Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints

RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By hoosierdaddy (Guest Post) (05/08/2008) I have had my HE4t for three years, I have had a few small problems with it but nothing crazy. My nephew has this same machine and has haad alot of problems. Shaking, smell, door won't lock etc. I have a maintenance backround and have found the following with this machine. It does require some preventitive maintenance, Unlike a toploader. I do once in awhile catch a smell of mildew when near the machine. This is what I've found works good for me. You can do this also but be forwarend, It's gross. Get some rubber gloves, I use surgical latex gloves, Roll of paper towels, a plastic garbage bag, an old cloth rag, Simple Green and a bucket. Mix the Simple Green in the bucket with some warm water. Now open the door of the washer and pull back the gray door boot, See the slime, (sometimes you will find a missing sock too :). ) wipe out as much as you can using alot of paper towls for the bulk. Make sure to wipe the groove in the edge of the boot also. Now wash the whole cavity out around the boot with a rag and your Simple Green. I wash until I get no brown residue on my rag. Make sure the drain holes ( four holes in white plastic.) at the bottom of the boot are clear. Now I through a little Simple Green in the washer with a few shop towels and run through a cycle. This will last about a year and then I do it agian. It REALLY helps to keep the door open when not in use. then the interior of the boot can dry out and no slime grows. Also make sure to read the manuel on moving this machine. It requires you to insert the tub hold downs from shipping, If this is not done, it throws your tub out of balance and it will shake like an old chevy with run on. I do also agree this machine should have been built better and Sears sould be standing behind their products, I remember when above their doors It said, "Satisfaction Guarantied" What progress. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Elaine in Massachusetts (Guest Post) (04/28/2008) We haven't had any problems so far (have had the HE4 for almost 2 years). I recommend buying Biokleen powder detergent (if your grocery store doesn't carry it, you can get it at drugstore.com). I am horrified by these stories and am afraid of what might happen after my machine hits the two year mark. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Jackie (Guest Post) (04/27/2008) OMG it's true that misery loves company because I am so happy to hear that I am not alone. I thought I was going crazy. After having the machine for 1 week, I knew that I didn't like it but I thought I could clean tons at once and it was saving water and blah blah blah, not true. After owning them for two weeks, I called the Great Indoors where I bought them (another Sears owned store) and told them I hated them. They told me that it was "the best machine I could buy" and that I should give it another look before returning. Instead of following my instinct, I listened to the sales rep. I spent a fortune on these machines, I bought the orange machines, designed a modern looking orange laundry room around them, and the joke is on me now. I have a family of six, four children, one baby, and my kids and I are always sick. I thought I lived in a sick house, but now I know why, I'm, actually relieved in a way. They cost so much money that I can't believe that I have to throw them away now, but my families health is much more important. I feel sick over this whole thing. THEY NEVER WORKED RIGHT but since my warranty was up, not one day goes by without a problem of some sort. I'm happy when I can make it through one load without an F 11 problem. In fact I found this site looking up parts for the machine because my husband thought he was going to have to change the mother board, a $400 part. Now I'd rather just buy an old fashion top loader with that $400. Thank you all for your posts and for making me feel better because I now know "I'm not alone" and I feel for all of you who are going through the same thing. If anyone has information regarding a class action suit please contact me. jetsetjackson6 AT aol.com. Thank you. Have a nice day. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post by RVG (1) | (04/15/2008) Profile | Contact I too have this hunk of junk! I have read around and taken people's suggestions and implemented a few of my own. SmellyWasher did not work for us. I sprayed the "boot," the dispenser, and the inside of the washer w/Tilex-it's suppose to kill mold and mildew. Didn't use a ton, cause I didn't want a lot of bubbles everywhere! I let it sit a few hours and then ran a COLD water wash. I ran a half cup of electrasol dishwashing soap/warm water cycle. I have DISCONTINUED liquid soaps, as I saw more mildew in my dispenser when I used them (they're slimey to begin with!) I also RARELY ever use fabric softener as DOWNY produced tons of mildew and slime in my dispenser. I switched to using Snuggle once in a blue moon, I normally use dryer sheets. This has significantly cut down but not stopped the problem, I'll catch a whiff of mold but I'm not seeing it build up in dispenser or boot anymore. I really think the liquids promote the slime and mildew!!! I've also been told by repairmen that the detergent companies have us using about 2-3 times the amount of soap that would already work- which is bad for our environment, clothing, and wallet! I use a large tablespoon of powder detergent and the same for the fabric softener (if I use it at all.) and I have two boys and their clothes DO get clean! Good Luck!!! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By cj (Guest Post) (04/12/2008) My Kenmore HE3 smells, the CC needed replacing after 14 mo which Sears said they'd sell me a service contract for $350 per year or charge me $300 for the service to replace it. Sears=crap. However I hear all consumer front end loaders have a smell problem due to the drainage and mildewing of water/minerals sitting in the drum. Why don't commercial front end loaders have this problem? What we need is more government to fix all of our problems. clearly they are proactive and effective consumer advocates. alternatively we can have a set of private advocacy company's subsidized or tax free that can publish the most offensive products. Perhaps consumer can directly punish executives of companies through proxy complaint databases. Execs make the decisions and have fiduciary responsibility. Shouldn't they be financially charged. NO BONUSES...they forgo all stock due to bad performance of the company. No one else has this fiduciary responsibility and that is the only way to get a company corrected. