A lot of modern day engines have some diagnostics in the ECM's to flash codes but they still require you to connect a computer to them to diagnose the systems to see what is happening with them. I am curious as to how long it will be before we have to start connecting our computers to them to troubleshoot. There may already be some out there like that that I am not aware of.

I do miss the days of getting many calls to work on direct drive washers but like you said, adapt or die.

That's how i feel about top mount fridges with manual timers...yawn..  wake me when it's over.  If they bore geezers like us,  I wonder how the hell do they keep the attention of these attention-deficit-disordered young-uns?    Oh,  nevermind...  I guess they love them because they can work on them while being on facespace,  snapshut and twerker all at the same time. 

I guess with appliances becoming more hi-tech it will kill the YouTube repair crowd. I have noticed over the last few years that more people were able to fix their own appliances. My one friend's wife, that has no technical ability, was able to replace the pump on her whirlpool direct drive washer. I doubt she could diagnose and replace an acuator on one of those newer whirlpool models. 

When I told a friend of mine that I was doing appliance repair he told me "I always fix my own". Last week when I saw him he said he had a washer, ice machine, & range that he needs me to come take a look at and see what is wrong with them. I told him that I needed the model numbers before I would come out. His wife said she would send them to me. She hasn't yet, and I thought what happened to "I fix my own." I guess it is easy to fix them if someone comes and does the diagnostics and tells you which part to change.

Some engine manufactures figured out that it was more profitable to make you buy a software and pay a yearly subscription fee in order to diagnose & work on their equipment. I wouldn't be surprised if some appliance companies don't jump on that band wagon in the future.

Computers have helped mankind in so many areas, but to think that computers have helped the major appliance industry is crazy. In the times of defrost timers, if the timer failed the consumer would pay about $60 for a new timer, but in the days of ADC the consumer will pay $150 to $250 for the SAME problem. And buy the way, if people can fix their own appliances by watching a video, great. I am not even worried about that in the least. High Efficiency has hurt major appliances. The consumer may save on power or water, but in a few years they will pay for it in repair.

On 2/28/2016 at 3:37 PM, Samurai Appliance Repair Man said:

I'm bored out of my skull with that washer. Lovin' the new era of computer-controlled appliances and looking forward to working on the wifi-connected stuff. Webinar on that coming soon! 

The Whirlpool direct drive washer is the best designed washer ever made. It takes a lickin and keeps on going. Easy to repair. In expensive to repair. And it is a sad thing the federal goverment told Whirlpool they can't make it anymore for residential use although you can still get a coin op.

It is not a fear, it is a sad result from computers in appliances, which causes the consumer to pay much higher prices for repairs then in the past. And appliance companies have not yet got the bugs worked out yet. I saw a post on this site from a veteran tech who said he thought that they were designing appliances these days to last about 15 years. I don't fear the new technology. I do not like that my customers pay higher pices for parts, and much earlier repairs from their purchase date. Recently I repaired a 2 year old direct drive washer. The MCU had failed. $224 for the board. Maybe someday appliance companies will get the engineering right, and boards wont fail in two years. I have a landlord customer who asked me a couple years ago whichbrand of appliances I would recomend for rentals. I told her Whirlpool. So about a year ago she went out and bought serveral Whirlpool appliances. She called me a mounth after the refrigerator went out of warranty. Had a refrigerant leak in the evaporator. I told her to call WP cause I thought the sealed system should have a 5 year warranty. It did not, only a 1 year on the sealed system. But WP sad they would send the evaporator for free. Only problem they did not any of the evaporators in stock. A 1 year old appliance and parts are not available. Again no fear just disappointment.

The cost of the electronics on the new appliances is an issue. Some of the boards on these units cost about half of what the entire appliance costs. Hopefully as time passes the price of the boards will come down. It's terrible telling a customer with an appliance less than 5 years old that they would be better off replacing because the parts cost too much. 

1 hour ago, Samurai Appliance Repair Man said:

 

What about the more ominous side: when the appliance computer detects an error and contacts the manufacturer who then automatically dispatches the ASC? How much of a threat could this be to the unaffiliated service company? 

 

That would have to happen under warranty. I have no concen about that. And the SMART APPLIANCES I have seen aren't that smart. My smart phone thinks I work at Reliable Parts in Tukwila, I don't, not that smart. I am only there a few minutes a day.

