Our old freezer dropped went warm and the fresh supermarket buys went to waste....

So yesterday we bought a brand new Frigidaire Gallery GLRT13TEW. According to the transportist we had to wait some 4 hours before connecting the appliance in order for it to "settle".

OK, after 4 hours we finally connected the appliance to the 110V mains. Lights were on and it started to make a sizzing sound for about 2 minutes and the sound died out. Both the freezer and the refrigerator parts were blowing air and the lights inside were on (when opening the doors of course).

According to instructions on the manual one must wait some 24 hours for the temperature to stabilize and no food inside. OK, yet normally when you plug in a fridge -even a new one- you feel some cool air flowing in.

Well, 24 hours have passed, the fridge is still empty and it has not cooled or freezed a single degree!!! this expensive piece of machinery has become nothing but a food fan, air flows in but the temperature does not drop. The settings are in the default recommended factory settings for startup (it is not in the 0 position!).

I have triple checked all the installation instructions (I am an engineer after all) and can´t find anything stating that something else must be done. And the troubleshooting section is sooo pathetic that it does not cover this case.

We are returning this piece of crap tomorrow because today is a holiday (yeah, holiday without cold water in the tropics!!! all the food gone to waste!).

http://www.focusonpanama.com/

Yes, I'm not sure about the voltages and if the appliances are made differently in Panama.

Let us know how it goes when you return and get another new one.

Jake

__________________
Appliance Repair School 1987-1988
Star Appliance Tech. 2 yrs. 1988-1990
Wards Appliance Tech. 11 yrs. 1990-2001
Sears Appliance Tech. 4 yrs. 2001-Oct. 2005
Jake's Appliance Repair Nov. 2005-present

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The Frigidaire fridge is manufactured in the US. Voltages are ok and so far in the 42 years I have lived here we have not had a single appliance damaged to voltage fluctuations (don´t say they don´t exist).

The "emergency" little fridge (such as those in hotels) started cooling almost immediately.

Today we went to the distributor to make the claim. Yeah, wonderful support. Now there are only two of those in the shop, the one we have (obviously defective) and the showroom fridge. Now we have to wait here the whole morning for the "technician" to come.

Anyway, this fridge is a piece of crap, brand new and does not work. The most expensive fan we have ever bought. Has been plugged in for nearly 24 hours and still does not blow a single current of cool air. Hopefully they come to pick up that junk today.

Well, just because something brand doesn't work from the start, doesn't mean its junk, shipping damage plays a good role in causing new refrigerators/appliances not to work when you get them home.

Its happened to me as well. I bought a brand new JVC television and got it home, and when I turned it on, I heard a big POP-SOUND, and it died. Took it back to the store the next day, they gave me another new one, and its been working perfect since 1990, and still works great today, no repairs ever needed.

Jake

__________________
Appliance Repair School 1987-1988
Star Appliance Tech. 2 yrs. 1988-1990
Wards Appliance Tech. 11 yrs. 1990-2001
Sears Appliance Tech. 4 yrs. 2001-Oct. 2005
Jake's Appliance Repair Nov. 2005-present

If you need more repair advice help on your appliance, click Here

Look-Up & Order Parts

Shop Home Appliances