Self cleaning oven

[Pat]

We finally decided to run our oven on self clean. I figured out how to initiate the cycle (darned computerized stove) and then realized the racks would be OK but would get discolored so I aborted the cleaning process to remove the racks. It has only been a few seconds so noting was hot. I removed the racks but couldn't close the door because the automatic locking mechanism was in the locked position. This leaves the convection fan running all the time.

I tried cycling the power, pressingt the "CLEAR" button etc. NOthing worked. Hints from the repair folks did not help. I sent an email to RepairClinic.com to await an an answer in 24-48 houirs. Expecting a house full of relatives for Thanksgiving and not having a range is a bit of a bother.

The first repair appointmemt I could schedule was for after Thanksgiving.

I got out of the box that the normal trouble cal-wait-on-hold system puts you in and called directily to a repair center (not approved process and they try to prrevent you from doing this) and talked to a manager who is sending a tech out the next day. Oh, by the way... yesterday the dryer jammed and will not rotate. The tech will look at that too.

Meanwhile...48 hours later I get an email from RepairCenter.com with a procedure to try. Like Du-uh... Press the door close sensor/switch to fool the range into thinking the door is closed and then press clear. VOILA!! the door unlocked and now the unit is happily doing its self clean routine.

I have a service contract on the range and the dryer so it is free to me to get it fixed so that isn't an issue but the free help from RepairService.com saved the day. I know what is probably wrong with the dryer but it is under contract too so I will not wrestle with it to get it down from the cabinet it sets on and take it apart and make a 60 mile (or 120 mile if the local store hasn't got a belt) to get a new belt.

Moral of the story: If you have an appliance problem you think you could fix with some guidance and the right parts try RepairService.com They give free advice and sell parts over the internet.

Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[egon]

Pat, you have mispent your life in gaining higher knowledge.

Several days should have been spent working with the Drudge Element in a plant filled with instruments that would always misbehave at most inconvient of time's. Tap, pull,push probe,and turn were allways at the top of the list after the explosion proof cover was removed.

Of course all this nonsense could have been avoided if man had stayed in a relatively safe healthy lifestyle mode without all these newfangled labour saving??? devices. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Bird]

Pat, am I overlooking something? [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img] I don't see where you said you got out the manual and read it to see what to do. If all else fails . . .. [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] And we have one of those computerized kitchen ranges that includes "convection" cooking which is something neither I nor my wife have tried yet. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img]

[jimbrown]

I run mine in the convection mode all of the time. basically it has a fan that circulates the heat so the oven is the same temp all over and not hotter at the top than the bottom. it really cooks biscuits/cookies and the like much more evenly.

[Bird]

Jim, we used to have an Anerican Harvest Jetstream oven that was basically a convention oven I guess with the fan. We really used it a lot for quite a few years instead of a grill for steaks, burgers, etc. I guess some day we'll use the convection part of this Kitchenaid range, but for things like bicsuits, cornbread muffins, and such just for two people, we just use the little countertop electric toaster/oven.

[Pat]

JIm, Bird, Egon, Thanks for the help guys...

Jim, convection ovens are OK and need the fan but our fan ran continuously (24-7) after the difficulty arose, with the door open and no heat produced.

Bird, Somehow we seemed to find all the appliance manuals EXCEPT for the dual fuel range. Thanks to the parts seller with the trouible shooting hint service we are back in business. Ran the self clean and all is well.

Now if the repair guy has a belt or whatever for the dryer we'll be set. The typical repair call is where the tech takes the unit apart and determines the most likely parts needed and leaves. They ship the parts to your house in a week or two and then a week or so later the tech comes out and installs the part(s) and finds out another part is needed which is a repeat of the above.
(Lather rinse repeat)

Way back when I was doing field service work in marine electronics I would have keel hauled or hung any installer or tech from the yardarm who had to go back to the shop more than once for parts on the same job. My philosophy is to take everything that is reasonably likely and what isn't needed can be returned to stock. But then our customers had learned to expect professional results whereas today's consumers take what they can get if they can get it when it comes to service.

More time and effort is put into the "telephone interface" than actually doing something for the customer's problem. I get so tired of having my hand professionally held over the phone while hours and days turn into weeks and nothing substantive is accomplished. Customer care folks apparently either can't read and understand English or don't carefully read emails prior to responding with canned phrases of feigned care.

Rant continues:

Recently I bought a TV from Best Buy (on-line for in store pickup.) I could have bought the same TV elsewhere or another equivalent TV in another brand. One of the reasons for selecting Best Buy was the incentive of a "FREE" $470 massage chair with the TV.

I get an email saying the massage chair is back ordered. I pick up the TV and get it installed. I like it fine. I get another email telling me that IAW my request they have cancelled the chair order. I tell them I want the chair and am willing to wait for the backorder to be filled. There is a 12-15 email exchange and 5-9 phone calls. Now the fate of "MY CHAIR" is in the hands of an internal "REASEARCH TEAM" that I am not permitted to contact.

I get a call from a lady who says she read all the email traffic and it was clear to her I should get the chair. She reintstated the order AND removed the shipping charge and tax (which I was supposed to pay) as a gesture of good will because of the hassle I had been put through. I am satisfied.

I receive an email telling me the chair order is cancelled. There are no more chairs available. I feel hornswaggled! If they hadn't cancelled my order in the first place I would have received a chair but during the interim while trying to communicate with them all the chairs were "used up."

Again I start an email and phone campaign. I ask what to do. Do I return the now used TV for a refund, or what? I suggest the fair thing to do would be to issue me store credit in the ammount of the $470 plus tax plus shipping since this is what their error has deprived from me.

The issue has once again been taken up by the secret committee (Reaearch Team) and I have had no word in a week.

Why is it so hard to see that I was supposed to get a TV and a massage chair (valued at $470 at X price and only got the TV for X price. They can give me $470 plus tax plus shipping and I will be satisfied (but will miss the massage chair) or since I am such a nice guy, to avoid litigation, picketing, investigative reporters, BBB fraud reports, etc. they can give me the $470 plus shipping plus tax in the form of store credit and I will spend it with them. This seems more than fair on my part.

We'll see,

PaT [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[egon]

We spent last Xmas without an oven. The switch packed up and had to be ordered. First one was the wrong one. Had to spent time emailing picture of the old switch which we then got. Had a litte other fun with the element too but that's a story for another day.

Egon [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]