Complain about a product or service

GE Refrigerators: Contaminated Ice

Isabel of Albuquerque, NM September 28, 2009

Exactly 1 year and 1 month to the day we purchased refrigerator, a portion of the ice maker broke, it was a plastic piece that separates the ice cubes as they are making. Piece looks like it should cost 25 cents to maybe a dollar. I called GE to order the part, and they told me they did not have such a part to replace broken part, so I asked them what I needed to do they said I need to "replace the whole ice maker unit". I asked for the manegers name and address to write him/her to help me. That was about 3 years ago, and I'm still waiting to hear from someone from GE.

Last week about 3:30 AM the ice maker started making a noise like it was shooting bullets in a war. Today we had to turn off electric box to install a light fixture. The ice maker had a constent shoot sound that went on for hours, until it burned itself out. Now we are out of a refrigerator. I will never purchase another GE product again. This refrigerator is the worst piece of junk I have ever owned.

Jo of Sun Prairie, WI September 25, 2009

Our GE side by side is exactly 5 years old. 2 years ago, several pieces of the plastic spiral part that skewers the ice into the opening broke without our knowledge. A piece ended up in my drinking glass (I couldn't see it because it was clear). I almost swallowed it. We had to replace that piece. This week another clear plastic component of the freezer broke into several pieces and once again, one of the pieces ended up in my drinking glass.

Fortunatly, this time I didn't swallow it and it ended up in our garbage disposal. Is this safe? I could have easily swallowed both pieces and choked. After the second time, that is it. Something has to be done. What if this had been a child? And what is going to break next?

Mike of Antioch, CA September 5, 2009

We've owned GE Profile refrigerator (model PSS26PSWA SS) for 2 years and have had a few icemaker issues from the start - ice maker cube maker tray falling out of alignment causing water to pour into the collection bucket and freezing the cubes together).

Well, the most recent icemaker issue is that the dispenser will be slow to push ice out the door, then after a few seconds, siezes up and will not operate, though an electric buzz can be heard. We called out the GE serviceman (at 99 just to show up, mind you) and he looked at it and ordered us a part, a clear plastic cup at the back of the mechanism that had become chewed up. He insisted it was a cinch to install and recommended we replace it ourselves.

Well, the part arrived and I simply could not separate the plastic part holding the auger and blade mechanism, so I took the entire assembly to authorized GE service dealer this morning and they installed the little cup. Great, I came home, placed the tray into the freezer and dispensed 1/2 a glass of ice before hearing the same seizing up and then nothing.

Looking inside, I saw that the same little cup that we just replaced had been destroyed again by the icemaker - the plastic shards were deposited into the ice receptacle, mixed with the ice cubes. what now, another service call? our repair bills are mounting and we havent been able to dispense ice from the door in months. Buyer, please consider brands that do not use this type of icemaker as there is likely an inherent flaw with the design. beware!

Rebecca of Colorado Springs, CO August 31, 2009

The ice maker on my GE refrigerator stopped delivering ice. I removed the tray to discover a large chunk of plastic lodged at the back end. Thank God it did not dispense into one of our cups and choke us to death! GE MUST do fix this problem before someone chokes to death. Do they not value their long-standing reputation or their customer base? We replaced the unit for 145.

Natalie of Chesapeake, VA June 23, 2009

"Care Credit" was first suggested to me in the dentist office as a payment plan that offers no interest or fees; as a way of paying the dentist bill. The receptionist said I just have to sign a application for a credit check. This portion of the application did not have any detailed information. It did make reference to terms that were not attached or listed before the signature portion of the consent to a credit check. The recptionist said that the company would contact me regarding specific details of this offer.

A representative of "Care Credit" calls me and offers me a "payment protection" promotion in which she incorrectly explain. This caused me to get a late fee which the company refused to correct. This representative also explained that she would send me a complete package explaining the terms and agreement of the payment plan offered in the dentist's office, and that I am to read, sign, and return it.

After a week of not receiving this package, I made another request for this information. I still did not receive the package and later was sent a bill. Upon paying the monthly bill every month, I continued to inquire about my obligations and the overwhelming information on the bill that is in small print. The customer service department refused to discuss anything with me in detail by being rude and rushing me off the phone.

Since then, it's been months leading into years of calling this company for clarification and having my requests ignored; I still continue to pay the minimum monthly payment. After my complaints to the company's escalation department and the Better Business Bureau, GE Money Bank (Care Credit), still has not followed up with me about the issues of my account or third-party complaints.

So far, I have payed GE over 700, when initially I was only inquiring about their promotion and agreed to a credit check for a loan of 1000. To this day, my account has not been credited for any of my payments and I have been charged excessive interest, financing, and late fees. In conclusion, I have not been fully informed nor did I sign a consent or agreement about "Care Credit's" services before comitting to payment. The dentist's representative did not offer any information besides a credit check and that this promotion offers no interest and financing. The representatives of "Care Credit" did not have my written or verbal consent to any agreement of terms or financial obligations.

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

Alan of Mechanicsburg PA (04/17/09)
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

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.

Share		Follow us on Twitter.

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.