tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post1117261217237547775..comments2023-10-29T17:22:13.748+02:00Comments on A View from the Other Side: You CANNOT rely on DefySweet Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08321094659806702782noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-34368894191330930382016-04-20T12:17:17.883+02:002016-04-20T12:17:17.883+02:00My Whirlpool is working just great! If you have a ...My Whirlpool is working just great! If you have a Hirsch's store in Cape Town, go there...they will negotiate prices with you. Also, Tafelberg Furniture in Bellville area will negotiate prices. Sorry you had to learn this the hard way...if you read the comments above you will see the problem is of long standing and it is widespread. Hopefully you will get a good Fridge this time.Sweet Violethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08321094659806702782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-62992050281877308992016-04-20T09:33:00.255+02:002016-04-20T09:33:00.255+02:00I wish I had read this before I bought our Defy fr...I wish I had read this before I bought our Defy fridge! It is impossible to get through to their Cape Town service centre: you're either put on hold FOREVER or just get immediately cut off. I emailed head office and never got a reply. My husband eventually complained on their facebook page, and we got a PR person answering us but no technical help until we had complained again twice. Finally, four months after the problem started, the technician arrived to say there was nothing they could do; we'd just have to buy a new fridge. The Defy is five years old and kaput; my old KIC is 14 years old and still going strong. I will NEVER buy a Defy product ever again!!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13317243352366765507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-56527759600911289242016-02-18T19:39:37.636+02:002016-02-18T19:39:37.636+02:00Had a Defy 621 stove, both side panels started rus...Had a Defy 621 stove, both side panels started rusting when it was a couple of years old. Couple of issues with thermostat etc as well over the years. The stoves *used to be* good.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-71359101073951994602016-01-21T20:14:29.372+02:002016-01-21T20:14:29.372+02:00I am currently having the same problem with the fr...I am currently having the same problem with the fridge. No longer making things cold, only cool. The technician was here twice already. First the fan was apparently loose. The second time he acknowledged that it was not cooling the stuff in the bottom of the door. Today I was told to switch the racks in the door around because the bottom rack is preventing the cold air from circulating. If I do that I cannot put things in the middle of the fridge because the rack takes up spaceVenessanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-52107601599272723012015-12-06T08:52:39.216+02:002015-12-06T08:52:39.216+02:00I am going to have to disagree here. My new fridge...I am going to have to disagree here. My new fridge is a Whirlpool and it is going strong. I know people who have brands other than DEFY that have been in perfect operation for five years or more...fridges made in South Africa (although not DEFY).<br /><br />Aluminum does not dissolve in air with time: my house in California was built in 1960 and had aluminum framed windows which were still fully intact and operational in 2003 when I sold it. My present house in South Africa has aluminum-framed shower glass, still as functional and intact today as they were when installed in 1979. If this aluminum will last 43 and 36 years respectively, it is clear that the aluminum tubes in a fridge aren't going dissolve withing the expected lifetime of a refrigerator. The outer surface will oxydize, but that oxydization,unlike rust, does not continue to happen once the whole surface is covered with it because the oxydization acts like a protective coating preventing further deterioration.<br /><br />The bottom line is that DEFY produces crap refrigerators. My old one was disassembled by my handyman (I gave it to him) and he discovered a major manufacturing defect in the fridge: when he took the metal shell off, he found crimped and twisted wires embedded in the styrofoam insulation, with insulation missing off the wires. If I was a litigious woman I would use that as evidence to get my thousands spent in repair back from DEFY.