A Bakersfield, Calif. man has filed suit against LG Electronics USA Inc. over six models of QuadWash-enabled dishwashers advertised as energy and water efficient, yet allegedly equipped with a defective LED control panel. Tuesday’s consumer class action says LG knew about the defect, yet “actively concealed” it from purchasers and left them with no meaningful remedy.
The Eastern District of California complaint alleges that at first, the defect causes the LED display to malfunction, either with blinking lights or by shutting off completely, which can reportedly cause dishwashers to stop mid-cycle or fail to restart once a cycle finishes. Allegedly, the defect ultimately leaves the dishwashers’ control panel unresponsive, and in turn, the machine inoperable and unable to wash dishes as expected.
According to the plaintiff, the defect occurs because moisture leaks into the control panel.
The filing explains that though LG acknowledged the defect in a 2018 service bulletin made available only to its authorized repair technicians, the company failed to let consumers know.
In addition, repairs offered by LG have not helped, the filing says, explaining that “[b]ecause LG repairs Class Dishwashers using defective Control Panels that are doomed to fail, its warranty offers little in the way of actual relief and fails of its essential purpose.”
The complaint also faults the company’s warranties for their short duration, and a requirement that a complainant agree to pay diagnostic and service fees before LG will provide a replacement panel.“LG’s unlawful conduct thus placed Plaintiff and the Class between a rock and a hard place: once the Defect manifests, their only two options are to either purchase a new non-defective dishwasher to replace a Class Dishwasher for which they paid a premium or keep their Class Dishwasher and pay for multiple repairs,” the filing concludes.
The lawsuit states causes of action under California consumer protection and business practice laws in addition to a federal warranty claim and common law warranty claims. The suit seeks certification of a nationwide class of dishwasher purchasers and a California subclass.
The plaintiff is represented by Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman PLLC.