I have been in design and manufacturing as an engineer for about 35 years and started my  repair business over a decade go.  There're are many aspects of the situation, but the ever-changing technology and fear are clearly unavoidable issues.  The real problem aid marketing in my experience.  They are responsible for remotes with too many tiny buttons and washers with 13 speeds.  The constant mantra was "Get it out the door!" Despite our pleas that some things weren't ready.  "Don't worry, we can fix it later."  "We need to meet the market window."  Not that designers don't make mistakes, but we did not write the specs, choose the hard to read buttons, etc.  Once we were awaiting a turbidity probe from Australia and the marketing VP asked when we would have it ready to ship.  WE hadn't seen it yet and the sales guy says, "I just sold 40.  I need the those probes!"  We were told to expedite 41 of them and drop ship 40 to the sales department.  Of course it was our fault they did not work.

If I was entrepreneurial enough (or younger) I'd seriously consider trying to get easy to use and easy to repair things.  TV remotes that only change channels and volume and that had  contrasting buttons big enough to see.  Washers with three speeds.  

Don't be afraid.  I have found that the most difficult part of most repairs is getting the damn thing open.

20 hours ago, richseattle56 said:

...  And it is a sad thing the federal goverment told Whirlpool they can't make it anymore for residential use although you can still get a coin op.

And you believe that's the reason whirlpool appliances now suck,  that whirpool is innocent when they put stupidly designed duckbill grommets,  plastic crap evaporator trays,  wonky computers,  frontloader door problems that they know are problematic and lie about the "repair"  (a bag of Afresh)..icemakers ( the heat released models)  that fail in a few months on their machines?   You actually believe,  if given a choice,  Whirlpool would go back to making inexpensive,  long lasting appliances? Really?  

The future is now,  techs that tell customers their new appliances suck,  even if the customer agrees,  are setting themselves up for failure.  I want my customers to know I enjoy working on the new appliances,  that there is a net gain to having high tech appliances.   

Never!  what I have is cheaper,  lasts longer, and doesn't  need much repair... those will never catch on.. said the cowboy to the horseless carriage salesman

The more complex the better.  It's more challenging, more profitable, limits competition, and cuts down on DIY.  I'm a consumer as well, but as a technician I'm happy to see more expensive and more complex machines.  That means more money for me, and well, let's be real...what's more important to you as an appliance tech/business owner?  Perceived fairness to the customer or cash to feed the children?  Hmmm, that seems pretty easy.  I made a ton of money off direct drive Whirlpools.  Great machines.  And now they're just about gone.  Ok.  So what?  I also make a ton of money off PCBs, and they're not greasy.

For the record there are well made products that have no problem meeting regulatory standards and also function beautifully.  But they are $$$$.  Think Miele, and high end in general (maybe not Viking ).  

Most of the complaints of poorly made products can be attributed to "American" (named) companies like Whirlpool.  Seems like another American company had similar problems (GM - see here for more on that: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/403/nummi )

This is 2016.  This is literally "the future"...right now.  No more "one day..." or "at some point..."  Nope.  Now.  Today.  5 years ago.  Plugging a computer into an OBDII port is so 1997.  Bring on the wifi, less shit to carry in my tool bag.

Cooments in this blog inspired my most recent remake;

On 2/28/2016 at 8:24 PM, AQAppliances said:

I guess with appliances becoming more hi-tech it will kill the YouTube repair crowd. I have noticed over the last few years that more people were able to fix their own appliances. My one friend's wife, that has no technical ability, was able to replace the pump on her whirlpool direct drive washer. I doubt she could diagnose and replace an acuator on one of those newer whirlpool models. 

one of my customers did the same, and a year later she called me out to fix her dryer, she asked me if i could put the washer cabinet top back on correctly because she couldnt get it. (WP Direct drive model) I did, and didnt charge her because i fixed her dryer. she was soooo happy, it was as if i gave her $500…  i think we undervalue our abilities in our customers eyes and overvalue our customers capabilities alot of times.

The problem i am seeing is boards failing early, like in two and a half years. I used to work on AEG and Hitachi appliances that were electronic 20 years ago. The boards of today do not have their quality. Is there a standard - apparently you get consumer grade boards and military grade boards ?

 Whirlpool seem to have the best boards and Frigidaire the worst with the rest in between. We now tell customers to use surge protecters although new houses now have them.

I will keep my old school machines going as they work better and i do not have to replace them every couple of years.

We have to grasp the future and deal with it - electronics and the net are a paradigm shift in our lives even if most people cannot se it.

On 3/4/2016 at 12:37 PM, Dave the handyman said:

If I was entrepreneurial enough (or younger) I'd seriously consider trying to get easy to use and easy to repair things.  TV remotes that only change channels and volume and that had  contrasting buttons big enough to see.  Washers with three speeds.  

Funny to read this 

new tv I saw the other day had shown on the box

it came with 2 remotes 

a full function remote with all the buttons 

and a basic remote , power , channels , volume 

quite clever really