Whirlpool Side-by-Side Fridge Settlement Resolves Class Action Lawsuit Over Alleged Wire Defect In Freezer Doors

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Whirlpool Corporation has agreed to a class action settlement to resolve a lawsuit that alleged certain side-by-side refrigerators sold under the Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, and JennAir brands were equipped with defective wiring harnesses that hampered their in-door features, including the ice maker, ice dispenser, water dispenser and control panel.

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The Whirlpool class action settlement received preliminary approval from the court on March 3, 2026 and generally covers all consumers nationwide who:

• Purchased a new class refrigerator for residential use from Whirlpool or its authorized resellers within the United States and its territories;
• Acquired a class refrigerator as part of the purchase or remodel of a home; or
• Received a new class refrigerator as a gift from someone who purchased the refrigerator from Whirlpool or its authorized resellers within the United States and its territories.

The court-approved website for the Whirlpool refrigerator class action settlement can be found at RefrigeratorSettlement.com. 

Consumers can determine if they are eligible to participate in the settlement by using the refrigerator serial number checker on the Whirlpool settlement website to see if their refrigerator is covered by the deal. A refrigerator’s serial number may be found on the tag on the inside frame of the fridge door.

According to the website, Whirlpool settlement class members who file a timely, valid claim form have multiple options for reimbursement, depending on when past repairs and refrigerator replacements occurred and when any future repairs and replacements may occur.

To file a refrigerator settlement claim form online, class members can head to this page and log in using the notice ID and confirmation code found on their copy of the settlement notice. Class members who did not receive notice may also file a claim form online here by entering their personal information, contact details, information about their refrigerator, and any documentation and other information deemed necessary by the settlement administrator.

Alternatively, class members may download a PDF of the claim form from the website to print, fill out and return by mail to the address of the settlement administrator at the top of the document.

The settlement agreement states that class members who have previously reported a wire harness issue to Whirlpool, as confirmed by the company’s customer database records, are considered prequalified settlement class members, meaning they are not required to submit additional proof that they experienced the defect. However, prequalified settlement class members will need to submit with their claim form evidence of costs they incurred to receive reimbursement from the settlement.

According to the agreement, class members who experienced a wire harness issue between two and seven years after their fridge’s in-service date, which refers to the date of purchase or the manufacture date if the purchase date is not documented, and paid out of pocket for repair or replacement due to the defect are eligible to receive either reimbursement for a portion of the actual amount they paid in repair expenses, or a percentage of the original purchase price of the fridge, as supported by documented proof.

Per court documents, consumers can receive compensation for repairs and replacements as follows, depending on when their fridge experienced the wire harness issue:

• Within two to four years of the in-service date:
  • Repairs: Consumers can receive reimbursement for 75 percent of out-of-pocket costs for repairs if they provided notice to Whirlpool of the wire harness defect, and 65 percent of costs if no notice was given.
  • Replacements: Class members can receive reimbursement for 50 percent of out-of-pocket replacement expenses if they provided notice to Whirlpool of the defect, and 45 percent of costs if no notice was given.
• Within five years of the in-service date:
  • Repairs: Consumers can receive reimbursement for 60 percent of out-of-pocket costs for repairs if they provided notice to Whirlpool of the wire harness defect, and 50 percent of costs if no notice was issued.
  • Replacements: Class members can receive reimbursement for 40 percent of out-of-pocket replacement expenses if they provided notice to Whirlpool of the defect, and 35 percent of costs if no notice was issued.
• Within six to seven years of the in-service date:
  • Repairs: Consumers may receive reimbursement for 45 percent of out-of-pocket costs for repairs if they provided notice to Whirlpool of the wire harness defect, and 35 percent of costs if no notice was issued.
  • Replacements: Class members may receive reimbursement for 30 percent of out-of-pocket replacement expenses if they provided notice to Whirlpool of the defect, and 25 percent of costs if no notice was issued.

Class members whose covered fridges have a preexisting wire harness issue as of May 5, 2026 that has not been fixed, occurring between two and seven years after the refrigerator's in-service date, are also entitled to submit a claim for reimbursement for either a portion of repair costs or the original purchase price to remedy the issue, as supported by documented proof.