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Dan (Guest Post) (03/24/2008) This is the worst washing machine I have ever purchased and CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH SEARS IS ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE! After MANY service calls I had the first machine replaced while under warranty. The newer "upgraded" model is even worse. Despite documented calls for repair I was told 2 weeks after warranty ran out that we need to pay for any service and they are not responsible despite repeated calls for the same problems (see below). 1. MOLD 2. SMALL ITEMS GETTING CAUGHT "INSIDE" THE ELEMENTS OF MACHINE CAUSING IT TO TOTALLY MALFUNCTION AND SHUT DOWN 3. WATER SPEWING FROM THE DETERGENT COMPARTMENT CAUSING FLOODING AND DAMAGE TO MY HOME 4. SMALL ITEMS OF CLOTHING (SOCKS, UNDERPANTS) SLIPPING THROUGH A GAP OF THE WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE BARRELL AS YOU OPEN THE MACHINE, GETTING SUCKED UP INSIDE, SHREADED, BLOCKING WATER FLOW AND THE MACHINE TO BREAK DOWN I was told by sears the following with regard to each complaint: 1. the mold was related to the detergent "I used". 2. it is 'my responsibility' to make sure ABSOLUTELY NO ITEMS are in pockets and all buttons and zippers are tightly secured AND furthermore I was told by the srevice person that "nobody has ever complained of this before and the service person herslef 'NEVER' inadvertently leaves anything in her pockets" that might find it's way into the wash (EVEN WITH CHILDREN!!) 3-4. with regard to clothing getting sucked from the barrell up into the machine...."this is not possible" and "sorry, your warrranty ran out 2 weeks ago, you will have to pay for any service" Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By william muniz (Guest Post) (03/20/2008) F6 PROBLEM Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By sorryibought (Guest Post) (03/13/2008) i to have a smell problem and sears says there is no problem right. sears have told many different things i have had 5 service techs out and all say something different the latest is to purchase Afresh tablets 3 tablets for $9 use them once a month and use bleach in every load colors and whites it is supposed to help keep the washer clean? i have found that there is no answer. there are a couple of class action suits starting up against whirpool and sears kenmore washers they are both made by whirpool. I don't care if i receive a dime so long as something is done to sears for selling such crap. Also the average life span of these machines is 8-9 years according to sears service techs. I am doing everything possible to prevent people from purchasing these including visiting sears stores and talking to potential buyers."" Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By WITHREGRET (Guest Post) (03/12/2008) I purchased this machine about 4 years ago and thought it would be a dream come true. I thought that it would save on time because you are suppose to be able to wash bigger loads. I have to constantly work with it to get it to finally start to wash after it begins to wash it will wash for a few minutes and the lights start to flash. It will not spin and now it locks my clothes inside. The clothes are smelly and no matter how you load them they always come out tangled. This machine hasn't helped me at all. I have spent all this money on this machine and have to haul clothes to my mom's to use her cheap little faithful washer. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Aundrea in Arkansas (Guest Post) (03/04/2008) I have two of these machines, one in each laundry room-both go out all the time, new boot, off balance, etx. And the smell-where does that smell come from? I have five kids and have been taking my laundry out because it sometimes takes Sears 10 days to get to me. I have had it-is there a lawsuit for this machine???? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post by clc08 (1) | (02/16/2008) Contact I just found this site tonight and couldn't believe that other people had exactly the same problem. I have the Sears HE3T and my clothes literally smell. I absolutely hate this machine. Can't believe I bought into the sales pitch, thinking I was buying the best machine on the market. I've tried every soap, fabric softener. Have tried bleach, vinegar, baking soda, ammonia (not at the same time, of course). The towels are never fluffy. The clothes are wrinkled, and they look dingy and smell bad. Never, ever again, Sears. I wish the darned thing would just up and quit completely. Can't wait to replace it. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Paul Flynn (Guest Post) (02/05/2008) I sell an all natural washing machine cleaner at www.smellywasher.com that is guaranteed to remove odor from all washers by simply adding a tablespoon of cleaner and allowing the unit to go through it's hottest cycle. The cleaner also removes mildew smell from towels and clothing. Enough is supplied with one order to keep your washer and towels smelling fresh for up to a year! Go to the top right side of my smellywasher site and click on "check out our blog" to get more information on the problem and Smellywasher cleaner use. