Sears Class Action Says Kenmore Dryer Lint Screens Damage Clothing

Sears Holding Corp. is facing a class action lawsuit alleging it sells Kenmore dryers with defective lint screen covers that damage clothing.

“Here, the Lint Screen Covers protrude into the machines so that they catch items of clothing and damage them,” plaintiffs Michael Smith and Lisa Alberton allege in the Sears class action lawsuit.

The lint screen protrusion allegedly allows excess lint to build up in the dryers, increasing the risk of dryer fires.

“The Defect results in consumers being forced to spend money on unnecessary repairs to both their clothing and to the Dryers themselves, and occurs in both Defendant’s gas and electric Dryers,” the Kenmore dryer class action lawsuit says.

Smith and Alberton allege that the “Internet is replete with consumer complaints” about the Kenmore dryer defect and the damaged clothing that results from the alleged defect. However, Sears has failed to disclose that its Sears and Kenmore-brand dryers are defectively manufactured and/or designed.

According to the Sears class action lawsuit, both Smith and Alberton purchased Kenmore-brand dryers and discovered that the lint screen cover was not sitting flush in the dryer, causing them to suffer damaged clothing as a result of the alleged defect.

Smith says he contacted Sears when he noticed that the lint screen was not sitting flush in the dryer and that his clothing began catching on the screen cover and was damaged. When he contacted Sears, he was reportedly sent a replacement lint screen cover that was exactly the same as the one about which he had complained.

He contacted Sears again and was allegedly informed that the only solution to his damaged clothing problem was to have a professional repairman service the Kenmore dryer.

According to the Kenmore dryer class action lawsuit, Smith paid a repairman $79 to disassemble the lint screen cover, clean out the accumulated lint, and reinstall the lint screen cover. This attempted repair did not fix the issue, Smith says.

Alberton claims she reported similar issues and purchased a new lint screen cover, but noticed that the new cover also did not sit flush in the dryer and that clothing would catch on it and become damaged. She contacted Sears and scheduled a service call. The service repair technician allegedly recommended that she pay an estimated $400 to have the entire dryer lint screen cover replaced. She did not agree to the repair but paid $90 for the service call, the Kenmore class action lawsuit says.

The plaintiffs seek to represent a national Class, an Illinois Class and a Pennsylvania Class of consumers who purchased one or more Sears or Kenmore dryers in the United States, Illinois and/or Pennsylvania.

The Kenmore dryer class action lawsuit asserts violations of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, violations of the Illinois Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act, breach of the implied warranty of merchantability, violations of the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, negligence, negligent misrepresentation, common law fraud, and unjust enrichment.

Smith and Alberton are represented by Bryan L. Clobes, Daniel O. Herrera and Brian P. O’Connell of Cafferty Clobes Meriwether & Sprengel LLP and by Joseph G. Sauder, Matthew D. Schelkopf and Joseph B. Kenney of McCune Wright Arevalo LLP.

The Kenmore Dryer Lint Screen Cover Class Action Lawsuit is Michael Smith and Lisa Alberton v. Sears Holding Corp., Case No. 1:18-cv-01142, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division.