[Resolved]  LG Electronics — Non resolution of issues inspite of the unit being hardly 3 months old from date of purchase

Address:

Mumbai City, Maharashtra

I had purchased the refrigerator from Vijay Sales in the month of Feb 14 as a gift to my mother in law. After about 10 days of purchase of the fridge there was an issue of water leakage from the back of the fridge and there used to be sudden noise from the compressor of the fridge which is quite loud.. Since it was a gift she didn’t want to inform me of this issue and used to be wiping the water and off and bearing the noise till she could and in mid/3rd week of March she gave way and informed us of the concern. We immediately logged a complaint with LG customer care (RNA[protected] and they sent a rep to have it checked. He came and just reduced the temperature of the fridge and heard the noise of the compressor and told that this is the usual noise from the compressor. This should stop in a couple of days and if it doesn’t to reach out to him. Though he mentioned a couple of days we yet patiently observed it till a week post which we again reached out. He again came and started saying that this is normal. We again logged a complaint (RNA[protected] as this is just not acceptable to have sudden loud noises from the fridge as my mother in law is old and when in the kitchen if there is a sudden noise it is very scary. She is very frightened from the time we have changed the fridge to the so called gifted refrigerator LG.. Furthermore there is another issue that has erupted which is that all vegetables kept in the fridge are rotting… Inspite of thrice the LG rep coming over there was no resolutions given other than just workarounds but in vain.. I did reach out to Kadambari the CCO and she mentioned that she would address this concern with LG and come back in 2 days.. When I didn’t receive a call from her I did further escalate this matter on the 11th April to Charan Balaji (ASM) who asked me to text the last complaint no and that he would investigate the concern and get back shortly. The least that he could do is to acknowledge the receipt of the SMS. I was wondering whether he received the same or not and hence tried reaching him nothing less than 5 times but he just wouldn’t answer the call and neither was bothered to call back. I did try reaching out to him thrice at various times next day (12th April) and as usual his cell phone was not answered.. Frustrated by the service received from LG I did reach out to get the contact of Ajayn (DSM) who then intervened and then the case was investigated.. The senior technician of LG visited the site on 12th April and saw the rotten vegetables.. However the sound was not there when he visited but I had informed my mother in law to record the sound that comes which is as attached. This has been recorded this morning(14th April which is on the lower side and the regular one is louder than this) as the recording done yesterday got deleted in the midst of transferring from cell phone to desktop . A pic of the rotten vegetables are also attached.. The fiasco of vegetables rotting is continuing from a week to 10 days which is causing unnecessary expenses and also the sound from the compressor is just not acceptable.. This is not the first time that we are using a fridge to be told that this is the normal sound from the compressor.. I am totally frustrated by the service and looks like I have paid for getting mental stress from LG. I demand an immediate resolution (ageing from 24th March since the first date of complaint)which is a replacement of the fridge (Brand new unit) in which complete quality check is conducted to ensure no noise from compressor and no other issues being reported or the refund of the entire amount along with compensation for the inconvenience caused. When there was no revert on to the email sent on 14th April I did reach out to Charan Balaji following the protocol but as usual he did not answer the call. I tried twice and later gave up and spoke to the DSM and asked him on the update. He mentioned that as per the report submitted by the technician the unit is working perfectly fine. I then asked him then what about the snaps provided to which he made a statement that “This can never happen and we are not sure what you are trying to get out of this.” I was shocked to hear such a statement from a person at such a level who inturn questions the proofs provided and the creditability of the proofs.. This is totally ridiculous and I fail to understand how a representative of LG can even make such statements. I totally lost it then and reached out to Mr Sajid Sayed from the LG regional office based at Andheri branch on the same day (16th April) who heard the issue and mentioned that since it doesn’t pertain to his branch he can’t comment on the same but would ensure that I receive a revert from the HO. I again patiently waited till 18th April post which I went down to the LG office and met up with him and informed him that I would like to speak to somebody senior and responsible. He then reached out to Paritosh Mahatha with whom I spoke and explained him the entire episode. He immediately informed the senior technician to visit the site and mentioned that he would call back and advise what the issue is. The technician did visit and was there for a while and when he was there the sound again erupted.. Have been given to understand from my mother in law that by the time he could record the sound it has started to become bleak. He also increased the temperature of the unit to 4 which was originally on 2 (kept by the technician who had visited the site for the 1st time). Based on the assurance received from the technician that it would now work fine my mother- in law had called for an icecream and had kept it in the defrost section. To her surprise the next day the Ice cream had almost melted and she ate whatever was remaining in the box just to ensure that it doesn’t go waste and is now down with a stomach infection and undergoing medications .Whatever stuff that is kept in the unit gets spoilt.. She is totally frustrated and so am I with the faceloss for gifting her with such a defective product from LG trusting LG to be a brand that could be trusted not knowing the after effects what I would go through. Had I to know that this is what I would get I would have brought a unit from another company. As usual I did not hear back from anyone in LG till the 22nd April when I did call Paritosh twice and the call went unanswered and the third time it was answered. He did apologize that he could call back and promised that he would call back once he speaks to the DSM. He did call back only to mention that the unit is working perfectly fine and there is no problem in the same.. I would like to draw everybody attention that I do not have the time and liberty in the world to simply call and send emails to LG if the unit was perfectly fine and not receive a revert from LG.. I am totally frustrated with such a service from LG not knowing what I am supposed to do with the unit which is worthless to me as it just can’t be used. Need intervention from someone senior and responsible who could look into the matter on top priority and help with a resolution. Addressing the above issue in the consumer forum with a hope that at least I would get a hearing ear than a deaf one as received from LG. Hope I would not be disappointed. The ticket no is 636958.. I can be reached on my cell phone no [protected]. Rgds