Electrolux Class Action Says Oven Defect Causes Complete Failure

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A defect in Electrolux oven thermostats causes the ovens to stop working, according to an Electrolux lawsuit filed by a couple from California.

Plaintiffs Shelly and Robert Stewart say the thermostat installed in certain self-cleaning ovens manufactured by defendant Electrolux cannot support the high levels of heat caused by the ovens’ self-cleaning cycle. The ovens at issue are sold under the Frigidaire and Kenmore brands, as well as under the Electrolux brand.

According to the Stewarts, Electrolux knows about the problem yet fails to address it free of charge under the ovens’ warranty.

The Stewarts say the first time they used the self-cleaning feature on their Electrolux oven, it caused the oven to fail completely. They say they purchased their Electrolux oven in June 2015, in part because of its self-cleaning feature.

Shelly Stewart tried using the self-cleaning function for the first time later that September. She checked the oven after two or three hours, only to find that it had stopped working.

A repairman later told the couple that the oven’s thermostat could not support the high temperatures associated with the self-cleaning function. He replaced the thermostat at a cost to the Stewarts of $184.37 – which they had to pay out of pocket, after being told the replacement was not covered by Electrolux’s warranty.

The Stewarts allege they only got three months’ use out of their oven before it shut down – far short of the full service life that consumers should be able to expect from an oven. They quote various industry reports that say electric and gas ranges should last anywhere from 12 to 22 years.

Other Electrolux oven owners have complained of the same or similar problem. The Stewarts quote several negative online reviews from Electrolux oven owners who report having similar trouble with the thermostat on their Electrolux ovens. These reviews should have put Electrolux on notice that they have a defective product on their hands, the plaintiffs argue.

Also, the Stewarts say the company should be aware of the problem through its own pre- and after-market testing. Electrolux allegedly monitors warranty claims, service calls and returned products to spot problems as they become evident – all efforts that should have revealed the Electrolux oven defect to the company.

The Stewarts are proposing to represent a nationwide Class covering all persons in the U.S. who, within the applicable statutory limitations period, purchased an allegedly defective Electrolux oven for personal, family or household use and who experienced property damage, loss of use, or loss of the benefit of the bargain because of the defect.

They are asking the court to order Electrolux to issue a nationwide recall of the Electrolux ovens at issue here. They want Electrolux to stop manufacturing these ovens and to disclose the existence of the alleged defect.

They also seek an award of actual and punitive damages, restitution and disgorgement of ill-gotten funds, court costs, attorneys’ fees, and expert witness fees, all with pre- and post-judgment interest.

Representing the Stewarts are attorneys Crystal Foley, Paul J. Hanly, Jr. and Mitchell M. Breit of Simmons Hanly Conroy LLC, and Gregory F. Coleman, Mark E. Silvey, Adam A. Edwards and Lisa A. White of Greg Coleman Law PC.

The Electrolux Oven Defect Class Action Lawsuit is Shelly Stewart and Robert Stewart v. Electrolux Home Products Inc., Case No. 1:17-cv-01213, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.