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post by Jan in Phoenix (2) | (02/03/2008) Contact Hello all! I too have a Kenmore HE washer and was ready to load in the back of the pickup and toss it off the tailgate at a high rate of speed I am so disgusted! Anyway, in talking with my hairdresser she informed me of info she heard re: these front-load washers and stated there was some solution that Home Depot & possibly Lowe's sells that is supposed to eliminate these smells from the washer (I too have tried baking soda, bleach, vinegar, etc. to no avail). So I purchased tablets called 'Affresh' at Home Depot for $6.99, threw one in an empty normal cycle, then washed a load of clothes in the next load, and lo and behold, NO SMELL! Apparently you do this same empty-load cycle w/a tablet once per month so one package will last you three months (as there are 3 tablets in each package). I have also heard that Tide HE is a bad detergent to use which could be exasperating the problem. My sister switched to Wisk HE & says her laundry is much better. So I'm throwing out the Tide HE and buying Wisk HE along with these once-per-month tablets and hopefully going to save the $2,000 I was going to spend on an LG machine! Jan in Phoenix Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post by Jan in Phoenix (2) | (02/03/2008) Contact Hello all! I too have a Kenmore HE washer and was ready to load in the back of the pickup and toss it off the tailgate at a high rate of speed I am so disgusted! Anyway, in talking with my hairdresser she informed me of info she heard re: these front-load washers and stated there was some solution that Home Depot & possibly Lowe's sells that is supposed to eliminate these smells from the washer (I too have tried baking soda, bleach, vinegar, etc. to no avail). So I purchased tablets called 'Affresh' at Home Depot for $6.99, threw one in an empty normal cycle, then washed a load of clothes in the next load, and lo and behold, NO SMELL!!!!! Apparently you do this same empty-load cycle w/a tablet once per month so one package will last you three months (as there are 3 tablets in each package). I have also heard that Tide HE is a bad detergent to use which could be exasperating the problem. My sister switched to Wisk HE & says her laundry is much better. So I'm throwing out the Tide HE and buying Wisk HE along with these once-per-month tablets and hopefully going to save the $2,000 I was going to spend on an LG machine!!! Jan in Phoenix Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By j from Arizona (Guest Post) (02/01/2008) I hate my Kenmore HE machine. It is clearly defective. Sears is useless. I am tempted to just junk it and purchase a top loader, not from sears. It is going to save me a lot of heartache. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By mom2cnr (Guest Post) (01/26/2008) OK..after 19 years of marriage I finally got NEW matching washer and dryer instead of used or mismatched. The set is 18 mos. old..The dryer is now taking 3 settings of a heavy duty setting to dry a normal load and the washer drum is shaking the washer away from the wall about 4 feet. Twice now it has caused the water hose to pull out of the wall because it shook so bad, causing water to flood the floor. Luckily it's in the garage. My towels have stunk so bad and all this time I thought it was me! HAH I have tried everything! We have thought about getting our water tested BUT it is ONLY the towels. My laundry NEVER smells downey fresh and I use downey and downey dryer sheets. STINKY ALL THE TIME! After reading this I am afraid we will have costly repairs and SUCKY $3000 set! I miss my old MAYTAG! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By C J Rose (Guest Post) (01/25/2008) YOU won't believe what we've been through with our HE4. The towels stink and smell putrid. I do the bleach washes, white vinegar washes and use clorox cloths to wash that gasket around the front of the loader. Nothing works. It has put holes in the front of a few of my Ralph Lauren T-shirts and do not know what to do. We have called Sear's Techs out so many times. OH, the spinner does spin the wash so I can dry it in a reasonable time! The last tech said we needed a replacement. The Customer Relations Center, here in Jacksonville, FLA, said that the tech called them after he left here and said the washer was just fine and worked as designed, after he had put down that we needed a replacement washer! NOW, we have an appointment with a Senior Tech today to make a decision, and Customer Relations stepped in, canceled the appointment and said they will refuse any more service on our washer. Even though we have a MASTER PROTECTION AGREEMENT TO THE YEAR 2010! We are at our wit's end....don't know what we will do. We ALL need to get together and take them all down for lying, scamming, and refusing service to someone who has paid for a Master Protection Warranty! They said we had abused their service. You know why? Because they hear what they don't want to hear about one of their products and do not want to repair or replace them! What a hame! This is not the SEARS I use to know! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE3 Washing Machine Complaints Post By Kevin (Guest Post) (01/09/2008) I have an HE3 washer that started to sound really bad just before Christmas. The Sears tech finally made it out on Jan. 7, and informed us that the main drum bearing assembly was shot, requiring $1000 replacement parts. The unit is only 2 years old! but the bearings are only warranteed for 1 year. Sears will not replace, in fact they won't even respond. There are a number of class-action suits on the HE3 and HE4. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Lorna (Guest Post) (01/08/2008) I have the HE2t. I bought it last week. Today I got an error message that was just an F. I'm running it through again. I was delighted to find out that my favorite detergent is HE compliant. It's Nellie's Laundry Soda and can be purchased online or at some health food stores. You use very little of it and my very allergic family has had no problems since we switched to it. It uses sand, not just soap, to clean and it rinses clear, even in very hard water. After this load completes, I will fun some through with vinegar and washing soda in lieu of bleach. I hope I luck out with this unit. My heart goes out to those who are frustrated with theirs. A washer is a significant purchase. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By D. Presbaugh (Guest Post) (01/07/2008) SHOCKER. We have smelly towels too. Now the washer spin cycle isn't working as well as our dryer taking 3-50 min cycles to dry our clothes. My warranty is out so. We are *******. I have asthma and my kids have allergies. I kept trying to fiqure out why my towels smells like feet. Is there any hope for this? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Regan from Wisconsin (Guest Post) (01/07/2008) The stinky towel problem is not exclusive to your Sears machine. I purchased an LG a couple months ago. Sure it's more efficient, but at the cost of having stinky towels. We have soft, filtered water, newer towels, I use hot water and enough detergent, I dry them thorougly and they still stink! That never happened with my top loader! