Jinxed with Tall Freezers!

deannagone

First of all, not an electrician, know nothing about freezers.  I have a less than  14 month Indesit tall freezer (cost me £400). Two days ago it starting making a very loud rattling sound (can be heard from upstairs). 

Seems to be coming from the evaporator fan, which is about a 1/3 down (you can see it behind a grill from the back of the freezer) Its a frost free Freezer, the drain pan is tight (not loose or misplaced). the noise doesn't seem to be coming from what looks like a black motor at the bottom.  Some food is only half frozen (not all).  The back grill is quite hot.  12 month warranty, its slightly over 13 months old so will only get parts free if I call Indesit (and wait god knows how long for an engineer to call). I have no clue how to get inside back cover off the freezer.   No idea how much to repair as no idea if its just the fan or something in the evaporation unit.. or something else!.  I don't even know how to use a voltage tester lol so will have to get an engineer out.  

The Freezer has not been moved (room or house), its got clearance from the wall and all around it.  

Update:  I did decide to replace the freezer. But left the post in place just in case someone has an idea.  Will never buy Indesit again lol. Been a long while since I've had white goods break just outside warranty.  Hopefully it is a one off.

deannagone

As an update - I bought an AEG Freezer, its FOUR months old.  Within a month of installation it defrosted inspite of door saying it was at -20 degrees. I purchased freezer thermometers after that.   Since then the top three drawers not always but more often than not are at -8 degrees rather than -20 degrees.  

It defrosted completely again a couple of weeks ago.  I paid for an extended warranty at time of purchase given what happened with my previous one.  Called them, they are due to call tomorrow.  Now, I know it has completely defrosted twice with no door open alarm going off since I bought it.  If I hit the fast freeze button it normally eventually approaches the temperature it should be.  Since the last defrost, the top three drawers have been empty ( I don't trust it, lost a lot of money having to throw food away).  And yes, today the temperature is showing at -8 degrees again.

I am not checking it constantly, just when I need to take food out, obviously I realise that will affect the temperature too.

However knowing my luck it will all be working as it should when the engineer comes round tomorrow.  I did take photos when it defrosted completely two weeks ago to show top two shelves were plus 2 degrees.  But what do i do if the engineer says its working perfectly and won't do anything? 

I'm a bit worried as to how to establish there is a fault if the problem isn't there constantly.

To be honest I feel like I am jinxed with big freezers and I'd rather send the thing back (I realise this isn't an option).  

TELLIT01

If the engineer genuinely can't find a fault when they check it I'm not sure what you can do.  I get the impression you plan to do this anyway, but put the thermometer in and leave the door shut until the engineer arrives.

knightstyle

Your first noisy one was probably an easy fix, build up of ice touching a fan perhaps.
For the second one make sure the doors are sealing shut,  Is the compressor motor running most of the time?

NSG666

They aren't what they used to be - we have a 30yr old Zanussi fridge freezer still going strong in our garage. When we needed more fridge/freezer space we decided to buy Zanussi again - I don't think it lasted 10 years.

Perhaps the directive that obliges manufacturers  to make appliances that can be readily repaired has been interpreted as also meaning that they need to more readily break down?

From the symptoms you have given I suspect the engineer will know exactly what has failed/ is failing.

Ganga

NSG666 said:

They aren't what they used to be - we have a 30yr old Zanussi fridge freezer still going strong in our garage. When we needed more fridge/freezer space we decided to buy Zanussi again - I don't think it lasted 10 years.

Perhaps the directive that obliges manufacturers  to make appliances that can be readily repaired has been interpreted as also meaning that they need to more readily break down?

From the symptoms you have given I suspect the engineer will know exactly what has failed/ is failing.

