JUNK - offensive customer service - do not buy F & P!
Written: Feb 02 '09 (Updated Feb 02 '09)
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Pros: Looks nice with integrated cabinet fronts, runs quietly.
Cons: Breaks every six months. Costs more to keep repairing than it did to buy.
The Bottom Line: Nice concept, poorly built and buggy. Pathetic support.
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| lblsa's Full Review: Fisher and Paykel DD-603 Built-in Dishwasher |
We selected a Fisher & Paykel double dishdrawer DD603-I for our new home because the optional package for custom cabinet fronts provides an attractive installation, and integrated well with the rest of our kitchen. At first, we were pleased with its low noise level and cleaning performance. Unfortunately it has proven to be extremely expensive to maintain, and customer service has been substandard.
Within a few months we began experiencing intermittent flood alarms. We spent hours on the phone with Fisher & Paykel customer service trying to get warranty service performed. We were accused of using too much detergent, too little detergent, too high water pressure, too low water pressure, too hard water, too soft water, too much rise agent, too little rinse agent, overloading, underloading, filling it with food etc. ad nauseum. They eventually conceded that we might have a problem after the unit ceased functioning altogether. Fisher & Paykel were unable to get any "factory-trained and authorized service technicians" to respond due to the fact that our home is located in a remote area. Eventually a service trip was scheduled by them through a third party, and after a day of waiting, an individual arrived who - by their own admission - had never even seen a Fisher & Paykel dishdrawer before. They made some long-distance calls on our phone, ran some diagnostic tests on the dishwasher, announced that they would need to order some replacement parts for delivery to our home, and left.
Next was the issue of who was expected to pay for their travel expenses - nearly a 200-mile round trip - despite the explicit language of their warranty regarding the lower 48 states. Fisher & Paykel were assured that the state Attorney General would have our dishdrawers sitting on her desk long before we payed these clowns anything at all. Eventually we made contact with an individual who identified himself as a regional manager for Fisher & Paykel. He was very pleasant, apologized for our difficulties, acknowledged that they have a customer-relations problem, and that the DD603-I is known for frequent control board failures. By this time we had received the parts which had been ordered by the surrogate service technician. With the alleged regional manager's explicit authorization, we replaced the main control boards and returned the old parts to him directly.
We had considered the possibility that line voltage transients had affected the factory control boards. Before the first set of replacements were installed, dual heavy-duty surge suppressors were installed in series on the main power. Their indicators still show that they are functioning, and none of the other electronic devices in our home have been affected.
About six months after the first set of replacement boards were installed, we began experiencing exactly the same issues again. We called the individual who had been helpful to us previously, and as the unit was still under warranty, he shipped two reconditioned control boards to us directly without any difficulty. After they were installed, the units again functioned normally for about six months, began giving intermittent faults, and then failed completely after about a year. As before, the chassis interior was completely dry etc., and the dishdrawer would do nothing except give the F1 code (flood alarm) and run the motors in discharge continuously until unplugged. Since the unit was now out of warranty, we purchased two new control boards, at a cost of over $100 each. After six years of this pattern, it has cost more than enough to buy a new dishwasher.
Since the unit has once again failed, we called Fisher & Paykel to ask if they had made any improvements to their control boards. We were immediately told that the problem was due to unauthorized user-service, and while they would not comment on the durability of these boards they were very interested in learning the name of any person who had. The person we spoke with this time was just as rude, insulting and condescending as the "customer service representatives" that we had spoken with when our unit was still under warranty, and insisted that only "factory-trained authorized service agent" could possibly understand how their dishwashers work, or perform any repair on them correctly. She again insisted that we must obtain service from a "factory-authorized agent" despite the fact that Fisher & Paykel were unable to do so during the warranty period, and they were happy to let me service it when it was convenient for them.
This appliance is on its way out the door. Before it gets to its final resting place, I may be able to obtain some residual pleasure from shooting it, blowing it up or setting it on fire. Unfortunately, that's about all it's worth. Fisher & Paykel products are no longer welcome in our home.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 1269.00
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Epinions.com ID:
lblsa
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Reviews written: 1
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