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Rich (Guest Post) (01/02/2008) I feel like a fool. Bought the HE4T, replacing a working (fine), 16 year old top loader. I, too have the stinky towels. Usually run them on sanitary setting, with skincare rinse, HE detergent, still stinks. Dryer doesn't dry efficiently either. Our old gas dryer (cheapo) worked much better. I agree, these are pieces o' s***. Bad Sears, bad, bad, bad. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Deide (Guest Post) (12/30/2007) I too purchased a Kenmore HE4t washer and dryer. We used to have a Kenmore top loader. On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give our washer a 9.5 and the gas dryer a perfect 10. I encouraged another friend to buy one on my recommendation and the only problem he had was with the 0% finacing for a year. I had the same problem. We too have the moldly smell, buy only if we leave the door closed. We just get in the habit of leaving it open an inch or so. That is a minor inconvenience. It's not perfect, but we like it alot - purchased it in 2004. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By unhappywithsears (Guest Post) (12/27/2007) I too had to have the main motor replaced for $350- and Sears said..."NOT OUR PROBLEM". Something needs to change. I know I will NEVER purchase from Sears again! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Robert R. Nashert (Guest Post) (12/13/2007) We bought this mashine less than 3-years ago and it is the worst Sears appliance ever. It seems to fill up after running a load and then leaks out the bottom of the washer. The repair man came out and we were told it needs a new 400.00 dollar computer board. Also we were told that the seal to the door (an additional 288.00 repair) was needed. He suggested that we replace the machine. Unbelievable! What a piece of s$$$. In the past Sears stood behind their products which is why we bought all of our appliances there. Now they have only offended us by offering us 65.00 towards a new purchase. Are you kidding me! We have bought thousands of dollars worth of appliances in the last 20 years from Sears but that ends now. we will see if Allstate Insurance can bail them out when the public decides enough is enough. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints (class action la Post by craig.l (1) | (12/07/2007) Contact Hi, Sheller was handling the class action law suit on this product but has turn it over to www.freedweiss.com . attorney fred lang is handling the class action lawsuit for the he3t/he4t . you can email him and see if you are on the list. this machine is nothing but problems. Craig Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By steve. (Guest Post) (12/05/2007) Do not buy this machine. It is a huge piece of expensive junk! I'ive had so many problems, from stink to door lock to bleach spilling and ruining $800 worth of towels. Still leaks bleach. I can't even use the bleach dispenser now. piece of s*^*! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Lisa (Guest Post) (12/04/2007) We had the same problem with our washer. After trying bleach, baking soda, vinegar and other washer cleaners we sent for a cleaner from smellywasher.com / After using just 3 tablespoons the drain water went from green to clear. It's been over 4 months and still no mildew smell from towels or washer. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Wendy (Guest Post) (11/27/2007) The washer is a piece of junk and apparently is not sold at sears now. my husband put some clothes in it and the machine did not wash them, and the door won't open, and now it beeps and flashes dU F we've tried looking in the manual for a code du f and found nothing of course. Now we have to pay $60 for Sears to come out a look at it since we did not get a warranty for it. We've only had it for 1 1/2 yr. What a waste of money. It is loud and vibrates and sounds like it could take off for a flight out of our house. don't buy this product, oh yeah sears doesn't carry it anymore, lucky you! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By (Guest Post) (11/25/2007) Sears has a bad product in the hte4 machine. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post by Vicka (94) | (11/21/2007) Profile | Contact Look for a lawyer who will handle an individual case on a contingency basis. He gets paid approximately a third only if you collect. Otherwise no fee. Also do an online search for "filing a class action suit". I believe (could be wrong though) that an attorney who handles torts might be helpful. Not sure where I read "tort" in conjunction with class action suits. Just a thought here...were these machines made in China? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T F11 Post By Chris (Guest Post) (11/21/2007) F11 Recall need to happen soon or sears will be loosing a lot of customers. I bought My washer 2 years ago. I started getting the F11 message. I called for service and they Sears did not say anything about the F11 problem they are having. My washer is one month out of warranty and they said they would not cover the service call. After I found several web sites with complaints about the F11 code I called back and demanded extended coverage. Sears said they would cover the labor and service fee. They will also pay $100 on the parts if needed. I was told by the customer service rep that they are having problems with the computer mother board. I feel that they should have already had a recall on this. There are several web sites like this one with the same F11 complaint Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Hpguru (Guest Post) (11/21/2007) This washing machine is an expensive piece of crap. Less than 3 years old and $400 control board replacement. A call to Sears Corporate in Chicago yielded one of the most rude conversations that I've ever had with a big company. Sears stance is basically "It's your problem, not ours" and Maytag (the OEM that "builds" the HE3 and 4t's for Sears) says that they are built to Sears specifications and Sears insists that the service be performed by Sears repair lackies. As far as our immediate and extended families are concerned, there will be no Sears cards or shopping in any Sears or K-Mart store. These corporate weasels need a lesson in customer service and satisfaction much like the one given to the US auto makers by US consumers. If you call Sears to get this problem fixed, get ready for the run around. I think we'll get this problem fixed and sell these and buy an LG or Bosch washer and dryer pair. