Electrolux Dishwasher Recall
One of our readers recently had a problem with his Electrolux dishwasher, overheating with the potential of fire or scalding. If you are having problems with your Electrolux, Dishlex or Westinghouse diswasher, particularly the control panel heating up, you should read this article in depth. Read about Chris’ story below and check the information about an Electrolux dishwasher warning.
Chris from WA writes:
“On the 30th of July 2008, after some discussions with Electrolux regarding the safety of their machine I was told in an e-mail from Electrolux to disconnect the machine that I had purchased and not to use it.”
Chris explained, “Since that time I have had several exchanges of e-mail with Electrolux and now after more than eight weeks they have failed to contact me, collect their faulty product and supply a refund as promised. I purchased the Dishwasher on the 5th Nov 2007 for the sum of $780.00 and paid with a credit card. In April 2008 I stopped using the machine after I was told that there was a fault that could result in a fire. The machine was then modified by placing a piece of electrical tape behind the connectors within the door. I then found out that 181 electrical fires had occurred with this model of machine and a further 25 machines had caused fires after the modification had been applied. That was June 2008. I had already stopped using the machine before contacting Electrolux for fear of fire.”
“I have now received some legal advice and am told that the original contract is with the shop and therefore the responsibility for this dangerous machine is theirs and that in “Law” it is up to them to reimburse me and for them to take the matter up with the suppliers/manufacturers, Electrolux.” said Chris.
“I am out of pocket $780.00 plus $55.00 to assist me in getting the new machine to the second floor of my house and helping with the installation. I am also out of pocket as far as two months interest on the $780.00 since I had to purchased a new machine. The old Electrolux machine is taking up space in my bathroom. There are a range of machines from Electrolux, Dishlex and Westinghouse that can set fire to your home and are subject to a product recall. You should check if you have recently purchased a machine. I now have a Bosch and it’s a great machine.”
“The model I have is D/DX303WK/W” said Chris from WA.
The models affected are:
- Electrolux EX401ISB Dishwasher
- Electrolux ESL6163 Dishwasher
- Dishlex DX303SK Dishwasher
- Dishlex DX303WK Dishwasher
- Westinghouse SB908WK Dishwasher
- Westinghouse SB908SK Dishwasher
- Westinghouse SB916SK Dishwasher
- Westinghouse SB926SK Dishwasher
- Westinghouse SB926WK Dishwasher
Chris also mentioned his experience with dealing with Electrolux about the problem, “I am totally disgusted in this company. They have done nothing but give me the runaround. I purchased in good faith and I believe the shop sold to me not knowing that there was a problem. Electrolux on the other hand have put lives at risk and I have had to threaten the shop with legal action before getting any response from Electrolux. The recall is on the Government site http://www.recalls.gov.au. I think that Electrolux is a GE company.”
Here are some more details if you think you have one of the dishwashing machines affected:
Electrolux, Electrolux Dishlex and Westinghouse Dishwashers
Date: 03/12/2007
Supplier Name: Electrolux Home Products Pty Ltd
Product Info: Two Electrolux models - EX401ISB and ESL6163. Two Electrolux Dishlex models - DX303SK and DX303WK. Six Westinghouse models - SB908WK, SB908SK, SB916WK,SB916SK, SB926WK, SB926SK. Serial number range 70700000 - 72400000. The dishwashers were sold after 1 April 2007.
Defect Details: A wire connector within the appliance may, in extreme cases, overheat and cause a small self-contained fire or melting of plastic components within the control panel. Product failure will result.
Consumer action: If you own one of these dishwashers, please have the model and serial number ready and the toll free number 1800 001 218 to register your details during the following hours: Monday to Friday: 9am and 6pm EST and weekends 8am and 1pm EST. Electrolux will make arrangements for a service technician to call and check your appliance free of charge.
Market Coverage: National
Recall Coverage: National
I find it amazing that when the recall was announced for particular models that my DX302WB Dishlex was not affected, still in it’s original wty period I had checked all numbers.
I thought my unit was safe as it was not mentioned in the recall.
Now OUT of the factory wty period, I have a drama of no heating, find a solder joint on the circuit board absolutely burnt out, and the plastic housing has a large black scorch mark on it which is an extremely dangerous potential fire and electrical shock hazard.
My dishwasher is only 3 years old.
Any effort to contact Electrolux during the day is near impossible due to my work conditions and also the lack of care from the phone system. This is not a retailer issue, it is a manufacture defect that threatens all living life.
A quick search on the internet proves that this fault is very common, and not just a “one off”.
I hope to get some reply of good nature from Elctrolux to resolve this matter, as I would hate to start bagging such a good product due to the fact the manufacturer’s can’t admit to a huge life threataning defect.
I should have bought a bosch, at least they respect their customers a bit better and admit to any defects and cover all costs involved.
Our problem is exactly the same as Jason’s our model is DX302WB also and is just 4 years old. It to will not heat and on looking at the circuit board ours is also black with scorch marks. I agree that it is not a “one off” problem and lucky our house didn’t burn down.