Made to a price so quality drops off ,i bet your original freezer was probably more expensive in real terms ,that is comparing cost with your weekly wage.AO have fridge freezers for less than £300 so less than a weeks wage for most people.

ka7e

Once you've had a defrost (even a partial one) and then a quick refreeze, it often damages the thermostat.  I had a Beko one repaired under an extended warranty after accidentally leaving the door open - but it must be frustrating if you can't pinpoint a defrost "event".

deannagone

Had the engineer round, apparently its a new design, with a different type of fan than AEG normally uses.  Its the fan that has gone, so cold air wasn't going up to the top shelves in the freezer.  Got a horrible feeling I've bought yet another 'bad un'.  At least I paid for a proper warranty service.  He's coming back with another fan and some circuit board so the whole unit will be replaced.  This was a £600 plus freezer so hoped for good quality.., not a break down within 4 months.  But yes, the engineer knew exactly what to look for when I explained about the problem with the top shelves.

Ganga

deannagone said:

Had the engineer round, apparently its a new design, with a different type of fan than AEG normally uses.  Its the fan that has gone, so cold air wasn't going up to the top shelves in the freezer.  Got a horrible feeling I've bought yet another 'bad un'.  At least I paid for a proper warranty service.  He's coming back with another fan and some circuit board so the whole unit will be replaced.  This was a £600 plus freezer so hoped for good quality.., not a break down within 4 months.  But yes, the engineer knew exactly what to look for when I explained about the problem with the top shelves.

Well i hope you have more luck ,at £600 plus you would expect years of use.

deannagone

I should have put this in consumer rights but given how they turn on the victim there.., perhaps not lol.

Sounds like jinxed was more correct than I realised.

Repair one engineer - knew from my description of the top three shelves having variable (lower than they should have been to complete defrost) temperatures that it was probably the fan.  Took it out, said 'oops, this is a new design for AEG, it shouldn't have failed at 4 months, you might have a badly designed new design (Referenced the American Fridge Freezer problems a few years ago).  Still, i will order the complete unit including circuit board, will be installed by end of week.

Engineer 2: Said wrong part had been ordered.  Told him what first engineer said, after the company can't even manage to order the right part, I expressed doubts that the Freezer could be fixed (don't want to be throwing a third and fourth very large freezer load of food away).  He said speak to people you bought it from.

Then the fun starts.  I have phoned Appliances Direct once, then communicated via email saying what I have done, what has been said to me and expressing doubts freezer can be repaired.  They keep reacting as if I have never sent any emails, talked to anyone on the phone etc etc.  I have begged them to read previous emails in the chain before replying, it hasn't helped, they still aren't.  They have booked another repair in spite of me saying I'm not happy with that as a resolution.  I just can't believe it.  I haven't sent complicated emails, simple bullet pointed ones three times now.  

Now I have sent one detailing the Consumer Rights Act 2015 - pointing out the fridge freezer is only 4 months old and can never meet the requirement of being fit for purpose.  I am now asking for a replacement.  Will update either way.  But consider this post if buying from Appliance Direct.  Possibly great if things go well, seems to be somewhat chaotic if things go wrong.  Particularly annoying if you paid for an extended warranty, as I have (they are the one company I haven't heard from).  

Right now, I'd rather not have a Freezer at all.

If the forum feels this thread should be placed in Consumer Rights, I understand that but would rather it was deleted please.  Initially I was posting for advice on Freezer repair!

deannagone

I did find a complaints address for Appliances Direct nick@buyitdirect.co.uk (buyitdirect being the holding company).  I am glad to say, I was referred to Executive Complaints and they reacted quickly to cut through all the customer service problems. Thank you very much to BuyItDirect for providing this email address.

Within a couple of days offered to replace or refund the freezer.  Very happy. 

Then I started trying to find a more reliable freestanding freezer.  Not so easy lol.  In fact there doesn't seem to be one, except maybe Miele which will cost another £200, or more.  If I have to I will, but right now not a good idea.

Any idea of a reasonably reliable freestanding Freezer that will last longer than just beyond the warranty or, in the case of AEG, less? I have no idea how well they are made, so don't really know where to start considering disregarding reviews that say bought x model, broke within a year.  These seem to exist for all of them, even Liebherr.

To follow up, having completely emptied the top three drawers of the AEG, and keeping the bottom drawers fairly empty the fan is working fairly consistently as far as I can tell. But not what I needed lol.  Great that the freezer works well as long as a hardly anything in it lol.