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Dale (Guest Post) (11/19/2007) Our family has been dealing with this smell for a while. I thought my wife was not changing out the clothes fast enough. I didn't want to hurt her feeling so I have been using sticky towels for a year. I'm glad I finally looked it up. I am going to run it though a bunch of cycles of bleach let it dry and over the next few weeks start looking for a top loader again. Thought you all may enjoy a laugh. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post by Xavierbu (3) | (11/05/2007) Blog! | Contact Directly from the Manf. I sell appliances, and speak with manf. about the smell. The worst out on the market are the LG's Frigidaire's, samsungs and GE's in front loaders, the whirlpool brands (kenmore whirlpool, and maytag, the new ones, are the least smelly) In top loaders avoid one with a Plastic wash tub. (old maytags, GE's frigidaires) According to the Manf.'s and the instructions that came with your washers, you are to leave the door, or lid open after the final load. This lets the seal dry out and avoids the mold and must smell. Here are some tips: Front loading machines: After a load of laundry, look at the seal If you notice water in the seal (ge, frig, LG samnsung) Wipe it out and let the door open. The whirlpool branded products will not collect water in seal due to their design. If after this you are noticing an odor problem Run your RINSE DRAIN SPIN cycle with 2 cups of bleach on COOL OR WARM WATER DO NOT USE HOT, hot breaks down the bleach defeating the purpose of the bleach. Now this should eliminate the smell problem with the use of the bleach and open door. IF you have your machine in the basement, and are still noticing a smell, then you need a dehumidifier Reason is, your basement contains too much moisture in the air to allow the seal to dry properly. Top Loading Machines(NON HI_EFFIECENCY MODLES) Fill the washdrum with WARM WATER, add about 1/2 gallon of bleach, allow the bleach rinse to run, and spin out. Then take a rag dipped in a 50/50 bleach solution, and wipe the under part of the lid, seals, dispensers, and if you can get under the ring of the washer, run it there as well. Leave the lid open to dry. Here again, if after doing this, you notice the mold/must smell comes back, YOU NEED A DEHUMIDIFIER! TOP LOADING H?E MACHINES: Repeat the rinse drain spin with 4 cups of bleach on warm water. Then follow the instructions for the conventional top loader. Remember folks, A washing machine is just like your shower stall. If the tiles don't dry, they collect mold and mildew. Your washer needs to dry out after the last load. This is especially true for baement machines. Like i stated, if you have the machine in your basment, and these fixes don't work, you will need a dehumidifier. The machine can't dry out cuz the air is too humid. A mildewy machine means a mildewy basement. Hope this helps Xavier Ps, I have had my Kenmore he3 for 5 years now and have yet to smell any mold. My unit is on the second floor and i leave my door open after the final load of the day. To this day my washer "smells" brand new. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Kim (Guest Post) (11/03/2007) I will try getting some of those tablets to see if they work. This is still unfair and uncalled for. The manual doesn't state anything about using these tablets or cleaner, besides the monthly maintenance routine. That lets you know that this is nothing more than a quick fix to keep owners of these machines quiet for a little while. I have seen HE powder detergent by Tide for these machines, in response to feedback. It will not solve the problem or make it better by using powder instead of liquid. This washer is a total stinker! The only way to get rid of the problem is to get rid of the machine at your own expense. I wish I had found this website prior to buying this piece of ----! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Dave (Guest Post) (11/03/2007) Abosolute piece of S*** washer. Mine is the HE2t front-loader. Continuous mold smell problems. Stuck with a poor design and Kenmore states: 1. It is because cold water causes the smell 2. It is because Liquid detergent causes the smell They state it is not a design flaw. I can tell you I have never had a problem like this with any top loading washer. If I can somehow get rid of this washer I will go back to the old tried and true without any fancy features. Just on and off. What a rip-off. Oh, and since it is an HE washer. Has anyone seen any powder detergents for HE washers? I have not. Kenmore said they would send out some "tablets" that are supposed to make the smell go away. But you have to use them regularly. I still have not receved the tablets. Do not waste your money on this "washer". All it does it cause you to wash them again. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Corrine from Maryland (Guest Post) (11/03/2007) I have the same problem. I have had this washer for just 1 year and the stink began about 3 months into it. My towels now stink as if they are three days old and they are "fresh" out of the dryer. I have had the repair person out and all I got out of it was that I now am supposed to buy some kind of cleaner to wash my washing machine so I can still have horrible smelling towels. I can't stand this machine and am in the process now of searching for another conventional top loader. I should have kept my old one that worked fine. I am soo terribly frustrated with this machine as I have tried everything from change of detergent, every possible cycle, cleaning as the manual says to, cleaning it with vinegar as the technician told me on the phone etc. etc. I HATE THIS WASHER! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Jacqueline (Guest Post) (10/19/2007) Whirlpool makes Kenmore HE4T for Sears. Any complaints should be lodged with them! Now Whirlpool is making a cleaner that they want us to buy EVERY MONTH to clean a washer that shouldn't be smelling! I used a product called "Purewasher" to remove washer smell. One order is enough for getting rid of fungus and mildew odor from the washer, towels and clothes and also for monthly MAINTENANCE CLEANINGS FOR OVER A YEAR! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By kim (Guest Post) (10/18/2007) I think the whole machine is just rotten! I too was deceived when I bought this machine. I have actually thought about going to Sears and standing in the appliance department to inform prospective buyers about this rotten machine. The sales people have been trained to lie about the washer, I guess. After all it is their job. Maybe it would help to write to Consumer Reports. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By michelle lail (Guest Post) (10/18/2007) I thought it was just me. Last year we had issues with the "f" errors. The machine shakes the whole house when running. I noticed several weeks ago that my wash clothes stunk, and now my towels are too. I have cleaned the inside with bleach, and it has not helped. We have left the door open between uses and it still stinks. With all of the problems that are being reported about the machine, I think that Sears should recall them. We were deceived when we purchased the machine, and feel that someone needs to be held accountable. UGH! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Pete Simpson (Guest Post) (10/17/2007) We have also experienced bad smelling clothes since we bought this machine. We found out that it doesn't use enough water to empty the hot water line to the machine and actually get hot water! We now turn on the kitchen faucet until it runs hot then start the washing machine. This helps somewhat but I am investigating the possibility of adding an inline water heater just for the washing machine. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By MaddMatx (Guest Post) (10/15/2007) PLEASE HELP! My machine wont turn on because the door wont lock. I press start and here a series of what sounds like clicks and then "dl" shows up and the lights blink. That means "door Lock". the machine will sometimes lock and start after unplugging it and plugging it back in. I paid bank for this and hope someone can advise me asap before the wife goes mad. TY Matt Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By (Guest Post) (10/15/2007) Class Action lawsuits only benefits the lawyers. You will be lucky to get $5 back. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Kim (Guest Post) (10/13/2007) I agree with the lawsuit! There has to definitely be something wrong with these expensive pieces of ----. I would be happy to just get my money back. I don't want another Kenmore machine, upright or front loader. When my machine is in the spin mode, it sometimes sound like it is full of metal screws or metal pieces. I have replaced all of my towels and they still stink when washed. I normally buy thick quality towels that are expensive, and now there are ruined too. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Kevin Bloomfield Hills (Guest Post) (10/12/2007) With so many people owning these mold producing, stinking machines and sears claiming NO ONE else is having these problems. Maytag already having had to settle a class action lawsuit due to front loader design flaws, there ought to be a law firm chomping at the bit to take on Kenmore/Sears. Just look at this website for angry consumers. We should at least be due our money back or a machine that functions properly. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Jim (Guest Post) (10/01/2007) I have had a Kenmore Elite HE3t for the past year, and used Tide HE liquid with it. I'm using less than half the Tide that is recommended by the detergent manufacturer. With a warm or hot water wash or warm rinse, lots of soap bubbles are apparent in the water, but, if cold water is used for a wash or rinse, the soap bubbles are not apparent. The clothing is giving us skin irritations and our cloths are full of soap. To test if there is soap in the garments I have gone through 8 wash cycles without adding any detergent and cannot get the soap out of our clothing. We are in a soft water area. Has anyone else had this experience, and does anyone know how to solve this problem and get the machine to remove the soap residue from the cloths. The machine is mechanically working fine and Sears has not been of any assistance whatsoever. Thanks, Jim Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By tennessee family (Guest Post) (10/01/2007) We have the same smelly machine and disgusting laundry - I bought all new towels and wash cloths and the #$%^ machine turned them all into smelly rags. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By CJRam (Guest Post) (09/26/2007) UPDATE THIS IS WHAT WE DID NOW What you all are forgetting and I can vogue for this and prove it because we ripped our washer down and I have pics. The mold will collect behind the SS tub in the plastic drum housing. Every repair man told me NO POSSIBLE WAY! Well I was so sick of being sick and my husband decided time to buy a new washer we did and a (top loader I will add). and when the top loader was delivered we ripped the front loader totally apart (any one that would like to see pics you can email it) but be forewarned they are GROSS! I have done all the maintenance they have recommended and nothing helped (bleach, cascade, OXY, vinegar, leaving door open (which i may remind anyone is a risk if you have toddlers ) oh yes and lets not forget the washer magic they push down your throat to buy every time a sears tech comes out) I have a family of 6, 4 girls and 2 of them babies, so I have a lot of laundry. I will be more then happy to share what we found was hiding in the washer's this is not something you can see until you rip it totally down. CJ Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By dac (Guest Post) (09/25/2007) I have the stinky smell problem with my he4t also. The repairmen come out and sometimes clean gross amounts of mold from places I can't get to, like the pump, then they sell me washer magic which has a different stink. I use it but the moldy stink returns. My towels never smell clean. I hate this machine. Is their a class action? