LG fridge claims misleading

NEWS RELEASE
Wednesday 17 March 2010

LG fridge claims misleading

Consumer NZ is calling for an immediate recall of the LG GC-L197NFS and GC-P197WFS side-by-side fridge-freezer models.

Consumer Research and Testing Manager Hamish Wilson said a joint test with Choice magazine in Australia found these relatively new side-by-side fridge-freezers have an energy-saving mode that’s activated when it detects energy-efficiency testing conditions. This is called a circumvention device and has been illegal since 2007.

Consumer also calls on LG to refund all purchasers of the affected models. “Under the Consumer Guarantees Act where there is a serious fault with a product consumers are entitled to claim a full refund”, said Wilson.

When these fridges detect an ambient temperature between 22°C and 34°C and the door isn’t opened for some time, they go into an energy-saving mode. They also do this after a defrost cycle (which can happen at any time). In energy-saving mode they use 19 percent less energy than in normal conditions by allowing longer compressor-off cycles – which result in large temperature-fluctuations. These temperature changes compromise the quality of your stored food and can warm food to unsafe temperatures.

LG further misleads consumers by claiming that this model’s energy consumption per year is 738kWh. Our testing shows (when bypassing the energy-saving mode) it as 876kWh – and the difference will cost you an extra $32 a year, or $320 over 10 years. At its true energy use, it wouldn’t comply with the Minimum Energy Performance Standard 2005 (MEPS) and shouldn’t be sold here.

LG says it has withdrawn the LG GC-L197NFS fridge freezer from retail stores and will offer compensation to anyone who has bought the affected model. Consumer says the GC-P197WFS is technically identical and should also be recalled. Consumer believes purchasers are entitled to a refund from LG under the Consumer Guarantees Act.

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