Complain about a product or service

GE Refrigerators: Contaminated Ice

Randy of Clinton twp., MI May 21, 2009

My GE Eterna ice dispenser stared cracking and my family and I have been finding plastic pieces in our drinks. Now the ice makers auger has jammed because the ice is being shoved in to the hole where the plastic cracked off, so now we have to manually get ice out of the tray.

Tom of Yorkville, IL May 7, 2009

After reading about the GE ice maker plastic problems GE is having I too felt I needed to write. I've have-had plastic in my glass, after chewing a piece of ice I had a pain then some blood which later I learned was plastic that came in my glass through the in door dispenser. I to have a plastic piece about the size of half dollar. Shame on GE for not fixing this problem. Part number WR17X11419

Alan of Mechanicsburg, PA April 17, 2009

This side by side refrigerator is from 2003 and 2 times now I have had to replace the auger/ice bucket assembly. The 1st time a piece of plastic broke off the auger and got pushed forward into the where it gets dispensed. It literally got wedged in there but ice was still falling. Over time the metal mechanism at the end where the ice falls was creating a groove in the piece that was wedged in. As I went to get ice it would run over that piece and deposit fiberlike pieces of plastic in my drink that the naked eye could barely see. I was coughing for over 2 weeks not knowing what was going on. my wife told me to go to the Dr but I could tell it was not from me being sick.

I finally figured out it was only when I was getting ice out of the fridge that it happend later on. I then proceeded to check the ice bucket and lo and behold there it was wedged in there. I called the company and after complaining that this was a very serious safety issue, they offered to send me a new one. Well this happend again just last week but luckily I caught the problem in time. I called GE about this same problem and again they offered me a new assembly unit. Got it today and it is the exact same one, no difference at all. It is only a matter of time [before] someone is seriously injured and who knows, my stomach may have some issued from this after all.

Serious coughing from small plastic particles being lodged in my lungs.

Monique of Hemet, CA April 14, 2009

The other day I found a piece of plastic in the disposer and couldn't figure out where it came from-sharp piece-so I dismissed it until today when I was finishing my soda in ice I almost swallowed a sharp piece of plastic and then I put 2 and 2 together. I checked the ice machine in the refrigerator and emptied the ice and the auger has come apart.

I called GE and they never heard of such a thing happening and wanted to send out a service man but, I would have to pay for the parts. I was then offered the part as a discount so I just ordered myself. Why would they say they never heard of this problem and now I see after coming to this site I am not the only one. I am so glad I didn't swallow this or especially my children. There has to be a better design as now afraid this will happen again.

Lori of Buckeye, AZ February 23, 2009

I started finding Shares of plastic in our ice water that came from our side by side GE refrigerator. The sharp plastic pieces looked very similar to the ice so they blended right in with our ice water. My 5 year old daughter asked me what was in her drink so I looked and saw a large, sharp piece of plastic that easily could have cut her throat and/or choked her.

I emptied my ice bin and found more broken plastic pieces but could not see any obvious place that they may have come from. I called GE and was eventually transferred to a customer care agent. The agent really didn't seem concerned about the plastic and I was upset that she was not concerned about such a potentially serious problem; that made me angry because she didn't seem interested that some innocent person could be killed and especially since this could be happening with other people's ice bins all over the country.

GE did agree to send a tech out at no cost but that I would have to pay for any parts. Give me a break, they almost harmed my daughter and they wanted me to pay to replace a very dangerous, defective part. When I voiced my objections to having to pay for the part, the rep still wouldn't budge so I said maybe I need to get a lawyer and that is when she said she could no longer talk to me and that I would need to speak to their legal department. I then talked her back into having someone come out to look at it.

The repair tech said it must have been the plastic cover that goes over the ice bin because that was missing. He said I really didn't need the cover anyway and that it would be expensive because I would have to replace the entire ice bin. So I took his advice and didn't order a new one.

This incident actually happed in the Spring of '08 but it has always bothered me to think of this happening to someone else. As I have stated, it is especially alarming because the broken plastic looks like part of the ice....

I am not looking for money but I would like GE to be more concerned with such a deadly defect. I am sure if this happened to my family, then it must be happening to others!

Denise of Diamondhead, MS February 18, 2009

I also have large and small pieces of sharp plastic breaking from the ice dispenser. They enter the glass and are invisible due to the fact they blend in with ice. I have experience with the manufacturing of this type of plastic. I have an idea of what went wrong during the manufacturing. It still does not cure the problem of human injesting shards of indigestable materials. They do not have the right to sell dangerous appliances. I retained the evidence.

I need to purchase a new refrigerator? Or, I should risk my life by accidently drinking shards of plastic that my puncture something I would like intact. Ex: esophagus, stomach, large and small intestines, bowel, rectum.

Kenneth of Raytown, MO February 7, 2009

Model No. PSS25MGNA WW Refrigerator, Serial No. MD413912. The clear plastic Auger in the Ice Dispenser breaks releasing clear sharp plastics pieces into drinking glass. You cannot see the plastic because it looks like the ice, until you feel it in your mouth. The auger should have been made of metal. Replaced original under warranty, then the replacement broke recently.

I ordered the Auger for 36.00 on 30 Jan 2009. The third auger dispenses sharp needle like plastic from the injection molding on the auger. There should have been a product recall of this part. When I called a GE representative about this, his only reply was to sell me a another replacement part.

Could cause serious injury if clear plastic were swallowed.

Janet of Edgewater, FL June 2, 2008

G.E. Hotpoint Refrigerator Ice maker - pieces of plastic are being dispensed along with the ice and so much plastic has been broken off by the revolving arm that the ice now falls right out of the fridge onto the floor and we will have to buy a new ice maker.

Lynda of El Paso, TX November 6, 2007

One day I was crushing ice from my GE refrigerator freezer for my iced tea. When I drank the tea I almost choked on a piece of plastic that had dispensed from the the GE icemaker. I immediately called GE. A technician came over and he told me I probably had already swallowed some small pieces of plastic. GE offered to replace the plastic ice maker auger and I pay for labor. They would give me the same plastic auger for the icemaker which may break and crush into our drinks again.

I told them I did not want another plastic auger. I want one like in the new model they are now making which are metal. They refused. I have the broken piece of the auger and the icemaker for evidence. I have the copy of the complaint from the tech.

Eric of Cypress, TX March 3, 2007

We have owned a GE Side-by-Side Refrigerator Model # GSS22WGMD for about 5 years now. Just recently we noticed white flakes floating at the top of our drinks, and upon further examination noticed that larger pieces of white plastic with jagged edges were embedded in the ice cubes in our glasses. We removed the Ice Bucket from the Freezer and found that the Auger had broken off a substantial amount of the back of the Ice Bucket into the Ice Cubes that were in the Bucket.

 

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.

Terms of Use Your use of this site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use

Advertisements on this site are placed and controlled by outside advertising networks. ConsumerAffairs.com does not evaluate or endorse the products and services advertised. See the FAQ for more information.

Company Response Welcome If complaints about your company appear on our site, we welcome your response. Please see the Response Form for more information.

For more information, see the FAQ and privacy policy. The information on this Web site is general in nature and is not intended as a substitute for competent legal advice.  ConsumerAffairs.com Inc. makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information herein provided and assumes no liability for any damages or loss arising from the use thereof. 

Copyright © 2003-2009 ConsumerAffairs.com Inc.  All Rights Reserved.    The contents of this site may not be republished, reprinted, rewritten or recirculated without written permission.