Sears is facing a nationwide consumer class action lawsuit alleging its Kenmore dryers have defective dryer lint screen covers that can catch and damage clothing.
Plaintiffs Michael Smith and Lisa Alberton are suing Sears Holdings Corp., hoping to hold the company accountable for its role in failing to disclose to consumers about the alleged defective Kenmore dryer lint screen covers.
According to the Kenmore dryer class action lawsuit, the defective dryer lint screen covers protrude into the machines so that they catch items of clothing and damage them. Additionally, the protrusion of the Kenmore dryer lint screen covers allows excess lint to build up in the dryer – a leading cause of dryer fires. The issue reportedly occurs in both Kenmore gas and electric dryers.
So why is Sears Holdings Corp. responsible? Well, Smith and Alberton contend that Sears, who sells the affected dryers under the Sears and Kenmore brand name, ignored the issue and refused to repair the defective Kenmore dryer lint screen covers, despite being under warranty. This results in consumers being forced to spend money on repairs to both their clothing and to the Kenmore dryers themselves.
In Smith’s case, he says he contacted Sears about the issues with his Kenmore dryer and the company sent him a “replacement” dryer lint screen cover. However, this “replacement” lint screen cover was the same one he already had, so he sent it back for a full refund. When Smith contacted Sears again to tell them they sent him the same defective lint screen cover, Sears reportedly told him the only to fix the problem with the Kenmore dryer tearing his clothing was to have a professional repairman service the dryer.
Sears sent a repairman, who told Smith that the issue with damaged clothing was due to the protruding dryer lint screen cover that did not sit properly in his dryer. The Sears repairmen reportedly also told Smith this was a common problem with Kenmore dryers. Still, Smith forked out $79 to have the dryer serviced. Unfortunately, it didn’t work as the problem recurred shortly after.
Alberton details a similar situation with the defective Kenmore dryer lint screen covers tearing her clothing and was told by a Sears repairman that it would cost $400 to fix her dryer. She refused the repair, but still had to pay $90 out-of-pocket for the service call.
Smith and Alberton aren’t the only ones who have had to pay out-of-pocket for the damage allegedly caused by the defective Kenmore dryer lint screen covers. Countless consumer complaints are posted on the Internet about the dryer’s defect and damage it does to clothing, with many detailing how Sears won’t do anything to remediate the defect, aside from sending them a “replacement” dryer lint screen cover.
Both plaintiffs are seeking to represent a proposed national Class of consumers who purchased one or more Sears or Sears’ Kenmore-brand dryers, as well two separate state subclasses: Pennsylvania and Illinois.
Smith and Alberton are represented by Daniel O. Herrera and Brian P. O’Connell of Cafferty Clobes Meriwether & Sprengel LLP.
The Defective Kenmore Dryer Lint Screen Covers Class Action Lawsuit is Michael Smith and Lisa Alberton, on behalf of themselves and all other similarly situated v. Sears Holdings Corp., Case No. 1:18-cv-01142, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division.
I have this dryer
We have the Kenmore Elite washer and dryer. We are expericing the same problem with the dryer lint vent. Our delicate clothing items become tangled on the vent during each cycle. We took the original vent to the Sears parts department and told them what was happening with the vent. They gave us a new vent that was the same as the original vent. The problem is still occurring.