Per court documents, settlement class members have the following options should their fridge have a preexisting wire harness issue as of May 5, 2026:

• If the defect occurs within two to three years of the in-service date:
  • Repairs: Whirlpool will cover the full cost of parts and labor expenses for consumers whose refrigerators have a preexisting wire harness issue.
  • Reimbursement: Consumers may receive monetary compensation of 50 percent of the original purchase price paid for their class refrigerator.
• If the defect occurs within four years of the in-service date:
  • Repairs: Whirlpool will cover the full cost of parts and labor expenses for consumers whose refrigerators have a preexisting wire harness issue.
  • Reimbursement: Consumers may receive monetary compensation for 40 percent of the original purchase price paid for their class refrigerator.
• If the defect occurs within five years of the in-service date:
  • Repairs: Whirlpool will cover all parts expenses, but not labor, for consumers whose refrigerators have a preexisting wire harness issue.
  • Reimbursement: Consumers may receive monetary compensation for 40 percent of the original purchase price paid for their class refrigerator.
• If the defect occurs within six to seven years of the in-service date:
  • Repairs: Whirlpool will cover all parts expenses, but not labor, for consumers whose refrigerators have a preexisting wire harness issue.
  • Reimbursement: Consumers may receive monetary compensation for 30 percent of the original purchase price paid for their class refrigerator.

Importantly, the settlement agreement explains that class members who elect to receive repair benefits for a preexisting wire harness issue will be contacted by Whirlpool to arrange the repair and/or delivery of parts after approval of their claim.

Furthermore, the agreement notes that any class member who has a preexisting defect as of May 5, 2026, but is unsure of the actual date of failure, is entitled to seek relief as if the failure occurred within seven years after the in-service date.

These Whirlpool refrigerator settlement claim forms must be submitted online or by mail by November 2, 2026.

Class members who experience a wire harness issue after May 5, 2026, between two and seven years after the in-service date of their class refrigerator, may also be eligible to receive either compensation for a portion of repair costs or reimbursement of the original purchase price, as supported by documented proof.

Per court documents, class members have the following options for repairs or reimbursement should their fridge experience a wire harness problem in the future, after May 5, 2026:

• If the future defect occurs between two and three years of the in-service date:
  • Repairs: Whirlpool will cover the full cost of parts and labor expenses for consumers whose refrigerators experience a wire harness issue in the future.
  • Reimbursement: Consumers may receive monetary compensation for 50 percent of the original purchase price paid for their class refrigerator.
• If the future defect occurs within four years of the in-service date:
  • Repairs: Whirlpool will cover the full cost of parts and labor expenses for consumers whose refrigerators experience a wire harness issue in the future.
  • Reimbursement: Consumers may receive monetary compensation for 40 percent of the original purchase price paid for their class refrigerator.
• If the future defect occurs within five years of the in-service date:
  • Repairs: Whirlpool will cover all parts expenses, but not labor, for consumers whose refrigerators experience a wire harness issue in the future.
  • Reimbursement: Consumers may receive monetary compensation for 40 percent of the original purchase price paid for their class refrigerator.
• If the future defect occurs between six and seven years of the in-service date:
  • Repairs: Whirlpool will cover all parts expenses, but not labor, for consumers whose refrigerators experience a wire harness issue in the future.
  • Reimbursement: Consumers may receive monetary compensation for 30 percent of the original purchase price paid for their class refrigerator.

According to the settlement agreement, class members wishing to receive benefits for a post-notice wire harness issue must contact Whirlpool or the settlement administrator within 90 days of its occurrence, depending on which settlement benefit option they prefer.

The court will determine whether to grant final approval to the Whirlpool wire harness defect settlement following a hearing on July 9, 2026. Compensation will begin to be distributed to class members only after final approval is granted and any appeals are resolved.

The settlement website says that eligible class members may receive one benefit for each covered refrigerator they purchased or acquired.

The Whirlpool class action lawsuit alleged that some Whirlpool-, Maytag-, KitchenAid- and JennAir-brand side-by-side door refrigerators manufactured between 2018 and 2021 were predisposed to a freezer door wire harness defect that affected certain in-door features, including ice makers, ice dispensers, water dispensers and control panels. The case alleged, among other claims, that Whirlpool fraudulently concealed the defect from consumers.

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