Hotpoint FF200E Fridge Freezer Fault

[fredson]

Purchased new Hotpoint FF200E frost free Fridge Freezer August 2007, had to have service engineer out to it in October due to Fridge not cooling whilst Freezer was over cooling.
Engineer was well aware of the problem as soon as I explained the fault, engineer removed inner panels and cleared ice blockage of fridge cooling duct with hair dryer and suggested we turn the power off every few weeks to prevent repeat of problem. Now 3 months on and I have the same problem yet again, contacted Hotpoint and requested exchange for a different model, Hotpoint state they can only exchange if the engineer can not repair the fault and reccomends an exchange. I do not accept an engineer removing panels and clearing an ice blockage with a hair dryer to be a cure for the root cause of the problem. Would welcome any suggestions on dealing with the service company regards root cause analysis and cure plus entitlement for immediate product exchange from Hotpoint.

 

[jj4091]

In your position I would contact your local trading standards office or citizens advice, after you have spoken to the original supplier.

 

[fredson]

Service engineer arrived and removed the ice blockage and carried out a modification to relocate the defrost heating element to prevent the icing, the engineer was great and took the trouble to explain the reason for the fault and modification. Seems Hotpoint were aware of the problem and came out with a simple corrective action that makes sense, just a pity they were not more proactive and arranged the modification before they had customer complaint, however I am now confident the issue is resolved but only time will tell.

 

[jellison]

I have the same model as you have, that a bought from a well known electrical appliance shop and with in 4 months it just stopped working. Needed a new circuit board but it took 2 weeks to get the part.

7 months on, 3 weeks left until one year guarantee runs out and whey hey.. the fridge doesn't work properly and the freezer kind of keeps the food half frozen.

My engineer wasn't as helpful as yours, I have to defrost mine for 48 hrs.
(take aways for the weekend then and black coffee for us then)

The reason that the engineer gave me was that "the freezer door has been left open.." Creating the same problem that you have had.

don't know about you but I know when the freezer door has been left open as the food in there goes softer.

Its cost us well over a £100 for food loss and having to go and buy fresh foods everyday etc. Not only that when you buy a new "frost free energy saving" super duper fridge freezer thinking its going to last at least 3 - 5 years you are conned into thinking that they care about the after service.

Trading standards don't hold much hope for the consumer either as they think its quite alright for a family to have no fridge for 3 weeks during the summer.

I don't want repairs on my 11 month old appliance, I want a another one I don't have any reassurance from having it repaired.

 

[JohnD]

Frost-frees look good in the advert but are nowhere near as reliable (more to go wrong, and prone to ice blockages). I bought my mum a new one a couple of years back (at the time I didn't know about the manual defrost trick to clear the blockage in her old one) and her newish one recently had a blockage (I am pretty sure this was a result of the door having been left open and everything iced up) but I easily cleared it by letting it manually defrost for a couple of hours (food double-wrapped in cardboard box did not melt).

p.s. jellison if you have the same model, I really think you ought to try to get them to do the modification before the guarantee runs out.