Originally sent October 24, 2006, this is my first letter to Dennis Christian, Field Service Manager for Kohler Residential Power division.

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Dear Dennis,

I own a Kohler 70 kw generator, model # 70RZ262. The generator was purchased seven years ago and installed and serviced by South Shore Generator. My house is located atop a dune in North Truro, MA on Cape Cod Bay and the generator is placed outdoors below grade, protected by a stone retaining wall), along the wall of my guest house facing the water about 150 feet from the dune’s edge. It services both the guest house and main house.

When I purchased the house four years ago, I noticed that the generator was not holding up well to the salt air and asked South Shore Generator if stainless steel panels were available for it or what I might be able to do to help it weather the elements better. I was told to build a wall around the unit and I constructed a wooden enclosure with approximately 10 inch openings at the top and bottom for air circulation, but the unit (the panels and parts of the frame) has rusted to the point where it looks as if it will disintegrate in the very near future- see enclosed pictures of the problem.

Last year, I emailed Kohler and was informed that I should contact Kraft Power Company in Woburn, MA regarding warranty work on the rusting panels and frame. They felt that there was clearly a problem and that Kohler should do something for me. Kohler rejected the claim, stating that we had the unit too long. My feeling is that we have serviced the unit properly, have done everything asked to do and clearly the unit is not, as stated in your literature (see attached) “highly weather resistant” with “fully corrosion –resistant material construction”.

Either this unit is defective as even though it has been sheltered from the elements, it has rusted to the point where I am concerned about its viability; or, if the unit is not defective, you should not sell in a salt air environment. In either case, I believe it is your responsibility to make the unit right.

I have always thought of Kohler as a company with the highest quality and standards and clearly this generator housing is anything but that. Your response to Kraft Power was disappointing at best.

I hope that you will reconsider your position and make this generator right.

Thank you for your attention and consideration.

Very truly yours,

Jeff B.

]]> http://www.kohlercustomerservice.com/wp/?feed=rss2&p=3 0 http://www.kohlercustomerservice.com/wp/?p=32 http://www.kohlercustomerservice.com/wp/?p=32#comments Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:14:39 +0000 admin http://www.kohlercustomerservice.com/wp/?p=32 I wrote to Herbert Kohler, Chairman, CEO and President of Kohler Co. regarding my generator, along with clippings directly from Kohler’s website and literature that came with my specific model of generator. Click on the images below to read.

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November 14, 2006

Subject: Generator Serial XXXXXX

Dear Mr. B.,

We have reviewed your request for consideration for replacement of the weather housing on your 70RZ, S/N XXXXXX. This unit was factory tested on 3-10-1998 and is currently more than 8 years old. We have no record of when this unit was placed into service as there was no start-up notification filed with our office. Our records indicate that the unit was sold with a one year warranty which expired on 3-10-1999. Our determination for the consideration of compensation for the replacement panels is based on additional factors including:

• Your seaside location as shown in your photos is subject to a harsh saltwater corrosive environment.

• We are uncertain of the care the generator received prior to your purchasing the home 4 years ago.

• The housing appears to have physical damage not due to corrosion.

• The generator appears to be physically located in an area that would hold moisture which would accelerate the corrosion.

In consideration of the above information, we are unable to honor your request.

Kohler Power Systems works hard to provide quality products to our customers. It’s my opinion that we meet that goal everyday. Sometimes, external conditions affect a product in the field, that’s out of our control. I believe that conditions well beyond the control of Kohler Power Systems have caused the cosmetic damage to your unit.

As a good will gesture we will provide a 20% reimbursement for any replacement housing components purchased from Kraft Power Corporation in the next 120 days. If you choose to accept our offer, please provide to me a copy of the invoice for the parts and labor. Please send this information direct to my attention and I will process for payment to you. [Except Kohler did not make an aluminum housing for this generator, hence the problem would not be solved!]

We thank you for your letter and hope that you will accept our offer.

