Three Weeks Without a Washer

Last week I blogged about how my slightly less than one-year-old washing machine broke and the troubles I’ve had trying to have it either fixed or replaced. Here’s a short recap.

• My washer breaks.
• I call the manufacturer to have someone fix it.
• The scheduled repairman doesn’t arrive.
• I call the service company.
• They say Whirlpool never sent them a work order.
• I call Whirlpool.
• They apologize for screwing up and schedule a new appointment.
• This time (now two weeks without a washer), a repairman arrives.
• The repair guy says the needed part is ‘special order.’
• He also says he accidentally broke another part, so it will need one of those, too. Then, he leaves.
• I check the online Whirlpool parts store for price and availability of both parts. Even if they were in stock (which they aren’t), they cost more than I paid for the washer.
• I contact Whirlpool (three times over a few days), trying to convince them that it would save time and money to simply replace the broken machine.
• They refuse. They say the warranty is for repair, not replacement.
• A few days later, I check the online Whirlpool parts store again, hoping there’s an update. There is.
  • The part that originally broke is now in stock.
  • The part the repairman broke has been discontinued and is no longer available.

It has now been three weeks since I’ve had a working washing machine. I went back to the online Whirlpool parts store (WhirlpoolParts.com) and found that the control board that originally was the problem (part number W11417466, which was briefly available according to the website), is now showing as “special order” again. The other needed part, the tub that the repairman broke (part number W11219115, which showed as “discontinued without replacement” last week), is now posting as “in stock.” It’s as if you can get one part or the other but not both at any one time. Does Whirlpool really run such an inconsistent supply system or is the universe messing with me?

I emailed the service company, hoping they could provide an encouraging update. Meanwhile, my wife is leaving this morning to visit relatives for a couple days. She is bringing several loads of laundry with her.