CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — An elderly Woodsboro woman said she was told she needed to learn how to wash clothes again.
She bought a new Whirlpool Washer in February last year, but claims it has never washed her clothes properly. She asked Whirlpool if she could trade it in, or get a refund.
Whirlpool denied both requests, so she called the Troubleshooters, and now it looks like she's getting a refund.
The Troubleshooters met Theodore and Marie Tuttle on wash day at the Tuttle house in Woodsboro.
It was another opportunity for Mrs. Tuttle to use the Whirlpool washer she bought a year ago at Parker Lumber in Refugio; the same one she insists has never really washed her clothes right.
"I was told by Whirlpool to put it on a Bulky Sheet setting. And it would put more water into it, which is this setting right here. The water comes about that deep," she illustrated on a stick.
So in an effort to increase the water level, Tuttle would fill buckets with water, carry them to the washing machine, and pour them in every time she does the wash.
And that's the problem, even though she said Whirlpool told her, "I may have to learn how to wash clothes all over again."
So for the past few months, Tuttle's been trying to get somebody, Whirlpool, Parker Lumber - the place she bought the washer - anybody, to fix her machine.
Two service technicians came to check it out, and wrote, "the appliance is working as designed."
Whirlpool still charged Tuttle $182.00 for the call.
"They said it's working as it should, as intended. There's nothing they can do to change the settings to get more water in the machine," she said.
So the Troubleshooters sent Whirlpool emails on Friday, Feb. 11 and Tuesday Feb. 15, asking them for help with Tuttle's situation.
In January 2018, the U.S. Dept. of Energy established new guidelines for washing machines in an effort to conserve energy and water usage and save consumers billions:
"Top-loaders will see a significant additional efficiency boost with the 2018 standards. Compared to the 2015 standards, the 2018 standards will reduce energy use by 18 percent and water use by 23 percent. The standards for front-loading washers, which are generally more efficient than top-loading models, remain unchanged in 2018. DOE estimated that the 2015 and 2018 standards combined will save 3 trillion gallons of water over 30 years, and net consumers up to $30 billion in savings."
Tuttle refuses to pay the $182.94 service call charge. "Why?" she thought. Her washer still didn't work properly.
On Wednesday, Feb. 16, Whirlpool responded, telling Tuttle she's getting a full refund of the $530.00 she paid for the washer.
Plus, they're picking up her washer and taking it away, and that service call charge has been voided.
The Troubleshooters confirmed all of this with Whirlpool's executive offices.
This is another Troubleshooters Case Closed.