<br />Sweet Violethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08321094659806702782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-15141422859187593802015-12-06T08:39:19.129+02:002015-12-06T08:39:19.129+02:00Any new fridge you buy(irrespective of make in Sou...Any new fridge you buy(irrespective of make in South Africa) is made flimsily with tiny compressors using a new gas R600 (environmental friendly) , Such fridges hardly last 2 years before they visit my workshop with either a gas failure problem or leaks that is a result of the aluminium pipes being used in modern fridges rather than copper pipes. It is a pity that buyers want a quality fridge that lasts years and years but the market is gone the china way.<br />Sammyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15686446693577289821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-52647624309186416462015-12-06T08:36:26.289+02:002015-12-06T08:36:26.289+02:00Any new fridge (irrespective of make) you buy toda...Any new fridge (irrespective of make) you buy today in South Africa is flimsily made and you'd be lucky to get two years out of it without needing some repairs. One, the compressors are too tiny for the work they are doing, Two,The Gas R600 (flammable) though environmentally friendly dissolves or vanishes in months, Three, Modern fridges are made with aluminium piping(cheap) but aluminium dissolves in air with time. its a pity buyers are not being told that and expect a fridge to last a generation as they used to.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-40699987437817222442015-12-06T08:28:31.032+02:002015-12-06T08:28:31.032+02:00Any new fridge you buy(irrespective of make in Sou...Any new fridge you buy(irrespective of make in South Africa) is made flimsily with tiny compressors using a new gas R600 (environmental friendly) , Such fridges hardly last 2 years before they visit my workshop with either a gas failure problem or leaks that is a result of the aluminium pipes being used in modern fridges rather than copper pipes. It is a pity that buyers want a quality fridge that lasts years and years but the market is gone the china way.<br />Sammyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15686446693577289821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-10775565061679450412015-07-01T09:32:36.634+02:002015-07-01T09:32:36.634+02:00I junked mine after 8 years of the kinds of proble...I junked mine after 8 years of the kinds of problems you are reporting. Return it for a refund as quick as you can...I saw on TV the other night that DEFY is down to 30 day warranties on their stuff (was 2 years when I bought my fridge). I replaced my DEFY fridge with a Whirlpool nearly two years ago and have not had a single issue with it. I had a Whirlpool fridge when I lived in California and it lasted...without a single service call...for years and years. <br /><br />Avoid DEFY products. The build quality is crap, the service even more crap, and the warranty virtually non-existent.Sweet Violethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08321094659806702782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-31365115361355142882015-07-01T06:56:45.139+02:002015-07-01T06:56:45.139+02:00Omg!!!! I wish i had seen this sooner. We bought o...Omg!!!! I wish i had seen this sooner. We bought our F640 on 19 June, (yes, 2 weeks ago), got it home and loaded the freezer with all our goods, next morning- everything defrosted. Saturday afternoon so there was nothing we could do but cook and braai all our meat lol. Monday techie came out but only because i threw a tantrum of epic proportions, and fixed the fan...all good. Last few days, we have had a kitchen under water - we thought it was our washing machine which stands next to fridge, called someone to fix it, nothing wrong with washine machine, called our insurance thinking it was a leak by the tap, nothing wrong...figured out its the bloody new fridge. Sadly, when we demanded a new fridge for the first repair, this model is discontinued so no replacement so will demand my money back and buy something else- what a fekking nightmare this has been. Such a pity because we are loving the size of this fridge. Paid close on 10K for this piece of junk! - ShirleyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-67354054424832568922015-05-10T08:07:32.574+02:002015-05-10T08:07:32.574+02:00Do yourself a HUGE favour--return it for a refund ...Do yourself a HUGE favour--return it for a refund and buy another brand. I personally recommend Whirlpool...I replaced my Defy with a Whirlpool and have not had even one problem with it, despite all of the load shedding. The Cosmos has given you a huge gift by letting it fail immediately so that you are spared the agony of owning the beast. Buy another brand and avoid Defy refrigerators like the plague!Sweet Violethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08321094659806702782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-36538778895621146812015-05-09T19:00:32.276+02:002015-05-09T19:00:32.276+02:00Purchased a new Defy refrigerator today. Turned it...Purchased a new Defy refrigerator today. Turned it on and nothing - totally dead. