DENVER — Many people who own certain models of Samsung refrigerators are reaching out to Contact Denver7, warning about problems with the expensive appliances.
Six months after Tani Petzele bought her $2,500 Samsung refrigerator, she said the ice maker stopped working.
"We've called the repair people multiple times. Sometimes they come out, sometimes they troubleshoot over the phone," said Petzele. "They still have not fixed the problem."
For the last six years, she said, the fridge has not held temperatures, leaked and froze over. She started defrosting it with a hairdryer every week, just to get a little ice.
A class action lawsuit has been in the works since 2017, reporting the same "defects" of leaking, over-freezing, and temperature control problems.
Petzele says her neighbors with Samsung fridges started joking about who was going to buy ice, since none of their ice makers worked.
"That's when I started to figure out that it wasn't just me that got a lemon. And that's why I reached out to you," she said.
Contact Denver7 has heard from dozens of people on social media about similar problems, and a Facebook group calling for a Samsung refrigerator recall has more than 41,000 members.
"It's a defect," said Tom O'Shea, the group's moderator. He recommends consumers record every conversation and repair, file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau in New Jersey, where Samsung's U.S. operations are based, and fight for a refund.
"I got my money two years ago," said O'Shea. "I hate seeing people being bullied by a company like this."
In a statement to Contact Denver7, Samsung wrote:
“We stand behind all of our products, including our refrigerators, and want to ensure our customers are completely satisfied. Our records show only one service call – and upon arrival, the technician determined Ms. Pitzele had unfortunately damaged the unit beyond repair. As a result, the technician was unable to service the unit. Our customers are our top priority and we encourage anyone with questions about a product to call 1-800-Samsung.”
Pitzele said she has proof that statement is not true. The technician never "arrived," but only looked at photos and left a voicemail, refusing to make a service call.
"It does look like that is not repairable," the technician said in a voicemail she recorded.
Posts on social media show that some people are getting partial refunds from Samsung.
Petzele said she may have to buy a new fridge, and she is still waiting for Samsung to make amends.
"This was broken long before I was forced to use a hairdryer to defrost it," she said. "I think Samsung needs to stand behind their products and admit that they should have recalled this a long time ago."
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