We also have the same problem as Jason and Teena. We have a DX302 which does not heat. We will be contacting Electrolux in the next day or so to get it checked out. It seems more than a co-incidence that just three mentions in this feedback column have the same problem with the same model.
We also have a Electrolux Dishlex though the model number is DX300WA#2. It has a failed main board, though it has not shorted and caught fire. This unit pre dates the others on the recall list but I’d say the problem has persisted for some time without being attended to by Electrolux. There’ll be no more Electrolux products in our home.
I also have the same model & same problem. They should propbably listen & pay attention before someone gets seriously hurt or further fires are caused.
This is disturbing reading for me as I own a DX302WB*03 and it failed to heat water as well. The repairman took out the control panel and SAME PROBLEM. There was a black mark at the back of the panel and there had been a small fire! I had to pay for a new control panel and thought this was a one-off but clearly there is also a fault with this model and Electrolux are putting peoples lives in danger by not including this model in the recall.
I’m another one with the Dishlex 302 which has stopped heating after just over 3 years of use (only two of us in the house, so don’t use it every day).
I have read on many other websites that there are HEAPS of others out there with this exact same problem. They all say the same thing about the after sales service - NON-EXISTENT!
So I rang a repair guy and told him I know exactly what’s wrong with the machine - he said $88 to come out, then probably $300 to replace the control board. I told him I’d rather put that $400 towards a base-model Bosch ($877) which has got great reviews and will hopefully last me at least 10 to 15 years before it needs attention!
Yip same no heat problem with the 302 and appears to re occuring. I, as a big supporter of buying the ‘locally made’ product am disgusted with Electrolux’s appathy regarding this bad design, in my opinion you should not be drawing 10 amps through a very underated solder joint on a pc board. It obviously does not work. Sorry Electrolux but I hope you take your miserable product off shore because we don’t want it tainting ‘Australian made’
Same problem here with DX302. Again- just out of warranty period. I rang Electrolux, and mentioned the circuit board issue that I had seen on internet. I was discourage of this possibility and edvised more likely to be element requiring replacement. Finally checked circuit board on my control panelto find it has been scorched as described above. Other websites ( e.g. http://www.fixya.com/support/t579479-dishwasher_dishlex_dx302wb_no_hot_water) have photos with identical burn mark. I have requested Electrolux to investigate further and referring to Dept Fair trading
Further to my post of March 4th, I am happy to say that after further discussion with Electrolux they have agreed to replace the control panel at no charge, and outside the manufacturers warranty period. I have also sent Electrolux a copy of at least 15 comments (including those on this page) from different people mentioning the same fault with this model.
I have a similar story. A 302 model has just stopped heating the water after about four years of use. It does get used almost everyday so it has been reasonably well used over that period, but still it’s not the sort of failure you would expect, and it follows a similar failure with the Simpson machine that resulted in us buying this machine.
I also had the same problem with my dx302, dry joint which had burnt out.Make sure when your resoldering to check other joints as well as I checked my control board under a microscope and found several joints with either a lack of solder or cracks running through the solder all of which would of eventually failed-CHEAP IMPORTS!
My DX302 has exactly the same problem as each of you above. I will be calling Electrolux tomorrow and requesting a solution. I think the authorities should have requested a recall for all models affected. I also think that Electolux should be dragged over hot coals for letting this go on!! I will let you all know how i go tomorrow.
“I now have a Bosch and it’s a great machine”
Google “bosch dishwasher fire” and you’ll realize that the Bosch you bought also has a recall and is a fire hazard.
Tim mine is a DX302 and same thing as well, did you get anywhere with Electrolux, i think we would get a replacement because it is a fair trading issue - the product we bought did not perform as it should.
I also have a Electrolux DX302/403. Trolling the review pages for a new dishwasher because - guess what - my Electrolux is not heating. I have no idea where the control panel is, but now seems likely it is the same fault as everyone else is experiencing.
I have a DX302 that doesn’t heat. Pulled the control panel out, no sign of ‘dry joints’ put it back in and the machine worked well for a while. Is not heating again, so we give the panel a good bang before each wash and it seems to work. Plan on replacing the panel soon, cheaper than a new machine and don’t need an electrician to do it.
Wow. My dishwasher stopped heating too. I have already paid $200 once to have the heating element replaced. It worked again for about 8 months and died again. In disgust I restorted to washing up by hand again-no mean feat considering I have a family and work two jobs!!! Maybe instead of paying another $200 I will purchase a new dishwasher and one not made by Electrolux!!! It appears obvious from the comments posted that I will receive little satisfaction from Electrolux!
Just rang Electrolux-and you guessed it-no help there! Would assume I have the same problem as everyone else-I will be boycotting Electrolux dishwashers and everything and anything else made by them! Word of mouth is a powerful advertising tool-luckily I like to talk.