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By CJRam (Guest Post) (09/18/2007) Wow is about all I can say lol. I have a front loader as well and I have closed it completely up and put it out in my mud room and purchased a new washing machine because of the horrific smell that made me and my children sick. I am now on a breathing inhaler and some other meds to open up my lungs. This is NUTS! Sears says "oh this is a problem that you will have no matter what brand of front loader you have nothing can be done" I have the Kenmore elite matching washer and dryer. I have a very low immune system to begin with because of other complications. but now I have developed pulmonary issues because of this stinky washer. I have done everything, bleach, vinegar, washer magic (that I might add, Sears stuffs down your throat to purchase), leaving the door open, HE detergent from the beginning, some other things sears told me to use was Sun Light powdered Dish washing detergent, Tang, CLR, Baking soda, ect. I will never ever own another front load washing machine I paid over 1,300.00 for a piece of junk. All of my babies whites are ruined because of black marks it is leaving on the clothing. Sears tech said " soap residue" OK then he proceeded to put it in the sink with warm water and guess what? NO SOAP came out of it hmm he said that is weird. Yeah ya think? Obviously NOT soap scum but mold or grease The clothing smells horrific and the towels well, those are even worse. We have used a mold test kit and the results are toxic black mold it is disgusting and I have pictures if anyone would like to check them out. I would be more then happy to share my pictures and my findings with you all. cjram97 AT yahoo.com. I welcome all comments and advise too ;) working on a site and with an attorney now if you would like to keep notified about it please send me an email. I am DONE with SEARS AND KENMORE saying this is normal. It is not normal to have health issues from a washing machine you bought because you thought was "top of the line" or "the best". I refuse to do any more with this stinking piece of junk washing machine. My family's health is more important. I wish you all the best. CJ Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By SJB (Guest Post) (09/04/2007) Our machine was a year old in April and shortly after purchasing it I noticed all of our towels, etc smell like a dirty dish cloth that has been left laying too long before washing. We wash our towels after every use and never leave laundry around wet to mold. This set cost almost $3000. and we are not happy with it. I have used their recommended cleaning routine, etc and it hasn't stopped the problem. Someone mentioned a class action. How do I find out about that? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By kim (Guest Post) (08/22/2007) How do you file a claim for the class action lawsuit? This machine is a total disaster. The ratings were misleading by far. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Michelle B. (Guest Post) (08/22/2007) I have the HE4t washer/dryer unit and our clothes smell musty , smelly and just plain gross. We have had more than 7 service calls where the tech had to come out and repair the pump twice because items had gotten into the pump. Also I am finding that small pcs of clothing such as socks and underwear are getting caught in the drain gasket area (where the three drain holes set). We have had health issues and believe that bacteria is the result. We also had issues with the F11 code and also with the door latch needing replacement. and whatever a CC is.... Curcuit Controller? There is a class action lawsuit on this appliance with people stating all these same complaints and in case you didnt know? Sears has pulled this particular HE4T washer/dryer unit off their showroom floor. Hmmmm.... And noone could tell us why. We did ask. However, we did notice that Sears still offers the HE2, 3, 5 and will be coming out with the HE6t soon. Where did the 4 go??? Interesting. In conclusion, I have to laugh at the positive comments on this sight where the person has indicated that "we" must be doing something wrong because their unit is great. Yah think he maybe works for Sears???? PS.. re: the bleaching comments - Bleach is a known carcinogen and is actually illegal to use in some countriies such as England, etc... As for Ammonia, to ask new owners of these appliances to use this also known poison on our clothes is irresponsible to humanity. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By ML (Guest Post) (07/17/2007) I have the HE3t and I have the same problem. The Sears repairman told me to dry the gasket after every wash! Yeh right. He also said to run as much bleach as I could stand in an empty washer through a cycle. I also had to have my pump replaced because a small object (plastic pilot wings) fell through the gasket and went straight to the pump. I would not recommend this washer for families with children. All small items have to go into a mesh bag to keep them from litterally going down the drain. A friend of mine recently purchased a LG front loader. The LG has a screen to keep objects from being sucked away. The Kenmore is poorly designed!! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By (Guest Post) (07/15/2007) Only use the recommended amount of detergent to avoid excessive "lather" from getting outside of the wash tub. Leave the door open between loads. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Barbara from NC (Guest Post) (06/28/2007) I can't believe somebody left feedback just today! I was just using a fresh shower towel and said PU!! AND we have company which just freaks me out that they'll think no one (me) knows how to use the 2 year old top-of-the-line washer/dryer... or worse yet didn't lay out fresh towels. A couple people left great feedback at the bottom that I'm going to try right away. First off, running it through an empty "cleaning" cycle. Thank you! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Christine DeVito (Guest Post) (06/28/2007) I own the HE4 Front load washer and dryer. Sears has been wonderful with two repairs that needed to be done, but I still have a musty smell coming from the washer after a part was replaced. I have been noticing on my bath towels spots that look like bleach. Not small spots but very large spots. I DO NOT USE BLEACH!!! The repairman thought I was nuts!!! Has anyone else had this problem? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Nick (Guest Post) (06/03/2007) I think this machine is the worst I have owned. It worked fine the first 9 months then It started to have problems. Worst problem is the F 11 code. This machine sucks. