[Resolved]  Whirlpool / Refrigerator — Fire hazard in whirlpool refrigerators

Address:

Gurgaon, Haryana

My Whirlpool double door, frost free refrigerator Model NO: WRN A 2888 G 20, Srl No: INA[protected], was working with almost no problems for quite sometime, but suddenly two weeks ago the plastic components inside the freezer compartment melted completely, so much so that the freezer door could not be opened and had to be cut open to see that everything inside had completely melted and the got welded to the door.
I duly registered a complaint with Whirlpool, and the engineer came over who finally cut the door open. It was then we realized that the defrost cycle which got started at midnight, for some reason never stopped till not just ice, but even the plastic on the inside of the fridge had melted. Apparently it is a design flaw where 2 thermal cutouts failed to cut the defrost cycle and melted the complete interior of the freezer. On visiting Whirlpool global website (http://repair.whirlpool.com/) you can see recall information for fridge with similar design flaws but such recalls of faulty product don't happen in India where we have to live with such fire hazards in our homes.
I filled a written complain with the attending engineer as well as a complain on company website Sr No: HR[protected], asking for the faulty fridge to be replaced or repaired but I have not heard back from the company for the last 2 weeks even though the web site claims response in 3 working days.
This whole incidence leaves me wondering whether Indian consumer laws are so poor that recall of dangerous, defective products happen only in First world countries and we are forced to survive with these fire hazards that we bring into our homes the best we can.