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-20167467719735214852015-02-05T12:27:21.033+02:002015-02-05T12:27:21.033+02:00Hi, I am also one of the unfortunate owners of a s...Hi, I am also one of the unfortunate owners of a side by side Defy F640. I bought mine in 2003 for R8000. I was kind of lucky that it lasted 12 years without problems, except for making a hell of a racket when auto defrosting. Gurgling or popping is an understatement. It sounded more like on the verge of exploding. But then everything turned to crap. First the freezer control panel short circuited. Sent it in for repair at R1800. Got it back after a week with a different looking control panel than the original.. No popping or gurgling sound thereafter, but freezer compressor just seemed to run all the time. No auto defrost then? Temperature control on the freezer seemed to be stuck on one setting, no matter which way I turn the coin. Other than in the past, the warning light did not come on when the freezer was loaded with new unfrozen stock. Sensor/thermostat malfunction? So I called again and was told that it was all my imagination, as they tested the thing and it was operating perfectly. It lasted for about 4 month, then the red warning light came on and everything in the freezer defrosted. Switched it off at the wall, waited half a day, switched it back on, worked perfectly for a few hours, same thing all over again. Repeated the exercise for a few days and saw that it was futile. Contacted Defy for assistance. Been a week now, no solution from their local technician yet. Seems like they just have no clue how to fix the thing once it breaks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-41008181450457693612014-12-13T15:59:33.475+02:002014-12-13T15:59:33.475+02:00I wish I saw this before I bought my fridge. Barel...I wish I saw this before I bought my fridge. Barely a year old and it has died. Defy replaced it with a 'new' fridge yesterday afternoon at 3.30cm after calling at complaining for 3 whole weeks. Guess what, the 'new' fridge won't even get cold. It is evidently old and has scratches inside. It's the same old nonsense I had to deAl with and I realised it Friday evening. Never buying any defy appliance ever again..Now I have to spend whole weekend with this lemon of a new fridge. They obviously don't care about their customers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-51954602848154221392014-11-29T13:30:52.259+02:002014-11-29T13:30:52.259+02:00Hi I found the problem...the pipe inside the fri...Hi I found the problem...the pipe inside the fridge was blocked hence a small amount of water was overflowing onto the floor.<br /><br /> The noises with the fridge are normal and much louder than any other fridges though, my friend also has one and it makes the same noise, wish I knew that before I bought it though. Also checked Defy website (Gas expansion: Boiling, gurgling or hissing sound) at times does sound like popping. Other than the noise, must say am very happy with the fridge thus far, crossing fingers. Replacing the fridge financially is not an option at the moment. The 640 retailed for over R 9 000 which is a huge outlay. Thanx for all your info though and good luck with your new fridge<br />ThanxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-45896019311251528962014-11-27T10:38:15.535+02:002014-11-27T10:38:15.535+02:00Cracking and popping sounds like electrical proble...Cracking and popping sounds like electrical problems, which can be dangerous. Also, a two year old fridge should not be leaking water. If your fridge is still under warranty, call Defy's repair service immediately. Be sure to have your till slip handy to prove when you bought it because they don't keep records. Water on the floor and cracking-popping noises would make me wary of someone getting electrocuted by the beast. My best advice is to buy a new fridge of a better brand (I bought Whirlpool and I love it) and avoid Defy like the plague in the future. Otherwise, get the repair service out immediately before it causes a serious problem.Sweet Violethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08321094659806702782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-67847540895691033302014-11-27T10:28:21.760+02:002014-11-27T10:28:21.760+02:00Also bought a Defy F 640 two years ago and it mak...Also bought a Defy F 640 two years ago and it makes so much noise, drives us nuts. It is not a fan noise, but cracking and loud popping noises. When kids have a sleepover in the lounge it keeps them awake. I was searching on how to fix water on the floor with the Defy fridge section, when I came across this page. Now am all worried after reading all the problems Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-11063457728501680942014-06-13T08:33:02.372+02:002014-06-13T08:33:02.372+02:00I replaced the beast with a Whirlpool...works like...I replaced the beast with a Whirlpool...works like a charm! yes, it cost R20K, but even if I had to finance the purchase, it is worth it. Just the cost of the spoiled food from the Defy would more than cover the finance charges. Defy---never again!!