Ever had paint peeling off your range?

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PratsA

Assistant Cook
Joined
Apr 20, 2006
Messages
7
Location
Massachusetts
You all were so helpful when I bought this range two years ago, I figured you might have more advice about this problem.

We've had great results cooking with this Kenmore stove, but a few months after we got it, we noticed that the control panel was getting stained right over the exhaust vent. We tried cleaning it, but it wouldn't completely come off. So we would just clean it as best we could every month or two. Unfortunately, after a few more months, the pain started coming off!

Finally, last night I was wiping off the condensation while a chicken was roasting, and the paint peeled off with the paper towel!

Has anyone else heard of this happening? I finally called sears, who directed me to call another part of sears, who directed me to call kenmore, who directed me to call another part of kenmore, who scheduled a service visit and said they'd call me back to discuss whether or not I should pay for this. I'd love to have other anecdotes or advice to use when they call back.

Thanks,
Tony

p.s. I attached pictures, if you're interested....
 

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I'd say it's a defective product problem. The brown color is because the heat from the oven discolored the paint and weakened the paint's bond with the metal underneath. Your trying to clean it caused it to wipe off.

This should never happen!
 
Whatever happened to stoves having porcelain tops and porcelain oven doors? Have their makers all gone by the wayside and have resorted to, and are offering cheap and flimsily-made models now?

I'm even suprised that they are still making the ovens themselves with porcelain and SS walls!
 
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PratsA - I'd be very worried about using the stove anymore. IMHO this could be how a fire could start. Something is definitely wrong.
 
The stove here is also a heater, and one day I was trying to squeeze between the stove and the portable washing machine at the sink and got a very awful nasty burn!!!

It is all porcelain, but it's one of those models that were made in the '50s or so. If needed, you can actually cook on that side as well! That's just how hot the thing gets. But there is no sign of any paint peeling off.
 
PratsA, I bought a new dryer about 6 months ago and it appeared to be an all white dryer. However after a couple of months, I noticed it seemed odd. Well, the top section, where the controls are, actually had a thin protective layer of sticky vinyl or plastic. It was obviously put on before assembly because the edges of the plastic film were covered up by the side panel. So I pulled one of the knobs off so I could get under an edge and peeled the entire piece of protective film off.

I was looking closely at your excellent pics and I'm wondering if that could be a layer of protective film they apply during the assembly process to protect the appliance from scratches. Just a thought.
 
Yeah, I've also seen that on stuff that I buy.

Not to get off topic, but it's on my new laptop pc and the new printer that I just got the other day. I left it on there for protection against scratches. My portable washer & dryer had it on the control panels as well. And the dishwasher.
 
Yep Corey, it's on a lot of high ticket items. It used to be that it was always clear film that had a slight tint so that you could tell it was there and not just a weird finish. But the film on my dryer was white, just like the paint, so I really couldn't tell it was there.
 
Assuming it is not a protective film that has now been burnt on (and such a film should have some markings on it to let you see it so you do take it off):

"Whatever happened to stoves having porcelain tops and porcelain oven doors? Have their makers all gone by the wayside and have resorted to, and are offering cheap and flimsily-made models now?"

I agree. it should not happen. defective.
 
The one that was on my dryer was blue. After a while, it had started to peel off at the corners, so I just took the rest of it off. Supposed to be protection material during S&H.
 
Good point FM...I've seen the protective film on the washers and dryers by Kenmore...It's supposed to be removed by the consumer after installation. I've never looked at their stove products, but it could be the same thing. If not....I agree with everyone else...manufacturing defect..that they should correct. However; workmanship defects are usually covered for only one year...PratsA..I would pitch a fit!!!:ermm:
 
You might check near and edge or perhaps under a knob to see if this is a film that can be peeled off, PratsA. I wouldn't try near the burned area because if it was, it would be pretty burnt on by now and hard to see if there is an edge you can peel. And if it's not, this is definitely a defective design and you won't have been the first this has happened to.
 
These comments are great, thanks! All good for some moral support when I talk to them to get them to fix it for me. Hopefully they'll be one of the nice companies that likes to have happy customers and good PR, but I try to hope for the best and prepare for the worst...

The protective film idea is interesting, but this is definitely not a film, as it's peeling off down to the steel. I just keep coming back to the idea that the paint used on an item that will be exposed to high temperature, ought not be damaged by high temperature. Pretty simple.... ;)
 
True - and I'd also want to be sure that something electrical isn't wrong causing unnecessarily high heat in that area - that's my biggest concern for you and your safety.

Good luck and do let us know what happens.
 
I finally called sears, who directed me to call another part of sears, who directed me to call kenmore, who directed me to call another part of kenmore, who scheduled a service visit and said they'd call me back to discuss whether or not I should pay for this.
I'd LOVE to have that discussion with them! By the time I was finished, they'd be begging me to accept not only the cost of the repair/replacement, but also additional compensation for their poor workmanship and for their telephone reps being asshats enough to think there would even be any discussion as to who would be paying for this service call.

Having moved recently, it seemed everyone wanted to take advantage of me. Trying to take my patronage for granted cost Dish TV 3 months of service, 6 months of HBO and Starz, and the cost of 3 free months of Cinemax (I told them I hardly ever watched the movie channels I already had, so I didn't need free Cinemax), free fer nuthin. It also cost Verizon three months free DSL service, and it cost AT&T two new cell phones. If Caine ain't happy, ain't NOBODY gonna be happy!
 
So, instead of calling me back "within 24 hours," I called them today (three days later). The customer service guy I spoke to was polite, and either very smart and/or well-trained. He never tries to deny my charge that the part is defective, just keeps saying that the range has a 1-year warranty, and I bought it in 2006.

I didn't really get anywhere with him. The current best offer is for a service call where a technician comes to diagnose the problem and quote a repair cost, for which I pay $69. During that visit, the tech will call his manager who can decide what sort of deal they could do for me. Should that manager decide they don't want to make any deal, and I decline to pay for the repair/replacement myself, they'll graciously give me a $69 voucher towards a purchase of a new stove at Sears.

Needless to say, that's not very good. I'm not sure what my next step should be, aside from canceling the scheduled visit for next monday....
 
So, the Sears technician arrived today. When he saw the range, the first thing he said was "That's not right!" He immediately thought that the problem was a defective paint job. However, neither his tech manager nor the technician support line was willing/able to do anything to take care of it. I ended up with a quote of $135 for the part, another $135 for labor, and $69 out of my pocket today for the 15 minute visit.

I then spent the next half-hour on various phone calls until I reached the Sears Product Recalls line. I wanted to speak to the manufacturer, but even Sears doesn't know who actually built a particular Kenmore model; it could be GE, could be Whirlpool, could be someone else. The product recall person also suggested I write to the safety commission. If there's a recall, then they could help me, but recalls don't get issued unless someone actually goes and complains. So, here I go.

In the short run, I'm going to go to Home Depot and buy some high temperature paint, and hope that it's a close-enough shade of white.
 

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