Whirlpool Dishwashers Leakage California Class Action

Whirlpool makes kitchen and laundry home appliances under many brand names, including KitchenAid, JennAir, Maytag, and Kenmore. This class action contends that some 900 models of dishwashers made by Whirlpool have a defective pump motor diverter shaft seal that fails and permits the dishwasher to leak water, damaging floors, cabinetry, and other property.

The class for this action is all persons in California who, during the fullest period allowed by law, owned a Whirlpool-manufactured dishwasher with an inverted diverter shaft seal. The dishwashers that have the defect include the following:

• Whirlpool Gold® and Whirlpool Models beginning with BLB14DR, IUD750, IUD850, WDF5, WDF7, WDL785, WDT7, WDT9, WDTA5, and WDTA7
• JennAir Models beginning with JDB8, JDB9, and JDTSS2
• Kenmore Models beginning with 662.13, 665.12, 665.13, 665.14, and 665.15
• KitchenAid Models beginning with KDFE1, KDFE2, KDFE3, KDFE4, KDTE1, KDTE2, KDTE3, KDTE4, KDTE5, KDTE7, KDHE4, KDHE7, KDTM3, KUDE2, KUDE4, KUDE5, KUDE6, KUDE7, KUDL, KDPE2, and KDPE3
• Maytag Models beginning with JDB8

What is causing the leaks? It’s the Diverter Shaft Seal, the complaint claims, which “is part of a dishwasher’s sump assembly, which is located at the bottom of the dishwasher’s tub and is responsible for collecting and distributing the water throughout the dishwasher during cleaning. The sump collects and holds water below the dishwasher tub and the diverter shaft directs the collected water into the spray arms…”

The Diverter Shaft Seal is defective, the complaint alleges, “in that it is incorrectly oriented, accelerating degradation of the seal and creating a buildup of debris that prevents the shaft seal spring from properly sealing the diverter shaft and sump….” Because water is not sealed off between the diverter shaft and sump, the complaint claims, dishwashers may have “significant leakage through the Diverter Shaft Seal, flowing out of the dishwasher to areas below and surrounding the dishwasher, exposing consumers to unexpected water leaks and damage to cabinetry, flooring, and other property.”

The complaint shows an exploded diagram of the sump, the Diverter Shaft Seal, and the diverter motor. The sump and diverter motor pump assembly have been made, the complaint hypothesizes, “with the seal affixed in an inverted position, which exposes it to hot soapy water and debris.”

The complaint alleges that Whirlpool has known about the problem for at least eight years, but that it has not remedied it and does not inform customers about it before they buy the dishwashers.

It contends that even if the failure of the seal occurs during the warranty period, “Whirlpool is unable to or otherwise refuses to replace or repair the Dishwashers and instead offers to sell a full sump assembly with a new Diverter Shaft Seal attached to it to the consumer.” It thus leaves the consumer responsible for the faulty dishwasher as well as any damage to floors, cabinets, or other property.

Article Type: Lawsuit
Topic: Consumer
Tags: Defective Home Appliance, Dishwasher, Leakage