What refrigerators are included in the LG Refrigerator Recall List?
What issues have been reported that led to the recall of LG refrigerators?
How do I know if my LG fridge is subject to the recall?
TL;DR: LG knowingly sold refrigerators with faulty compressors and has already been on the losing end of several class action lawsuits. Despite these losses, they have continued to sell appliances with these same defective compressors. Do not buy LG refrigerators.
May this post serve as a warning to anyone looking to buy a new refrigerator/freezer. Here are the highlights and the reason I will never buy another LG product again and why you should consider doing the same:
There are multiple lawsuits, some settled and some in process, regarding the faulty "Linear Compressor" used in many LG refrigerator/freezers. At the time I bought my fridge through Costco in late 2018, one of the earlier class-action lawsuits had been settled and I asked if the model I wanted to purchase should be cause for concern. I was told that it contained a redesign and was warranted.
The fridge and freezer have failed three times in 5 years, twice while I was away leaving me with a house that smelled like a garbage dump and the loss of hundreds of dollars of food. Both times, LG told me that the nearest "certified repair specialist" was 60 miles away and booked out more than a month. I had to call around to a number of appliance repair places that were not on LG's list and convince LG to use one of these, more available companies.
Today, on the third occasion of the failure-to-cool, I was told that now that the fridge was out of warranty, I would be responsible for the labor costs because LG was no longer responsible for the malfunction - of course, they were quick to dismiss the reality that the product contained a known, faulty compressor and had already required two repairs. It was clear the customer service representative was not US-based and did not care about the outcome of my call.
The current class action suits not only focus on the commonality of the faulty compressor and the significant expense and inconvenience it causes customers but two cases that I know of focus on the fact that LG knowingly continued to sell the faulty compressor despite its poor reliability issues. This fact - that LG would rather sell known faulty compressors to unwitting customers and then put those same customers through a labyrinthine voice menu and never-ending repair process knowing that many people would simply give up rather than try to navigate a "remedy" whose primary purpose is to wear-out, not help, those who engage it - should give pause to anyone considering buying any of their products. Could you be a lucky customer who gets a long-lived appliance? Maybe. But if you're like me and a high percentage of their refrigerator owners who got a lemon, you're in for a frustrating, costly, unpredictable ride.
LINKS to INFORMATION ABOUT SETTLED and CURRENT LAWSUITS:
- https://www.lgfridgesettlement.com/
- https://www.consumerreports.org/lawsuits-settlements/lg-settles-class-action-lawsuit-over-refrigerator-compressors/
- https://www.nbclosangeles.com/investigations/lg-refrigerator-compressor-lawsuit-appliances/3293828/
- https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/closed-settlements/lg-refrigerator-cooling-defect-class-action-settlement/
- https://www.classaction.org/lg-refrigerator-linear-compressor-failure-lawsuits
- https://www.mckenzielake.com/lg-refrigerator-compressors/
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/investigations/people-say-pricey-refrigerator-compressors-are-conking-out-within-a-few-years-sometimes-just-months/3293828/
Just saw this on my local news and found it interesting after having a tough time trying to decide what fridge to buy and not buy. I wound up with a Frigidaire - knocking on wood - and bought the extended warranty. Maybe this will help someone who's got an LG. Attorney's name is Azar Mouzari if you want to google.