Washing Machine Hell!!!!

Remember that new and fancy washing machine that I was gloating about a few days ago????

Well, I put a load in today, turned it on and it spits out at me 'Call for service. Error 49!' Whaaaatttttttt??????!!!!!!

Yes, my TEN DAY OLD Fisher & Paykel washing machine is kaput! It's not working and I'm seriously not happy. I haven't even done a handful of washes in it and I've done all of the right things....even went out and bought front loading washing powder for it!

I rang the Fisher & Paykel service line today and their response was that error 49 is an electrical fault. Had I had a power surge???? Ummmmm....NO!!!! At no time in the last 10 days has there been a power surge. All the other electrical goods in this house are working ok....including the blawdy big LCD television.....and at no time have even the digital clocks flashed (always a good indicator of an outside electrical condition affecting the house!).

My next step was to point out to the F&P service lady that I am working tomorrow and Friday and cannot take time off work at this, the busiest time of year. I also pointed out that I had a washing machine full of dirty clothes - clothes which my husband needs for work and my children need to wear, not to mention me!

So, did this Fisher & Paykel service person apologise profusely and swear to me that she would have someone out this afternoon to fix it??? No! Instead she told me that it would then have to be next week as I could not have anyone home tomorrow or Friday to let the service repairer in! She then even slightly admonished me for not having sent in my warranty yet (did I mention that I had only had the thing for TEN DAYS)!

My response to this, I think, was very controlled under the circumstances! I pointed out that in good faith we had bought a $1000 washing machine - our first ever Fisher & Paykel product - and that I was so angry with her attitude at that point in time that I could not speak to her at all and that I would get my husband to call back! She then continued that I would have to make an appointment for the service person so that I didn't miss the time that I wanted! Ummmmm...hang on...the time I wanted for their disgustingly faulty product was TODAY!!! At some point I also did mention that I had had a Simpson washing machine for 20 years and not once did it break down!

So enter Dear Husband! Not quite on his white steed, I might add, as he did ring me at one point and said that I should see their side and that we might have to do our usual 5+ loads of washing by hand this weekend just to fit in with the almighty F&P! After pointing out to Dear Husband that he would be sleeping in the shed until I got the washing machine that I paid for TEN DAYS AGO, he quickly got the message that chief clothes washer was not happy and that he'd better ring them back! A few phone calls later sent him back to the original shop that we bought it from who have now offered to replace it fully! Thank goodness someone, somewhere had some sense!

So, if you are a Fisher & Paykel employer or even employee reading this, take note! No matter what reputation your product may have, a thousand dollar washing machine should last longer than TEN DAYS! And I have since been told today by a friend that we are not the first person that she's heard of who has had difficulties with post sales service from this company! If only I'd known this earlier!

So stay tuned for the next installment of my Fisher & Paykel washing machine saga! It's pathetic really, isn't it! When all I want to do is have clean clothes!