<br />Sweet Violethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08321094659806702782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-58519877596552982842014-06-13T08:23:46.857+02:002014-06-13T08:23:46.857+02:00Got the same problem . Got a Defy F640. Freezer w...Got the same problem . Got a Defy F640. Freezer works great. Fridge is warmer than the kitchen ambient temp. Doesn't matter what setting you put it on. Had the fridge 'regassed' but did'nt work. Called them out again (took them forever to respond) then got told it was a leak 'inside' the fridge and I would have to send it in for repairs...... not sure how long that would take. I am not sending it. Hubby is buying me a new fridge and I will just use the freezer part until it packs up too which I'm sure won't be long given the comments above....:-) FedupConsumerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01655075218416192120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-27761881305044994412014-05-06T06:18:42.105+02:002014-05-06T06:18:42.105+02:00@Stellenbosch, thank goodness - someone with the s...@Stellenbosch, thank goodness - someone with the same problem - wish I'd seen these comments before we bought our F640, which is incredibly loud on the freezer side. anyone done any fixes? replace motor/fan with a different unit maybe? just liked the design of the DefyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-66827943814236851392014-03-27T14:46:48.879+02:002014-03-27T14:46:48.879+02:00Worst fridge/freezer I ever had. Have to close al...Worst fridge/freezer I ever had. Have to close all doors leading to the kitchen if I hope to get some sleep. Speaking of a noisy fridge! I have learnt my lesson. Never again!Stellenboschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06371888183014640770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-6299467287770969972014-02-03T15:17:32.476+02:002014-02-03T15:17:32.476+02:00It will not help to complain! No one is listening....It will not help to complain! No one is listening. Just enjoy the "do not rely on Defy" moment with thousands of other people. I am also still waiting for the technician after many, many calls and excuses.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-10307840722459095282014-02-03T12:46:35.317+02:002014-02-03T12:46:35.317+02:00Go to Hello Peter and see how many complaints ther...Go to Hello Peter and see how many complaints there are about Defy products. Tons. See how many responses there are from Defy themselves. Zilch. Shows how much they careAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-58564500600085705802014-02-02T13:25:30.414+02:002014-02-02T13:25:30.414+02:00I replaced the compressor in my Defy fridge within...I replaced the compressor in my Defy fridge within its first year, and then in its fourth year, replaced the other compressor. Over the term of my 6 year ownership, I paid more in repairs than I paid for the fridge.<br /><br />It packed up AGAIN in October and I told my husband "I am done...I do not want this piece of sh!t in my kitchen any more!" We bought a new Whirlpool, which is the brand I had in the US and had no service calls in the 4 years I had it before I sold it to move overseas. By the time the Defy was 4 years old, I had had at least 6 service calls on it. Piece of crap product...save yourself a boatload of money and don't fix it...throw it out and buy a reputable brand like Samsung or Whirlpool.Sweet Violethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08321094659806702782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19139604.post-6176790422559618742014-02-02T13:18:07.487+02:002014-02-02T13:18:07.487+02:00And here I thought I was alone with problems with ...And here I thought I was alone with problems with Defy. Our fridge started making some very funny noises 5 months after the warranty expired. (Funny thing that.) Anyway the Defy technician came out (R400 callout fee) and said that the compressor needed to be replaced at a cost of R1800 but the warranty on the new compressor was only 3 months!!! He was however prepared to buy the defective fridge from me for R800, and he would put in the compressor for himself,which did not make sense to me. He would end up paying R2600 in total for a fridge that he could buy brand new for R3100. I smell something fishy here (and its not what's in the non-working freezer either)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com