myBeautifulBC.com blogs -- Le Creuset Disk Explodes in Oven and Le Creuset claims it wasn't a defect??

 
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My favorite roaster cracked in half while cooking at 375-400 F

Le Creuset product explodes while baking at 375-400 and breaks into two pieces! Le Creuset claims product was free from defect!!!\

March 2009 Update:

To: owen@thebbb.ca
Cc: canadasales@lecreuset.com ;
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 9:47 AM
Subject: Re: Le Creuset, case #xxxx-xxx% - Owen Hammond - STILL NOT resolved


March 24/09

Hello Owen Hammond,

Pursuant to our telephone conversation of September, I made repeated efforts to contact Le Creuset by e-mail regarding the offer contained in your response of June 19/08 by Le Creuset National Sales Mgr Todd Jarvis to replace the cracked roaster. As an advocate myself, I prefer proceedings to be undertaken in writing - the parole evidence rule and so on. At any rate, no joy. No roaster. No reply. Nothing.

I now return the file as you suggested at the conclusion of the phone call to your capable hands for action. Please let me know if there is any further information you require to speed that replacement roaster to my eager hearthside.

Thank you for your kind attention.

xxx
Vancouver, B.C.

P.S. Having received the offer by Mr. Jarvis for a full replacement, which was included in your correspondence of last June, I'm perplexed by the company's failure to carry out that obligation. I wonder what various relevant consumer protection legislation would have to say about the practice.
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 12:50 PM
Subject: RE: My favorite roaster cracked in half while cooking at 375-400 F

Good afternoon!

Thank you for your email inquiring about your Le Creuset stoneware dish.  You are welcome to send your dish to our Canadian Assessment Department to be evaluated for replacement under warranty.  Le Creuset Stoneware is guaranteed to be free of defects in materials and workmanship.  Most defects show themselves in first or second use, however, they will look to see if there is a defect in your particular dish.  If there is it will be replaced automatically.  If the evaluation shows evidence of accidental damage not covered by warranty (for example, marks from use on stove-top, water stains from extended soaking periods, impact marks, scratches, thermal shock, etc) they will offer you the opportunity to purchase a replacement at 40% off the Suggested Retail Price.

BBB Complaint Confirmation -- Tracking # 8A323-2EF74-27436-FA627-xxxxx-xxxxx-xx

May 5-7/08 - dish (Le Creuset PG1040-369) containing chicken pieces exploded in oven at 375 F about 20 min into cooking, breaking in two, spoiling dinner and making greasy mess in oven. Photos of broken dish are available.
 
Email response May 7/08 signed Shirley Carrigan (Quality Assessment - 2825 Argentia Rd, Unit 4 Mississauga, Ont. L5N 8G6):
 
... "You are welcome to send your dish to our Canadian Assessment Dept. to be evaluated for replacement under warranty. Le Creuset Stoneware is guaranteed to be free of defects in materials and workmanship. ..."
 
Mailed dish May 5/08 - Canada Post receipt for $15.27
 
Ltr May 20/08 signed Denise Pasveer, Consumer Srv, Le Creuset Canada, Inc. Indicates,
 
... "damage your cookware sustained is not from a factory defect in the material or workmanship and therefore is not covered under the Limited Lifetime Warranty.
 
... happy to offer you the opportunity to replace your Oval Stoneware dish at 40% off the Suggested Retail Price ... $57.63".
 
Problem: No evidence to support their claim that consumer somehow 'did something' to cause explosion. Moreover, new invitation to treat suggests there was never any intention to honor warranty terms.
 
Background: I purchased the thing several years ago from Cookworks on Broadway in Vancouver's swish S. Granville shopping district - a deliberate effort on my part to seek quality goods. Le Creuset roasters were on sale - an unexpectedly good one. Why? I asked sales rep, who explained store was no longer carrying Le Creuset. Why? I asked again. Sales rep explained there had been a number of items that exploded in the oven just as mine did recently, that certain models were being discontinued on that basis. Store since that time carries a French competitor.
 
As I explained in my email to the co. online May 7/08, I have no quarrel with any other of my Le Creuset prodx, so I clearly take great care to use and clean them properly as per instructions, etc.
 
Co.'s failure to disclose proper evidence of its assertion that product not defective coupled with new invitation to treat suggests strongly they are trying to salvage some commerce from a product they know to be 'problematic.' A bad faith gesture, to say the least.
 
I will be satisfied with nothing less than full replacement PLUS reimbursement of mailing cost of $15.72.
 

Photos

The two parts of the Creuset we returned to Le Creuset is located at the top of this page (click here for a higher resolution photo).

A photo detail from the edge created by the explosion of the dish (see in the photo below, the upper right hand corner hollow and the mating lump at the lower left hand corner of the photo) shows something left over from the manufactor of the disk. Defect? If it wasn't a defect why would the dish have exploded through that point? Clearly the void and matching lump exposed when the dish exploded is something left over from manufacturing and is not something caused by usage since the void/lump are inside the bottom of the dish material and were only exposed after the dish exploded.

Note the upper right hand and lower left hand corners in the edge created when Le Creuset's product exploded while cooking at 375 to 400 degrees.

We have more photos of the broken Le Creuset. None show any abuse. This is the only abberation anywhere on the Le Creuset product that might explain the explosion. Le Creuset didn't provide any explanation as to why their product might explode in an oven while cooking chicken at 375 to 400 degrees.

 

 
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