Whirlpool Refrigerator Settlement: Claims Due November 2, 2026 for Broken Freezer-Door Wires — Free Door or Up to 50% of the Price Back

The Whirlpool refrigerator settlement is about broken wires in the freezer door. The notice describes “certain side-by-side refrigerators with in-door ice makers, ice dispensers, and water dispensers manufactured by Whirlpool from 2018-2021,” sold under the Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid and JennAir names. If those wires fail, the ice maker, ice dispenser, water dispenser or control panel in the door can stop working. The lawsuit alleges breach of warranty, negligence and fraudulent concealment; Whirlpool denies the claims and any wrongdoing, and the court has not decided who is right.

The deadline to submit a claim for a failure that happened by May 5, 2026, whether or not it has been fixed, is November 2, 2026. A failure that starts after May 5, 2026 has its own clock: you must contact Whirlpool or the administrator within 90 days of discovering it and before you repair or replace anything. Your model number alone does not make you a class member; the notice says to check the serial number on the settlement website.

The notice lists model numbers by brand, and the full list is Exhibit 2 to the settlement on the official site. Examples from the notice: JennAir JSC23C9EEM00; KitchenAid KRSC500ESS01, KRSC700H*S00-04, KRSF505E**01 and KRSF705HPS00-04; Maytag MSC21C6MFZ00-05, MSS25C4MG*00-06 and MSS26C6MFZ00; Whirlpool WRS571CIH*00-04, WRS555SIH*00-06, WRS588FIH*00-04 and WRSA71CIHZ00-04. An asterisk means any character qualifies. The notice also warns that not every refrigerator with these model numbers is included, so use the serial-number check on the site.

The class covers people who bought a new covered refrigerator for residential use from Whirlpool or an authorized reseller in the United States and its territories, people who got one as part of buying or remodeling a home, and people who received one as a gift. Employees of Whirlpool, insurers, extended-warranty providers and people who opted out are excluded.

Benefits depend on the year after the “In-Service Date” in which the failure happened. Unless you submit a purchase date, the manufacture date counts as the In-Service Date. Coverage reaches years two through seven.

Failure that already existed on May 5, 2026 and is not yet fixed (later failures reported within 90 days get the same options): in years 2 to 3, a free replacement door plus labor, or cash of 50% of the original purchase price; in year 4, door plus labor or 40%; in year 5, a door without labor or 40%; in years 6 to 7, a door without labor or 30%. A failure whose date you cannot prove is treated as year 7.

Repair you already paid for before May 5, 2026: with proof, the settlement reimburses part of the bill. Years 2 to 4: 75% if you told Whirlpool or the retailer first, 65% if not. Year 5: 60% or 50%. Years 6 to 7: 45% or 35%. If the repair was wire splicing or reconnection, you may also claim a replacement door.

Replacement you already paid for: a share of the original price. Years 2 to 4: 50% with prior notice, 45% without. Year 5: 40% or 35%. Years 6 to 7: 30% or 25%. Anything Whirlpool already paid you for the same problem is deducted. The attorney fees, up to $2,810,000 including costs, are paid separately by Whirlpool and do not reduce these benefits.

File online at RefrigeratorSettlement.com or by mail to Whirlpool Refrigerator Settlement Administrator, Attn: Claim Submission, 1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210, Philadelphia, PA 19103. You need one claim per refrigerator, your model and serial number, proof that you bought or acquired it new, and proof of the Wire Harness Issue, such as dated service tickets, estimates, receipts, messages with Whirlpool or the retailer, or an original photo of the broken wires with its date data. The form offers a QR code to upload such a photo from your phone. For repair and replacement claims you also need proof of what you paid, such as an invoice with a bank or card statement.

Whirlpool searched its own records and is sending tailored notices to people who contacted it about this problem; if your notice carries a “PQSCM” number, enter it and you do not need to prove the failure or your earlier contact, only your costs. The claim form says a repair option will not be scheduled until the court grants final approval. The administrator’s contacts are info@RefrigeratorSettlement.com and 1-877-355-4279 (the notice also prints 1-877-335-4279); Whirlpool’s line for new failures is 1-844-667-2929, refset2026@whirlpool.com.

The settlement was before Judge Maryellen Noreika. The notice set the opt-out and objection deadline at June 2, 2026 and the fairness hearing for July 9, 2026 at 10:00 A.M. ET at the federal courthouse at 844 N. King Street, Wilmington. As of September 30, 2026, we read no final approval order on the settlement site, so we cannot say whether the court has approved the settlement; the notice states that if it does, benefits are issued after any appeals are resolved. Since the opt-out date has passed, staying in the class and filing a claim is the route left. Personal injury claims and damage to property other than the refrigerator are not released.

Is it real? The deadline, the case number, the model list and the benefit tables above appear on the official settlement website and in its long-form notice, and Whirlpool’s own contact address is listed there. Claims are free; you never pay to file. If a message asks for a fee, a card number or a login outside RefrigeratorSettlement.com, do not answer it. Lead class counsel are Timothy N. Mathews and colleagues at Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith LLP.