulty far earlier than expected.
Why Is The Issue Concerning?
Usually, when major appliances don’t last long, it’s jarring to household budgets. Consumers eventually end up paying for repairs or replacement years before intended. For homes with a modest income, this might disrupt several other financial plans.
Consumers acknowledge it’s a lose-lose situation and are calling for a change. “It’s a tremendous hassle. I think they should make it right.” Anderson told the news outlet.
Environmental Impact
Prematurely dysfunctional appliances are not only money-sapping. They are also detrimental to the environment. Most of the broken fridges end up in open landfills.
These dump sites have been estimated to release about 120 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. That’s about 132 U.S. tons into the atmosphere yearly, blowing up the resources used to make them.
Refrigerators And Carbon Footprints
Refrigerators have a high environmental footprint, with their presence in most homes. They produce around 89 kilograms of carbon annually. That’s equivalent to 196 pounds of carbon per year.
Here is where the rationale behind the extension of their lifespans comes into play. The durability of refrigerators is crucial to the conservation of natural resources and the reduction of environmental burden.
The Legal Demands
In the face of the newest challenge with unreliable fridges, customers are looking to be relieved of their troubles. Similarly, the lawsuit aims to hold LG and other concerned electronic companies accountable.
In the meantime, attorneys are asking the federal court to extend warranties for the linear compressor for up to 20 years. Also, they want affected consumers to have a refund for refrigerators bought from LG and Kenmore since 2018.
Alternative To Unreliable Refrigerators
If your fridge is acting up, there is good news. Some utility companies offer discounts for upgrading to new Energy Star appliances. On the good side, this helps to limit the shock from an unprecedented replacement.
Another remedy is to learn the art of shopping correctly. Before purchasing an appliance, look for models with zero debates about their reliability. Pertaining to refrigerators, choose those with top durability ratings, and warranties of 5 to 10 years on the compressor.