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Ramrodd1 (Guest Post) (05/29/2007) Stink! you bet!.. Does anyone have the simple fix for this? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Kim (Guest Post) (05/28/2007) When you said you added ammonia, where exactly did you add it? Did you add it to the detergent dispenser alone or with the detergent? I'm going to try it to see if it works for me. Thanks for the useful tip. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By melissas (Guest Post) (05/28/2007) Same problem. Stinky towels. I quickly diagnosed that it wash a mold issue and I add a cup of ammonia to my loads of towels, which I now was separately. I also regularly disinfect that gasket that seals between the door and machine. It's a disgusting design flaw. The gasket folds over itself, giving a dark, wet, warm environment for bacteria to flourish. It would be great it they would come up with a replacement gasket., because the washer is fine. A further thought, do I have mold colonies growning in my towels. Towels will absorb and hold more bacteria, but I'm sure we'd all notice it if we were washing as many sweatshirts as towels. So, you want to be doing disinfecting loads, at least on occasion. We had also noticed a really nasty episode of Eczema on one of my daughters. This was eliminated when I began to aggressively treat the loads with ammonia and treat the gasket on a regular basis. And I have had great results with the Bounce Febreeze dryer sheets. But with the towels, I add ammonia. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Kim (Guest Post) (05/21/2007) No I'm not kidding. There are a lot of products that get high ratings, but that doesn't mean they are the best. I read the manual and also watched the dvd and have followed the instructions. I also bought the extended warranty and a technician came out on several occasions and said they found nothing wrong. Maybe you haven't had yours long enough to experience problems. Hopefully you wont and if you do, you think differently. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Duane (Guest Post) (05/20/2007) Class action? You've got to be joking, this machine gets high ratings from Consumers Union and numerous consumer review sites. Yours must have something wrong with it or you're doing something wrong. Mine is the best washing machine I've ever owned. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By Brandi (Guest Post) (05/10/2007) can you use RIT dye in the new front loaders? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post by Ryjayco (1) | (05/02/2007) Profile | Contact OMG I'm having the same problem with my Kenmore HE2T machine!! I HATE it! I too can't stand the smell of my laundry since using this machine...most especially the towels. We take showers and after drying off, the whole bathroom smells like a gym locker room! I would be very interested to find a solution to this...I'm almost afraid to get another High efficiency machine again. I've tried less soap, different soap, larger loads of clothes smaller loads, bleach...nothing helps. I've taken to "Febreeze-ing" my laundry fresh out of the dryer! HELP!! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By kim (Guest Post) (04/22/2007) The light on my washer does not go out either when the load is finished washing. I never really paid it any attention until I read the feedback. Actually I thought it was normal. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By david (Guest Post) (04/22/2007) does any one have this problem when the washing machine is done the clean wash lite stays on and never goes out until you open the door it supposed to got out after 5 minutes after the clothes are cleanstays on until door is open. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By JP (Guest Post) (02/26/2007) Smell is Ok but the clothes come out hard finished. Tried liquid softner instead of softner sheets but no help. Like the larger capacity but wish we had kept the older Maytags. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post by Katie A. (186) | (11/04/2006) Blog! | Contact Instead of leaving the door open for a little while after washing, I leave it at least ajar ALL the time. I haven't had any trouble with weird smells. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By (Guest Post) (11/04/2006) you should use hot/warm water for most loads.cold water will no get rid of soap. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post by Ann29 (17) | (11/04/2006) Profile | Contact I have the HE3 and had the same problem. A Sears repairman was out to fix my dryer and looked into my washer. He asked if I was getting smelly laundry. I was and he said that I was using too much soap. He said that when they designed the soap cups for these washers the soap on the market wasn't as concentrated. He said to use less than half recommended or better yet if using pwdr only 1TBS. I have done this and no more smell, clothes come clean. He said to rid the washer of the smell and soap residue I should run a cycle on hot with no clothes and 2TBS of automatic dishwasher soap. This worked great no more soap scum on the inner flap...and best of all no more smelly laundry.:) Hope this helps you Laura Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post By EVELYUN (Guest Post) (11/03/2006) HAVE YOU CHECK THE WATER /THE WATER LINES WE HAD A PRO BLEM THAT WAS WHAT IT WAS Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post by Sheryllynn44 (12) | (11/03/2006) Contact I love my Kenmore front loader machine. It's my favorite appliance in 26 years of marriage! A few suggestions. . . 1) you are supposed to leave the door open for a little bit after doing a load to air out the washer 2) there is a routine, monthly maintenance that is required - - you run bleach through the machine with a special cycle. Check your manual, you'll find this information in there. Good luck! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Kenmore HE4T Washing Machine Complaints Post by DL1052MCD (19) | (11/03/2006) Contact Have you contacted Sears about the problem? They should be able to help...or even replace it. All of my large appliances are Kenmore (some 30 + years old) and I have never had a problem with them. Report Spam or Abuse