Sincerely,

Eric E Hansen

Supervisor Service Switchgear Systems

Kohler Power Systems, Americas

Eric,

This generator is falling apart. I spent $800+ on repairs this fall and now need to replace the control box support for another $1,050. This is unfair.

I now need to replace the generator with one that has an aluminum housing.  A 50 kw or 60 kw LP unit would work (50RES? Or 50 RZGB or 60RZG would be the likely replacement units).

What I believe to be a fair outcome would be for you to sell me a new generator unit at 20% discount from wholesale dealer price. In this manner, you are still making money on the new unit.

I have used a distributor of yours, South Shore Generator since the outset. They have serviced the unit from the get go.

I need to replace the existing unit with one with an aluminum housing. If you will not grant me this reasonable, modest accommodation then I will replace it with a unit from another manufacturer.

Your/ the company’s response thus far has been disappointing at best.

I spent several thousand dollars protecting the unit by erecting an enclosure, only to learn that it likely exacerbated the problem. Now I am facing with increasing repairs with the best course of action being to replace the unit, remove the walls around the unit to allow for more air to circulate and then to install a “roof” over the unit, underneath the decking above the unit to protect it from moisture in the salt air- so that water does not drip down on the unit from the decking above it.

I am asking Kohler to help me out at no real cost to itself. If Kohler sells me a replacement unit at cost or a modest premium to its cost, how would it be injured? I will still have to pay shipping and installation.

I wait your response as I will replace the unit this spring.

Very Truly yours,

Jeff B.

Sent: October 23rd, 2006

Jim,
See the attached pictures. This is appalling. If I cannot get a replacement unit from Kohler or repairs that make the unit sound and then truly resistant to salt air, I may investigate whether I can get adequate relief from the courts. The unit is either defective as all residential generators are designed to be outdoor or Kohler has a problem that others in salt air have encountered and should be willing to join with me a class action suit. The promotional literature says “fully corrosion-resistant material”- which clearly does not seem to be the case!!

I appreciate your help, but they seem rather inflexible and this issue has gone on since I acquired the house four years ago.
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Previous emails are below:

Jeff -

As I explained in my phone message today, I suggested to Kohler that they do something to compensate you in regards to problems you are having with the generator housing. However, their response to me, was that due to the age of the unit, they see no justification for doing that.

Your best bet now would be to write them a letter explaining all details and that you feel you should be entitled to some sort of compensation. Send it to the attention of Mr Dennis Christian and copy it to the attention of Mr Chris Galow. These gentleman carry some weight in regards to decisions.

We at Kraft are truly sorry for your predicament and fully understand the situation you are in. We tried to get something for you, but were turned down. Good luck with this problem and if we at Kraft can further help you please feel free to get in touch with us.

Sincerely,

Jim Cady

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Jim,

I appreciate your follow thru. I listened to your voice mail message and, like you, strongly disagree with their position.

South Shore Generator has been aware of the situation for almost three years- ever since we purchased the property.

I was told that I Kohler did not make a stainless steel or galvanized housing that was salt air resistant for that unit and that it would likely cost us north of $10k to fabricate such.

Does Kohler made a housing that is salt air resistant for this unit?

We build an enclosure around the generator with a venting system to protect it from sand and direct exposure to rain, snow etc. (It has 10″ openings at the top and bottom of the walls and has a deck above it with a galvanized sheet protecting the unit from water seeping in from the deck above) , but that has not retarded the descinegration of the housing which is rusting to the point of crumbling and the base supporting the side pieces is in similar shape.

The unit never should have been installed in an exposed salt air environment!  It cannot withstand the elements.

Either the Kohler finish and workmanship of the treatment of the housing is substandard or they never should have installed the unit without insisting that it be in an air tight environment.

In either case it is clearly wrong!! I feel strongly about this and will pursue whatever course may be available to me. Kohler should not be permitted to sell its generators in salt air environments.

Thank you for your help.

I will take up the crusade on my own.

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